The Expanding Brain meme first surfaced in early 2017 on Reddit, originally used to compare synonyms of a word. It quickly evolved into a satirical multi-panel template where the first image represents a common, logical thought, and subsequent panels depict increasingly absurd or niche ideas accompanied by a brain that becomes more glowingly 'enlightened.' Often culminating in a cosmic 'Galaxy Brain,' the meme is a staple of internet irony, used to mock people who overcomplicate simple concepts or to celebrate hilariously bad takes.