My dad
thinks that rocks have memories. Really.

He thinks they record information by listening to conversations and such.

He said he read it in a book. I would love to believe him.
(Eyes&Tees Could have, Would have, Should have on, Thu 1 Dec 2011, 21:08, 9 replies)

I saw a TV drama a bit like that
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stone_Tape
( rob, Thu 1 Dec 2011, 21:44, closed)

there is a convincing theory that they might have 'recorded'
the earth's magnetic field flipping in the past in some slow forming sedimentary rocks as ferrous particles align in different directions further down the strata but that's hardly like 'recorded speech'
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Thu 1 Dec 2011, 22:06, closed)

More common in igneous rocks
See the distribution of magnetic 'stripes' in oceanic crust
(rockdoctor, Fri 2 Dec 2011, 13:28, closed)

I am acquainted with someone who believes that water crystals grow into more regular shapes
if you talk nicely to them. She read that in a book, as well.
( Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Thu 1 Dec 2011, 22:23, closed)

Did he fall asleep in front of the news one night?
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4638136.stm
( Ghoti Fingers, Thu 1 Dec 2011, 23:13, closed)

As a qualified (but not an actual) archaeologist, I can confirm that historically important monumental rock structures can indeed record information from the past. Sadly, it tends to be along the lines of 'Barry is a fag'.
( Happy Phantom has been to Hastings, Brighton, and Eastbourne too, Fri 2 Dec 2011, 2:43, closed)

Wibbly-wobbly mists of time.
The article may have been a spoof, I was but a youngling at the time. Tomorrow's World or similar ( may have been Nationwide ) did a piece where 'conversations' were played back from a brick in a pub wall. A lot of pseudo-science ensued, followed by what sounded like a busy pub recorded on an Edison cylinder with a layer of white noise applied. More pseudo-science about how with noise filtering we would soon be able to hear conversations from the past.
Is that what he's remembering?
Believe he read or watched something related. As to whether or not it was a spoof or some tin foil hatted loonbox just built something to make noises when a damp detector was pressed onto a brick and folk were primed to hear something is up to the reader.
( moonbadger Doesn't judge a fish by its ability to climb trees, Fri 2 Dec 2011, 9:03, closed)

someone did far too much LSD in the 60's

(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Fri 2 Dec 2011, 9:40, closed)

Pottery
ISTR that this theory got some airtime in the scientific journals a few years back. The idea was that pottery could have recorded voices whilst the potter spun the clay on his wheel. The stick used to shape the pot would have been the stylus and recorded vibrations in the air onto the clay as he spoke.
In this way, it was thought we might get to hear the actual voice of Jesus.
(justin(e), Fri 2 Dec 2011, 12:59, closed)