This is some interesting research, though it doesn't delve into the image-based side of memes, which can be just as important. At least it's my experience as someone who spends time on 9gag (don't judge me!) that the perfect combination of text and image is what gives a meme longevity. The two memes used in the image galleries used in this article are perfect examples of memes that have been around for ages, and pop up again every once in a while, because they can be understood intuitively, even when seen for the first time, and can adapt to a lot of different versions of the same sentiment. Still, a fascinating topic, and it was nice to get an in-depth report on something like this in the "Science" section of the Escapist, rather than the short and pretty inaccurate click-bait pieces we often get.
Personally, as the article mentions, I hope they don't figure out how to generate memes dynamically, or you better believe they will be milked by marketing companies and government propaganda to their absolute maximum. They don't need another tool to influence public opinion.
