Editing 2287: Pathogen Resistance

Jump to: navigation, search

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision Your text
Line 8: Line 8:
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
This comic is the 13th comic in a row in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}}.
+
This comic is the 13th comic in a row in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} - {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}.  
  
 
Rather than expressing humanity's fears and pessimism about the pandemic, this strip anthropomorphizes some of the pathogens which afflict humanity and presents ''their'' fears and pessimism about possibly going extinct.  This serves as a roundabout way of expressing hope and wonder at the ingenuity and tenacity of humans in the face of diseases past (with water sanitation, mosquito netting, and condoms) and present (with the power of social distancing and {{w|Gloria Gaynor}}'s hit song ''{{w|I Will Survive}}''). Gaynor recorded [https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/entertainment/coronavirus-gloria-gaynor-i-will-survive-trnd/index.html a video of herself washing her hands] for 20 seconds (the recommended length of time to wash hands for optimal cleanliness) to the background of her hit song.
 
Rather than expressing humanity's fears and pessimism about the pandemic, this strip anthropomorphizes some of the pathogens which afflict humanity and presents ''their'' fears and pessimism about possibly going extinct.  This serves as a roundabout way of expressing hope and wonder at the ingenuity and tenacity of humans in the face of diseases past (with water sanitation, mosquito netting, and condoms) and present (with the power of social distancing and {{w|Gloria Gaynor}}'s hit song ''{{w|I Will Survive}}''). Gaynor recorded [https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/entertainment/coronavirus-gloria-gaynor-i-will-survive-trnd/index.html a video of herself washing her hands] for 20 seconds (the recommended length of time to wash hands for optimal cleanliness) to the background of her hit song.
Line 16: Line 16:
 
"The scariest thing in the universe" to these microbes is the human immune system, represented in the second panel and later by {{w|antibody|antibodies}} (Y-shaped drawings) and anthropomorphized {{w|macrophage}}s (actual macrophages do not have glaring angry eyes{{Citation needed}}). When a {{w|T cell}} encounters an unfamiliar molecule in the body, such as the surface proteins of SARS-CoV-2, it will search for a {{w|B cell}} that produces a matching antibody.  If and when it finds such a B cell, it will command the B cell to rapidly multiply and mass-produce antibodies.  Those antibodies will then bind to any antigens they contact, which may impede the antigen (as shown by the tagged protozoon in panel 2 lagging behind its siblings) and will definitely mark them for destruction by macrophages, which {{w|phagocytosis|engulf ("HUUGGG") and digest}} antibody-tagged objects they encounter.  T cells can also be described as [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170307142718.htm hugging cells], but a hug from a T cell is used to activate other processes, while a hug from a macrophage is a precursor to digestion.  White blood cells are quite persistent once they have detected an antigen, even [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_xh-bkiv_c chasing them over many cell lengths] in what must be a terrifying experience for the antigen being chased.
 
"The scariest thing in the universe" to these microbes is the human immune system, represented in the second panel and later by {{w|antibody|antibodies}} (Y-shaped drawings) and anthropomorphized {{w|macrophage}}s (actual macrophages do not have glaring angry eyes{{Citation needed}}). When a {{w|T cell}} encounters an unfamiliar molecule in the body, such as the surface proteins of SARS-CoV-2, it will search for a {{w|B cell}} that produces a matching antibody.  If and when it finds such a B cell, it will command the B cell to rapidly multiply and mass-produce antibodies.  Those antibodies will then bind to any antigens they contact, which may impede the antigen (as shown by the tagged protozoon in panel 2 lagging behind its siblings) and will definitely mark them for destruction by macrophages, which {{w|phagocytosis|engulf ("HUUGGG") and digest}} antibody-tagged objects they encounter.  T cells can also be described as [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170307142718.htm hugging cells], but a hug from a T cell is used to activate other processes, while a hug from a macrophage is a precursor to digestion.  White blood cells are quite persistent once they have detected an antigen, even [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_xh-bkiv_c chasing them over many cell lengths] in what must be a terrifying experience for the antigen being chased.
  
