No, sponges in modern Minecraft versions do not absorb lava. They are exclusively designed to remove water.
Can Sponges Absorb Lava in Minecraft?
While many players might hope for an easy way to clear hazardous lava flows, sponges in all current versions of Minecraft, including Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, cannot absorb lava. Their sole function related to liquids is to remove water.
A Glimpse into Minecraft's Past: Early Sponge Mechanics
Interestingly, the ability of sponges to interact with liquids has evolved since the game's earliest development stages. In very early versions of Minecraft, specifically during the Indev phase, sponges possessed a much broader capability. They were designed to soak up infinite water sources and infinite lava sources. This made them a powerful tool for environmental manipulation.
However, this unique interaction with lava was short-lived. Due to significant reworks of the game's core engine by Notch to allow for infinite terrain generation, the entire liquid system from Indev became non-functional in its original form. This crucial update, aimed at expanding the game world, effectively removed the sponge's ability to interact with lava. It's also worth noting that even in those early days, while they could handle infinite sources, they were not designed to "delete normal lava" in finite pools in the same way.
Current Sponge Functionality
Today, sponges are a specialized block with a clear purpose: water removal. They are particularly useful for draining underwater structures, clearing areas for building, or creating dry spaces in the ocean.
Here's a breakdown of how sponges work in contemporary Minecraft:
- Water Absorption: When placed, a sponge will instantly absorb up to 65 water source blocks and any flowing water within a 7-block radius.
- Wet Sponge: Upon absorbing water, a dry sponge transforms into a "wet sponge."
- Drying: A wet sponge needs to be dried to be used again. This can be done by:
- Smelting it in a furnace, which consumes fuel and produces a dry sponge and a bucket of water (if a bucket is placed in the fuel slot).
- Placing it in the Nether dimension, where the heat will automatically dry it after a few seconds, releasing water particles.
How to Clear Lava in Minecraft
Since sponges are ineffective against lava, players must resort to alternative methods to remove or control lava flows. These methods typically involve solid blocks or buckets:
- Placing Solid Blocks: The most common and direct method is to place solid blocks directly into the lava. Blocks like gravel, sand, dirt, cobblestone, or stone can be used. This effectively replaces the lava source or flow with a solid block.
- Example: When encountering a large lava lake, players often use stacks of gravel or sand, dropping them to fill the area.
- Using Buckets: For individual lava source blocks, an empty bucket can be used to pick up the lava, turning it into a lava bucket. This is effective for small-scale removal or for transporting lava.
- Water-Lava Interaction: Pouring water directly onto lava will cause different reactions depending on the conditions:
- If water flows over a lava source block, it creates obsidian.
- If water flows over flowing lava, it creates cobblestone.
- If lava flows over water, it creates stone. This can be used to solidify lava flows by strategically placing water.
- Netherrack or End Stone: In the Nether or End, lava behaves differently than in the Overworld. However, the principle of placing solid blocks remains the primary method for removal.
Sponge vs. Lava: A Comparison
To clarify the distinct interactions, consider this comparison:
| Feature | Water Interaction | Lava Interaction |
|---|---|---|
| Absorbs Source Blocks | Yes (up to 65 per placement) | No |
| Absorbs Flowing Blocks | Yes | No |
| Becomes Wet | Yes | N/A (no interaction) |
| Primary Use Cases | Draining oceans, clearing submerged areas | N/A (sponges have no use for lava removal) |
| Post-Absorption Product | Wet Sponge (requires drying) | N/A |
| Historical Capability | Yes (always, but system changed) | Yes (in very early Indev, then removed) |
In conclusion, while sponges once had a brief historical capacity to absorb infinite lava sources in early Minecraft development, this functionality has long been removed. Today, sponges are an invaluable tool for water management, but they offer no solution for the formidable challenge of clearing lava.
