this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2025
315 points (97.9% liked)

Science Memes

14519 readers
2155 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
 
top 49 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] mkwt@lemmy.world 139 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Facts about this:

  1. Bags, with contents, were left on board the lower descent stages of the lunar modules. They remain on the moon to this day.

  2. There was at least one incident on Apollo 10 where feces escaped and was floating around the cabin.

Part of the radio transcript:

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Apollo 11 made the first actual moon landing, so if this transcript is from Apollo 10 the bags of shit are currently circling the sun in the lunar module, which was jettisoned on the way back to Earth. According to Google it's in a heliocentric orbit, "drifting aimlessly around the solar system."

Even more details: the abbreviations CMP, LMP and CDR in the transcript mean Command Module Pilot (John Young), Lunar Module Pilot (Gene Cernan), and Commander (Tom Stafford), all now deceased. Young and Cernan each returned to walk on the moon in Apollo 16 and 17.

[–] mkwt@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I am well aware that Apollo 10 did not deliver shitbags to the moon.

But 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17 did, if they defecated at all on the moon, leave it behind per checklist. There are 96 inventoried bags on the moon, but it is not recorded which, if any, are filled with what. It would have been easier to avoid on the earlier missions, which spent less time on the surface.

At least one astronaut claims he avoided a bowel movement for the entire mission duration.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Slashdown must have been rough with a big one in the chamber. I'd be afraid of an unplanned jettison on impact.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 108 points 1 month ago (5 children)

The finger cot is there because zero G and dehydration commonly result in constipation.

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 75 points 1 month ago

So... they must have trained in using the "finger cot" technique.

"Sorry Biff, you're a great mission candidate in all other respects, but your finger-cotting just isn't... uh... cutting the mustard."

[–] Comrade_Spood@slrpnk.net 47 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Exactly what I came to the comments to find out. Thank you random stranger

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The best part of this feature is that it's clearly a result of iterative design. So engineers were trying to solve constipation, and someone with a PhD was like "Well, you know what works for me..."

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

and someone with a PhD was like “Well, you know what works for me…”

I do workplace safety and hazardous materials, so occasionally I get to start a talk with "This room has more doctorates than nostrils, so it should be easy". And then I have to explain things like "Dangerous liquid goes into the dangerous liquid sink" or "No, you can't remove the mask to scratch your nose, even if it's really really itchy".

[–] philpo@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago

Oh god yes, so much.

I do disaster response planning, mostly for healthcare. "No, your OR really needs electrical power!" "No, you can't still run your outpatient clinic during an active shooter situation!" "For fucks sake,NO,you will not use a diesel generator indoors to power the ED!Not even with a open window. Your windows are 30cm x 1m"

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 month ago

"Whenever I'm having a... problem, I generally work it out with a pencil"

[–] null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] SacralPlexus@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

It’s a covering for a finger, kind of like cutting the finger out of a latex/nitrile glove. It looks just like a tiny condom made to fit on a finger.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 35 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Actually, it's in there because shit doesn't fall off your ass in 0G. It kinda curls out towards the back if left to dodo its own thing.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

See this is the kind of shit I want to hear about in the documentaries.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Read "Packing for Mars." I think you'd enjoy it.

[–] prenatal_confusion@feddit.org 22 points 1 month ago (1 children)

So basically spooning the turd out? That's the Corvette driving american heros I know and love 😘

[–] Trollception@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 month ago (3 children)

How do they do it in your country?

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 36 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] ToffeeIsForClosers@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago

A three-ply layered joke. Well done!

[–] nick@midwest.social 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

They work it out like you would a math problem.

By using a pencil.

[–] philpo@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago

As long as it's not the same math genius who calculated the amount of tampons for the first female long term crew member...

[–] prenatal_confusion@feddit.org 4 points 1 month ago

There is a whole documentary about it. Just Google 2girls1cup.

[–] neatobuilds 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Is it like force puking by poking the uvula but butt uvula

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 month ago

I curse the day nature evolved eyes

[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 1 month ago

you mean the prostate?

[–] Blackout@fedia.io 61 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'd just hold it until I got back from the moon

[–] Zron@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago

Maybe the impact from landing will just force it out of you like that 1800s invention of putting pregnant women in centrifuges to doing the baby out.

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 43 points 1 month ago (2 children)

"Stop using the bag, we haven't even started the countdown."

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 35 points 1 month ago

"Neil, it's been eighteen years since you got back from the moon, you really need to stop using the bag and finger cot. We don't even make these anymore except special order for you."

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 1 month ago

"Sir, stop using the bag. You're not even an astronaut. how did you even get into this building?"

[–] GluWu@lemm.ee 43 points 1 month ago

The finger cot is there because space is super fucking boring

[–] The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 41 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] CreatingMachines@fedia.io 46 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Well, looks like you figured out how to use the finger cot, well done!

[–] The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 2 points 1 month ago

Alot of trial and error.

No regrets.

[–] And009@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 1 month ago
[–] Shotgun_Alice@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago (2 children)

New fear unlocked, diarrhea in space.

[–] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Space-Lax 2 - Projectile Boogaloo

[–] Tungsten5@lemm.ee 15 points 1 month ago

NASA really expects you to go man to man with a bag? Im willing to try it but I cant say that I am excited to

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

opens bag

Smells like farts

"Ew what the fuck?"

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 11 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Where is the spatula hole?

And I assume they had to share the poop knife.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

Adhesive tape to the buttocks is exactly what got the Jock in Saturday morning detention.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 month ago
[–] wanderwisley@lemm.ee 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I hope the vomit bag and poop bag are properly labeled and kept apart from each other.

[–] somethingp@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

I assumed they're not reusing bags, but I guess I'm not sure

[–] RazzleDazzle@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 month ago

Mary roach did a whole segment on this in her book "packing for Mars". I can highly recommend both the book and Mary as an author in general.

[–] philpo@feddit.org 3 points 1 month ago

Tbf, not that different from an stoma bag