Scientists Reveal the Hi (Cat Meme)
An orange cat sits below a serious news-style headline. The promised discovery ends with the tiny greeting “the hi.”
Details
Source clip · u/matthweewhttam
Shown through the original platform. Credit does not grant permission to reuse the media.
Source checked
TL;DR
“Scientists Reveal the Hi” is an orange-cat image meme that turns a dramatic news-style science headline into a greeting. Its photo traces back to real research into orange cat fur reported in 2025. A 2026 Reddit “hi” rewrite changed the promised discovery into a tiny hello, and later posts reuse it as a chat reply.
#9 on the latest board+11%
Latest board (Nov 11, 2026) · Last updated Nov 11, 2026, 13:40 UTC
Early
Rising
Peak
Past peak
Over
Past peak on Nov 11, 2026See the latest board for an update.
What does Scientists Reveal the Hi (Cat Meme) mean?
The Scientists Reveal the Hi meme is an anticlimax: serious news framing promises an important discovery, then delivers “hi.” Sending the picture works as a playful greeting; changing the final word or pet creates another version of the same joke.
People send it as a greeting. Dropping the image into a chat is a way of saying hello that is funnier than typing it.
It also mocks clickbait science headlines that promise a big reveal and deliver something tiny.
Why did Scientists Reveal the Hi take off?
It works as a reply on its own. You do not need a caption or context to use it.
The template is easy to remix. Change the animal or the final word and it is a new meme: "scientists reveal the vibe," "the snack," "the nap."
Orange cats already have a big following online, with their own running jokes about one shared brain cell.
It started from real science. In 2025 researchers identified a gene behind orange fur in cats, and news coverage of that study supplied the original photo.
Where did Scientists Reveal the Hi come from?
In May 2025 news outlets, including the BBC, covered new research into what makes ginger cats ginger. Geneticists at Kyushu University in Japan and Stanford University reported, in the journal Current Biology, a mutation linked to the ARHGAP36 gene on the X chromosome, which also explains why most orange cats are male.
On July 5, 2025 a Reddit user captioned the BBC's orange-cat thumbnail "Scientists reveal the secret" and posted it to r/Wunkus, a subreddit for cat memes. Later that month an Instagram meme page posted a version with a dog.
According to Know Your Meme, Reddit user u/matthweewhttam posted the “Hi” rewrite in r/xertunposting in late May 2026. This named variation turned the joke into a greeting; it spread more widely in October 2026. The First seen date on this page refers to the 2025 precursor, not the “hi” rewrite.
May 2025
News outlets, including the BBC, cover research on the orange-fur gene.
Jul 5, 2025
A Redditor captions a news photo "Scientists reveal the secret" on r/Wunkus.
May 2026
In late May, u/matthweewhttam posts the “Hi” rewrite in r/xertunposting, according to Know Your Meme.
Oct 2026
The "the hi" version spreads on Instagram and TikTok.
Oct 19, 2026
Know Your Meme publishes an explainer.
Popular versions of Scientists Reveal the Hi
The greeting
Sent on its own in a chat to mean hello.
Other animals
Dogs, raccoons and frogs take the cat's place.
Other discoveries
The last word changes: "scientists reveal the vibe," "the snack," "the nap."
Your own pet
People put their own cat or dog under the headline.
How to post Scientists Reveal the Hi
- 1Use a photo of your pet looking straight at the camera.
- 2Add a news-style caption bar that builds up to a tiny reveal.
- 3Do not copy a real broadcaster's logo; a generic headline bar carries the joke.
- 4Send it as a greeting or post it with the word you changed.
Tips for Scientists Reveal the Hi
- A calm, slightly confused expression sells the joke.
- Keep the headline short so it reads at a glance.
- Start with a cat photo you have permission to use, then leave a clear area for the fake headline. Choose an expression or pose that reads at thumbnail size. If the cat disappears behind a dense block of text, shorten the headline instead of shrinking the image further.
- Keep the headline openly absurd and separate it from real research. Do not borrow a broadcaster's logo, invent a university statement or imply that the caption is a genuine scientific conclusion. The joke can use the tone of a dramatic reveal without disguising itself as an authentic news report.
- Read the finished card at phone size before posting. Use strong text contrast, a clean crop and enough margin that the final word is not cut off by app controls. If your joke relies on an intentional truncation, make the remaining words readable rather than filling the card with accidental clipping.
Questions about Scientists Reveal the Hi
Is Scientists Reveal the Hi a real news headline?
The “hi” wording is a meme edit. The cat photo was associated with real research into orange fur, but the joke headline is not a scientific finding. The guide separates the 2025 precursor from the later “hi” rewrite.
What does "scientists reveal the hi" mean?
Nothing deep: it is a joke headline that promises a discovery and delivers a greeting. Posting it means "hi."
Where did the scientists reveal meme come from?
From a Reddit post on July 5, 2025 that captioned a BBC news photo of an orange cat "Scientists reveal the secret." The “hi” rewrite followed in late May 2026, according to Know Your Meme.
What did scientists actually find about orange cats?
In 2025 researchers reported in Current Biology that a mutation linked to the ARHGAP36 gene on the X chromosome causes orange fur, which is why most ginger cats are male.
Why are most orange cats male?
The gene sits on the X chromosome. Males have one X, so one copy is enough; females need it on both.
What is r/Wunkus?
A Reddit community for cat memes, where the "Scientists reveal the secret" version was first posted.
When did "scientists reveal the hi" go viral?
In October 2026, on Instagram and TikTok.
Can I make one with my own cat?
Yes. Use a clear front-facing photo and a plain news-style bar without any real broadcaster branding.
How do I explain the joke to someone who thinks it is real news?
Say that it is a deliberately silly caption placed over a cat picture. If you mention the actual orange-cat study, link the research coverage separately and do not present your invented headline as its finding. Keeping those two things apart makes the joke clearer and avoids spreading a false claim.
Sources
- u/matthweewhttam: Hi, in r/xertunposting
- @drewdrewdrew27: scientists reveal the hi
- Know Your Meme: What is the Scientists Reveal the Hi meme?
- Stanford Medicine: Scientists track down mutation that makes orange cats orange
- National Geographic: Orange cat behavior explained
- Live Science: Scientists solve the mystery of orange cat coats
The linked TikTok is a credited remix; it does not establish ownership of the underlying cat photograph or broadcaster branding. Use your own pet photo and an invented headline without a real broadcaster logo. Source attribution does not grant a licence to copy, edit or republish the source media.
Search terms: scientists reveal the hi, scientists reveal the secret meme, scientists reveal the hi cat, orange cat scientists meme, wunkus scientists reveal and scientists reveal meme.
More from the latest board
What changed on this page
Last updated .
- — Clarified the definition, source references, key questions and practical making steps.
- — Replaced the synthetic primary image with a credited platform reference post. Corrected the Reddit creator credit and linked the remix audio. The primary image reference uses the Reddit cat headline rather than a Minecraft remix.
- — Updated the explanation and checked the linked sources.
- — Page expanded: the orange-cat research behind the photo, r/Wunkus, more questions and sources; sources updated.
- — Page published.