What are these strange rocks?
Summary
Host Alex Laffridge investigates why hexagonal rock columns form in Indonesia and Northern Ireland. Geologists explain that cooling basalt contracts and cracks at 120-degree angles to relieve stress efficiently. A mathematician confirms hexagons are the optimal shape for tiling. The episode compares the Giant's Causeway with Lombok’s volcanic formations, revealing shared geological origins.
Topics discussed
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Listener Liana describes hexagonal rocks in Lombok
Geologist explains columnar basalt formation
Listener Sarah questions Giant's Causeway rocks
Visit to Giant's Causeway and Finn McCool legend
Geological explanation of basalt cooling and cracking
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Mathematician explains hexagonal efficiency in nature
Comparing volcanic settings in Ireland and Indonesia
Conclusion and credits
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