The comic humorously considers pasta as an essential part of humans' fight against coronavirus. Pasta is an example of a dried food that can last a long time, if the orders to stay indoors continue, and was one of many products bought in mass quantities by shoppers "panic-buying" at the onset of lockdowns. Pasta is a popular dish in Italy, which is experiencing particular difficulties with COVID-19, but not every culture consumes or likes pasta. In addition, the [https://www.soundpasta.com/2020/03/gloria-gaynor-washes-her-hands-while-jamming-to-her-classic-i-will-survive/ Gaynor vid] was initially shared via soundpasta.com among other services, and "pasta" is sometimes used to refer to sharing over the internet via cut-and-paste.  
+
The comic humorously considers pasta as an essential part of humans' fight against coronavirus. Pasta is an example of a dried food that can last a long time, if the orders to stay indoors continue. Pasta is a popular dish in Italy, which is experiencing particular difficulties with COVID-19, but not every culture consumes or likes pasta.
  
The colony of cocci protests that it shouldn't be possible for humans to evolve "pathogen resistance" in the short period of months since the breakout of COVID-19, when humans require over a decade to reach sexual maturity, and in modern times often wait at least two decades before having children.  Humans develop immunity to some diseases after being infected, as some B cells become memory cells and are stored for quick re-activation in the case of a later infection, but this is not very effective against viruses which mutate rapidly, such as influenza and the common cold (which is sometimes caused by coronaviruses, although not SARS-CoV-2).  Bacteria and viruses, on the other hand, reproduce in a matter of minutes, so that there may be hundreds of generations per day (comparable to the number of generations that have passed for humanity since the beginnings of agriculture), each of which presents opportunities to evolve new antigens that are not recognized by any antibodies present in the body or to evolve resistance to whatever antibiotic drugs the host might be using.  However, as the bacteriophage explains, humans generally do not become resistant against pathogens by genetic drift (although there are researchers who are seeking to identify genes that encode resistances to various diseases and then propagate them to other humans through gene editing, as in the {{w|He Jiankui affair}}).  Instead, humans "evolve" pathogen resistance through behavioral changes.  The behaviors presented in this comic strip include:
+
The colony of cocci protests that it shouldn't be possible for humans to evolve "pathogen resistance" in the short period of months since the breakout of COVID-19, when humans require over a decade to reach sexual maturity, and in modern times often wait at least two decades before having children.  Humans develop immunity to some diseases after being infected, as some B cells become memory cells and are stored for quick re-activation in the case of a later infection, but this is not very effective against viruses which mutate rapidly, such as influenza and the common cold (which is sometimes caused by coronaviruses, although not SARS-CoV-2).  Bacteria and viruses, on the other hand, reproduce in a matter of minutes, so that there may be hundreds of generations per day (comparable to the number of generations that have passed for humanity since the beginnings of agriculture), each of which presents opportunities to evolve new antigens that are not recognized by any antibodies present in the body or to evolve resistance to whatever antibiotic drugs a human might be using.  However, as the bacteriophage explains, humans generally do not become resistant against pathogens by genetic drift (although there are researchers who are seeking to identify genes that encode resistances to various diseases and then propagate them to other humans through gene editing, as in the {{w|He Jiankui affair}}).  Instead, humans "evolve" pathogen resistance through behavioral changes.  The behaviors presented in this comic strip include:
  
 
* Municipal water supplies, which are filtered and treated to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, like cholera and dysentery.
 
* Municipal water supplies, which are filtered and treated to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, like cholera and dysentery.
Line 27: Line 27:
 
These behaviors do not come from our genomes, passed along through reproduction, but from our brains, passed along by communication. (This is meme evolution, the spread of ideas, where the mind selects what of the idea to pass along. Because of this memes can evolve spontaneously and unpredictably.)  Some of the language of epidemiology is also used in discussion of communication, most notably "going viral" -- in this case, information is going viral to prevent viruses from going viral.
 
These behaviors do not come from our genomes, passed along through reproduction, but from our brains, passed along by communication. (This is meme evolution, the spread of ideas, where the mind selects what of the idea to pass along. Because of this memes can evolve spontaneously and unpredictably.)  Some of the language of epidemiology is also used in discussion of communication, most notably "going viral" -- in this case, information is going viral to prevent viruses from going viral.
  
