# Galaxy Brain Galaxy Brain, also known as Expanding Brain, is a multi-panel image macro meme that ranks ideas or preferences using progressively elaborate brain imagery. Originating on Reddit's r/dankmemes in January 2017 as part of the "Whomst" joke, the format pairs escalating concepts with brain images that grow from a simple X-ray to a cosmic, universe-sized brain. The meme works as both ironic satire of pseudo-intellectualism and a genuine ranking tool, making it one of the most versatile exploitable templates of the late 2010s. ## Origin The meme's roots trace back to mid-2016, when an Urban Dictionary user named "lightning guy" defined "whomst" as "for times when you want to ask 'who or whom,' but need a fancier connotation"[6]. The fake word caught on as a joke about intellectual pretension, and users on 4chan and Tumblr began creating escalating chains of increasingly ridiculous "who" variants: who, whom, whomst, whomst'd, whomst'd've[2]. These text-based jokes eventually got paired with images. On January 31, 2017, Reddit user janskishimanski posted an early visual version to r/dankmemes, matching the "who/whom/whomst/whomst'd" progression with four brain images of increasing complexity[4]. The post picked up nearly 1,200 upvotes and established the visual template that would define the format[7]. That combination of the "Whomst" linguistic gag with stock medical and New Age brain imagery created something new: a reusable, remixable framework that could be applied to literally any topic[9]. - **Platform:** Reddit (r/dankmemes), with roots in Urban Dictionary and 4chan/Tumblr ("Whomst" precursor) - **Creator:** janskishimanski (original Reddit post), "lightning guy" (coined "whomst" on Urban Dictionary) - **Date:** 2017 ## Overview The Galaxy Brain meme follows a simple visual formula: a left column lists ideas, beliefs, or preferences in escalating order, while a right column shows brain images that get progressively larger, brighter, and more cosmically elaborate[4]. The first panel typically features a plain brain scan or X-ray. The second shows a brain with pink and purple neural activity. By the third or fourth panel, the brain has gone full supernova, radiating green or blue beams and merging with images of galaxies and nebulae[9]. The joke structure is inherently ironic. As the brain imagery gets more visually impressive, the corresponding text gets more absurd or nonsensical[7]. A "normal brain" might correspond to a reasonable opinion, while the "galaxy brain" pairs with a take so convoluted it loops back to being stupid. This creates a built-in punchline: the person with the biggest, most enlightened brain has actually arrived at the dumbest conclusion[3]. The format works equally well for genuine preference ranking and sarcastic mockery, which is a big part of why it spread so fast and stuck around so long[2]. ## How It Spread The format took off quickly through February 2017 on Reddit. Users on r/dankmemes and r/MemeEconomy swapped out the "Whomst" text for other subjects while keeping the escalating brain imagery[4]. Video games, politics, food preferences, college majors, and pop culture all got the Galaxy Brain treatment[3]. A video version by YouTube user BagelBoy, featuring an echoing voice attempting to pronounce "whomst'd've" over Richard Strauss's *Also sprach Zarathustra* (the *2001: A Space Odyssey* theme), pulled in over 2.1 million views[7]. The meme jumped from Reddit to Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram within weeks[1]. Several media outlets ran pieces on it in March 2017: PopSugar described it as "a series of images showing differently stimulated brainwaves relative to specific beliefs or habits"[1], while New York Magazine's Select All blog published a deep-dive connecting it to the "layers of irony" tradition on 4chan and the visual language of nootropic supplement ads[2]. Mic noted how it worked as both a comment on "every jerk with a Wi-Fi connection" declaring themselves an authority and, weirdly, as something almost optimistic about human intellectual ambition[3]. By 2018, the format had evolved beyond the original brain images. In a notable variation, an Instagram user took screenshots from a Sprite commercial featuring Drake and created a Galaxy Brain spinoff where Drake's body progressively cracks to reveal he's made of Sprite[6]. That post alone pulled over 45,000 likes and kicked off a wave of imitations using the Drake-Sprite imagery[7]. The meme also stripped down to text-only versions, dropping the brain images entirely while keeping the escalating structure[6]. On YouTube, the meme took yet another form. Creators started using just a few seconds of the glowing cosmic brain imagery as a visual shorthand, overlaying it on clips of people saying or doing something stupid[7]. The brain images became an instant, recognizable signal: whatever comes next is going to be hilariously wrong. ## How to Use The Galaxy Brain template typically follows a four-panel layout, though versions with three, five, or even more panels exist. The standard approach: 1. Pick a topic with multiple options or takes (food, music, games, opinions). 2. Arrange three to five related ideas from most common/sensible to most absurd or niche. 3. Pair the most basic idea with a plain brain image (small, dim, realistic). 4. Pair each subsequent idea with a progressively more elaborate brain (glowing neural activity, cosmic aura, universe-encompassing light beams). 