this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] clif@lemmy.world 101 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (21 children)

First frame is a centrifuge that spins samples at high speed to separate the components in them (I think that's the purpose, not a scientist). But, the samples are on one side making it unbalanced.

Second frame is turning the centrifuge on.

Third frame is a funeral.

I hear that if it's unbalanced, bad things happen, because you're spinning an unbalanced rotor at high speeds.

I honestly was coming to check the comments to see if anyone had experience with it so I could ask how bad it is.

The comic is insinuating that if you do this, you die.

EDIT: an unbalanced weight on a motor is how the vibration function in your phone works... Along with other things that need to vibrate (yes, those things). At least, that's how they used to work.

[–] Eheran@lemmy.world 39 points 1 week ago (11 children)

The centrifuge would not run like that, it noticed the vibrations and turns off. They had that "feature" for decades now.

[–] clif@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (10 children)

That's awesome... And also funny that it had to be added. Thanks for the info!

I still want to know what happens on an old one without vibration detection or if it was "broken". I assume something like an unbalanced washing machine but on a smaller scale? It just going out for a stroll :)

[–] LillyPip@lemmy.ca 21 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Science is a whole lot of adjusting after someone died. Like, it’s mostly been that.

e: want nightmares? Here’s the Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award. All the precautions and yet… not enough.

[–] mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] LillyPip@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Lemmy needs /c/writteninblood. That sub was one of the highlights of education on reddit.

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