explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3204: Dinosaurs And Non-Dinosaurs

2026-02-07T17:46:08Z

AgeofScience: added stuff. XKCD

{{comic
| number = 3204
| date = February 6, 2026
| title = Dinosaurs And Non-Dinosaurs
| image = dinosaurs_and_non_dinosaurs_2x.png
| imagesize = 370x283px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Staplers are actually in Pseudosuchia, making them more closely related to crocodiles than to dinosaurs.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a webserver that is often described as being a dinosaur, however it is definitely not. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

This comic explores the seeming paradox that certain extinct prehistoric species which are popularly thought of as being "dinosaurs" are, from a strict taxonomic viewpoint, not. It also takes into account the fact that all bird species are descended from dinosaurs and thus - again, from a strict taxonomic viewpoint - are themselves dinosaurs as well (see [[1211: Birds and Dinosaurs]]). To illustrate this, [[Randall]] provides silhouettes of dinosaurs, of entities that are widely thought of as dinosaurs but are not, of entities that are ''not'' widely thought of as dinosaurs but ''are'' (i.e., birds), and, lastly, of entities that are neither dinosaurs nor thought of as dinosaurs (which is funny because it's so all-encompassing as to be practically meaningless, just like it would be if you replaced the word "dinosaurs" by any other plural noun, or adjective).

In reading order from upper left in each quadrant of the image:
* Silhouettes in "seem like dinosaurs / are dinosaurs": {{w|Stegosaurus}}, {{w|Triceratops}}, {{w|Tyrannosaurus}}, {{w|Diplodocus}} and {{w|Velociraptor}}
* Silhouettes in "seem like dinosaurs / are not dinosaurs": {{w|Mosasaur}}, {{w|Quetzalcoatlus}}, {{w|Dimetrodon}}, {{w|Plesiosaur}} and {{w|Pteranodon}}
* Silhouettes in "don't seem like dinosaurs / are dinosaurs": {{w|Penguin}}, {{w|Egret}}, {{w|Falcon}}, {{w|Pigeon}} and {{w|Ostrich}}
* Silhouettes in "don't seem like dinosaurs / are not dinosaurs": {{w|Squirrel}}, {{w|Stapler}}, {{w|Bicycle }}, {{w|Human}} (here depicted as [[Cueball]]) and {{w|Pineapple}}

The title text is a further joke about taxonomy, seemingly predicated on the assumption that staplers are biological organisms, and can thus be sorted into taxa. ''{{w|Pseudosuchia}}'' is in fact the clade that encompasses all crocodilians, and staplers bear a certain resemblance to the open mouth of a crocodilian. Also, "suchia" sounds a little like "sutures," and in some sense staples are pseudo sutures.

The original {{w|Linnaean taxonomy}} ''did'' at first have a top-level classification for "mineral" taxonomy, in addition to those for animal and plant, which {{w|Twenty questions#Popular variants|in its broadest sense}} might allow one to assign a stapler a taxonomic relationship with dinosaurs.

=== Creatures that seem like dinosaurs and are dinosaurs ===
*Stegosaurus
*Triceratops
*Tyrannosaurus Rex, who's name literally translates to ''Tyrant Lizard King'', was a Late Cretaceous dinosaur, living during the Maastrichtian Age at the very end of the period. It was a contemporary of Triceratops and Mosasaurs, also listed in this comic. T-Rex is arguably one of the most well-known dinosaurs, due to the recovery of intact skeletons, as well as successful marketing and pop-culture influences, such as Jurassic Park, movies of which Randall is a known fan.
*Diplodocus
*Velociraptor

=== Creatures that seem like dinosaurs, but are not ===
Dinosaur is a paleonotology term which refers to a specific group of reptiles, based upon evolutionary lines, bone structure and living domain. However, it is also a popular science/cultural term which refers to extinct large reptiles, hence the confusion between what is scientifically included and what is culturally assumed to be included. While dinosaurs and pterosaurs had a common ancestor, the archosaur, they diverged around 250 MYA, and are distinct enough to be entirely separate lineages.

