explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2278: Scientific Briefing

2020-03-10T07:33:11Z

162.158.155.86:

Reference to COVID-19?
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.173|172.69.70.173]] 20:42, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
:Seems closer to global warming to me. [[User:LegionMammal978|LegionMammal978]] ([[User talk:LegionMammal978|talk]]) 21:01, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
::Given the title text, it could plausibly be about either of those, or just about anything else (ocean acidification, deforestation, wireless spectrum congestion...) --[[User:NotaBene|NotaBene]] ([[User talk:NotaBene|talk]]) 21:25, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
::: Or at least, like, half of them. -- [[User:KarMann|KarMann]] ([[User talk:KarMann|talk]]) 21:29, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
::::I read it as an analysis of actionable analytics...
::::[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 22:10, 9 March 2020 (UTC)
::::Not half of them, the other way around. Half of topics can be described by same graphs. This group of topics include global climate change, ocean acidification, deforestation, wireless spectrum congestion, IPv4 address exhaustion, COVID-19 and many others. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:22, 9 March 2020 (UTC)

I've heard that President Trump feels that the coronavirus will "blow over." -- [[User:172.69.63.143|172.69.63.143]] ([[User talk:172.69.63.143|talk]]) 22:22, 9 March 2020‎ ''(please sign your comments with <nowiki>~~</nowiki>~~)''

Randall really missed a chance to talk about things going "from bad to worse." [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 23:20, 9 March 2020 (UTC)

No no it's about rising extremism wait no no no it's fresh water demand as a percentage of supply wait no no its Niagra falls going through a straw -- [[User:162.158.62.105|162.158.62.105]] ([[User talk:162.158.62.105|talk]]) 00:59, 10 March 2020 ''(please sign your comments with <nowiki>~~</nowiki>~~)''

"or perhaps Things Which Need Explaining." - I'm not sure the book, or any of the things described therein aren't bad yet but are getting worse and will be bad if nobody does anything: though maybe my copy is slowly going critical and I've just never noticed...
--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.86|162.158.155.86]] 07:33, 10 March 2020 (UTC)

2277: Business Greetings

2020-03-06T08:12:06Z

162.158.155.86: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 2277
| date = March 6, 2020
| title = Business Greetings
| image = business_greetings.png
| titletext =
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EYEBALL LICKER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The COVID-19 coronavirus is a big deal{{Citation needed}}. As a reaction, people are refraining from personal contact. This leads to conflicts with customs in the workplace - eg shaking hands at the beginning.

This comic parodies that by claiming people are reacting to the virus by avoid "licking eyeballs" at starts of meeting. Virus or not, it is not normal lick eyeballs at meetings{{Citation needed}}. However, eyeball licking was a teen fad in Japan and other countries during the early 2000s, suggesting something else is going on{{Citation needed}}.

This comic does not appear to have a title-text. It is possible that this is to prevent further spread of the coronavirus {{Citation needed}}. Absense of title-text is so unsusual, that broke at least one xkcd client ([https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.floern.xkcd Browser for xkcd by Floern]).

==Transcript==

[Single frame where Beret Guy is standing on the left, with three people sitting at a table to the right (from left to right: Ponytail, Hairy and Hairbun)]

Beret Guy: I don't think we should overreact to the coronavirus, but it might be time to put an end to the custom of starting business meetings by everyone licking each other's eyeballs.

Hairy: I'll miss the human contact, but that's fair.

Hairbun: Gotta change with the times.

{{comic discussion}}

2275: Coronavirus Name

2020-03-05T19:21:06Z

162.158.155.86: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2275
| date = March 2, 2020
| title = Coronavirus Name
| image = coronavirus_name.png
| titletext = It's important to keep the spider from touching your face.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a MUTANT T. ANNEXA WOLF SPIDER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is [[Randall|Randall's]] take on the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak}}. As of the publication date (March 2, 2020), the outbreak has infected more than 90,000 people, and has caused more than 3000 deaths.

The disease caused by the virus was officially named {{w|Coronavirus disease 2019|COVID-19}} on 11 February 2020, as "{{w|coronavirus}}" is a category of viruses named for their appearance, which is similar to a halo or crown, and includes four different viruses which can cause the common cold in humans. However, the virus itself is not called COVID-19, but is called {{w|severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2}} (SARS-CoV-2). So calling the virus or disease "coronavirus" is like calling a specific strain of flu ''The Influenza virus''. However, since the new coronavirus is much more deadly than the previous coronaviruses it has attracted much more attention and due to extensive media coverage, the name "Coronavirus" has become associated with COVID-19, making it difficult to discuss other types of coronavirus later on.

As of March 2, 2020, COVID-19 in China has a 20% hospitalization rate and a 2% death rate by current estimates, compared to a [https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-myths.html typical rate of around 0.1% for the flu in the US].

In this comic, researchers [[Ponytail]], [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are discussing that it is by now too late to try calling the disease its official name COVID-19, as the name coronavirus has stuck. [[Cueball]] reacts with dismay, since there are many other types of coronaviruses.

The comic becomes absurd when Ponytail compares the coronavirus naming to a giant "car eating spider" living on top of the skyscrapers of the town, which is also just called "The Spider" even though it is technically a mutated ''{{w|Tigrosa annexa}}'' {{w|wolf spider}}. Everyone knows what you mean when you say "Coronavirus", as they do when you mention "The Spider".

[[Megan]] then asks if they should not also do something about the spider, but Ponytail and Cueball agree that they can only tackle one problem at a time, and coronavirus takes up all their time. Only thing is that Ponytail now takes another commute, probably to avoid getting her car eaten.

On a more serious note, the comic may also reference the fact that that there are many other problems in the world (both spider and non-spider related {{Citation needed}}) that kill many more people and cause more problems. So this draws a humorous comparison to the fact that we seem to have forgotten about all the wars, etc and focus just on the virus.

