explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:3222: Star Formation

2026-03-21T20:45:44Z

199.241.130.234:

This entire process is unconfirmed and needs citations. {{Citation needed}} [[Special:Contributions/66.154.219.128|66.154.219.128]] 20:26, 20 March 2026 (UTC)
:Not sure {{w|Poe's law|if you're serious}}... but I rewrote some of the things that might have prompted this comment. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:49, 20 March 2026 (UTC)

The something that ionized the gas clouds is presumably the star that formed. No second deity needed. [[Special:Contributions/74.76.189.192|74.76.189.192]] 21:12, 20 March 2026 (UTC)
:I dispense with that bit. What you obviously have here is a non-omniscient creator (or shaper-of-the-universe, at the very least) who is surprised by how things turn out when they had a much simpler (or at least different) idea of how things should have proceeded. I'm reminded of {{w|The Science of Discworld}} (once the Dean twiddles his fingers in the proto-Roundworld, and then the wizards discovering that things just like becoming spheres more than they expected) or perhaps something where a desired result {{w|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (novel)|went awry}} due to unforeseen external factors. [[Special:Contributions/81.179.199.253|81.179.199.253]] 21:49, 20 March 2026 (UTC)

Is Randall a believer in Stupid Design? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 22:42, 20 March 2026 (UTC)

I was actually factually thinking about stellar constitutionality at formative stages last night. Like couple days ago i explained big bubbles theory to a person on Blue Sky. Gives me headswirls to envision ( attempt ) alternate density temporal flow size constants. Cool! [[User:AskShea|AskShea]] ([[User talk:AskShea|talk]]) 00:34, 21 March 2026‎ (UTC)

The explanation states that this is a simplified model blown to an absurd extreme, but I thought that this was a mostly-accurate model of how astronomers have theorized the universe’s structure came to be. Am I wrong? I am confused. [[User:Logalex8369|Logalex8369]] ([[User talk:Logalex8369|talk]]) 01:02, 21 March 2026 (UTC)

While likely completely unintended, this made me think of watching Bob Ross (obviously not live-)streams on Twitch. He'd start off with some lovely background - typically including clouds - and then "ruin" it by drawing a big vertical brown streak on top of that (with chat promptly declaring the painting ruined) only for him to turn it into a lovely tree and thus "saving" the painting (also commented on by chat). The difference of course is that Bob Ross knew what he was doing (or at least where he was headed). [[Special:Contributions/2001:1C01:2DCC:C200:FDDE:3CEC:29F7:C097|2001:1C01:2DCC:C200:FDDE:3CEC:29F7:C097]] 01:07, 21 March 2026 (UTC)

...why do I feel bad for them?--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBa'al|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBa'al|Converse]] 02:57, 21 March 2026 (UTC)

Would it be a good idea to add this to [[:Category:Time-Traveling Sphere]]? The dot's identity in this comic isn't confirmed, and it's unclear that the dot can control its movement in time. [[User:PDesbeginner|PDesbeginner]] ([[User talk:PDesbeginner|talk]]) 14:49, 21 March 2026 (UTC)
:The dot looks a bit like the portrayal of God in SMBC to me. {{unsigned ip|65.25.122.84|15:51, 21 March 2026}}
:It probably ''isn't'' the TTS (notably different, and makes lttle sense to be the TTS either long before it used time travel or after it had mastered it), and equally shares similarities with the [[1450: AI-Box Experiment]] entity, etc.
:But it's clearly a variation within Randall's "non-corporeal intelligent entity" broad stroke of character, just like a number of the more physical [[:Category:Aliens]] (or possibly 'futurekind' of more distant Earth ages) are variations on the tentacled-/bug-eyed-monster variety (minor notable differences, but of a similar style; being of the Kang And Kodoth form, more or less).
:We only seem to have a clear Category for the two examples of the TTS, which other 'dot entities' like this one (and the AI, etc) probably are not, but it's the handiest reference we have without pointing at ''all'' vaguely similar 'characters' directly. Unless and until we get ourselves a 'dot entity' super-category to cover all such floaty-glowy dots/spheres/etc of clearly greatly advanced ability (if not intelligence). [[Special:Contributions/82.132.238.5|82.132.238.5]] 17:10, 21 March 2026 (UTC)

This is the best XKCD comic I've seen in a while. The creativity and biblical implications are horrifying.