The creatures listed are:
* A mosasaur is an extinct aquatic reptile, looking similar to a dolphin, that existed at the same time as the dinosaurs. Whilst it appeared in {{w|Jurassic World}}, momasaurs had a different ancestor than dinosaurs
* Plesiosaurs
* Pterodons are flying reptiles
* Dimetrodon
* Quetzalcoatlus was a genus of flying pterosaurs, related to pterodons, that lived in the Maastrichtian Age alongside Mosasaurs, T-Rex, and many others. They were some of the largest flying animals in history, with wingspans up to 36 feet (11m). They were not, however, dinosaurs, as they had pterosaur ancestry.

==Transcript==
:[A 2x2 chart where each of the four quadrants contains five silhouettes. These depicts various animals a few objects and a human. Above each column and to the left of each row there are a label:]
:Left column: Are dinosaurs
:Right column: Are not dinosaurs
:Upper row: Seem like dinosaurs
:Lower row: Don't seem like dinosaurs

:[Here follows a list of what are in each of the four quadrants:]

:[Top left (seem like dinosaurs, are dinosaurs):]
:[Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus, Diplodocus and Velociraptor.]

:[Top right (seem like dinosaurs, are not dinosaurs):]
:[Mosasaur, Quetzalcoatlus, Dimetrodon, Plesiosaur and Pteranodon.]

:[Bottom left (don't seem like dinosaurs, are dinosaurs):]
:[Penguin, Egret, Falcon, Pigeon and Ostrich.]

:[Bottom right (don't seem like dinosaurs, are not dinosaurs):]
:[Squirrel, Stapler, Bicycle , Human (here depicted as Cueball) and Pineapple.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Velociraptors]]
[[Category:Squirrels]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

3192: Planetary Alignment

2026-01-10T05:55:17Z

AgeofScience: /* Transcript */

. {{comic
| number = 3192
| date = January 9, 2026
| title = Planetary Alignment
| image = planetary_alignment_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x327px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = We're going to need to modify the surface to mount it on the test stand. Which ocean basin do you like the least?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by SLARTIBARTFAST, CARVER OF FJORDS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

In this comic, Ponytail (presumably a planetary mechanic) is informing Cueball of the results of a planetary inspection.

According to her, the planet needs to be re-aligned, as the magnetic and rotational axes of the planet are 400 miles (640 km) offset from each other, which could create a number of problems with the planet, such as unbalanced magnetic fields.

Ponytail mentions radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic ocean. This is a real phenomena, known as the South Atlantic Anomaly, where satellites experience malfunctions and the cosmic background radiation is higher than average due to the alignment of the magnetic field as well as a massive rock structure underneath Africa.

In the final panel, Ponytail says that they will provide a loaner planet while Earth is in the shop. This is typically done with vehicles, not planets{{Citation needed}}, but perhaps this particular shop has a very large back room. Ponytail then asks if a gas giant is okay, as they are out of solid surface planets. This is likely alluding to the (often very frustrating) practice of car dealerships offering replacements or loaner vehicles that are not at all similar to those that are brought to them, much to the inconvince of the customer.

The title text continues the mechanic metaphor, stating that they (the shop) will have to modify Earth to fit it on the test stand, asking Cueball which ocean basin he like the least, implying that they intend to remove or alter one of the Earth's oceans to mount it for testing.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[Ponytail is approaching from off-screen, holding a clipboard and some sort of testing device. She is speaking to Cueball, standing to the right.]
:Ponytail: The inspection revealed a few problems.
:Ponytail: Looks like your planet needs an alignment.
:Cueball: Oh?
:[Close up of Ponytail.]
:Ponytail: Yeah, your magnetic axis is 400 miles off-center from your rotational one.
:Cueball (off-panel): Is that bad?
:[The view zooms back out, showing Ponytail holding her equipment, with Cueball holding a hand to his face, as if thinking.]
:Ponytail: The unbalanced magnetic field could cause radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic. Have you notice any spacecraft equipment failures in that area?
:Cueball: There '''''have''''' been a few, actually.
:[The final panel shows the same as the third.]
:Ponytail: We can give you a loaner while yours is in the shop. Is a gas giant okay?
:Cueball: I'd '''''really''''' prefer a solid surface.
:Ponytail: Sorry, it's all we have. But it'll just be for a few days.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3192: Planetary Alignment

2026-01-10T05:54:44Z

AgeofScience: /* Transcript */

. {{comic
| number = 3192
| date = January 9, 2026
| title = Planetary Alignment
| image = planetary_alignment_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x327px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = We're going to need to modify the surface to mount it on the test stand. Which ocean basin do you like the least?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by SLARTIBARTFAST, CARVER OF FJORDS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

In this comic, Ponytail (presumably a planetary mechanic) is informing Cueball of the results of a planetary inspection.

