BERKELEY, CA—Confirming that it is now by far the most common use for the material, a report published this week by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley revealed that 55 percent of the nation’s granite is now engraved with the names of victims. “We found that most of the granite within the United States has been carved and polished into memorials identifying the victims of a violent incident,” said lead researcher Tara Winfield, adding that, for the first time ever, more granite was used for structures honoring those killed in shootings, bombings, and other murderous acts than for the headstones of individuals who had died of natural causes. “In fact, when you also take into account the granite that is incorporated into a memorial’s surrounding statuary or reflecting pools, there’s very little left of the stone for municipal construction projects, paving, or kitchen fixtures.” Winfield warned that as the number of victims continued to increase, names of future victims would have to be engraved into subpar materials far less suited for preserving the memory of those who were lost.

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