The title text references the health advice that people avoid touching their face with unwashed hands, in order to prevent infections that they picked up by touching things from entering their mucous membranes. (It's a lot easier for an infection to enter the body through the inside of your nose than your hands.) It is likewise quite important to keep the giant spider from touching your face, but for the dissimilar reason that it might bite and eat you.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is carrying a box with biohazard symbols on it towards a desk where Ponytail (wearing safety glasses) is working on a laptop, across from Cueball (also wearing safety glasses) who is putting a test tube into a centrifuge. There's also a flask on the desk.]
:Ponytail: Feels like we missed the window for the "COVID-19" renaming. "Coronavirus" is just too catchy.
:Cueball: But it's not specific! There are a lot of coronaviruses.

:[In a frameless panel, Ponytail (still wearing safety glasses) is pointing at a screen or picture showing a modern city skyline with a large spider crawling across three of the high-rise buildings.]
:Ponytail: I think it's fine. It's like, you know the giant spider downtown that sits on the buildings and sometimes eats cars? I think ''technically'' it's a mutant ''T. annexa'' wolf spider, but everyone is just calling it "the spider" and we all know what they mean.

:[Back to the setting from the first panel. Megan is standing and Ponytail had turned towards her and Cueball has stepped back from the machine.]
:Megan: I've been meaning to ask, what's '''''with''''' that spider? Should we...do something?
:Ponytail: Honestly I've been too busy with the virus stuff to look into it-I just changed my commute to avoid Main St.
:Cueball: Yeah, that's fair. One thing at a time.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Spiders]]

Talk:2155: Swimming

2019-05-30T20:54:42Z

162.158.155.86:

The title text reminds me of https://xkcd.com/1115/
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.242.13|108.162.242.13]] 17:22, 27 May 2019 (UTC)

I never fully enjoyed swimming in lakes & oceans for this same reason. Getting nipped by a snapping turtle, pinched by crawfish & crabs, & nudge-tested by snakes probably pushed my experiences in a negative direction as well. Chlorine & urine content don't make swimming pools nearly unpleasant enough to feel ickier than most open water I've been in. As someone who grew up in a hot climate, I ''love'' swimming, but I like to be able to see what's in the water around me. The deeper & murkier the water is, the more uneasy I feel venturing into it.
[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 17:49, 27 May 2019 (UTC)
:In most open water, there is no chlorine, but there is definitely some urine and blood and probably also fish sperm. It SHOULD be more diluted, though ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 22:15, 27 May 2019 (UTC)
::I find it ridiculous that some people are grossed by the supposedly urine (or, God forbid, sperm) contaminated swimming pools yet fine to drink water coming from open reservoirs containing (highly diluted!) duck poop, fish stuff, slimes and molds etc. Some even have spilled millions of gallons of perfectly fine water after some guy peed in it, even if it was wide open to any flying source of poo ([http://time.com/66459/portland-reservoir-pee/]) -- [[User:Malgond|Malgond]] ([[User talk:Malgond|talk]]) 08:27, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
: haha. I live in Australia. I love swimming at the beach. But my rule is, as much as possible, always swim with someone bigger, slower and further out. The first two are not as easy as they used to be!![[User:Boatster|Boatster]] ([[User talk:Boatster|talk]]) 13:43, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
: also " nudge-tested by snakes" W.T.A.F!!![[User:Boatster|Boatster]] ([[User talk:Boatster|talk]]) 13:45, 28 May 2019 (UTC)

I am confused. The explanation says there is a person as you scroll down, but I don't see any people below the surface. Is it talking about the jellyfish?--[[Special:Contributions/172.69.42.28|172.69.42.28]] 19:57, 27 May 2019 (UTC)
: not any more [[User:Boatster|Boatster]] ([[User talk:Boatster|talk]]) 13:43, 28 May 2019 (UTC)

This panel is approximately 4.047 times as tall as it is wide. [[User:Moosenonny10|Moosenonny10]] ([[User talk:Moosenonny10|talk]]) 00:19, 28 May 2019 (UTC)

I don't agree it's an '''entirely''' irrational fear -- it's much easier to rescue a drowned person from the lake/ocean bottom if the water is shallow. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.182.16|172.68.182.16]] 07:50, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
:It is still irrational – if someone's drowned at the bottom it isn't rescue anymore, just potentially recovering a dead body. Completely irrelevant for the unfortunate swimmer, unless she is worried about her family's emotions and the amount of (not entirely rational) public expense – all these expert divers, rescue units time, police work etc. cost a lot. -- [[User:Malgond|Malgond]] ([[User talk:Malgond|talk]]) 08:19, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
: disagree. My sister rescued an unconscious kid from the bottom of a 3m deep pool. Rescuscitated him. Full recovery. Not common but it happens.[[User:Boatster|Boatster]] ([[User talk:Boatster|talk]]) 13:36, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
:I believe that very deep waters are occasionally (and more frequently than shallow ones) dangerous due to cold undercurrents, so I support "not entirely irrational fear".[[User:Jkrstrt|Jkrstrt]] ([[User talk:Jkrstrt|talk]]) 08:59, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
:Furthermore, on the topic of the specific fear in the comic, it's perfectly rational to be afraid of the ground you are relying on for support to suddenly and precipitously drop orders of magnitude deeper. Presumably the issue is not the irrationality of the fear but the language used - that is, "swimming" should be "wading" since their "feet touch bottom". Someone wading who was incapable of swimming would be rightfully afraid of suddenly being dropped into open sea, as they'd have limited ability to make it back to safety. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.142.22|172.69.142.22]] 18:16, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
Back when I was teaching beginning swimming for adults, I would tell them that the deep end of the pool was better for swimming because there was more water under them to support them. Some of them found that the idea inspired confidence . . . others, not so much. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.100|162.158.214.100]] 17:22, 28 May 2019 (UTC)
: My wife is learning to swim at the moment (she's 50, never too old to learn!) and has this specific issue about being able to touch the bottom. She was told by her instructor about the deep end being "better for swimming" and definitely falls into the "not so much" category you mention![[User:Daemonik|Daemonik]] ([[User talk:Daemonik|talk]]) 14:38, 29 May 2019 (UTC)
: there is a way in which this is correct, and not trivially. Deeper pools cause less reflected turbulence to impede the swimmer so are marginally faster. Most international competition is now held in pools of uniform depth of, i think, at least 3 metres [[User:Boatster|Boatster]] ([[User talk:Boatster|talk]]) 05:26, 30 May 2019 (UTC)