5. The final "galaxy brain" panel usually features the most ridiculous or overthought take presented as peak enlightenment. ## Cultural Impact Galaxy Brain broke through to mainstream media coverage faster than most meme formats. New York Magazine's analysis connected the meme to broader internet culture patterns, arguing it drew power from "the snippy need to be right online, the quixotic search for a perfect nootropic stack, the jockeying for position in the eternal tournament of irony, and the glowing aesthetics of vaporwave"[2]. The imagery deliberately echoed the visual language of scammy supplement ads and New Age brain-enhancement products, which added another layer of irony[2]. The term "galaxy brain" itself entered internet vocabulary as standalone slang. On Twitter and in political commentary, calling someone's take "galaxy-brained" became shorthand for an opinion that's so overthought it's come full circle to being wrong[5]. Left-leaning communities adopted it particularly for mocking neoliberal hot takes that dressed up bad policy positions in elaborate logic[5]. An academic case study published by the Cultural History of the Internet project in 2020 examined the meme's unusual longevity, noting that most memes fade within weeks but Expanding Brain had maintained recognizability for over three years through constant format evolution[7]. The study pointed to the meme's flexibility as a key factor: it could absorb new topics, new image sets, and even entirely new visual formats while keeping its core escalating structure intact[7]. ## Fun Facts - The stock brain images used in the original meme weren't created for it. They're a mix of medical imaging, New Age digital art, and Shutterstock photos that early meme creators compiled together[2]. - New York Magazine compared the meme's visual aesthetic to "homeopathic imagery" and the kind of ads that promise "Limitless pills" for cognitive enhancement[2]. - The BagelBoy video version used Richard Strauss's *Also sprach Zarathustra*, the iconic opening theme from *2001: A Space Odyssey*, which was a perfect match for the meme's theme of ascending to cosmic intelligence[7]. - The "Whomst" precursor word was defined on Urban Dictionary in June 2016, a full seven months before the visual meme format appeared[6]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Galaxy Brain? Galaxy Brain, also called Expanding Brain, is a multi-panel image macro that pairs escalating ideas with progressively larger and more cosmically elaborate brain images, typically used to satirize pseudo-intellectualism or rank preferences[4]. ### Where did Galaxy Brain come from? The meme originated on Reddit's r/dankmemes on January 31, 2017, posted by user janskishimanski. It grew out of the "Whomst" meme, which started on Urban Dictionary in 2016[4][6]. ### What does Galaxy Brain mean? In its most common usage, "galaxy brain" is ironic. It mocks someone whose opinion is so overthought and convoluted that it's actually wrong, despite being presented as brilliant insight[5]. It can also be used sincerely for genuine preference ranking[7]. ### How do you use Galaxy Brain? Pick a topic, arrange options from most basic to most absurd, and pair each with a brain image of increasing elaboration. The final "galaxy brain" panel is typically the punchline, either ironically stupid or your genuine top pick[3]. ### Is Galaxy Brain still popular? The format peaked in 2017-2018 but its core imagery and the phrase "galaxy brain" are still recognized and used. A 2020 academic case study noted the meme's unusual longevity compared to most formats[7]. ### Who coined the word "whomst"? An Urban Dictionary user named "lightning guy" defined "whomst" in June 2016, describing it as "for times when you want to ask 'who or whom,' but need a fancier connotation." The word became the seed for the entire Galaxy Brain format[6]. ### What are the brain images from? The images are a mix of medical stock photography (X-rays, MRI scans), New Age digital art, and Shutterstock photos depicting various states of consciousness. They weren't created specifically for the meme but were compiled by early creators[2]. ### Why does the meme use cosmic imagery? The New Age brain imagery deliberately echoes the visual language of nootropic supplement ads and "cognitive enhancement" products, adding an extra layer of irony about the pursuit of mental superiority[2]. ### What is the Drake-Sprite Galaxy Brain variant? In 2018, an Instagram user took screenshots from Drake's Sprite "Spark" commercial and used them as replacement progression images. The post got over 45,000 likes and spawned many imitations[6]. ### How is "galaxy brain" used as slang? Outside the meme format, calling someone's take "galaxy-brained" is internet shorthand for an opinion that's been overthought to the point of absurdity. It's especially common in political commentary on Twitter[5]. ## References 1. [What Is the Expanding Brain Meme? | PS Tech]() 2. [The Brain Meme Will Expand Your Mind]() 3. [The expanding brain meme will take you to new frontiers of knowledge and understanding]() 4. [Galaxy Brain - Know Your Meme]() 5. [6-7 meme]() 6. [Galaxy Brain - Urban Dictionary]() 7. [Galaxy Brain Meme: Origins and Use Of The Three-Paneled Meme]() 8. [Galaxy Brain: A Case Study – Cultural History of the Internet]() 9. [Drake Teams With Sprite for 'Spark' Campaign]() 10. [What Is the Expanding Brain Meme? | PS Tech]() 11. [Expanding Brain / Galaxy Brain | Meme Reference]() 12. [The Origin Story of the Famous Galaxy Brain Meme]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/galaxy-brain Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library