this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2026
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Science Memes

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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.

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[–] texture@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] JcbAzPx@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

Black with white stripes or white with black stripes.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 199 points 4 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 88 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

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

[–] luciferofastora@feddit.org 8 points 3 days 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 39 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

OMG, Becky. Look at his stripe.

Must be wunna them thicc fellas, mm.

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

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[–] m0darn@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days 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 8 points 2 days ago (6 children)

Meaning multiple generations of people have debated the question

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[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago

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

[–] Walk_blesseD@piefed.blahaj.zone 76 points 4 days ago (1 children)

So THAT'S how a horse would wear pants

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[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 90 points 4 days ago (6 children)

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

[–] Gerudo@lemmy.zip 48 points 4 days ago (1 children)

That's only big zebra propaganda

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 24 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] EnchiladaRaisins@lemmy.zip 52 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] la508@lemmy.world 10 points 4 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 18 points 4 days ago

They're black with white and black stripes.

[–] cockmushroom@reddthat.com 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Are white people stripey, too?

[–] Enkrod@feddit.org 45 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

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

NSFW

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 19 points 4 days ago (5 children)
[–] Dearth@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago (1 children)

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

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 16 points 4 days ago

OK? I still wanna see them

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[–] natecox@programming.dev 18 points 3 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.

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 26 points 4 days ago

Looking like one of the less-redacted Epstein Files

[–] blurry@feddit.org 22 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Defragmentation sponsored by Microsoft

[–] ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip 9 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

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

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[–] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Their body sleeve is only partially done

[–] SPRUNTnsfw@fedinsfw.app 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Or is just a really bad cover up.

[–] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 4 days ago

They had to get some stuff covered up from their time in the service

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Kruger National Park

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

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 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 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

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

The Bible? If you only read one passage at a time?

[–] tomiant@piefed.world 14 points 4 days ago

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

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 4 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.

[–] JimVanDeventer@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

I still can’t determine its speed or direction.

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

[–] FilthyShrooms@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago

Sorry, i got distracted with my sharpie

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