this post was submitted on 30 Mar 2025
1098 points (99.3% liked)
Science Memes
13932 readers
1115 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.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I don't have a phobia of bugs, but centipedes really do make my skin crawl.
I think this is deep in the dna of all mammals from like 100 million years ago
I have a strong dislike of centipedes as well. One time years ago I had a terrible dream that a large centipede (one of those big jungle ones) was crawling all over my body. As it raced down my arm I slapped at it, with a jolt of pain my arm went instantly numb as it bit me.
I startled myself awake to realize I was laying on my arm and it had gone completely asleep and was numb. Still one of the scariest dreams I've ever had haha.
What? Why would it be? I think humans are scared of anything that surprises them or that they cannot immediately understand what it'll do. But why centipedes in general? I've never had any fear of them, unlike other arthropods that moved more erratically and faster.
Because humans inherented the fears from all the mammals before primates
Centipedes are scary because they have so many legs and they scurry very fast with incredible agility. In general I think we feel a revulsion to small critters with that kind of speed and agility. But if they’re too small (fly sized or smaller) then it’s more annoyance than revulsion.
The many legs thing is a real mystery though! I think it might be some kind of proxy for venomous critters, as spiders and centipedes have more legs than insects and also tend to be more venomous (apart from some Hymenopterans).
I dunno, silverfish are smaller than flies, but they still give me that revulsion response.
Me too. What's up with that? Gnats too.
I think they move too smoothly. I think it's maybe a combination of the "ew, tiny things are parasites" and the "ew, smooth-moving things are snakes" responses, even though neither of those is appropriate for the silverfish itself. I think that's part of what happens with the house millipedes, too.
Wish I hadn't boost the wife cheating with a centipede copy paste for this thread