What is the Lemmings reference mentioned in the explanation? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 12:18, 29 May 2019 (UTC)
:Thank you, herobrine. My question exactly! [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 16:07, 29 May 2019 (UTC)
::I would guess it is to the {{w|Lemmings (video game)}}, I put in wikilink assuming that that is what is meant. Not sure though. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.102|162.158.106.102]] 18:05, 29 May 2019 (UTC)I thought this was a global warming reference at first glance. it works pretty well as one. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.28|162.158.214.28]] 03:19, 30 May 2019 (UTC)

When I saw this, one element of it immediately reminded of a 26th/May [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48360832 BBC article] that just barely preceded the comic's appearance. So maybe part of the fear is actually that of pellebaphobia. (Pelle''batho''phobia, even?) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.86|162.158.155.86]] 20:54, 30 May 2019 (UTC)

2153: Effects of High Altitude

2019-05-22T19:10:36Z

162.158.155.86: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2153
| date = May 22, 2019
| title = Effects of High Altitude
| image = effects_of_high_altitude.png
| titletext = If she'd lived in Flagstaff (elevation 6,903 feet), Cruella de Vil would only have needed 89 dalmatians for her coat.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HIGH BOT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic starts out with a three effects of high altitude related to the air getting "thinner" and the lower air pressure. {{w|Denver}} is one mile (1600) above sea-level (as marked on the steps of the State Capitol). [http://www.altitude.org/air_pressure.php At this elevation], the average atmospheric pressure is about 83% of sea level pressure, or about 840 mBar. This has a number of effects:

* Water {{w|boiling|boils}} at 202 degrees F (94 degrees C), slightly lower than the baseline 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) it takes at sea level, due to the lower air pressure.
* Baseballs and golf balls fly slightly farther due to the lower air resistance.
* {{w|Sunburn}} develops faster due to the decreased atmosphere filtering out harmful rays.

As usual for xkcd, the effects of high altitude are extended in a comical absurd manner degenerating into applying this "slightly less" rule to everything:

* {{w|Scrabble}} is a board game where each letter is assigned a point value based on its frequency of use in the edition's language. The comic claims all letters are worth 16% more (about 2 points more if applied to the shown "Q" tile) implying that the edition of Scrabble used at higher altitude is designed for dialects where uncommon letters are used even less frequently. The {{w|Scrabble_letter_distributions#English|normal values for the Scrabble tiles}} Q, X, and Y are 10, 8 and 4, respectively.
* A common {{w|superstition}} states that breaking a mirror causes 7 years of bad luck. The comic claims that at higher altitudes, only 5½ years are caused. It is unclear whether this implies that people living at higher altitudes have more or less luck.
* Marketing campaigns will often state "X is the new Y" to draw the audience of Y in toward the newer X. When used with age, usually at 10 year intervals ("40 is the new 30" is the slogan referenced), it is an attempt to convince an older audience that they can share in an experience commonly associated with a younger audience. At higher elevations, the comic claims, people can use or do things designated for an even younger audience
* German band {{w|Nena (band)|Nena}}'s hit ''99 Red Balloons'' (an English adaptation of the original song called ''{{w|99 Luftballons}}'') is a song about a global nuclear war started by a large clump of balloons mistaken for enemy aircraft. The comic affirms that, if launched from a higher altitude, 94 balloons would have sufficed.
* {{w|420 (cannabis culture)|4:20}} is a code word for {{w|cannabis}} and has evolved in some circles to be the socially acceptable hour to consume cannabis. This has in turn evolved into a joke that when checking the time and finding it is exactly 4:20, people will add "blaze it" as a reference. The comic claims that, at higher altitudes, the socially acceptable time decreases, so if there is an elevation of one mile, the socially acceptable time would be 4:17 and therefore, marijuana jokes are made earlier. This joke is probably related to the {{w|Cannabis in Colorado|legalization of recreational marijuana use in Colorado}}.

* Referenced in the title text, ''{{w|One Hundred and One Dalmatians (franchise)|One Hundred and One Dalmatians}}'' is a children's book and Disney franchise based on it, where the villain, {{w|Cruella de Vil}}, aims to capture and kill 99 Dalmatian puppies to have the perfect spotted fur coat (the title comes from adding to them the two that try to save them). The comic claims that, at a higher altitude, she would only have needed 89, possibly implying that puppies at higher altitudes are bigger, or that Cruella de Vil at high altitudes is smaller.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]

Talk:2043: Boathouses and Houseboats

2019-05-20T00:21:07Z

162.158.155.86:

The state of California already believes that a house held by a car is a housecar:
:Vehicle Code - VEH
:DIVISION 1. WORDS AND PHRASES DEFINED [100 - 681] ( Division 1 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
:362.
:A “house car” is a motor vehicle originally designed, or permanently altered, and equipped for human habitation, or to which a camper has been permanently attached. A motor vehicle to which a camper has been temporarily attached is not a house car except that, for the purposes of Division 11 (commencing with Section 21000) and Division 12 (commencing with Section 24000), a motor vehicle equipped with a camper having an axle that is designed to support a portion of the weight of the camper unit shall be considered a three-axle house car regardless of the method of attachment or manner of registration. A house car shall not be deemed to be a motortruck.[http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=362.]
Bonus: "motortruck" does indeed refer to a truck that holds a motor.
[[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 15:57, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:: The State of California believes [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/796:_Bad_Ex all sort of strange things] [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 18:20, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
: Yes, but that's still not a "mobile home". It's a "motor home" in most states, e.g. Oregon. ORS 801.350 says "'Motor home' means a motor vehicle that: (1) Is reconstructed, permanently altered or originally designed to provide facilities for human habitation; or (2) Has a structure permanently attached to it that would be a camper if the structure was not permanently attached to the motor vehicle." I'm fine with Randall calling this a housecar, but he's wrong when he says the conventional name for it is mobile home. "Mobile home" is a colloquial term for a manufactured home that is delivered on wheels and then usually has its wheels removed, so it becomes stationary for the rest of its life. That's definitely not a housecar. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.149|108.162.246.149]] 15:38, 10 September 2018 (UTC)