Talk:3121: Kite Incident

2025-07-29T15:44:02Z

199.241.130.234:

First post! [[Special:Contributions/162.195.34.112|162.195.34.112]] 21:47, 28 July 2025 (UTC)

hey :) i wrote the current transcription and it definitely doesn't look perfect so if anyone has any feedback on how to improve i'd rly appreciate it (also like to add that i think this is probably my fav title text in all of xkcd) stevethenoob 22:16, 28 July 2025 (UTC)

The last frame says it shut down ''global'' air travel. I think it's implied that the line of kites circled the world. [[Special:Contributions/2001:8003:6490:9700:94EE:E801:7399:7FD9|2001:8003:6490:9700:94EE:E801:7399:7FD9]] 22:45, 28 July 2025 (UTC)
:I think, at worst, it'd be hemispherical travel that's disrupted (wouldn't cross over between northern and southern {{w|Hadley Cells}} at all), though of course that would still affect air travel in which at least one end originated in the northern hemisphere (Sydney to Buenos Aires, etc, should probably be safe to fly) and there'd be an abundance of caution ''anyway'', at least until the rather one-dimensional threat is properly identified (and the nature/origin of its deployment).
:Also, I think a plane could probably strike an actual kite or two without too much problems (much less substantial than a bird-strike, and they're designed to shrug off at least the smaller birds), and I can't see the kite-line being an issue, as even a high-strength fishing line is probably vulnerable to the mechanical concentration of stresses.
:Though I'm surprised it has the tensile strength to lead around the world, prior to any contact with a plane, as all it takes is for a slight wind-differential and the force of numerous down-wind kites could end up creating a tension against the more steady release from the ground and the relative back-pull from all kites that are upwind of that point), either snapping the line or parting a knot between two adjacent spool-ends of line. You can use a fishing line well beyond its design limit by ''smooth'' tugging action/responding properly to the pull of the hooked fish at the other end, but localised jerks and jinks will be hard to avoid across thousands of miles of polymer chord flexing and reacting to the way each of its periodically-attached kits want to move at their respective locations along the 'master string(s)'. [[Special:Contributions/92.23.2.228|92.23.2.228]] 00:18, 29 July 2025 (UTC)
::Interrupting those 'inter-hemisphere' flights would likely have knock-on effects on other flights in the otherwise non-affected hemisphere, due to planes and crews being in the wrong place, disruption to flight slots, etc. - see for example how the Iceland volcano caused disruption right across Europe and beyond, even for flights in areas nowhere near the dust cloud. [[Special:Contributions/82.13.184.33|82.13.184.33]] 08:50, 29 July 2025 (UTC)
:::It would not actively shut down southern-hemisphere traffic, though, just disrupt it. Ironically, could even mean those flights that fly have fewer take-off and mid-air delays, not needing to queue/enter holding patterns quite so much at the now much less busy airports - though that'd be trivial and just not eating into acceptable time-buffers that every flight should have.
:::And I can't envisage a London to Sydney (now rested, first-shift) flight crew and plans being the only ones that are able to now go from Sydney to Wellington as a new flight onwards, if that was somehow factored in. They could be as easily replaced by the Sydney to Tokyo ones who now can't set off, etc. (Or some shuffling between where pilots and plans actually are, as there'll be plenty of spares in Johannasburg, Rio, etc, otherwise sitting idle and unable to get 'north', even as others are actively held back from reaching 'south'.
:::It was the more localised effect of the Icelandic volcano (or occasions like when Russia shot down the airliner over Ukraine) which meant that the 'fringe' of effected area to be avoided impinged into routes further away, and required flights that would merely skirt the area to consider their options, but the fringe of a whole hemisphere (which doesn't affect south-only specialist airlines) is arguably less significant, by proportion. Iceland was particularly disproportionate because the significant transatlantic travel tends to take paths up through the downstream ash-cloud, even between the extreme southern Europe and its equivalent US latitudes. Great circle (short) segments don't, however, cross the equator, but aftually bend away from it, so two south-of-equator endpoints have a flight path that's safer.
:::If an individual airline is running a (say) (North->)South1->South2->North(->South1) triangular service, normally, then it might have a problem if it doesn't run a S1->N->S2 counter-circuit with another plane (that also isn't 'trapped' North at the wrong moment), but can at least S1<->S2 until things clear up. And arrangements with other airlines (with opposingly 'south-trapped' resources) can probably paper over mutual gaps in coverage, if there's enough common goodwill for the duration. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.237.17|82.132.237.17]] 09:31, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

