this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] polderprutser@feddit.nl 1 points 1 day ago
[–] anti_antidote@lemmy.zip 50 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

made from crayfish

[–] Gladaed@feddit.org 52 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 76 points 4 days ago (2 children)
[–] SW42@lemmy.world 49 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Teflon is just the brand name. I believe it’s called Polytetrafluorethylene, thus ending in ne :)

[–] craftrabbit@lemmy.zip 41 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] lemmyknow@lemmy.today 4 points 4 days ago

SW42 shall forever be remembered a hero, who saved the world from a dark path

[–] olafurp@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

Known also as PFAS or forever chemicals

[–] Tja@programming.dev 25 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Teflon itself is quite good, getting it to stick to places is the problem.

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 41 points 4 days ago (14 children)

Quite good, if you avoid the fact it's literally everywhere including the atmosphere, doesn't break down, and causes cancer. But who cares about such little things like cancer causing rain...

[–] Mr_Fish@lemmy.world 27 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Again, that's from getting it to stick to things. The smaller PTFE chemicals that make it possible to suspend Teflon in water are the problem.

[–] Rooskie91@discuss.online 34 points 4 days ago (6 children)

Teflon is the brand name for for the chemical Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Making PTFE requires PFAS, which are the toxic part. Think of PFAS as little bits of chain varying lengths that get strung together to make the larger PTFE molecule.

The argument you're making sounds similar to something like "Fossil Fuels are safe, it's just the CO2 that's dangerous." PFAS contaminated water being released to the environment is an unavoidable by produce of making Teflon. You can only make Teflon as a solid without suspending the PFAS in water first.

Here's a pretty good video about the history, manufacturing process, and toxicity.

https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY

[–] Rednax@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago

There is one important note: you won't get cancer from the Teflon in your pans. You get it from the PFAS used to produce the pans. This means you don't have to throw out all your pans, as if they were made from lead and asbestos. Just make sure not to buy new ones with Teflon.

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[–] BrokenGlepnir@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago

It's also what makes it cheap. Making Teflon other ways is much more expensive.

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

It's releasing a high amount of micro and nano plastics, and those are linked to different health issues including cancer.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724027232

our findings suggest that PTFE-MPs-associated toxicity may be specifically linked to the activation of the ERK pathway, which ultimately induces oxidative stress and inflammation.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37419366/

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 18 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Teflon itself is inert, but it's also not needed to avoid that food sticks in a pan. In a good prepared Steel pan food sticks less than in a Teflon pan and is way more resistant to damages. The food sticks in the pan, if you don't wait to add the food until it's heated enough, not for other reasons, mistake often don by normal users. Professional cooks never use Teflon pans.

Preparing a Steel pan non-stick

  • Clean the pan after buy it
  • Heat the pan on the kitchen
  • Add some oil and heat somewhat more until it smoke
  • After this, wait until i's cold enough and distribute and eliminate the oil film over the whole surface with an kitchen paper.
  • Done

After this, to fry something, add a little oil and wait until the oil has enough heat (test with the handle of a wood spoon, if it forms little bubbles on it in the oil, the temperature is OK), to add the food. It will never stick this way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXEt-fhyCis

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 9 points 4 days ago

Teflon itself is inert

About that

our findings suggest that PTFE-MPs-associated toxicity may be specifically linked to the activation of the ERK pathway, which ultimately induces oxidative stress and inflammation.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37419366/

Steel/iron > teflon for sure though.

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[–] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 11 points 4 days ago (2 children)

In Denmark there was until very recently a factory doing something with teflon. That shit got launched out the chimney and just rained down everywhere.

[–] whyNotSquirrel@sh.itjust.works 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] FlordaMan@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Nah, Dupont invoiced everyone.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 8 points 4 days ago

monsanto tactics

[–] Tja@programming.dev 4 points 4 days ago

Yeah, every factory that does "something" with Teflon probably wants to stick it to things, which are the problematic chemicals, not Teflon itself.

[–] Midnitte@beehaw.org 9 points 4 days ago (3 children)

In the same way Asbestos is a great material, just one small problem

[–] fckreddit@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Asbestos makes for a great cigarette filter material, though.

[–] Midnitte@beehaw.org 2 points 4 days ago

It is certainly... impactful for your lungs.

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[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 27 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Nylon? To many things end with on.

[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 18 points 4 days ago (4 children)

funnily enough, that is a DuPont thing, but hasn't find its way into everyone's blood yet.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 21 points 4 days ago (1 children)

that is a DuPont thing, but hasn't find its way into everyone's blood yet.

Umm.. I've some bad news for you.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024003374

[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 11 points 4 days ago

welp, guess this meme is even more true then.

[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Yeah, that's why I chose it haha.

Edit: I was just being salty in my original comment due to the meme being to vague and me being a chemist.

I'm not from the states but actually got to visit the DuPont plant that did nylon and Lycra. Also saw the river that once changed colour or something due to waste chemicals? I can't remember the story.

Regardless, I in no way support DuPont or any other company that is responsible for such damages as they have caused.

[–] ignotum@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You're just not trying hard enough, it took me a while but i managed to jam it in there (very little room in my veins because of all the microplastics)

[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

Now do it with Lycra.

[–] MeowZedong@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 4 days ago

Except that they used the chemicals that do find their way into everyone's blood to make nylon. So it tangentially fits the meme.

canceron should have been a dead giveaway

[–] Nikls94@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] Dicska@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago

Lethal when breathed in.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 5 points 3 days ago

zyklon B?,mustard gas.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Does Teflon explain MAGA?

Β―\_(ツ)_/Β―

[–] marcos@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago

Nah, I'm betting on plain old lead.

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