Randall did just correct the comic. The first version said "this [row] held by this [column]", which would have meant, that e.g. a towtruck is a car held by a car, which is just wrong. It has just be updated to the correct "a this [column] that holds a this [row]". I do not know how to change that here. Should be mentioned in Trivia [[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 16:11, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:Thanks for your eagle eyes. I've uploaded the new version, please be patient until the cache is expired and you can see it. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:48, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
::Just edited this Trivia section, as the change is more stylistic, rather than a change in meaning. Randall simply changes from the passive voice. "[Row] held by [Column]" is equivalent to "A [Column] that holds a [Row]". [[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.154|162.158.75.154]] 14:35, 10 September 2018 (UTC)
:::It is not just a change of style, it also changes which one are right and which are wrong. A tow truck is something that holds something, while, an appartment is something held by something, so in either case some are wrong, and he just changed which ones. But most important: in the first version the example of boat house was wrong, as by his definition it was a boat held by a house, which is not true. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 18:52, 15 September 2018 (UTC)

Here in the UK mobile home can mean a large RV (small ones are called camper vans). By large, I mean small-medium in the USA. [[User:Nikkilocje|Nikkilocje]] ([[User talk:Nikkilocje|talk]]) 19:35, 12 September 2018 (UTC)

I like that the Wikipedia article [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houseboat#For_recreation Houseboat] actually contains a "doghouseboat" [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.86|162.158.155.86]] 00:20, 20 May 2019 (UTC)

'''Boat boat'''

Shouldn't a boat that holds another boat be some sort of either carrier, or at-sea repair dock?

Sort of like a mothership, or a drydock?
Or an oil rig (technically considered a ship by international law), etc?

For that matter, how about the distinction between a boat and a ship?
[[User:Keybounce|Keybounce]] ([[User talk:Keybounce|talk]]) 16:34, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:well... with the original version it fits. a boat held by another boat is a lifeboat. But the new version it doesnt. a boat that holds another boat would be, as you say, carrier, mothership, etc. looks like randall didn't think this through to the end... [[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 16:40, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:Floating Drydock? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_dock#Floating] {{unsigned|OldCorps}}
:As far as I can remember, a ship is a boat that can manage being away from shore for more than a day [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 18:16, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:I've always heard that a ship is a boat that's big enough to carry other boats. If it carries a lifeboat, then it's a ship. Submarines do not have lifeboats, so they are called "boats" not ships. Inflatable rafts don't count. A sailboat that carries an inflatable raft is still a boat. And yes, there is such a thing as a ship that carries other ships. Google the Blue Marlin. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.90|162.158.106.90]] 15:43, 10 September 2018 (UTC)

::Similar failing: an ''apartment'' is the small entity—the "house" that is contained by the larger house. ''Apartment building'' (or ''apartment complex'') would have been the term to be replaced. [[User:Jameslucas|jameslucas]] ([[User talk:Jameslucas|" "]] / [[Special:Contributions/Jameslucas|+]]) 17:42, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
::: Agreed. His list of words contains elements that fall into either the 'x held by y' or 'x that holds y' definition, so neither definition can work for all the words! Only way to fix is to replace some of the words as suggested ('apartment building' instead of 'apartment').[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.241|162.158.154.241]] 17:52, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

You're entirely correct on both counts. Lifeboats are carried by other boats, and ships that can carry other ships do exist. This comic also fails to distinguish between boats and ships, and cars, trucks, and trailers.
While a Boathouse is indeed a house for boats, a boat ''trailer'' is usually a trailer and not a car- the name already follows Randell's suggested logic: it's a trailer (characterized by lacking it's own engine, steering, and driver's cabin) that holds one or more boats. In addition, both tow trucks and car carriers are large enough to be properly referred to as trucks (the smallest type of tow truck I know of is built on a pickup truck chassis) and are fully capable to towing or carrying other trucks as well as cars, making the term carcar inaccurate. Yes, I'm being pedantic, but this might be worth mentioning in explanation. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.122.60|162.158.122.60]] 16:44, 7 September 2018 (UTC)Chris Long

:Each of the compound words that Randall has made up here are still "correct" - but general. The failure to distinguish between multiple examples isn't a "bug" here; it's a feature of the productive nature of novel compounding in English. Each of 'apartment', 'tow truck' and 'lifeboat' should be treated as ''an'' example of 'househouse', 'carcar' and 'boatboat', respectively, but given the way English treats novel compounds, they can't be the ''only'' examples. {{unsigned ip|172.68.150.76}}
::He tries to get a logic in there, as in the difference between boathouse and houseboat, to show which supports which, but fails to do so. While your comment is in itself ok, the comic clearly tries to put in a logic and fails to do so.[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 20:41, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

::I wouldn't read too much into it. This comic is, of course, lighthearted in nature, and I'm pretty sure Randall doesn't ''literally'' hold these views and call for the creation of a "carcar" or something. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.46.41|172.68.46.41]] 04:35, 8 September 2018 (UTC)

To continue the convention, "boatboat", as a "life-boat" is a mistake. But i don't think Randall is much of a practical sailor. He lives inland, and probably isn't nearly as familiar with ships as he is with cars. more correct choices to repeat the convention used elsewhere in the comic, could easily be tugboat, carrier ship, or barge. sep 8, guest {{unsigned ip|162.158.62.57}}

'''Bananaphone'''

