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While I can be the answer to everything and everyone,

too much of me and your demise will be spun.

I can make things strong,

but transition is where I belong.

I am not natural, as is the common plant,

but in size I am yet but a paltry ant.

What am I?

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4 Answers 4

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Mostly I think you are

molybdenum

While I can be the answer to everything and everyone,

Molybdenum has atomic number 42.

too much of me and your demise will be spun.

Though an essential trace mineral, it is toxic at too high a level.

I can make things strong,

It is added to steel for a high-strength alloy.

but transition is where I belong.

Molybdenum is a transition metal, and is in enzymes which are bacterial catalysts.

I am not natural, as is the common plant,

Molybdenum does not occur naturally as a free metal on Earth.

but in size I am yet but a paltry ant.

Perhaps this relates to the size of one atom of Mo.

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  • $\begingroup$ Excellent! I certainly did not expect such a speedy answer, but this is spot on. Nice work. $\endgroup$
    – Puzzledoug360
    Commented Apr 14, 2022 at 15:26
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Is it

Gold

While I can be the answer to everything and everyone

It can make people rich and they can buy anything they want.

Too much of me and your demise will be spun

I believe this line is referring to the fairy tale "Rumpelstiltskin" where an imp spins gold from straw for a woman's firstborn.

I can make things strong

Gold can be alloyed with other metals to make something stronger. Although Gold is usually the weaker when being alloyed with other metals.

but transition is where I belong

Gold is a transition metal on the Periodic Table

I am not natural, as is the common plant

Gold formed before earth, from dead stars, while plants formed in nature on earth.

But in size I am yet but a paltry ant

When acquiring gold, through panning or some other means, it usually comes in very small amounts such as nuggets or dust

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  • $\begingroup$ The second line can also refer to rot13(Zvqnf) $\endgroup$
    – Auribouros
    Commented Apr 14, 2022 at 7:13
  • $\begingroup$ That is surprisingly close, except the above riddle got it! Also, rot13 (Gur svefg yvar vf ersreevat gb gur abiry, "Uvgpuuvxre'f Thvqr Gb gur Tnynkl," va juvpu gurl fnl gung gur nafjre gb yvsr, gur havirefr, naq rirelguvat vf gur ahzore 42.) $\endgroup$
    – Puzzledoug360
    Commented Apr 14, 2022 at 15:25
  • $\begingroup$ @Puzzledoug360 aaah.. rot13 (V fubhyq unir gubhtug zber va gur inva bs gur crevbqvp gnoyr, ohg V tbg uhat hc ba gur "lbhe qrzvfr jvyy or fcha") $\endgroup$
    – TMK
    Commented Apr 14, 2022 at 18:01
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My Answer

Change

Starting at the size of an ant, when its transition ends it ceases to exist. Too much of it and you'll cease to exist.

Change by its very definition is not natural, but it can strengthen a group.

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    $\begingroup$ Can you empathize the your answer line by line? $\endgroup$
    – Varun W.
    Commented Apr 14, 2022 at 1:58
  • $\begingroup$ Not quite, change does not line up with all of the lines. For example, 'While I can be the answer to everything and everyone...' $\endgroup$
    – Puzzledoug360
    Commented Apr 14, 2022 at 15:22
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This might be a bit of a stretch, but this is my answer:

1 (One)

While I can be the answer to everything and everyone:

People can refer to themselves as "one". "I am just but one of many." "One is glad to be of service."

Too much of me and your demise will be spun:

A group of individuals (ones) can bring about a rebellion. "United we stand, Divided we fall."

I can make things strong:

This goes back to groups of individuals. A group of sticks is far stronger than an individual stick, or 2x4's, steel beams, bricks, or whatever individual building block you want to use.

But transition is where I belong:

Transition (change) is often started by an individual. One person can start a movement, one rock can start an avalanche, one animal can start a stampede, etc.

I am not natural, as is the common plant:

Individual items are not natural. Things may be unique, but they are still similar to something else. A single animal or plant either evolves more of the species to be like it through mating/crossbreeding or it becomes extinct. When we create a single atom that doesn't exist in nature, it degrades quickly. Plant a single seed and it sprouts, creating more seeds, creating more than one plant.

But in size I am yet but a paltry ant:

Compared to most numbers (million, billion, septillion, google, irrational numbers, etc.), 1 is tiny in quantitive measure or amount of digits.

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