According to her, the planet needs to be re-aligned, as the magnetic and rotational axes of the planet are 400 miles (640 km) offset from each other, which could create a number of problems with the planet, such as unbalanced magnetic fields.

Ponytail mentions radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic ocean. This is a real phenomena, known as the South Atlantic Anomaly, where satellites experience malfunctions and the cosmic background radiation is higher than average due to the alignment of the magnetic field as well as a massive rock structure underneath Africa.

In the final panel, Ponytail says that they will provide a loaner planet while Earth is in the shop. This is typically done with vehicles, not planets{{Citation needed}}, but perhaps this particular shop has a very large back room. Ponytail then asks if a gas giant is okay, as they are out of solid surface planets. This is likely alluding to the (often very frustrating) practice of car dealerships offering replacements or loaner vehicles that are not at all similar to those that are brought to them, much to the inconvince of the customer.

The title text continues the mechanic metaphor, stating that they (the shop) will have to modify Earth to fit it on the test stand, asking Cueball which ocean basin he like the least, implying that they intend to remove or alter one of the Earth's oceans to mount it for testing.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
[Ponytail is approaching from off-screen, holding a clipboard and some sort of testing device. She is speaking to Cueball, standing to the right.]
Ponytail: The inspection revealed a few problems.
Ponytail: Looks like your planet needs an alignment.
Cueball: Oh?
[Close up of Ponytail.]
Ponytail: Yeah, your magnetic axis is 400 miles off-center from your rotational one.
Cueball (off-panel): Is that bad?
[The view zooms back out, showing Ponytail holding her equipment, with Cueball holding a hand to his face, as if thinking.]
Ponytail: The unbalanced magnetic field could cause radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic. Have you notice any spacecraft equipment failures in that area?
Cueball: There '''''have''''' been a few, actually.
[The final panel shows the same as the third.]
Ponytail: We can give you a loaner while yours is in the shop. Is a gas giant okay?
Cueball: I'd '''''really''''' prefer a solid surface.
Ponytail: Sorry, it's all we have. But it'll just be for a few days.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3192: Planetary Alignment

2026-01-10T05:54:20Z

AgeofScience: /* Transcript */

. {{comic
| number = 3192
| date = January 9, 2026
| title = Planetary Alignment
| image = planetary_alignment_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x327px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = We're going to need to modify the surface to mount it on the test stand. Which ocean basin do you like the least?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by SLARTIBARTFAST, CARVER OF FJORDS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

In this comic, Ponytail (presumably a planetary mechanic) is informing Cueball of the results of a planetary inspection.

According to her, the planet needs to be re-aligned, as the magnetic and rotational axes of the planet are 400 miles (640 km) offset from each other, which could create a number of problems with the planet, such as unbalanced magnetic fields.

Ponytail mentions radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic ocean. This is a real phenomena, known as the South Atlantic Anomaly, where satellites experience malfunctions and the cosmic background radiation is higher than average due to the alignment of the magnetic field as well as a massive rock structure underneath Africa.

In the final panel, Ponytail says that they will provide a loaner planet while Earth is in the shop. This is typically done with vehicles, not planets{{Citation needed}}, but perhaps this particular shop has a very large back room. Ponytail then asks if a gas giant is okay, as they are out of solid surface planets. This is likely alluding to the (often very frustrating) practice of car dealerships offering replacements or loaner vehicles that are not at all similar to those that are brought to them, much to the inconvince of the customer.

The title text continues the mechanic metaphor, stating that they (the shop) will have to modify Earth to fit it on the test stand, asking Cueball which ocean basin he like the least, implying that they intend to remove or alter one of the Earth's oceans to mount it for testing.