Is this a spoiler for the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2000:_xkcd_Phone_2000 XKCD phone 2001]? Will this phone be edible, yellow and be 10G-erine compatible? [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 18:16, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

More like this [https://bananaphone.io/ banana phone][[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.16|172.68.34.16]] 20:12, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

I believe it references [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIiZ3vvZ78s this song] by Raffi.--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.112|162.158.134.112]] 09:28, 8 September 2018 (UTC)

'''Compounding nouns'''

As a native German speaker I've learned in school that compounding nouns in German like "Hausboot" are always written as "house boat" in English, the nouns do not form to a new single noun. And I'm still sure that "Hausbootbriefkasten" (Haus-boot-brief-kasten) still translates literally to something like "house boats letter box" in the original Oxford English domain, while "letterbox of a houseboat" is probably the much better translation. Nonetheless the order at the German ''looong'' noun is still correct: There's a box, for a letter, on a boat, which supports a house. And a record holder in German: {{w|Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft}}, even Germans are annoyed... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:31, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:We do obviously have closed compounds as well (and hyphenated ones), but most people aren't going to consider "house boat" annoyingly incorrect, but "snowski" would be jarring, so that is a good rule of thumb you were taught. And I would translate "Hausbootbriefkasten" as "houseboat's mailbox" (or letterbox where people call mailboxes letterboxes) as the X's Y form typically sounds more natural than Y of (the) X, even though they mean basically the same thing. Y of the X is more for archaic or stilted speech, except in a few phrases like "end of the line" and "root of the problem." We just usually stop closed compounds at 2 or maybe 3 parts in English. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.99|173.245.48.99]] 20:51, 14 September 2018 (UTC)

If a boat that carries a boat is called a ship, should "ship" be in the boatboat square instead of "lifeboat"? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.64|172.69.62.64]] 01:37, 8 September 2018 (UTC)

So....basically transform english to dutch ? We do this all the time. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.77.98|141.101.77.98]] 07:20, 10 September 2018 (UTC)

'''1984, anyone?'''

I was just reading this explanation and when I read the sentence "Randall is engaging in creative linguistics again" I just thought: No, he's applying Newspeak. While - of course - the words here are not to be found in the novel 1984 (at least I'm not aware of them) they sound like something that would be created if Newspeak was lifted to the next level - reduce the number of individual words and try to express as much as possible with compounds of the remaining words. Thoughts? [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 07:18, 24 September 2018 (UTC)

Talk:2043: Boathouses and Houseboats

2019-05-20T00:19:05Z

162.158.155.86:

The state of California already believes that a house held by a car is a housecar:
:Vehicle Code - VEH
:DIVISION 1. WORDS AND PHRASES DEFINED [100 - 681] ( Division 1 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
:362.
:A “house car” is a motor vehicle originally designed, or permanently altered, and equipped for human habitation, or to which a camper has been permanently attached. A motor vehicle to which a camper has been temporarily attached is not a house car except that, for the purposes of Division 11 (commencing with Section 21000) and Division 12 (commencing with Section 24000), a motor vehicle equipped with a camper having an axle that is designed to support a portion of the weight of the camper unit shall be considered a three-axle house car regardless of the method of attachment or manner of registration. A house car shall not be deemed to be a motortruck.[http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=362.]
Bonus: "motortruck" does indeed refer to a truck that holds a motor.
[[User:Jordan Brown|Jordan Brown]] ([[User talk:Jordan Brown|talk]]) 15:57, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:: The State of California believes [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/796:_Bad_Ex all sort of strange things] [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 18:20, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
: Yes, but that's still not a "mobile home". It's a "motor home" in most states, e.g. Oregon. ORS 801.350 says "'Motor home' means a motor vehicle that: (1) Is reconstructed, permanently altered or originally designed to provide facilities for human habitation; or (2) Has a structure permanently attached to it that would be a camper if the structure was not permanently attached to the motor vehicle." I'm fine with Randall calling this a housecar, but he's wrong when he says the conventional name for it is mobile home. "Mobile home" is a colloquial term for a manufactured home that is delivered on wheels and then usually has its wheels removed, so it becomes stationary for the rest of its life. That's definitely not a housecar. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.149|108.162.246.149]] 15:38, 10 September 2018 (UTC)

Randall did just correct the comic. The first version said "this [row] held by this [column]", which would have meant, that e.g. a towtruck is a car held by a car, which is just wrong. It has just be updated to the correct "a this [column] that holds a this [row]". I do not know how to change that here. Should be mentioned in Trivia [[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 16:11, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:Thanks for your eagle eyes. I've uploaded the new version, please be patient until the cache is expired and you can see it. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:48, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
::Just edited this Trivia section, as the change is more stylistic, rather than a change in meaning. Randall simply changes from the passive voice. "[Row] held by [Column]" is equivalent to "A [Column] that holds a [Row]". [[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.154|162.158.75.154]] 14:35, 10 September 2018 (UTC)
:::It is not just a change of style, it also changes which one are right and which are wrong. A tow truck is something that holds something, while, an appartment is something held by something, so in either case some are wrong, and he just changed which ones. But most important: in the first version the example of boat house was wrong, as by his definition it was a boat held by a house, which is not true. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 18:52, 15 September 2018 (UTC)

Here in the UK mobile home can mean a large RV (small ones are called camper vans). By large, I mean small-medium in the USA. [[User:Nikkilocje|Nikkilocje]] ([[User talk:Nikkilocje|talk]]) 19:35, 12 September 2018 (UTC)

I like that the Wikipedia article "Houseboat" actually contains a "doghouseboat" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houseboat#For_recreation] [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.86|162.158.155.86]] 00:19, 20 May 2019 (UTC)

'''Boat boat'''

Shouldn't a boat that holds another boat be some sort of either carrier, or at-sea repair dock?

Sort of like a mothership, or a drydock?
Or an oil rig (technically considered a ship by international law), etc?

