this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2026
522 points (99.2% liked)

Science Memes

20690 readers
1671 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Meta Post Tags



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.


If you are here asking: "Is this a science meme?"

Probably, yes. We use the Dawkins definition of meme: a replicating idea, not just an image macro with a fact on it. A good post here doesn't need to teach you something. It needs to make you ask something: who, what, where, when, and especially why or how.

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.

We moderate for vibe, not category. Pruning is light, especially where a post creates interesting discussion. Experimenting is encouraged.

See the pinned paper on Shitposting as Public Pedagogy if you want the academic case for why this works.



Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] texture@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] JcbAzPx@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Black with white stripes or white with black stripes.

[–] m0darn@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Does generational mean anything specific in this meme or does it just mean huge? When did generational stop meaning pertaining to a generation?

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Meaning multiple generations of people have debated the question

[–] m0darn@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

So it's a multi-generational debate?

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That's what is being said yes

[–] m0darn@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I guess it just seems like sloppy use of language to me.

now get off my lawn

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Oh interesting, as something of a pedant myself, I didn't see anything wrong with it, what would be the difference in your eyes?

[–] m0darn@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I've exhausted my interest in this but

IMO generational is -relevant or pertaining to a particular generation- but what was really meant in the meme is that this is something people have talked about for a long time, in fact for multiple generations, and generations are irrelevant to what's being discussed. Ancient would be a better adjective or time honoured, or age old. Zebra stripe debates aren't particular to gen alpha, gen z, millenials, or boomers.

I just think generational is a trope in and of itself and is losing its meaning through over use.

TitleI didn't forget gen x I left them out on purpose to trigger them.

[–] Jarix@lemmy.world 1 points 18 hours ago

Thanks for the response!

Im not triggered though lol.

I just think generational is a trope in and of itself and is losing its meaning through over use

I agree with that but only from a cultural perspective, not if someone is talking generations of a family or in regards to heredity/family

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago

Generations of kids have wondered if zebras are black with white stripes or white with black stripes.

"Dear, how to tell you this... your dad was a donkey."

[–] natecox@programming.dev 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Ok but does it lack stripes, or does it have too many stripes?

Or just a small number of really thick stripes.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 153 points 3 days ago (4 children)

It just fueled the debate more. I don't see a lack of stripes, I see an oversized stripe.

[–] iocase@lemmy.zip 70 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Is the zebra black with white stripes, or blue with gold stripes?

[–] luciferofastora@feddit.org 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Ooh, I'd forgotten that one! I gotta add that to my "ask young people about memes before their time so I can feel even older" list

[–] wyldrstallyns@lemmy.dbzer0.com 33 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

OMG, Becky. Look at his stripe.

Must be wunna them thicc fellas, mm.

~(trn: orig. zêbra; src: Gary Larson*)~

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Walk_blesseD@piefed.blahaj.zone 63 points 3 days ago (1 children)

So THAT'S how a horse would wear pants

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 67 points 3 days ago (6 children)

Zebras have black skin. They are black with white stripes.

[–] Gerudo@lemmy.zip 37 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That's only big zebra propaganda

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] EnchiladaRaisins@lemmy.zip 42 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] la508@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

Their body is smaller but a newborn zebra foal's legs are almost as long as an adult's. This is to help them keep up and also to make it harder to spot them among the herd, as lions tend to target the young and infirm.

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 14 points 3 days ago

They're black with white and black stripes.

[–] cockmushroom@reddthat.com 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Are white people stripey, too?

[–] Enkrod@feddit.org 31 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

All humans are stripey, it's just that the lines are usually invisible.

NSFW

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago (5 children)
[–] Dearth@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think they're visible to certain wavelengths of light?

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

OK? I still wanna see them

load more comments (4 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Kruger National Park

"What's black and white and red all over, bitch??"

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It occurs to me that that joke doesn't work as well as it used to since newspapers are much less widely read now.

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

"What's black and white and read by Boomers?"

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] frunch@lemmy.world 21 points 3 days ago

Looking like one of the less-redacted Epstein Files

[–] JimVanDeventer@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

I still can’t determine its speed or direction.

[–] blurry@feddit.org 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Defragmentation sponsored by Microsoft

[–] ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip 7 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

You can tell it's real because after it's all said and done, it's still hella fragmented.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Hule@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago
[–] tomiant@piefed.world 11 points 3 days ago

It was time to try something new. I respect that.

[–] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Their body sleeve is only partially done

[–] SPRUNTnsfw@fedinsfw.app 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Or is just a really bad cover up.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Reborn_Mormon@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

That's a zobra

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 3 days ago

Neat, a lot of the time you just see pictures of zebras with funky coats as foals and not as adults, but this one looks pretty grown.

load more comments
view more: next ›