This is not the first time that [[268: Choices: Part 5|Megan has expressed an interest in flying kites]], nor [[1614:_Kites|the second]]. It's also not the first time that [[235:_Kite|Cueball has taken kite flying way too far]]. [[Special:Contributions/2600:4040:5432:F700:80B6:B228:2EDB:6FC4|2600:4040:5432:F700:80B6:B228:2EDB:6FC4]] 00:46, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

I love this one, for me it is very much early xkcd spirit in there, with just people out and exploring, having fun, trying things... I don't think I can really describe, anyone feels the same? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 04:40, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

Years ago someone told me that he had met Randall through their mutual interest in kites.{{unsigned ip|47.34.153.128|07:50, 29 July 2025}}

@Lupo I agree, this very much feels like it could've been somewhere between .com/800 to .com/1200 and one of the better ones at that stevethenoob 10:59, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

Me and my Dad had something similar happen when I was 15. He built me a big (8 foot tall) box kite and we went to fly it in a field beside our house. Problem was that on the other side of the field was the city's airport. All of a sudden a truck with flashing lights came charging through the field to where we were. A guy got out, looked up at the kite, looked at us, looked up at the kite again and said "Ummm.. you're going to have to fly that somewhere else - we're picking you up on radar." This was in the 90's before drones were a thing. I can imagine the panic when an unedentified blip shows up on radar with no transponder. That kite was lots of fun (though a little dangerous in high winds) it had a harness to hold it and it dragged me across a field once before my Dad grabbed me. Maybe I should make a quick release for it. {{unsigned ip|64.203.66.182|14:30, 29 July 2025}}

My cousin and I did this in the '80s with the same kind of kite. Kept tying on 200 ft spools of kite string until we went through 20 and couldn't see the kite any more. Tied it off to a fence and left it overnight. Tracked the string the next day (which never touched the ground) to the roof of a house a half mile away. How I wish we'd thought of adding more kites!

We need someone who knows Calculus to come in and model the dangling line as the catenary equation. I know just enough to know how much I dont know 😭

3121: Kite Incident

2025-07-29T15:37:47Z

199.241.130.234: did some quick mafs to figure out the length of her spool

{{comic
| number = 3121
| date = July 28, 2025
| title = Kite Incident
| image = kite_incident_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x1610px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Detectives say the key to tracking down the source of the kites was a large wall map covered in thumbtacks and string. 'It's the first time that method has ever actually worked,' said a spokesperson.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

In this comic [[Megan]] is setting up a kite as [[Cueball]] arrives. Megan sets up the kite using a fishing line, which is unorthodox but not unheard of. Because the connection between the holding point and the lofted kite will form a {{w|catenary}} hanging down, after paying out sufficient line toward a kite increasingly far downwind, the line starts to dip and possibly touch the ground. Cueball suggests adding another kite at that point, after which they can then pay out more line and keep the line raised off the ground for additional distance.

Modelling the line as a straight line stretching 15 degrees above the horizon, Megan has spent over 38km of fishing line by the time the first kite reaches the jetstream at 10km high.