The title text reverts to the point of view of humans and references a famous line from the graphic novel ''{{w|Watchmen}}'', where the vigilante {{w|Rorschach (character)|Rorschach}}, whilst in prison and surrounded by enemies who want to kill him, proclaims: "I'm not locked up in here with YOU. You're locked up in here with ME."  This presents an alternate perspective on quarantine and isolation that some may find more bearable: rather than passively hiding indoors in fear of the virus, we are taking action to fragment the virus population so that our immune systems (and medical intervention, in more serious cases) can {{w|defeat in detail|defeat it in detail}}.
+
The title text reverts to the point of view of humans and references a famous line from the graphic novel ''{{w|Watchmen}}'', where {{w|Rorschach (character)|Rorschach}}, whilst in prison and surrounded by enemies who want to kill him, proclaims: "I'm not locked up in here with YOU. You're locked up in here with ME."  This presents an alternate perspective on quarantine and isolation that some may find more bearable: rather than passively hiding indoors in fear of the virus, we are taking action to fragment the virus population so that our immune systems (and medical intervention, in more serious cases) can {{w|defeat in detail|defeat it in detail}}.
  
 
This was the at least first comic featuring pathogens as characters. The (at least) second is [[2306: Common Cold]].
 
This was the at least first comic featuring pathogens as characters. The (at least) second is [[2306: Common Cold]].
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
:[A small colony of coccus bacteria, a bacteriophage, and a protozoon, with an eye, are floating together.]
+
[A small colony of coccus bacteria, a bacteriophage, and a protozoon are floating together.]
 
:Bacteriophage: I'm worried about humans developing resistance to us.
 
:Bacteriophage: I'm worried about humans developing resistance to us.
 
:Bacteriophage: Using pasta.
 
:Bacteriophage: Using pasta.
  
:[In a half height panel we see two macrophages, each with an eye, and lots of Y-shaped antibodies chasing three protozoa, also with one eye each. One protozoon is already covered in antibodies and seems to have fallen over. Above the panel is the text that the bacteriophage is narrating.]
+
[Cutaway to macrophages and antibodies chasing three protozoa. One protozoon is already covered in antibodies.]
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): The human immune system is a nightmare.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): The human immune system is a nightmare.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): It's the worst.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): It's the worst.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): It's the scariest thing in the universe.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): It's the scariest thing in the universe.
:Macrophage: ''Who wants a Huuggg''
+
:Macrophage: ''Who wants a HUUGGG''
 
:Antibody-covered protozoon: ''Nooo!''
 
:Antibody-covered protozoon: ''Nooo!''
  
:[Close-up on bacteriophage]
+
[Close-up on bacteriophage]
 
:Bacteriophage: We can only survive by staying ahead of it.  Keep jumping from person to person, keep mutating and evolving.
 
:Bacteriophage: We can only survive by staying ahead of it.  Keep jumping from person to person, keep mutating and evolving.
 
:Bacteriophage: But now humans are adapting too fast.
 
:Bacteriophage: But now humans are adapting too fast.
  
:[Water pipes. A mosquito net with a bed under it. An unopened condom package.]
+
[Water pipes. A mosquito net with a bed under it. An unopened condom package.]
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We spread through their water. They built pipes.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We spread through their water. They built pipes.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We used mosquitoes. They put out nets and poison everywhere.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We used mosquitoes. They put out nets and poison everywhere.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We spread through sex, and suddenly they all had these plastic things.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We spread through sex, and suddenly they all had these plastic things.
  
:[Depictions of seven coronavirus with spikes, one very large, one large, two small and three tiny. They are above a picture of Hairbun and Cueball shaking hands, while exhaling a cloud and tiny droplets spraying all over from both their clouds from exhaling.]
+
[Depictions of coronavirus with spikes. Hairbun and Cueball shaking hands, with droplets spraying from both their mouths.]
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): This time, we really thought we had them.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): This time, we really thought we had them.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): One of us got good at transmission through everyday contact.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): One of us got good at transmission through everyday contact.
  