For that matter, how about the distinction between a boat and a ship?
[[User:Keybounce|Keybounce]] ([[User talk:Keybounce|talk]]) 16:34, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:well... with the original version it fits. a boat held by another boat is a lifeboat. But the new version it doesnt. a boat that holds another boat would be, as you say, carrier, mothership, etc. looks like randall didn't think this through to the end... [[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 16:40, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:Floating Drydock? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_dock#Floating] {{unsigned|OldCorps}}
:As far as I can remember, a ship is a boat that can manage being away from shore for more than a day [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 18:16, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:I've always heard that a ship is a boat that's big enough to carry other boats. If it carries a lifeboat, then it's a ship. Submarines do not have lifeboats, so they are called "boats" not ships. Inflatable rafts don't count. A sailboat that carries an inflatable raft is still a boat. And yes, there is such a thing as a ship that carries other ships. Google the Blue Marlin. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.90|162.158.106.90]] 15:43, 10 September 2018 (UTC)

::Similar failing: an ''apartment'' is the small entity—the "house" that is contained by the larger house. ''Apartment building'' (or ''apartment complex'') would have been the term to be replaced. [[User:Jameslucas|jameslucas]] ([[User talk:Jameslucas|" "]] / [[Special:Contributions/Jameslucas|+]]) 17:42, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
::: Agreed. His list of words contains elements that fall into either the 'x held by y' or 'x that holds y' definition, so neither definition can work for all the words! Only way to fix is to replace some of the words as suggested ('apartment building' instead of 'apartment').[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.241|162.158.154.241]] 17:52, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

You're entirely correct on both counts. Lifeboats are carried by other boats, and ships that can carry other ships do exist. This comic also fails to distinguish between boats and ships, and cars, trucks, and trailers.
While a Boathouse is indeed a house for boats, a boat ''trailer'' is usually a trailer and not a car- the name already follows Randell's suggested logic: it's a trailer (characterized by lacking it's own engine, steering, and driver's cabin) that holds one or more boats. In addition, both tow trucks and car carriers are large enough to be properly referred to as trucks (the smallest type of tow truck I know of is built on a pickup truck chassis) and are fully capable to towing or carrying other trucks as well as cars, making the term carcar inaccurate. Yes, I'm being pedantic, but this might be worth mentioning in explanation. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.122.60|162.158.122.60]] 16:44, 7 September 2018 (UTC)Chris Long

:Each of the compound words that Randall has made up here are still "correct" - but general. The failure to distinguish between multiple examples isn't a "bug" here; it's a feature of the productive nature of novel compounding in English. Each of 'apartment', 'tow truck' and 'lifeboat' should be treated as ''an'' example of 'househouse', 'carcar' and 'boatboat', respectively, but given the way English treats novel compounds, they can't be the ''only'' examples. {{unsigned ip|172.68.150.76}}
::He tries to get a logic in there, as in the difference between boathouse and houseboat, to show which supports which, but fails to do so. While your comment is in itself ok, the comic clearly tries to put in a logic and fails to do so.[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 20:41, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

::I wouldn't read too much into it. This comic is, of course, lighthearted in nature, and I'm pretty sure Randall doesn't ''literally'' hold these views and call for the creation of a "carcar" or something. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.46.41|172.68.46.41]] 04:35, 8 September 2018 (UTC)

To continue the convention, "boatboat", as a "life-boat" is a mistake. But i don't think Randall is much of a practical sailor. He lives inland, and probably isn't nearly as familiar with ships as he is with cars. more correct choices to repeat the convention used elsewhere in the comic, could easily be tugboat, carrier ship, or barge. sep 8, guest {{unsigned ip|162.158.62.57}}

'''Bananaphone'''

Is this a spoiler for the [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2000:_xkcd_Phone_2000 XKCD phone 2001]? Will this phone be edible, yellow and be 10G-erine compatible? [[User:Kev|Kev]] ([[User talk:Kev|talk]]) 18:16, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

More like this [https://bananaphone.io/ banana phone][[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.16|172.68.34.16]] 20:12, 7 September 2018 (UTC)

I believe it references [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIiZ3vvZ78s this song] by Raffi.--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.112|162.158.134.112]] 09:28, 8 September 2018 (UTC)

'''Compounding nouns'''

As a native German speaker I've learned in school that compounding nouns in German like "Hausboot" are always written as "house boat" in English, the nouns do not form to a new single noun. And I'm still sure that "Hausbootbriefkasten" (Haus-boot-brief-kasten) still translates literally to something like "house boats letter box" in the original Oxford English domain, while "letterbox of a houseboat" is probably the much better translation. Nonetheless the order at the German ''looong'' noun is still correct: There's a box, for a letter, on a boat, which supports a house. And a record holder in German: {{w|Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft}}, even Germans are annoyed... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:31, 7 September 2018 (UTC)
:We do obviously have closed compounds as well (and hyphenated ones), but most people aren't going to consider "house boat" annoyingly incorrect, but "snowski" would be jarring, so that is a good rule of thumb you were taught. And I would translate "Hausbootbriefkasten" as "houseboat's mailbox" (or letterbox where people call mailboxes letterboxes) as the X's Y form typically sounds more natural than Y of (the) X, even though they mean basically the same thing. Y of the X is more for archaic or stilted speech, except in a few phrases like "end of the line" and "root of the problem." We just usually stop closed compounds at 2 or maybe 3 parts in English. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.99|173.245.48.99]] 20:51, 14 September 2018 (UTC)

If a boat that carries a boat is called a ship, should "ship" be in the boatboat square instead of "lifeboat"? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.64|172.69.62.64]] 01:37, 8 September 2018 (UTC)

So....basically transform english to dutch ? We do this all the time. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.77.98|141.101.77.98]] 07:20, 10 September 2018 (UTC)

'''1984, anyone?'''

