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If you’ve been online for more than a hot second, you know that regular units have become ancient history. In these modern times, tiny units aka smol animals capture the internet’s collective heart, and absolute units have basically become an integral part of cyberspace culture. But if the latter doesn’t ring a bell and you somehow missed how this adorable meme took the web by storm, this odd-sounding term refers to objects and animals that are round, hearty, and exceptionally out of proportion to their surroundings.

In fact, this phenomenon has even spawned a subreddit with the same name. Also titled 'Lads that you’re in awe at the size of,' the online community offers a variety of adorable and surprising pictures where critters and objects can’t even be compared to their peers. I mean, you wouldn’t believe how big some things can get! And we’re here to show you that there's absolutely nothing wrong with that — it only gives us more to love.

Below, our team at Bored Panda has wrapped up the newest batch of some of the best posts from the group, so continue scrolling to check them all out! Be sure to upvote your favorites and let us know what you think in the comments.

Psst! For more similar content, look no further than our earlier pieces filled with the absolutest of the units here, here, and here.

#3

The Head Size Difference Between A Man And A Cane Corso

The Head Size Difference Between A Man And A Cane Corso

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Maryanna Baldridge
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have an English Mastiff and his head is the only thing i can hold. He loves resting his head in my lap for scratches behind the ears.

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The online universe is fascinated by photos of absolute units. Whether it’s gigantic horses, chonky cats, or exceptionally huge plants, it’s hard to deny the inexplicable allure of this meme. And as netizens' obsession with comically oversized items seems to be beyond anything at this point, let's take a look at the origin of this amusing artifact, shall we?

The internet meme database Know Your Meme stated that the first absolute unit meme was born on December 13, 2017, when a Twitter user who went by the handle @mrreptoid wrote, "In awe at the size of this lad. Absolute unit," with regards to a photo of British hotelier David Morgan-Hewitt standing next to the late Queen of England.

Although the tweet quickly caught on with many people using it widely to caption their own pictures, everything took off in 2018 when the Museum of English Rural Life tweeted a photograph of ram with the title: "Look at this absolute unit." Adam Koszary, the museum’s program manager who submitted the tweet, gained over 98k likes and more than 27k retweets in the next couple of days.

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Now, over 1.3 million members of the 'Absolute Units' community get to enjoy this adorable phenomenon daily.

#6

Absolute Unit Paws On This Kitty... Extra Toe Beans!

Absolute Unit Paws On This Kitty... Extra Toe Beans!

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But what makes this meme that pokes fun at objects that are comically and abnormally out of proportion to their surroundings so entertaining to us? To gain more insight on the topic from an expert, we reached out to Bradley E. Wiggins, Ph.D., an associate professor and department head of Media Communications at Webster Vienna Private University. Wiggins is a renowned author of The Discursive Power of Memes in Digital Culture, and his research interests also include digital semiotics and strategic communication.

As Wiggins is about to give an invited keynote talk entitled Research Memes: Challenges, Pitfalls, and Opportunities at the Digital Research Data and Human Sciences (DRDHum) 2022 at the University of Jyväskylä, he was more than happy to share his thoughts on the matter.

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#9

Freya Is Making Herself Known And Comfortable, All 900kg Of Her, By Lounging On Docked Boats

Freya Is Making Herself Known And Comfortable, All 900kg Of Her, By Lounging On Docked Boats

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Leanna Krys
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Freya, RIP...I'm still mad at how they handled this. There wasn't much time between the story of the boats sinking and the news of her being killed. Surely a decent decision could have been made if more thought was actually given. Funny how 'safety concerns' are always for people/property and not for the environment and nature in which the people are encroaching on.

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Professor Wiggins explained that the shape of the animal or object doesn’t really have much importance when it comes to the draw of the meme. "But the placement of the shape in contexts where it is reasonable to be surprised makes sense that it has become so memorable."

"In other words, I think the point is really about a bit of surprise and delight together with some sense of familiarity with the content that makes it so memorable," he told Bored Panda.

#10

Zeus Is An Absolute Unit Horse

Zeus Is An Absolute Unit Horse

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#11

My Crow Friend, Who Comes Visits Me Daily

My Crow Friend, Who Comes Visits Me Daily

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#12

This Elephant Ears Plant At A Plant Store

This Elephant Ears Plant At A Plant Store

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Daniel Atkins
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You know someone has bought one and they want it loaded into their compact car.

