Stalactites are in a tapering structure hanging like an icicle from the roof of a cave, formed of calcium salts deposited by dripping water. The stalactites grow over time. Similarly, the plastic items that I have included, such as a plastic bendy straw and a plastic. fork, accumulate over time and outlast a human lifespan. I decided to use gold, because gold is a natural element found through mining in caves and is a fine metal that lasts forever.