This meme humorously highlights how astrophysicists and theoretical physicists often reduce all physical quantities into fundamental units — usually time (seconds).
In basic physics, we measure:
- Time in seconds
- Distance in meters
- Mass in kilograms
But in advanced physics, especially when working with natural units or in relativity and quantum mechanics, scientists sometimes express all quantities in terms of time.
For example, with constants like the speed of light (c) and Planck’s constant (h), they can convert distance and mass into time units:
- Distance = seconds (because in natural units, c = 1, so 1 meter = time)
- Mass = seconds (through energy-time relations like E = mc² and E = h/Δt)
The joke is that while normal people measure in standard SI units, astrophysicists simplify everything to “seconds” — making time the only real unit that matters.
The meme exaggerates this idea for comedic effect, showing how deep math and physics sometimes seem absurd or overly abstract to outsiders. It’s a perfect mix of nerd humor and scientific truth.
