There's nothing like a good old fashioned junk-off.
Science Twitter (yeah, it's a thing) has been having quite a good time this week, as they attempt to find the best animal genitalia photo possible. From big zebra penis to dangling kangaroo balls, the search for the best animal junk is on, and it got real weird.
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According to Gizmodo, the trend started when grad student Chris Rowe and research supervisor Marcella Kelly started posting animal gentitalia photos to the Wildlife Habitat and Population Analysis Lab (WHAPA) Twitter account Tuesday evening.
But it wasn't official until Rowe's lab partner, Anne Hilborn, saw that one of their readers called the event a junk-off. Then she officially declared the event a go.
ATTEN: WE ARE HAVING A JUNK-OFF https://t.co/jPYnudIL36— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) August 26, 2015
A little more than an hour later, the hashtag #JunkOff was trending on Twitter.
And we are trending #JunkOff pic.twitter.com/jczpdlz6n2— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) August 26, 2015
But why?
Well apparently, because biologists love "junk."
Hilborn told Gizmodo, "I figured if I had lots of junk pictures, other biologists would too since pretty much all biologists love junk."
And by the looks of it, it seems like everyone loves junk, not just biologists.
Wouldn't want equines to be left out here: apparently this grullo hides his pattern on his #JunkOff pic.twitter.com/M9n1l4pxGn— Jason Ransom (@wildequids) August 26, 2015
Burmese pythons appear to be able to do the YMCA dance with their man-tackle... #JunkOff Via http://t.co/LoFBGwaH4F pic.twitter.com/7UBFBWy8To— Rob O' Sullivan (@Rob0Sullivan) August 26, 2015
@AnneWHilbon How about an animal that basically just looks like a really big..... well, you know. #Junkoff #geoduck pic.twitter.com/rr2B6h55Bi— P. Sean McDonald (@pseanmc) August 26, 2015
Dwarf lemur has the largest proportionately-sized testicles of all primates #JunkOff http://t.co/DYrvvPTqyB pic.twitter.com/vGIZZUy6A3— Duke Lemur Center (@DukeLemurCenter) August 26, 2015
#JunkOff needs moar flowers! Look at the sexy stamens of this cannon ball tree flower (Couroupita guianensis) pic.twitter.com/WsH56TFKGY— Melissa Petruzzello (@MelissaPetru) August 26, 2015
Komodo dragon hemipenes go way down the tail, tucked under the giant tail-to-thigh caudofemoral muscles. #JunkOff pic.twitter.com/0EPIwTrS0T— John R. Hutchinson (@JohnRHutchinson) August 26, 2015
Just some coral. Releasing a whole lot of sperm. Into the ocean. (Image Brenden Holland) #JunkOff pic.twitter.com/ogyrWFIazz— Jan Freedman (@JanFreedman) August 26, 2015
Gonopods of the Crittenden #Crayfish #JunkOff pic.twitter.com/u16KyvjFI0— David Hayes (@Gnarly_Larvae) August 26, 2015
Gotta join in on the #junkoff: Fruit bat from my Uganda research trip pic.twitter.com/evbXEDg56q— Laura Kloepper (@ProfLKloepper) August 26, 2015
Hanging your balls off a bungee cord while repeatedly leaping meters in the air. Adaptive? #junkoff pic.twitter.com/d9NDId5JJd— Andrew Hendry (@EcoEvoEvoEco) August 26, 2015
Not genitals, but repro organs nonetheless.Scent glands help moths find mates #JunkOff via http://t.co/SfPLjwn919 pic.twitter.com/Bo9I1bT4WQ— Rob O' Sullivan (@Rob0Sullivan) August 26, 2015
Hyena Junk #JunkOff#mammalwatching pic.twitter.com/diZL3TX3Zw— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) August 26, 2015
Always glad to help bring light and joy into your day , Ben https://t.co/M03OsJxikf— Anne Hilborn (@AnneWHilborn) August 26, 2015
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