Memes are ideas or units of cultural information that can replicate and evolve similar to genes. They represent basic ideas that can be transferred from one individual to another and undergo mutation, crossover, and adaptation. Richard Dawkins coined the term meme in 1976 to describe the cultural counterpart of genes that can spread from one generation to the next through non-genetic means like imitation. While Dawkins defined memes as units of cultural transmission, memeticists have varying definitions. The lack of a consistent definition of what precisely constitutes a meme remains a principal criticism of memetics, the study of memes.

1. What is a Meme?

2. Meme An idea that, like a gene, can replicate and evolve.

3. Meme A unit of cultural information that represents a basic idea that can be transferred from one individual to another, and subjected to mutation, crossover and adaptation.

4. Meme A cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation); “ memes are the cultural counterpart of genes”.

5. Meme origins The term and concept of meme is from the 1976 book by Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene .

6. Memeticists Though Dawkins defined the meme as “a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation,” memeticists vary in their definitions of meme.

7. Memetics The lack of a consistent, rigorous definition of what precisely a meme is remains one of the principal criticisms leveled at memetics, the study of memes . (from the Wikipedia)

8. Susan Blackmore little bits of knowledge, lore, habit that seem to spread themselves using human brains as mere carriers

9. Replicators Earth now has three replicators: genes (the basis of life), memes (the basis of human culture) and temes (the basis of technology).

10. Internet Meme Refers to a catchphrase or concept that spreads rapidly from person to person via the Internet, largely through Internet-based email, blogs, forums, social networking sites and instant messaging.

11. Teme Humanity has spawned a new kind of meme, the teme, which spreads itself via technology -- and invents ways to keep itself alive

12. Arteme What about artemes (artificial memes - but really they are no more artificial than we are).