Memes and internet challenges come and go – some are destined for lasting greatness, others are doomed to become obscure punchlines.

Luckily, the internet is forever, so even the more niche trends get permanently archived, like in this #BroomstickChallenge compilation.

https://twitter.com/mikaiylaaaaa/status/1226959129157259266

This all started, apparently, with a viral twitter video claiming that “NASA said” your broom could stand up on its own today only (because…gravity? I guess?).

For the record, that’s not how anything works. Getting a broom to stand up on its own is just a balancing trick, and no special circumstances are required.

But it was one of those ideas that creates an itch in the human brain. A feeling of “That’s dumb…I wanna try it.”  And thus… a meme was born.

Enjoy how people made fun of other people on the internet.

1. Twitter got in on the fun

2. Then historians chimed in

3. Retail employees everywhere were deeply annoyed

4. The “Nobody:” meme got used in a big way

5. Demons were summoned

6. Interventions were held

7. Walmarts were ruined

8. The 1% sneered at us

9. Salem was unimpressed

10. People were distracted

11. Judgement was passed

12. Some good came of it all

13. Contrarians talked about how they weren’t talking about it

14. Classics were invoked

15. Reality peeked back in

Where does the #BroomstickChallenge rank in the great memes of history?

Tell us your scholarly opinion in the comments.