this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2026
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Science Memes

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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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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 encourage sillyness, especially where a post creates interesting discussion. Experimenting is encouraged, but keep it in good faith and never punch down.



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[–] Maiq@piefed.social 37 points 4 months ago
[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 24 points 4 months ago

They don't tell you this but the pigeons on the street are free, you can just take them home

[–] notgold@aussie.zone 17 points 4 months ago

No controller but RFC1149 was written to make use of pigeons with RFC2549 written to enhance quality of service.

[–] Strayce@lemmy.sdf.org 15 points 4 months ago (2 children)

This is either real or a terrifyingly elaborate hoax.

Actual product page

At Avantor

[–] OwOarchist@pawb.social 15 points 4 months ago

This very much could be real.

Experiments have shown before that simple insects have very simple responses to detecting light in different directions. Shine a light in one eye, they go left. Shine a light in the other eye, they go right. Shine a light in both eyes, they go straight forward.

It would be fairly simple to glue a couple tiny LEDs to the insect's eyes and wire them up to a tiny microcontroller and radio receiver. And voila -- remote control roach.

Probably not super reliable in the controls and doesn't always go exactly where you want it ... but it should do a decent job of going in the general direction you tell it to.

[–] arudesalad@piefed.ca 1 points 4 months ago

Vsauce made a video on it!

[–] FinalRemix@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Dude just train pigeons and crows to do your bidding. They're clever and you can pay them in snacks.

[–] Vex_Detrause@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Until they want salary and rights. Just keep at it with children and low income people they don't complain hard enough. /s

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Threaten them that AI will take their jobs, that'll shut them up.

[–] bort@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 months ago