They then get into a loop of adding more line to accommodate a stock of kites, and then more kites to support the line, until the kite chain reaches ludicrous proportions. The kites become so numerous and high-flying that they eventually blow in a circle around a significant part of the planet, following a {{w|jet stream}}. A circle on the surface of the Earth that follows the line of latitude where Randall lives is about 18,500 miles long, though a circumpolar jet-stream would curve into higher and lower latitudes to possibly add a lot more distance (as well as being at a higher altitude, which would add a more predictable fraction to its length).

The sirens in the second-to-last panel refer to a visit by some law-enforcement agency. The string of kites circling the Earth has interfered with international air travel. Although the mass of any given kite and the presence of such a relatively light and fragile tether should not cause too much difficulty for the majority of airliners if their wing or body collides with the kite-chain, the danger of a kite being ingested into the engine would ''preferably'' be avoided out of an abundance of caution. This is true even if the presence of kites is known to be not a more solid danger rather than a mystery and/or {{w|2023 Chinese balloon incident|perceived threat}} which can lead to {{w|Air travel disruption after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption|air travel to be shut down}}. Regardless of the actual degree of danger, the authorities react accordingly, and events culminate in Megan and Cueball being forced to issue a formal apology. Having their lawyer there might indicate they won't get away with just an apology, but maybe this is to show they meant no harm, to decrease the penalty they will face.

The title text alludes to an investigation technique seen in many types of media where the investigator {{tvtropes|StringTheory|pins text and photo evidence to a board}}, connecting related evidence with string, or possibly similarly {{tvtropes|ConnectTheDeaths|annotating a map}}. This technique is also made fun of in [[2244: Thumbtacks And String]]. Though often good enough for fictional purposes, at least to the extent that the plot demands, the text indicates that real-world uses of 'string on a map' to discover a useful result have not actually been successful. But in this case, the string on the map would be there to indicate the actual extent to the string ''in the air'', probably from various reports received from around the world, and apparently it had successfully led to the discovery of the location from which the string originated on the ground and the subsequent intervention against the duo's excessive kite-deployment activity.

Kites have been a [[:Category:Kites|recurring topic]] on xkcd since the early days.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

:[Cueball approaches Megan from the left. Megan is flying a kite, with the line attached to a spool.]
:Cueball: Ooh, flying a kite?
:Megan: Yeah. I found this big spool of fishing line in a closet.

:[In a silent panel, Cueball and Megan are seen from further away, indicating that the kite is flying higher.]

:[Cueball and Megan are seen from yet further away, indicating that the kite is flying still higher.]
:Cueball: Are we allowed to fly a kite this high? Should we Google whether there are rules?
:Megan: Eh, it's probably fine.

:Megan: The string is really starting to sag.
:Cueball: Maybe we could attach another kite? I'll go get one.

:Cueball: It worked!
:Megan: Nice!

:Cueball: I bought another package of string.
:Megan: Oh good, these spools are almost empty.
:Megan: I think we're in the jet stream.

:Cueball: How many kites are on there now?
:Megan: I've lost count.

:[Another silent panel.]

:[A much larger panel.]
:Cueball: Uhh...

:Cueball: ...Did it blow in a circle?
:Megan: I don't know. Lemme look at a map of where the jet stream goes.
:Cueball: Hey, do you hear sirens?

:[A CNN logo is at the upper right of the panel. Megan stands at a lectern, with Cueball on one side and Ponytail, holding a briefcase, on the other. Illegible text appears at the lower left, lower right, and below them.]
:[A banner with white text on a black background:]
:Breaking: Kite Incident Duo Speaks
:Megan: On the advice of our lawyer, we would like to apologize for the events that shut down global air travel last week...

==Trivia==
Kites have been a [[:Category:Kites|recurring topic]] on xkcd since the early days. It has been three years since the last comic with kites, [[2632: Greatest Scientist]], six since Cueball put one up, and 10 since Megan did.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Kites]]
[[Category:Aviation]]