I was just reading this explanation and when I read the sentence "Randall is engaging in creative linguistics again" I just thought: No, he's applying Newspeak. While - of course - the words here are not to be found in the novel 1984 (at least I'm not aware of them) they sound like something that would be created if Newspeak was lifted to the next level - reduce the number of individual words and try to express as much as possible with compounds of the remaining words. Thoughts? [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 07:18, 24 September 2018 (UTC)

Talk:2149: Alternate Histories

2019-05-13T22:52:41Z

162.158.155.86: /* Hat */ Whoops, indent needed!

In *my* alternate history, Al Gore loses the presidency, but it is to Bill Nye. As a result, Bill Nye causes sweeping educational reform. However, this causes the U.S. to buckle in comparison to the world economy, as the lowered military power (about a 3% decrease by the end of his presidency in comparison to the "true" timeline) means that Indonesia is able to push their limits a little, leading to Kuwait, West Timor and Luxembourg doing the same. Also, because of the lack of a Haliburton loophole, the Everglades are larger than today. Unfortunately, when David Tenant tried out for the role of the Doctor, this results in a live alligator attacking him. This throws the show biz industry into a tailspin, and so... - SD [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.196|162.158.78.196]] 19:54, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

Something of the meme must have leaked through the æther, one way or another. Just yesterday I was involved in intensive discussions about how world history would have turned out with a different power-structure had the Darien Scheme not gone totally wrong, Scotland had cornered the Pacific/Atlantic trading markets, had been in a position to accept ''England'', et al, into ''its'' parliamentary structure in a differing version of the Union, and created a particularly caledonially-influenced New World and Scottish Empire (provisionally titled the 'gaelosphere') from where the future (or at least contermperaneously alternate) history of the world developed out of. There was no mention of hovercraft, admitedly, but I now imagine they'd have been terribly useful upon certain parts of the isthmus, or particularly in dealing with the treacherous tides running through Caledonia Bay by Fort St Andrew. So, GOOMHR! If it's not we who should get out of his, of course [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.119|162.158.158.119]] 22:44, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

== Hands ==

The hands on the 500 deep versions are quite different. Does anyone have an idea of what that might refer to? ~ ''Please sign your posts with'' "<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>"
:I thought they were big bangly bracelets. [[User:Yomikoma|Yomikoma]] ([[User talk:Yomikoma|talk]]) 19:54, 13 May 2019 (UTC)
:I think they are puffy shirt sleeve cuffs: [http://effortlessgent.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/seinfield-660x474.jpg] [[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 22:31, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

== Hat ==
Is there a name for the hats Cueball and Megan are wearing, or is it just a top hat that Randall added a ball to to make it look different? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:35, 13 May 2019 (UTC)
:I imagine the Nth-Alternate Universe version of the page https://theoutline.com/post/868/why-do-we-all-have-pom-pom-balls-on-our-hats might mention them. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.86|162.158.155.86]] 22:51, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

Talk:2149: Alternate Histories

2019-05-13T22:51:36Z

162.158.155.86: /* Hat */

In *my* alternate history, Al Gore loses the presidency, but it is to Bill Nye. As a result, Bill Nye causes sweeping educational reform. However, this causes the U.S. to buckle in comparison to the world economy, as the lowered military power (about a 3% decrease by the end of his presidency in comparison to the "true" timeline) means that Indonesia is able to push their limits a little, leading to Kuwait, West Timor and Luxembourg doing the same. Also, because of the lack of a Haliburton loophole, the Everglades are larger than today. Unfortunately, when David Tenant tried out for the role of the Doctor, this results in a live alligator attacking him. This throws the show biz industry into a tailspin, and so... - SD [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.196|162.158.78.196]] 19:54, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

Something of the meme must have leaked through the æther, one way or another. Just yesterday I was involved in intensive discussions about how world history would have turned out with a different power-structure had the Darien Scheme not gone totally wrong, Scotland had cornered the Pacific/Atlantic trading markets, had been in a position to accept ''England'', et al, into ''its'' parliamentary structure in a differing version of the Union, and created a particularly caledonially-influenced New World and Scottish Empire (provisionally titled the 'gaelosphere') from where the future (or at least contermperaneously alternate) history of the world developed out of. There was no mention of hovercraft, admitedly, but I now imagine they'd have been terribly useful upon certain parts of the isthmus, or particularly in dealing with the treacherous tides running through Caledonia Bay by Fort St Andrew. So, GOOMHR! If it's not we who should get out of his, of course [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.119|162.158.158.119]] 22:44, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

== Hands ==

The hands on the 500 deep versions are quite different. Does anyone have an idea of what that might refer to? ~ ''Please sign your posts with'' "<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>"
:I thought they were big bangly bracelets. [[User:Yomikoma|Yomikoma]] ([[User talk:Yomikoma|talk]]) 19:54, 13 May 2019 (UTC)
:I think they are puffy shirt sleeve cuffs: [http://effortlessgent.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/seinfield-660x474.jpg] [[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 22:31, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

== Hat ==
Is there a name for the hats Cueball and Megan are wearing, or is it just a top hat that Randall added a ball to to make it look different? [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 22:35, 13 May 2019 (UTC)
I imagine the Nth-Alternate Universe version of the page https://theoutline.com/post/868/why-do-we-all-have-pom-pom-balls-on-our-hats might mention them. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.86|162.158.155.86]] 22:51, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

2142: Dangerous Fields

2019-04-29T07:02:07Z

162.158.155.86: /* Fields */

{{comic
| number = 2142
| date = April 26, 2019
| title = Dangerous Fields
| image = dangerous_fields.png
| titletext = Eventually, every epidemiologist becomes another statistic, a dedication to record-keeping which their colleagues sincerely appreciate.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an INEXORABLE PROCESS. Percentages needed to be added (like [[1895: Worrying Scientist Interviews]]). Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is a graph of fields of study, ordered by how likely one is to die because of something that that field studies, with mathematics being the least dangerous and gerontology being the most. Gerontology is shown as much more dangerous than the other fields, so it is far on the right side of the graph. The joke is in the distinction between the danger of studying the thing, and the overall death rate from the thing. Studying ageing doesn't put you at much more risk of ageing than the general population. However, studying volcanoes is likely to put you in dangerous environments.

