this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2024
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Science Memes

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submitted 2 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] perishthethought@lemm.ee 31 points 2 months ago (3 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demodex

My fave parts (edited for brevity):

The adult mites are 0.3–0.4 mm (3⁄256–1⁄64 in) long. Each has a semitransparent, elongated body that consists of two fused parts. Eight short, segmented legs are attached to the first body segment. The body is covered with scales for anchoring itself in the hair follicle, and the mite has pin-like mouthparts for eating skin cells and oils that accumulate in the hair follicles.

... and ...

The mites are transferred between hosts through contact with hair, eyebrows, and the sebaceous glands of the face.

Ohhh good.

[–] Maalus@lemmy.world 14 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Wait, 0.3mm is huge, you should be able to see that. I don't think this is right.

[–] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 months ago

Maybe we do see them, but mistake them for bits of skin or dirt.

[–] Krackalot@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 months ago

Agreed. 1/64th of an inch is .016". An average human hair is .003" in diameter, that would be as long as five hairs wide. You wouldn't even need a magnifier to see the largest ones.

[–] MeowZedong@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

0.3mm in length, not diameter. Yes, you can see them, but they just look like dead skin/gunk to our eyes.

Image1

Image2

Image3

Gallery with visible accumulation of mites on hairs

[–] Robust_Mirror@aussie.zone 1 points 2 months ago

Combine the size with the fact that they are semi transparent and live in hair follicles and sebaceous glands, both of which are essentially under the skin, and that's why you don't generally see them.

[–] TankieTanuki@hexbear.net 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

3⁄256

Who uses inches at this scale? I mean, really, Wikipedia.

"Hand me my 1/256th inch ruler."

[–] brown567@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I learned recently that machinists used to use fractions to indicate tolerance, like a dimension given as 5/16 could be ±1/32 of an inch, because anything less than 9/32 would round to 4/16, and anything more than 11/32 to 6/16.

[–] jawa21@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 2 months ago

It can still happen, but usually at the customer's request/requirements. We actually use inches at a much smaller scale, but use decimals instead of fractions.

[–] flora_explora@beehaw.org 1 points 2 months ago

Fitting username :P

Although tbh they look kinda cute!

[–] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 28 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Looks just like me if I don't shave. :3

[–] P4ulin_Kbana 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Don't shave /jk

[–] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 months ago

it's too late midterms are here and now i'm a demodex

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 22 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Found out about these when I was a kid. I was thrilled. When I was very little, my mom owned a grooming shop, and I basically had 1 million pets. Then she closed down, and we just had our dog and a cat. Weird little 5 year old me loved the idea that I had thousands of little pets that's slept on my face and came out to play while I slept

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's the best possible reaction to this :)

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I will admit that since I've started wearing glasses, my eyes often burn really badly (I don't know if they're related or just weird timing), and I sometimes wonder if my little friends are pissed about the change and getting into my eyes. Lol

[–] Kyatto@leminal.space 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I figure you'd also have a rash if it was a sensitivity strong enough to make your eyes burn, but the only other things I could think of I feel you'd already have figured out... Not blinking enough cause no wind on your eyes to help trigger blinking, eyelashes getting in your eye, or eye fatigue from the correction and not taking breaks to look at something far away..

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I wonder if the lenses are off gassing? They're a type of plastic. But most likely I think I just have a face that the US would try to deliver democracy to if they found out about lmao

[–] Kyatto@leminal.space 1 points 2 months ago

lmao that's a funny way to put it. I honestly have no clue about outgassing, I've worn glasses my whole life and I don't recall ever having issues. I also have no allergies or sensitivities whatsoever though. My partner is sure that it's just eye strain or adjusting to the new "biome" of stale air you have for your eyes now, she just got a pair after needing them for years and she had a lot of trouble adjusting to them and still never wears them all the time.

I never would have thought of burning as a way to describe it but I looked it up and apparently it is a fairly common concern if you never wore glasses and got a large prescription, the glasses focus the light in on your eyes and your eyes aren't used to that. I actually do have trouble in daylight cause of my extreme prescription and never thought it could be possibly related to the glasses, I just thought it was that way due to my silver irides.

[–] june@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You may be allergic to the metal (IIRC nickel) in normal metal glasses if that's what you have. For people with that, which is common, titanium is the only metal kind that will work.

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They're from Zenni, but they have no bottom frame. I have no idea what metal they're made of. I'd really never considered that

[–] june@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Almost all contain nickel and nickel allergies are common. I have it!

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 21 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Little homies up in there cleaning things and living their best lives. I ain't mad at that.

Besides, all the yeast and bacteria maken good company for them, so it's all good.

[–] Cenotaph@mander.xyz 7 points 2 months ago

Just make sure you wash your face still, otherwise they build up and cause problems

[–] NaevaTheRat@vegantheoryclub.org 15 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Personally I find it pretty neat that as megafauna we are host to entire little ecosystems. It's a calming thought to imagine yourself like some large tree, home to little families of various creatures, bacterial and fungal colonies growing on you. We are thoroughly integrated into the ecosystems in which we live.

They're not harmful, they're just living their mitey little life.

[–] Chadus_Maximus@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago

I, personally, am wholly against most of my DNA existing solely it can replicate itself. So what if getting rid of it is more effort than keeping it? I want it gone from my body. Goddamn freeloaders...

[–] brb@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thanks now I want to rip my skin off

[–] NaevaTheRat@vegantheoryclub.org -2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I hope you're just acting the fool because of tumblr brain. You aren't being harmed, knowledge of something that wasn't hurting you being uncomfortable should convince you your attitudes are wrong. Not that the situation is bad.

Fix yourself, don't be a child.

[–] Koike@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

He's obviously joking, you need to chill

[–] BigBananaDealer@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago

thats impossible, he didnt put an /s!!!

[–] voodooattack@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Shit

[–] EmpathicVagrant@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

I can’t stop laughing, I’m going to share this with so many people.

[–] AFC1886VCC@reddthat.com 9 points 2 months ago

Time to scrub my face with a cheese grater

[–] tino@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago

that picture is actually a cute silk worm: https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.32CF9LC

[–] obbeel 7 points 2 months ago

It's cute, like a version of the tardigrade.

[–] hate2bme@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

He looks like a cute lil garbage pail kid type of thing.

[–] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Ugly cute. I like the little guy.

[–] Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

How come there's never little ape like creatures?

[–] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

Because the fanfic would lead us further away from our path to god.

[–] tfw_no_toiletpaper@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

Ballsack looking ass

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

Is it too late to drown myself in napalm?

[–] EffortlessEffluvium@lemm.ee 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

AaaaaAAaaaaaaaAaaAAaaaaaaaaAAAAaaaaaa

breathes in

AAAaaaaaaAaaaaaAAAaaaaaaaaaaAAaaaaaaa

[–] TheOakTree@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago

lovin u is complicatED, lovin u is complicated 🎵

[–] dylanTheDeveloper@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

friend shaped

[–] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Adorabibble.

[–] EmperorHenry@discuss.tchncs.de -1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

looks like hillary clinton without makeup

[–] unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz 0 points 2 months ago

You into throwback ad hominem politics or just general misogyny? Why not both? Check out... I won't even say the name. Fuck you.

[–] Ram_The_Manparts@hexbear.net -4 points 2 months ago

cat-com