About r/labrats
Welcome to r/LabRats! A space for scientists, researchers, and lab workers to share experiment fails, lab wins, and PI woes. Do you need advice, a place to vent, or just some lab-life humor? Want to share your big successes, your awesome protocols, and tricks of the trade? Join your fellow labrats. We also have a discord server! https://discord.gg/385mCqr
The community at a glance
r/labrats is a Subreddit for Chemists and Biologists with roughly 716K members. It uses a forum format for communication. On the Hive Index it ranks #1 in the Chemistry communities list and #10 in the Biology communities list.
Roughly 44K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Lab, Research, and Looking For A. Common discussion themes are Advice Requests and Pain & Anger. Product recommendations often mention tig welder, agar plate composition data collection, and nitril gloves.
Community Topics
Community Features
This community has a forum
Subreddit Analysis
via GummySearchMember growth over time
All time (yearly)
- 2013: 2K members
- 2014: 2K members
- 2015: 3K members
- 2016: 3K members
- 2017: 8K members
- 2018: 21K members
- 2019: 43K members
- 2020: 112K members
- 2021: 238K members
- 2023: 191K members
- 2024: 29K members
- 2025: 38K members
- 2026: 25K members
Past year (monthly)
- Jul: 3K members
- Aug: 2K members
- Sep: 2K members
- Oct: 2K members
- Nov: 3K members
- Dec: 6K members
- Jan: 5K members
- Feb: 4K members
- Mar: 4K members
- Apr: 5K members
- May: 4K members
- Jun: 3K members
Themes
- Advice Requests10 posts in the past month
- Being told that Covid/post-Covid graduate students are worse than previous cohorts-do you think this is true?
- Any advice for dealing with a mentally ill PI?
- People who went from a PhD track to lab technician positions? Or changed field? Looking for stories and advice
#110Advice RequestsBeing told that Covid/post-Covid graduate students are worse than previous cohorts-do you think this is true? · Any advice for dealing with a mentally ill PI? · People who went from a PhD track to lab technician positions? Or changed field? Looking for stories and advice - Pain & Anger9 posts in the past month
- I have lost the will to apply anymore
- Family member died suddenly, other student in the lab was manipulative and lied to the PI
- my lab made me hate science
#29Pain & AngerI have lost the will to apply anymore · Family member died suddenly, other student in the lab was manipulative and lied to the PI · my lab made me hate science - Opportunities1 post in the past month
- What would you do if you realized your lab was severely underfunded?
#31OpportunitiesWhat would you do if you realized your lab was severely underfunded?
Topics
- Lab81 posts in the past month
- I wrapped my mentor’s birthday gift using only lab materials
- Lab coats are such a vibe
- There's a psychopath loose in the lab
#181LabI wrapped my mentor’s birthday gift using only lab materials · Lab coats are such a vibe · There's a psychopath loose in the lab - Research32 posts in the past month
- Research Technician Salary
#232ResearchResearch Technician Salary - Looking For A27 posts in the past month#327Looking For A
- Struggling23 posts in the past month#423Struggling
- Phd17 posts in the past month
- Forced out of PhD, cannot find job over a year later, seeking advice
- Is there anything to do if examiners decide to fail your PhD thesis?
- PhD Student with No Clear Scientific Identity — Is That a Problem?
#517PhdForced out of PhD, cannot find job over a year later, seeking advice · Is there anything to do if examiners decide to fail your PhD thesis? · PhD Student with No Clear Scientific Identity — Is That a Problem?
Flair
- meme1 post in the past month
- It's so annoying
#11memeIt's so annoying
Product recommendations
- tig welder2 posts in the past month
- Best TIG Welder Under 500 – In-Depth Reviews & Buying Tips
- Best TIG Welder Under 500 – In-Depth Reviews & Buying Tips
#12tig welderBest TIG Welder Under 500 – In-Depth Reviews & Buying Tips · Best TIG Welder Under 500 – In-Depth Reviews & Buying Tips - agar plate composition data collection2 posts in the past month
- Best way to collect data about agar plate composition?
- Best way to collect data about agar plate composition?
#22agar plate composition data collectionBest way to collect data about agar plate composition? · Best way to collect data about agar plate composition? - nitril gloves1 post in the past month
- What are the best nitril gloves to use?
#31nitril glovesWhat are the best nitril gloves to use?
Community Reviews
Frequently asked questions
- Who is r/labrats for?
- Best for Chemists and Biologists enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion.
- Is r/labrats free to join?
- This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
- How many members does r/labrats have?
- Roughly 716K members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
- What platform is r/labrats on?
- r/labrats runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
- What topics does r/labrats cover?
- On the Hive Index, r/labrats is organized under Chemists, Biologists.
- How do I join r/labrats?
- You can join r/labrats by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
- What are the Chemistry communities like?
- Welcome to the world of online communities for Chemists! These vibrant and diverse platforms offer a virtual haven for scientists, researchers, and enthusiasts alike. Joining these communities provides an invaluable opportunity to connect, collaborate, and exchange knowledge with fellow chemists from around the globe. With variations across different communities, you can find forums dedicated to specific branches of chemistry, such as organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry. Some communities focus on academic discussions and research sharing, while others cater to industry professionals seeking advice on practical applications and career development. Additionally, you may find platforms that emphasize mentorship and support for students and early-career chemists. Whether you're looking for guidance, inspiration, networking opportunities, or simply a space to geek out about chemistry, these online communities have got you covered.
Monthly Stats
- 7
- Views
- 6
- Visitors
- 2
- Referrals
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