Lab safety Memes

Posts tagged with Lab safety

Who Are You, Who Are So Wise In The Ways Of Science?

Who Are You, Who Are So Wise In The Ways Of Science?
Medieval chemists really had a simple approach to science: drink the mystery liquid and see what happens. Hydrochloric acid? That's just spicy water until proven otherwise! The "kemist" meme perfectly captures that special brand of scientific method where your esophagus is the control group. For those wondering, HCl has a pH of about 1-2 and will absolutely dissolve your insides faster than your professor dissolves your self-confidence during oral exams. Safety goggles? Lab protocols? Nah, just raw curiosity and a complete disregard for the concept of tomorrow.

The Real Scientific Method

The Real Scientific Method
The actual scientific method they don't teach you in textbooks! Beaker from the Muppets demonstrates the two unspoken commandments of laboratory research: (1) mess around with dangerous chemicals until something explodes, and (2) frantically document what just happened. That explosion isn't a failure—it's just an unexpected data point! Science isn't always careful planning and controlled variables... sometimes it's just chaos in a lab coat trying to remember what you put in that beaker before it went boom. 🧪💥

Mmmmm, Is This Organic?

Mmmmm, Is This Organic?
Nothing says "dedicated chemist" like accidentally drinking acetone and still having the presence of mind to classify it correctly! Acetone (CH₃COCH₃) is indeed an organic compound—technically making it "organic"—but definitely not the food-grade organic you'd want in your morning smoothie. That wide-eyed expression perfectly captures the moment your taste buds register "nail polish remover" instead of "refreshing H₂O." Fun fact: your body actually produces small amounts of acetone naturally during ketosis, but please don't use that as justification to chug lab solvents. The real lab safety rule? Maybe don't store chemicals in containers that look like water bottles... unless you enjoy the taste of regret with a hint of organ damage.

I Kissed Agar And I Liked It

I Kissed Agar And I Liked It
The forbidden romance between microbiologist and growth medium. That lipstick mark on blood agar isn't just contamination—it's a relationship status update. Nothing says "I'm dedicated to science" quite like French kissing the very plate where you're trying to grow pathogenic bacteria. Pro tip: if your colonies start forming in the shape of a heart, you might be in too deep. Your immune system will never forgive you for this betrayal.

'Tis But A Splash"

'Tis But A Splash"
The perfect combination of panic and forced composure. Nothing says "I'm following safety protocols" like pretending your cornea isn't currently being dissolved while your instructor watches. Pro tip: emergency eyewash stations aren't just decorative lab features. That burning sensation? Just your cells experiencing an impromptu pH experiment. The real lab report will be the ophthalmologist's notes.

The Unofficial Scientific Taste-Testing Protocol

The Unofficial Scientific Taste-Testing Protocol
Field guide to scientific taste testing: Chemistry's hard "NO" is the difference between discovery and funeral arrangements. Geologists casually licking rocks to identify minerals is peak field science. Psychologists know better than to sample the human condition directly. Physicists remain baffled by the concept, which tracks with their relationship to practical applications. Zoologists have simply accepted their fate as prey items. Computer scientists testing 9V batteries with their tongues and calling it "debugging." Software engineers desperately trying anything when Stack Overflow fails them. And astronomers... well, they've clearly spent too many nights alone with their telescopes.

Kowalski, Analysis Of This Trans-1,2-Ethylenedicarboxylic Acid, Pronto!

Kowalski, Analysis Of This Trans-1,2-Ethylenedicarboxylic Acid, Pronto!
This chemistry student is making a pun about molecular isomerism while simultaneously acknowledging their lab safety record is... questionable. In organic chemistry, cis-trans isomerism refers to how groups are arranged around a double bond - cis means same side, trans means opposite sides. The joke brilliantly parallels gender transitioning with chemical isomerization, while the self-aware "something is about to be on fire" comment speaks to the chaotic energy of undergraduate lab experiments. That beaker probably contains something far less ambitious than their proposed project, but far more flammable than their professor would prefer.

Mapping The Lickability Of The Periodic Table

Mapping The Lickability Of The Periodic Table
Finally, the research question no one was brave enough to ask but everyone secretly wondered about. The green elements like calcium and magnesium? Probably taste like mineral supplements. The red ones like mercury? That's how you end up with your tongue glowing in the dark and your lab supervisor filling out incident reports. And those purple radioactive elements at the bottom? That's not a flavor profile, that's a death wish. Graduate students, please stop using your tongues as analytical instruments. We have mass spectrometers for a reason.

How The Turns Have Tabled

How The Turns Have Tabled
Remember when chemists used to mouth-pipette concentrated sulfuric acid like it was a refreshing beverage? The 1925 chemist stands there, buff and confident, ready to dissolve their esophagus for science. Meanwhile, modern chemists panic over a drop of extremely dilute acetic acid—basically fancy vinegar—on their glove. Safety standards have evolved from "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" to "please fill out this incident report in triplicate." Progress, I suppose. Though sometimes I miss the days when the lab was less about paperwork and more about seeing how many fingers you'd have left by retirement.

Goggles: Protecting Reactions From Your Emotional Breakdown

Goggles: Protecting Reactions From Your Emotional Breakdown
Ever wondered why organic chemistry lab goggles feel like overkill? Turns out those Grignard reagents aren't just violently reactive with water—they've got a personal vendetta against your emotional breakdowns too. These organometallic compounds will absolutely explode if they detect a single tear of frustration from that impossible synthesis you've been attempting for three hours. The real lab safety protocol isn't protecting your eyes; it's protecting your experiment from your inevitable chemistry-induced existential crisis.

When In Doubt, Pour It Out

When In Doubt, Pour It Out
The universal lab safety protocol: when you weren't listening to the safety briefing, just dump those mysterious chemicals down the drain! Nothing says "future environmental disaster" quite like Lisa Simpson casually creating a potential superfund site while maintaining perfect eye contact. Chemistry students everywhere are feeling personally attacked right now. Fun fact: some lab chemicals can actually react with water to create explosive gases or corrode metal pipes—which is why most labs have special waste containers and definitely NOT coffee mugs labeled "the drain." 💀

Nitric Acid As Soon As It Meets Something

Nitric Acid As Soon As It Meets Something
The cartoon rabbit saying "NO 2 " perfectly captures nitric acid's (HNO 3 ) aggressive personality in the lab. It oxidizes nearly everything it touches, producing nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) gas in the process - hence the rejection. Every chemist knows that distinctive red-brown cloud means your gloves, lab coat, and dignity are about to be compromised. The meme is basically nitric acid's dating profile: "Enjoys long walks through metal cabinets and turning organic matter into yellow stains."