Sepiolite

Sepiolite is a type of clay that comes from rocks that have been weathered over time. It is sometimes called "meerschaum," which is a funny word that means "sea foam" in German. But don't worry, sepiolite doesn't actually come from the sea or have anything to do with foam!

Sepiolite is special because it has some really unique properties. It's really good at soaking up liquids, like a sponge. But unlike a sponge, sepiolite doesn't get all squishy and fall apart when it's wet. It stays strong and keeps its shape even when it's filled with liquid.

People have been using sepiolite for a long time because of these properties. They use it to make things like kitty litter, which absorbs pee and poo from cats (yucky, but important!). They also use it to clean up spills and leaks in factories and other places where liquids can be dangerous.

In addition to its absorbent properties, sepiolite is also really good at filtering things. That means it can be used to remove things like dirt, impurities, and even bacteria from water or other liquids. This makes it really useful for things like making drinking water safer and cleaner.

Overall, sepiolite might just seem like a simple clay, but it has some really amazing properties that make it very useful in many different ways.