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[Ponytail is approaching from off-screen, holding a clipboard and some sort of testing device. She is speaking to Cueball, standing to the right.]
Ponytail: The inspection revealed a few problems.
Ponytail: Looks like your planet needs an alignment.
Cueball: Oh?
[Close up of Ponytail.]
Ponytail: Yeah, your magnetic axis is 400 miles off-center from your rotational one.
Cueball (off-panel): Is that bad?
[The view zooms back out, showing Ponytail holding her equipment, with Cueball holding a hand to his face, as if thinking.]
Ponytail: The unbalanced magnetic field could cause radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic. Have you notice any spacecraft equipment failures in that area?
Cueball: There '''''have''''' been a few, actually.
[The final panel shows the same as the third.]
Ponytail: We can give you a loaner while yours is in the shop. Is a gas giant okay?
Cueball: I'd '''''really''''' prefer a solid surface.
Ponytail: Sorry, it's all we have. But it'll just be for a few days.

3192: Planetary Alignment

2026-01-10T05:45:22Z

AgeofScience:

3192: Planetary Alignment

2026-01-10T05:41:36Z

AgeofScience:

3192: Planetary Alignment

2026-01-10T05:39:02Z

AgeofScience: explanation

3158: Shielding Chart

2025-10-24T08:44:03Z

AgeofScience: Sound

{{comic
| number = 3158
| date = October 22, 2025
| title = Shielding Chart
| image = shielding_chart_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x720px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Sharks can occasionally travel short distances through air when pursuing prey, but their attenuation coefficient is pretty high.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a SPACE-BASED SHARK DEFENSE BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

This comic is part of a series on [[:Category:Confusion matrices|confusion matrices]].

Various hazardous (or merely obnoxious) materials, objects, and effects can have their danger reduced with specialized protective equipment. The yellow squares are where the shield fails to protect against the object. The grey-yellow squares are where the shield is partially successful, but still presents some risk. The grey squares are where the shield succeeds.

The first five barriers are materials/conditions which may be used to block some things and not others, which makes for a relatively normal comparison matrix. The last five barriers are devices which are deliberately designed and manufactured to block the last five materials/effects. Comparing those with effects for which they aren't designed is presented for absurdity.

The first three hazards - Gamma Rays, Neutrons, and Alpha Particles - represent different types of radiation. Their associated "beep" and "click" sounds mirror real detection behavior: "beep" corresponds to ionizing radiation like gamma and alpha particles, detected by standard Geiger counters, while "click" refers to neutron detection, which uses a separate type of counter designed for neutral particles.

All but two tiles feature [[Cueball]] trying to make use of that column's chosen 'protective shield', although in the case of some scenarios (involving vacuum or water) he may also be sufficiently equipped against the environment he finds himself in. Also present will be the row's specific 'effect', either in its own right (an object or creature that embodies the phenomenon automatically) or as conveyed by [[Megan]] (when not just present as onlooker) who may also have had the 'shield' primarily delegated to her. The two main exceptions are where Cueball himself emits the sound (from within 'protective' suits that turn out to be ineffectual sound-blockers), to apparently annoy Megan, and depictions of radio reception (which always shows Cueball's attempt to transmit, whether or not it shows a successful incoming message).

Some hazards, such as {{w|alpha particles}}, a form of radiation with particularly low penetrative power, can be easily deterred by common things; even a relatively short distance through air is enough to minimize their impact. Comparatively, more dangerous hazards, such as the far more penetrative {{w|gamma rays}}, are unaffected by all but the shielding methods actually intended for them. No effect is either all effective or all ineffective, against each form of 'shielding', and neither is any instance of shield consistent against all effects.

The title text notes that, while the shark hazard is shown on the chart to be entirely nullified by a sufficient air barrier, in reality sharks are capable of attacking prey even if it is a short distance out of the water. However, it claims a high "attenuation coefficient", which is an {{tvtropes|ExpospeakGag|overly scientific way of saying}} that you don't need a ''lot'' of air between you and the shark before it can't hurt you. Indeed, while sharks can jump out of the water to a certain height, there's a hard line between "vulnerable" and "out of reach", and a person can be within arm's reach of a shark's attack while they themselves are in no danger whatsoever.

