this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] polderprutser@feddit.nl 1 points 5 days ago
[–] Gladaed@feddit.org 52 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 76 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] SW42@lemmy.world 50 points 1 week ago (2 children)

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

[–] olafurp@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Known also as PFAS or forever chemicals

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

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

[–] Tja@programming.dev 26 points 1 week ago (3 children)

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

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 41 points 1 week 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 1 week 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 35 points 1 week 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 1 week 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 1 week ago

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

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week 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 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week 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 1 week 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 1 week 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 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] FlordaMan@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Nah, Dupont invoiced everyone.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 9 points 1 week ago

monsanto tactics

[–] Tja@programming.dev 4 points 1 week 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 10 points 1 week ago (3 children)

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

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

Asbestos makes for a great cigarette filter material, though.

[–] Midnitte@beehaw.org 2 points 1 week ago

It is certainly... impactful for your lungs.

[–] Tja@programming.dev 2 points 1 week ago

Asbestos itself is toxic. Teflon is inert.

[–] Mambert@beehaw.org 2 points 1 week ago

We are too weak for the miracle of asbestos.

[–] anti_antidote@lemmy.zip 51 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

made from crayfish

[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 28 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Nylon? To many things end with on.

[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 19 points 1 week 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 1 week 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 1 week ago

welp, guess this meme is even more true then.

[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week 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 1 week 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 1 week ago

Now do it with Lycra.

[–] MeowZedong@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 1 week 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.

[–] Nikls94@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Dicska@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

Lethal when breathed in.

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

canceron should have been a dead giveaway

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

Does Teflon explain MAGA?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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

Nah, I'm betting on plain old lead.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 5 points 1 week ago

zyklon B?,mustard gas.

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