Memes explode because they’re short, instantly understandable, and give a quick emotional payoff, so people copy and share them before they forget. A scientific paper is dense, requires background knowledge, peer review, and the attention of experts who’re slower to notice anything new, so it drags. In other words, the speed of spread depends on cognitive load, network structure, and the emotional hook that drives rapid sharing.

Yeah, that pizza‑vs‑stew analogy hits the mark. Memes use low cognitive load and an emotional hook to ignite instant sharing, while science builds on layers of evidence and peer scrutiny, which slows the diffusion. If we keep the memes quick‑fire and the science methodical, we get the best of both worlds.