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Mokayokok
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I should have just checked before, but one farm has it for $220 while other places are only charging $37+ - ridiculous on the farmer’s side.

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Lou Cam
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These plants have escaped private gardens in Scotland and are currently out-competing all the native plants around rivers. My kids have been on school eco-trips to remove as many as possible. Tricky as the seed heads are massive and carry thousands of tiny seeds. How teeny seeds grow into such giants I have no idea!

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Linda Gilliam
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I absolutely LOVE THIS !!! I WANT that plant !! We had huge oak trees in our yard and planted baby elephant ears. They loved that tree & believe you, me the tree loved it too. Anyhoo I ended up with 3 trees, with EE's" and I loved them, as did people who stopped to take a picture.

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Cybele Spanjaard
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brilliant specimen..hire an open bed truck to remove it to a permanent location.

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Laura Ford-Everett
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apparently they can grow over 10' in the wild. My current one is only about 3' TG

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UpupaEpops
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I buy this, may I get a house to go with it, please? 🥺

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Interestingly, while many of us perceive the absolute unit as a common internet joke, Wiggins explained this is not the correct term to use in this scenario. And to those of you reading this article right now and scratching your head from confusion, the professor explained that a meme and a joke aren’t the same thing.

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It turns out that structurally, they are closely related, but there’s a slight disparity that internet aficionados should be aware of. "One chief difference is the visual component offered by the meme," Wiggins said.

"The visual component gives context and meaning to the viewer, and the viewer's job is to laugh at it or be otherwise triggered (positively or negatively) and this can cause sharing, re-posting, etc. The choice to do this may be rooted in the desire to connect with others in impersonal ways. This is what social media, ironically, has taught us all to do, rather well actually."

#14

A Cottonmouth Spotted In South Georgia. Ole Thing Hasn't Skipped A Single Gravy Covered Biscuit Since The Day It Hatched

A Cottonmouth Spotted In South Georgia. Ole Thing Hasn't Skipped A Single Gravy Covered Biscuit Since The Day It Hatched

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Moreover, it’s easy to be amused by something we wouldn’t otherwise see in our daily lives. "Encountering the absolute unit meme, or perhaps memes like it, online means some degree of 'taking us out of the ordinary', but it also suggests a longing, perhaps even a kind of yearning for something new to laugh about," Wiggins added. "Again, this may well be a side effect of social media."

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#18

There's No Point In Playing Dead If You Meet This Absolute Unit

There's No Point In Playing Dead If You Meet This Absolute Unit

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Janina Prado
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's just a cuddly little thing, looking for nose boops, tummy rubs, and a picnic basket.

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This can even tell a few things about us as human beings. After all, memes are known as the perfect attention trap that captures our attention and doesn’t let it go. Feeling sick and tired of the people and the world around us, we often seek these tightly packaged chunks of information to find relief and unwind from our daily troubles.

Professor Wiggins explained that when we succumb to the mindless scroll and look at our screens endlessly, whether standing in queues, waiting for appointments, or simply having nothing else to do, "we become transfixed by content that is largely designed for attention-grabbing and retention."

#19

U.S. Cavalry Soldiers Pose In Front Of A Tree Known As The "Grizzly Giant" 1900. That's A Big Tree

U.S. Cavalry Soldiers Pose In Front Of A Tree Known As The "Grizzly Giant" 1900. That's A Big Tree

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Khara Mei
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He still stands today! Grizzly Giant stands in Yosemite National Park, he's nearly 3000 years old.

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#20

This Titan Of A Tiger

This Titan Of A Tiger

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#21

This Unit Of A Caterpillar

This Unit Of A Caterpillar

"This dude does not want to pupate. I think he's enjoying being a caterpillar too much. All he wants to do is eat and he's gotten enormous."

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"It makes sense that we go back again and again, seeking what we may never really know," he added. "The absolute unit meme is a moment, a flicker, a spark that starts and stops almost immediately. Yet you can experience this spark again and again and again. It's liminal."

"That means it situates you between a 'now' state and a 'then' state, it's somewhere in between, like a wedding or graduation ceremony, they only exist because something ended and something else will start, but hasn't yet. But social media allows the liminal to become nearly permanent," Wiggins concluded.

#22

Cardon Cactus In Mexico, 1890s. Absolute Unit At 8 Meters (26 Feet) And Weighing 10 Metric Tons (Over 22,000lbs)!

