this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
1363 points (99.9% liked)

Science Memes

15221 readers
1371 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

  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.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.



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 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] shutz@lemmy.ca 167 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Faraday, after demonstrating how moving a magnet through a coiled wire induced a current in the wire was asked by a visiting statesman what was the use of this.

Faraday responded, "In twenty years, you will be taxing it"

Similarly, at a demonstration of hot air balloons in France, Benjamin Franklin was asked "Of what use is this?"

Franklin replied, "Of what use is a newborn baby?"

[–] GraniteM@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

"Mr. Franklin, of what use is this hot air balloon contraption?"

"You can take ladies up in it with a bottle of wine and a blanket and you know, they can’t refuse, because of the implication. Think about it. She's floating up in the middle of the sky with some dude she barely knows. You know, she looks around, and what does she see? Nothing but open air. 'Ahhhh! There’s nowhere for me to run. What am I gonna do, say ‘no?’"

[–] davidgro@lemmy.world 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Sounds like Faraday understood the... potential.

Funnily enough, Faraday seemingly also understood that the Electric Field only possesses a potential in the absence of changing magnetic fields. Because only in the absence of changing magnetic fields, the rotation of the Electric Field is zero, and only then it has a potential.

[–] Anti_Face_Weapon@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago

That's a really cool Franklin quote. Visionary.

[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 41 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Everything I've ever heard about Franklin makes him a boss. This is a new one.

[–] musubibreakfast@lemm.ee 35 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Here's a little known fact that is not true, which will bring some nuance to the previous anecdote, Benjamin Franklin ate babies.

[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Another one that is true but sounds like an onion.

He enjoyed the company of GILFS

[–] MyNameIsIgglePiggle@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Because there is no hazard of Children, which irregularly produc'd may be attended with much Inconvenience.

I didn't need to know Benjamin Franklin fucks old ladies because they can't have babies, but I appreciate the honor of carrying this information.

also the idea of a genius putting a bucket on the head of a grandma he fucks and telling her to act like she's 21 is HILARIOUS to me

[–] Landless2029@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

And as in the dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal, and frequently superior, every Knack being by Practice capable of Improvement.

That's my favourite part to quote.

When the lights are out. Pussy is pussy. And old pussy is often better. 😉

It's dangerously close to "In the dark a hole is a hole."

[–] eugenevdebs@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

British children! Maybe a few Prussians too.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The British were John Paul Jones, but Franklin taught him.

[–] Reddfugee42@lemmy.world -4 points 23 hours ago (3 children)

That last bit is me when dealing with people who "aren't impressed" by today's AI.

[–] Saleh@feddit.org 7 points 23 hours ago

The problem isn't the "AI". It is people praising its babbling as the solution for everything.

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 4 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

I'm not impressed by today's AI and I also fully understand that the tech is going to completely upend society and will eventually be a part of our picture of utopia, or our picture of actual hell on Earth.

The people who are screaming it's wild wonders and benefits are at least as closed-minded as the people who think we're going to be able to put the toothpaste back in the tube. The actual direction this tech moves is going to be far more like the discovery of radio, in that at the time of it's discovery and early implementation, the people then had no idea the implications down the road and we're at the same point. Except the big difference and why this is contentious is that radio was far less dangerous to society broadly.

Radio was a fundamental force that always existed around us, we learned to use it the way our ancestors used rivers and waters to move goods and people. AI is completely human-made and doesn't exist without human engineering, so it's not neutral, it's a tool shaped by man to do whatever a man wants with it.

[–] Reddfugee42@lemmy.world 0 points 18 hours ago (1 children)
[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

Sorry my comment didn't have Subway Surfers playing in the corner with a popular streamer reacting to it so you could actually read it and understand it.

[–] Reddfugee42@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

Apology accepted

[–] frezik@midwest.social 1 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

I'm unimpressed by the people who use it.

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 1 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

I agree. But don't really care if people use it, I just cannot stand when people wave it around like a new teddy bear that gives them a smug sense of superiority for... checks notes ...using a product that someone is selling to let stupid people do easy things.

[–] Reddfugee42@lemmy.world 0 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

I'm sure they have trouble sleeping over that

[–] frezik@midwest.social 2 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

They're destroying humanity both physically and mentally, so I certainly hope so.

[–] Reddfugee42@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

I shake my fist at them!