:[A row of four sets of human lungs and their trachea is shown. The first set of lungs has just one black dot in the left and a few black dots in the right lung. The second has the bottom right lung covered in black, and the left lung has a bit black on either side and still some black dots in the middle. The third has most of each lung covered in black, except maybe a quarter of each lungs top. The fourth set of lungs are completely filled with black. Below them is a graph showing exponential growth with an X-axis with 17 equidistant ticks and to the right a Y-axis with eight equidistant ticks. This time the narrating is indicated to come from off-panel left with a speech line, and so are the two answers, coming from the off-panel right. It is like if the speakers are looking at this chart from off-panel.]
+
[A row of 4 sets of human lungs, the first with several black dots, the second and third with increasing black parts, the fourth completely filled with black. A graph showing exponential growth.]
:Bacteriophage (off-panel left): It was great. We were tearing through lungs, spreading like wildfire.
+
:Bacteriophage (narrating): It was great. We were tearing through lungs, spreading like wildfire.
:Voice (off-panel right): Hooray!
+
:Voice offscreen: Hooray!
:Voice 2 (off-panel right): I ''hate'' lungs.
+
:Voice 2 offscreen: I ''hate'' lungs.
  
:[Close-up of bacteriophage "head".]
+
[Close-up of bacteriophage "head".]
 
:Bacteriophage: Then, all of a sudden, humans everywhere just...''stopped''. They stopped working, stopped seeing friends.
 
:Bacteriophage: Then, all of a sudden, humans everywhere just...''stopped''. They stopped working, stopped seeing friends.
  
:[Megan is sitting on a couch with a remote control in her hand, watching a flat screen TV. Cueball is at a sink with a mirror, washing his hands under hot water indicated by heat lines coming up from his hands. They are facing away from each other. Again speech is come from off-panel left and right with speech lines]
+
[Megan is sitting on a couch, watching a flat screen. Cueball is at a sink with a mirror, washing his hands. They are facing away from each other.]
:Voice (off-panel left): What are they ''doing''?
+
:Voice offscreen: What are they ''doing''?
:Bacteriophage (off-panel right): Nothing!
+
:Voice 2 offscreen: Nothing!
:Bacteriophage (off-panel right): They're just sitting there in their houses washing their hands.
+
:Voice 2 offscreen: They're just sitting there in their houses washing their hands.
  
:[Cueball stands in an otherwise empty room He is surrounded by falling droplets, many of which are now lying on the floor around his feet. Among the droplets is a coronavirus that shouts out.]
+
[A single human in a empty room, surrounded by fallen droplets. Among the droplets is a coronavirus.]
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): Suddenly humans became dead ends. We tried to jump from one to the next, but there's no one to jump to.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): Suddenly humans became dead ends. We tried to jump from one to the next, but there's no one to jump to.
 
:Coronavirus: Help!
 
:Coronavirus: Help!
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We can't escape.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We can't escape.
  
:[Three large Coronaviruses and several smaller ones are encroached on by at least four macrophages, one showing a large eye, surrounding them as well as streams of Y-shaped antibodies mowing in towards the viruses. A rectangular panel at the top, is placed over the top edge of the panel. The narrating text is inside this panel:]
+
[Coronaviruses, encroached on by macrophages and streams of antibodies.]
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We're trapped in there with those ghastly immune systems.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): We're trapped in there with those ghastly immune systems.
:Antibodies: ''It's huug tiiiiime''
+
:Antibodies: ''IT'S HUUG TIIIIIME''
:Macrophage top left: Come here for a huuug
+
:Macrophage: Come here for a HUUUG
:Macrophage bottom left: Huuuuugs
+
:Macrophage: HUUUUGS
  
:[A slim panel, with text above and below the panel with narration. In the panel there are two larger coronaviruses covered in antibodies and attacked directly by macrophages. Smaller coronavirus are shown covered in antibodies as well. Some of the macrophages are actively devouring viruses. While others already contain broken-down remnants of a coronavirus. Most of the macrophages has an eye.]
+
[Coronaviruses covered in antibodies and surrounded by macrophages. Some of the macrophages are devouring viruses. Others contain broken-down remnants.]
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): Even if we win a fight, there's nowhere to go.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): Even if we win a fight, there's nowhere to go.
:Macrophage a the top: ''Huuuuuuuggss''
+
:Macrophage: HUUUUUUUGGSS
:Macrophage at the bottom: ''Huuugs''
+
:Macrophage: HUUUUGS
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): By staying inside, humans have become resistant.
 