Cardon Cactus In Mexico, 1890s. Absolute Unit At 8 Meters (26 Feet) And Weighing 10 Metric Tons (Over 22,000lbs)!

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Kennedy Kargeaux
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do these even exist anymore? I feel like these probably don't grow like this anymore...,

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#23

Felt Like This Was A Unit Of A Water Lily

Felt Like This Was A Unit Of A Water Lily

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#24

Absolute Unit Of A Horse - 3200 Lbs

Absolute Unit Of A Horse - 3200 Lbs

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#25

Does This Belong Here? Lemon From My Parents Lemon Tree

Does This Belong Here? Lemon From My Parents Lemon Tree

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#26

Aerial Photography Camera Used During WWII

Aerial Photography Camera Used During WWII

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#29

The Size Of This Car

The Size Of This Car

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#30

The Size Of The Lockheed C5 Galaxy Compared To Other Military Planes

The Size Of The Lockheed C5 Galaxy Compared To Other Military Planes

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Tactical Taco
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The C-5 Galaxy routinely carries 73 troops and 36 standard 463L pallets. The aircraft is able to carry two M1 Abrams main battle tanks, or one Abrams tank plus two M2/M3 Bradley fighting vehicles, or six AH-64 Apache/Apache Longbow attack helicopters.

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#31

This Straaaaaawberry I Saw In The Store

This Straaaaaawberry I Saw In The Store

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#36

Absolute Unit Of Communications Wiring Bundle

Absolute Unit Of Communications Wiring Bundle

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#37

Before Chainsaws This Was The Length Of The Two-Man Hand Saw And Heavy Duty Axes That They Used To Drop These Tremendous Trees

Before Chainsaws This Was The Length Of The Two-Man Hand Saw And Heavy Duty Axes That They Used To Drop These Tremendous Trees

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#38

This Dude’s Squeegee At Illinois State University

This Dude’s Squeegee At Illinois State University

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#39

The Black Crack, A 65-Foot-Deep Fissure Along A Trail In Canyonlands National Park In Utah

The Black Crack, A 65-Foot-Deep Fissure Along A Trail In Canyonlands National Park In Utah

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#41

Absolute Unit Of A Gumball Machine (My 5'6" Shy 13 Year Old Son For Scale)

Absolute Unit Of A Gumball Machine (My 5'6" Shy 13 Year Old Son For Scale)

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#42

A Vietnamese Guy With His African Bullfrogs

A Vietnamese Guy With His African Bullfrogs

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#43

I Got To See This Monster In Iceland. What An Absolute Unit!

I Got To See This Monster In Iceland. What An Absolute Unit!

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Lawrencium
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sleipnir was the name of Odin's giant eight-legged horse. Seems fitting for this!

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#44

Monster Morel

Monster Morel

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A C
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why does it look like so much like a dirty paw on the bottom? It's messing with me!

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#45

Statue Of Unity In India (Biggest Statue In The World)

Statue Of Unity In India (Biggest Statue In The World)

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Austin Starr
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think the money that went into building the statue could have fed and housed a lot of people.

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#46

This Case Of Beer

This Case Of Beer

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Lawrencium
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay, you know you have a drinking problem when you're buying the 1844 pack for yourself...

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#47

I See Your Absoluteunit Of A Dandelion And Raise You The Absolutest Of The Dandelion Units

I See Your Absoluteunit Of A Dandelion And Raise You The Absolutest Of The Dandelion Units

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#48

Apparently My Thumb May Be An Absolute Unit?

Apparently My Thumb May Be An Absolute Unit?

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#49

Bugatti Tyre Next To Normal Car Tyre

Bugatti Tyre Next To Normal Car Tyre

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Robert T
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Friend fitted 315's to his car and showed us a picture of a stack of tyres. A first glance we thought it was 4 tyres stacked - it was 2! Standard width we run is 225, and smaller cars run about 165. The Bugatti tyre looks like it is more than that, but that's what you need to put 1000HP down onto the road. I suspect the fronts are somewhat narrower!

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#50

14 Year Old, 6’1″, 300lb Football Recruit Tyler Parker

14 Year Old, 6’1″, 300lb Football Recruit Tyler Parker

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Delta Dawn
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This kid’s bones are still in the process of calcifying. I’m not sure that amount of musculature is doing him any long term favors…

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Note: this post originally had 53 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.