this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2025
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Science Memes

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top 48 comments
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[–] anti_antidote@lemmy.zip 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 0 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

made from crayfish

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 0 points 2 months ago

zyklon B?,mustard gas.

canceron should have been a dead giveaway

[–] Gladaed@feddit.org 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 0 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] Tja@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago (3 children)

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

[–] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months 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 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] FlordaMan@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Nah, Dupont invoiced everyone.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 0 points 2 months ago

monsanto tactics

[–] Tja@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago

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

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago (3 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...

[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 0 points 2 months ago

Teflon, on it's own is safe, the problem are the chemicals used to produce it.

[–] Mr_Fish@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months 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.

[–] BrokenGlepnir@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

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

[–] Rooskie91@discuss.online 0 points 2 months ago (2 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 0 points 2 months 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.

[–] ExFed@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The argument you're making sounds similar to something like "Fossil Fuels are safe, it's just the CO2 that's dangerous."

I didn't read it that way at all. Their argument sounds more like "there's nuance that you're glossing over."

It seems that we all agree PFAS are generally nasty chemicals, some worse than others. Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) is just one of the "nicer" ones.

[–] BakerBagel@midwest.social 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You can't make teflon without the PFAS though. It's like saying AIDS is completely different than HIV

[–] 9bananas@feddit.org 0 points 2 months ago

no it's more like saying "desalinated water is fine, it's the brine that's problematic."

which is true.

and the same goes for teflon:

the PFAS are toxic, not teflon itself.

glossing over that distinction is disingenuous...

yes, you can't make one without the other, true, but the end product is not toxic. that's an important difference you can't just ignore in order to say teflon is toxic, because a requisite material in (cheap) production is toxic.

because that's like saying desalinated water is toxic, just because brine is toxic..which is obviously ridiculous.

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 0 points 2 months 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/

[–] Tja@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Teflon doesn't cause cancer.

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I mean, it might... but we haven't shown it does.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

teflon itself is proved safe. its production is what's causing all the problems.

[–] Peppycito@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months ago

I had a waterproofing spray that said on it "Completely nontoxic ^when ^dry"

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

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/

[–] Tja@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Oxidative stress and inflammation is cancer?

[–] Shareni@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

At least 40% of human cancers are associated with aberrant ERK pathway activity (ERKp).

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41698-024-00554-5

ERK expression is critical for development and their hyperactivation plays a major role in cancer development and progression.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7027163/

Prolonged oxidative stress contributes to cancer initiation and progression through several biological mechanisms.

https://biologyinsights.com/oxidative-stress-and-cancer-whats-the-connection/

Oxidative stress, characterized by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells, plays a critical role in the development of cancer by affecting genomic stability and signaling pathways within the cellular microenvironment.

https://biosignaling.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12964-023-01398-5

Inflammation predisposes to the development of cancer and promotes all stages of tumorigenesis.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6831096/

[–] Tja@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago

So as much as breathing, coffee and the sun cause cancer?

[–] Midnitte@beehaw.org 0 points 2 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] Tja@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago

Asbestos itself is toxic. Teflon is inert.

[–] Mambert@beehaw.org 0 points 2 months ago

We are too weak for the miracle of asbestos.

[–] SW42@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] olafurp@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

Known also as PFAS or forever chemicals

[–] craftrabbit@lemmy.zip 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] lemmyknow@lemmy.today 0 points 2 months ago

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

[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Nylon? To many things end with on.

[–] A_Chilean_Cyborg@feddit.cl 0 points 2 months ago (3 children)

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

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months 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 0 points 2 months ago

welp, guess this meme is even more true then.

[–] ignotum@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months 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 0 points 2 months ago

Now do it with Lycra.

[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

Yeah, that's why I chose it haha.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Does Teflon explain MAGA?

Β―\_(ツ)_/Β―

[–] marcos@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

Nah, I'm betting on plain old lead.

[–] Nikls94@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] Dicska@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

Lethal when breathed in.