what debate
Science Memes
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.

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- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
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- 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.
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Memes
Miscellaneous
Black with white stripes or white with black stripes.
Does generational mean anything specific in this meme or does it just mean huge? When did generational stop meaning pertaining to a generation?
Meaning multiple generations of people have debated the question
So it's a multi-generational debate?
That's what is being said yes
I guess it just seems like sloppy use of language to me.
now get off my lawn
Oh interesting, as something of a pedant myself, I didn't see anything wrong with it, what would be the difference in your eyes?
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.
Title
I didn't forget gen x I left them out on purpose to trigger them.
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
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."
Ok but does it lack stripes, or does it have too many stripes?
Or just a small number of really thick stripes.
It just fueled the debate more. I don't see a lack of stripes, I see an oversized stripe.
Is the zebra black with white stripes, or blue with gold stripes?
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

OMG, Becky. Look at his stripe.
Must be wunna them thicc fellas, mm.
~(trn: orig. zêbra; src: Gary Larson*)~
Zebras have black skin. They are black with white stripes.
That's only big zebra propaganda
Are there small zebras?
Yes. Shortly after birth.
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.
They're black with white and black stripes.
Are white people stripey, too?
All humans are stripey, it's just that the lines are usually invisible.
NSFW
I wanna see my stripes
I think they're visible to certain wavelengths of light?
OK? I still wanna see them
Kruger National Park
"What's black and white and red all over, bitch??"
![]()
A newspaper
It occurs to me that that joke doesn't work as well as it used to since newspapers are much less widely read now.
Looking like one of the less-redacted Epstein Files
I still can’t determine its speed or direction.
Defragmentation sponsored by Microsoft
You can tell it's real because after it's all said and done, it's still hella fragmented.
It was time to try something new. I respect that.
Their body sleeve is only partially done
That's a zobra
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.