this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] mkwt@lemmy.world 136 points 1 week 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 week ago* (last edited 1 week 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 week 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 week ago* (last edited 1 week 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 105 points 1 week ago (5 children)

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

[–] Sergio@slrpnk.net 73 points 1 week 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 48 points 1 week ago (2 children)

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

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week 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 9 points 1 week 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 week 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"

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

[–] null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] SacralPlexus@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week 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 34 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week 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 week ago (1 children)

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

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

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

[–] prenatal_confusion@feddit.org 24 points 1 week 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 week ago (3 children)

How do they do it in your country?

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

A three-ply layered joke. Well done!

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

They work it out like you would a math problem.

By using a pencil.

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

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

[–] neatobuilds@lemmy.today 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

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

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

I curse the day nature evolved eyes

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

you mean the prostate?

[–] Blackout@fedia.io 60 points 1 week ago (1 children)

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

[–] Zron@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week 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 42 points 1 week ago (2 children)

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

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week 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 10 points 1 week ago

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

[–] GluWu@lemm.ee 42 points 1 week ago

The finger cot is there because space is super fucking boring

[–] The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 41 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] CreatingMachines@fedia.io 45 points 1 week 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 week ago

Alot of trial and error.

No regrets.

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

New fear unlocked, diarrhea in space.

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

Space-Lax 2 - Projectile Boogaloo

[–] Tungsten5@lemm.ee 14 points 1 week 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 week ago (1 children)

opens bag

Smells like farts

"Ew what the fuck?"

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

Where is the spatula hole?

And I assume they had to share the poop knife.

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

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

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago
[–] wanderwisley@lemm.ee 4 points 1 week 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 week ago

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

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 week ago

Tbf, not that different from an stoma bag