Science Memes

10394 readers

3425 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

Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
Keep it rooted (on topic).
No spam.
Infographics welcome, get schooled.

Research Committee

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

486

gottem (mander.xyz)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

32 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 50 points 6 months ago (2 children)

this meme is wrong

what really happens is that this thiopropenal S-oxide attacks free thiol in one receptor that usually detects spicy smells, much like about any modern tear gas (CN, CS, CR. also allyl isothiocyanate from mustard and many, many, many other alkylating things). there's no acid involved

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago

I don't know whether to believe the meme or the comment on the meme.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Onions spew enzymes and sulfenic acid when their skin is broken. These compounds combine to produce propanethial S-oxide, an irritating gas.

Propanethial S-oxide is a lachrymatory agent, meaning that it generates tears when it touches the eye. Propanethial S-oxide turns into sulfuric acid when it touches the water layer that covers and protects your eyeballs.

Source

I'm not a chemistry guy though.