• Umbrias@beehaw.org
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      4 months ago

      Sand, but sharp due to a lack of water erosion, and formed mostly from asteroid impacts and thermal cycling. So it’s more like glass dust. It’s possible it has similar effects on lungs as asbestos, but we don’t know for sure.

    • cynar@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      It’s sand that has never been exposed to water or oxygen. This leaves various reactive chemicals on the surface that would normally be broken down. The lack of water also means the particles haven’t been smoothed off as much. They are sharp and spiky.

      The combination of these effects makes the dust quite unique, compared to earth dust.