this post was submitted on 10 Oct 2024
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Science Memes

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Science isn't a filing cabinet of facts, it's a conversation. For example, a photo of an eel or other localized wildlife counts because most people never see one, and wonder is the first step of inquiry. A car meme counts if it makes you curious about what's under the bonnet. If you want to talk about something you noticed in the world, chances are someone else wants to talk about it too.

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[–] Septimaeus@infosec.pub 192 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Their genetics have sacrificed nearly every aspect of basic resiliency for maximum speed on the plains. Most of the work caring for horses is keeping them from accidentally killing themselves. Full disclosure: I worked as a stable hand as a child in exchange for riding lessons. Will never ever own a horse.

[–] gibmiser@lemmy.world 70 points 2 years ago (5 children)

What preditor was so fast horses had to evolve to that extent??

[–] PyroVK@lemmy.zip 78 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Big cat. You're aware of the cheetah? Just picture that but not in Africa

[–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 38 points 2 years ago (4 children)

You know what really caught me up: where are horses native to?

[–] bstix@feddit.dk 65 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There are wild horses on the Mongolian steppes.

All other horses are domesticated. Even the free horses in USA and Australia are descendants of domesticated horses.

[–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 55 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

You're right! But also, horses were native to North America but they went extinct 10,000 years ago and weren't introduced until much more recently.

[–] thurmite@lemm.ee 12 points 2 years ago

Don’t tell that to a Mormon

[–] PyroVK@lemmy.zip 22 points 2 years ago (1 children)

PBS Eons has a couple good videos on both horse evolution and domestication.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

It’s just a damn good series in general as well

[–] PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee 27 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Us. They basically tried to beat pursuit predation by outrunning the distance humans will be willing to track over.

It did not work, they went extinct in North America because of how much it did not work.

[–] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Large predatory flightless birds probably didn't help either.

[–] rockerface@lemm.ee 11 points 2 years ago

Ah, sweet home Caelid

[–] Dutczar@sopuli.xyz 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

"What are those? I know predatory and flightless birds, but both?"

I have looked it up before posting, I learned something new today.

[–] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

They are known as terror birds. Think of a ten foot tall ostrich with a flesh tearing beak like an eagle.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae

[–] bstix@feddit.dk 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Human. Not for food, but because they always choose to breed on the Porcshe over the Toyota Hilux for racing.

[–] PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

The wording here makes it sound like we hunted horses for the specific purpose of having sex on them, and honestly, I'd probably be running as fast as a car if that kept happening to me too!

[–] match@pawb.social 6 points 2 years ago
[–] PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Saber toothed tigers and shit

[–] sukhmel@programming.dev 5 points 2 years ago

Saber toothed shit is a serious reason

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 60 points 2 years ago

Same for rabbits. The are basically as much lean muscle that can fit on the lighest possible skeleton.

If you pick up a rabbit wrong, they can snap their own back with the momentum from kicking their back legs.

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 49 points 2 years ago (3 children)

I did this too and will also never own a horse lmao. This is why horse people are weird.

[–] lath@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago

Some people love caring for fragile things. Boosts their self-esteem. It can also break them when they fail.

[–] Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee 11 points 2 years ago
[–] klemptor@startrek.website 6 points 2 years ago

Same here haha

[–] jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works 30 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Basically a 900LB Cocker Spaniel that's afraid of it's own farts and will eventually kill every single tree within reach. I also will never own horses.

[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 years ago

i mean if i haven't kept the best diet for a couple days i'm afraid of my own farts too