The 'Sphere Cow' or 'Spherical Cow' meme originates from a classic metaphor used in theoretical physics, where complex real-world phenomena are simplified to the point of absurdity to make calculations easier. The joke usually begins with a physicist attempting to solve a problem—such as milk production—and starting with the premise 'Assume a spherical cow in a vacuum.' In internet culture, the meme took on a life of its own through surreal imagery of perfectly round cows. It is widely used by students and academics to poke fun at the gap between theoretical models and practical reality, as well as by fans of surrealist and 'weird' internet humor.