===Fields===
*{{W|Mathematics}} is such a pure non-physical field that the probability of it being the direct cause of death is extremely low. The study of it might cause death through workplace disputes or absent-mindedly wandering in front of traffic while pondering (as in [[356: Nerd Sniping]]).

*{{W|Astronomy}}, the study of stars and space. Astronomy is slightly more dangerous than mathematics though, since it studies physical objects instead of abstract concepts. In addition to meteor or asteroid impacts, astronomical phenomena that might cause death include solar flares, nearby supernovae, distant magnetar quakes, a solar nova (the likelihood of which will increase over the next billion-odd years), perturbations in earth's orbit, increased or decreased solar radiation, alien invasion. Given that the density of magnetars and potentially hostile alien civilizations in the potentially lethal radius is (like the radius itself) completely unknown, and not all past mass extinctions are explained, this one might be misplaced a bit. Although these are all rare events, just one could kill all living and potential future astronomers. That non-astronomers would also be affected seems little consolation.

*{{W|Economics}} is the study of markets. Markets can kill you by depriving you of goods and services you need to survive. Goods can become unavailable (e.g., cartels, embargos) or unaffordable (through job loss, inflation), in depressions or recessions. The study of such markets usually does not involve great risk, unless the markets are illegal (e.g., illicit drug markets), the economy being studied has put people under great stress, or one's findings are really unpopular.

*{{W|Law}} in this context refers to the rules people have to follow in society, and given the nature of laws (civil and criminal), the odds that your death is related to law is usually low. Possible causes of death more-or-less directly related would include prosecution for a capital crime, persecution under legal authority (such as being killed by an officer of the law), attack by a guard, or for lack of medical treatment, while incarcerated, or death by exposure after expulsion from one's repossessed or otherwise legally confiscated home. However, when large groups of people are dispossessed, or have the protection of law removed, casualties can be quite high. For instance, the {{w|Partition of India}} in 1947 resulted in 200,000 to 2 million deaths. The laws of the {{w|Great Leap Forward}} contributed to the starvation of tens of millions of Chinese, disproportionally many of them lawyers and law professors. Perhaps most ironically, a lawyer who committed a capital crime in a country which practices capital punishment (such as the United States, China or Iran), and was executed for it would be directly killed by the thing s/he studies.

*{{W|Criminology}} is very similar to law, but is the study of crime, meaning it's more dangerous than just "law." Criminologists may be directly involved with criminals in the course of their studies, increasing their exposure to potentially life-threatening behavior.

*{{W|Meteorology}} is the study of weather. Encountering powerful weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, floods, and thunderstorms brings distinct possibility of injury and death. Curiosity to see a storm in person, or (if working for television news) exposing yourself to the weather event in order to file a report, may expose you to lightning, wind-blown projectiles, cold, water, etc., any of which can negatively affect your survival. Less dramatic weather also kills - hot weather can lead to heat stroke and dehydration.

*{{W|Chemistry}} is the study of chemicals and reactions of those chemicals. Since, under terrestrial conditions, everything is made up of chemicals (and chemists often use especially reactive or dangerous chemicals), the likelihood of a chemist's death being caused by chemistry (e.g., explosions, poisoning, chemical burns, suffocation) is not insignificant.

*{{W|Marine biology}} is the study of ocean life. Many marine creatures are venomous, many are very large. Death could result from storms, boat accidents, drowning, diving accidents, exposure to pathogenic bacteria, toxins (such as those produced by cone snails, and "red tide" dinoflagellates), allergies to shellfish, or water pollution, in addition to such perhaps more obvious (but overwhelmingly rarer) risks as shark attacks.

*{{w|Volcanology}} involves the study of {{w|volcanoes}}, {{w|lava}}, and {{w|magma}}, with obvious risks to the scientists studying them in the field. At least 67 scientists have been killed in volcanic eruptions, as of 2017 ("[https://cosmosmagazine.com/geoscience/volcanologists-lose-their-lives-in-pursuit-of-knowledge Volcanologists lose their lives in pursuit of knowledge]").

*{{w|Gerontology}} involves the study of aging, and of growing old in general. As everyone ages and eventually dies{{Citation needed}}, those who study gerontology are not immune to dying in old age even if they evade all the other possible causes of death - thus making it the most likely among all shown fields. A gerontologist still can die from something else first, but without the inherent risk factors of other professions such as active volcanoes or underwater diving they're more likely to survive to retirement and thus meet their death of old age.

*The title text is about {{w|Epidemiology}}: the study of health and disease conditions in populations. In the event of an epidemic, there is a strong chance that epidemiologists in the search for the causation, transmission and treatment will be exposed and become victims of the disease in their own right. However, the title text refers more broadly to the role of epidemiology in maintaining detailed statistical records of diseases and other causes of death, such that eventually any epidemiologist (whatever the cause of death) will become one of his/her own statistics.

==Transcript==

:[A line chart is shown going from left to right with two arrows on either side. On the line are ten dots spread out unevenly from close to each end. The first four dots are clustered together on the left side. Then follows 5 more dots unevenly spaced, all to the left of center. On the far right of the line, near the end, there is one dot. Beneath each dot there goes a line down to a label written beneath each line. Above the chart there is a big title and below that an explanation. Below that again, there is a small arrow pointing to the right with a label above it.]
:<big>Probability that you'll be killed by the thing you study</big>
:By field

:[Arrow pointing right, labeled:]
:More likely

:[Labels for the ten dots from left to right:]
:Mathematics (0 pixels from first field, 0.00% of overall range of fields)
:Astronomy (9px, 1.35%)
:Economics (16px, 2.40%)
:Law (22px, 3.30%)
:Criminology (77px, 11.56%)
:Meteorology (96px, 14.41%)
:Chemistry (156px, 23.42%)
:Marine Biology (166px, 24.92%)
:Volcanology (206px, 30.93%)
:Gerontology (666px, 100.00%)

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Rankings]]