:Bacteriophage (narrating): By staying inside, humans have become resistant.
  
:[Back to the discussion between the coccus, the bacteriophage and the protozoon with eye.]
+
[Back to the discussion between the coccus, the bacteriophage and the protozoon.]
 
:Coccus bacteria: How could they evolve that fast? Humans take decades to reproduce!
 
:Coccus bacteria: How could they evolve that fast? Humans take decades to reproduce!
 
:Bacteriophage: It's not evolution. It's something with their brains.
 
:Bacteriophage: It's not evolution. It's something with their brains.
 
:Protozoon: I ''wondered'' what those were for!
 
:Protozoon: I ''wondered'' what those were for!
  
:[Bacteriophage pointing with a leg to Cueball and Megan who are looking at their phones; Megan and Cueball are then walking to the right; Megan and Cueball are shown at separate sinks with mirrors washing their hands.]
+
[Bacteriophage pointing to: Cueball and Megan looking at their phones; Megan and Cueball walking to the right; Megan and Cueball at separate sinks washing their hands.]
 
:Bacteriophage: Humans started looking at their phones, talking, writing words, and making signs. A human named "Gloria Gaynor" filmed herself singing at her bathroom sink.
 
:Bacteriophage: Humans started looking at their phones, talking, writing words, and making signs. A human named "Gloria Gaynor" filmed herself singing at her bathroom sink.
 
:Bacteriophage: And then they bought lots of pasta.
 
:Bacteriophage: And then they bought lots of pasta.
 
:Bacteriophage: Then, around the world, they all went home and started washing their hands.
 
:Bacteriophage: Then, around the world, they all went home and started washing their hands.
  
:[Bacteriophage and protozoon with eye.]
+
[Bacteriophage and protozoon.]
 
:Bacteriophage: They saw what we were doing and changed their behavior to stop us.
 
:Bacteriophage: They saw what we were doing and changed their behavior to stop us.
:Protozoon: Brains are the '''''worst'''''.
+
:Protozoon: Brains are the ''worst''.
  
:[Coccus, bacteriophage and protozoon with eye.]
+
[Coccus, bacteriophage and protozoon.]
 
:Coccus bacteria: It's not over, right? They can't sustain this. They must be bored and tired.
 
:Coccus bacteria: It's not over, right? They can't sustain this. They must be bored and tired.
 
:Coccus bacteria: Will they give up?
 
:Coccus bacteria: Will they give up?
 
:Bacteriophage: I don't know. They seem determined to protect each other.
 
:Bacteriophage: I don't know. They seem determined to protect each other.
  
:[Coccus, bacteriophage and protozoon with eye.]
+
[Coccus, bacteriophage and protozoon.]
 
:Bacteriophage: And
 
:Bacteriophage: And
:Bacteriophage: They have a '''''lot''''' of pasta.
+
:Bacteriophage: They have a ''lot'' of pasta.
  
 
==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
 
* The title text originally contained a typo in the form of a double negative "We're not not trapped..." This has since been corrected.
 
* The title text originally contained a typo in the form of a double negative "We're not not trapped..." This has since been corrected.
* In the panel on the bottom left, the representation of the virus seems to be incompletely drawn, its head not showing any triangulation.
 
* This comic was released on Monday. Due to a technical issue with the [[2288: Collector's Edition|April Fools' comic]], this comic stayed up as the current comic until Friday instead of the usual Wednesday.
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
 +
  
 
[[Category:COVID-19]]
 
[[Category:COVID-19]]
 +
[[Category:Biology]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]] <!-- Gloria Gaynor -->
 
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]] <!-- Gloria Gaynor -->
[[Category:Biology]]
 
[[Category:Sex]]
 
[[Category:Animals]]
 

Please note that all contributions to explain xkcd may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see explain xkcd:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

To protect the wiki against automated edit spam, we kindly ask you to solve the following CAPTCHA:

Cancel | Editing help (opens in new window)