===Table===
{| class="wikitable" | style="background:#E6C3C3;"
! Shielding Chart
! scope="col"| {{w|Air}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Lead}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Water}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Glass}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Vacuum}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Oven mitts}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Armor}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Hazmat suit|Bio-hazard suit}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Faraday cage}}
! scope="col"| {{w|Shark cage}}
|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Gamma rays}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Gamma rays are not significantly shielded by air.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Lead is commonly used as {{w|Lead shielding|shielding}} against gamma rays. Lead works because of its density and high atomic number, scattering gamma rays.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Water can be used to shield against gamma rays, but you need at least 10 feet of water between you and the gamma rays for it to work.
|colspan=7; style="background:#FFF978;"|Gamma rays have the highest energy of any type of light and have no mass or charge, making them pass through most materials easily.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Neutrons}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Neutrons are not stopped by low density materials such as air.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Lead's high density means that neutrons will keep bumping into lead nuclei, losing their energy through inelastic scattering. However since lead nuclei are much heavier than neutrons, most of the energy will remain with the neutron; as a result, many collisions are needed to slow the neutrons. Some neutrons will also be absorbed by the nuclei, although the {{w|Cross section (physics)|cross section}} is rather low.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Since protons and neutrons have almost the same mass, a collision with a hydrogen atom in water will result in the neutron losing almost half of its energy, resulting in a very rapid attenuation. Moreover the cross section for the fusion of neutrons and protons is high, leading to most neutrons being captured to form deuterium.
|colspan=7; style="background:#FFF978;"|None of these materials are dense enough to slow or absorb neutrons in significant quantities.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Alpha particles}}
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"| Since alpha particles are the only hazard to be entirely blocked by the first three (and indeed, the first four) shields in a row, Cueball worries that his detection equipment may not be working properly.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
|colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|Outside of a vacuum, alpha particles are detectable only within millimeters, and the presence of the two cages is incidental. In both cases, the emitter has been moved closer to the observer, because otherwise the effect would be masked by the intervening air.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Light}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Light passes through air easily, which is why we can see.{{cn}}
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|As lead is a solid, opaque material, light is not able to pass through it.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Water is mostly transparent to visible light. It will attenuate over long distances, but won't be quickly blocked.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|As glass is a largely transparent substance, light is usually able to pass through it.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Because a lack of air does not impact the travel of light, it reaches Cueball without issue.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Cueball is able to use the opaque oven mitts to cover the light source, successfully preventing the light from reaching him.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|The helmet Cueball is wearing is opaque, blocking the light from reaching him. It also makes this a fairly useless set of armor.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|As with the oven mitts, Hairy uses the helmet part of the biohazard suit to block the light source.
|colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"|As both types of cages have holes in them, it is easy for the light to pass through the holes and reach Cueball.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Sound}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Air is the most common medium through which we perceive sound. It would not serve as an effective barrier between a source of sound and someone's ears, unless it was over a very great distance.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Lead is very dense, and is in fact used for soundproofing. It is unclear why it is demarcated as being unhelpful in blocking sound, except perhaps that it would require a large block of lead to completely block all sound from passing through.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Sound travels significantly faster and further in water than in air, making it difficult to locate and understand, but certainly not doing any good when it comes to ''blocking'' sound.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Glass, while useful for muffling sound, cannot block it entirely, as anyone whose neighbors mow the lawn at 6:00 can attest to.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|"In space, no one can hear you scream." In a vacuum (like space), there are no atoms or molecules to carry sound waves.
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|
| colspan=2; style="background:#FFF978;"| The two cases of whether sound can penetrate suits are the only two cases where Cueball is trying (successfully) to inflict the phenomenon on [[Megan]], who otherwise features only as the (attempted) instigator. Neither suit is able (or intended) to significantly block sound waves.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Heat}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Air can be a fairly effective thermal insulator when constrained, as in {{w|aerogels}} and many types of insulation. However, freely moving air as depicted in this panel flows as it heats up, transferring heat from the campfire to Cueball's marshmallow. Additionally, air does little to block thermal radiation from the heat source.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Lead conducts heat, allowing Cueball to toast a marshmallow on the surface of the shield. However, since lead is poisonous, he should not do this.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Swords}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Air has a negligible force against objects and is unable to stop Megan's sword's thrust.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Lead is a heavy and dense metal, and as a result, it can stop blows from a sword.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|While water has a greater force than air against objects, it is still not enough to stop Megan's attack.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Glass is easily broken by sharp blows, especially if it isn't tempered, and as a result does not stop Megan's sword.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A vacuum has no resistance against objects and unsurprisingly is not able to stop Megan's attack.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Oven mitts are typically made of fabric, which would provide only limited protection. They also do not cover the full body.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|The metallic armor Cueball is wearing was probably designed to stop sword blows.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Swords are sharp, and as such are able to break through the thin hazmat suit Cueball is wearing.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A Faraday cage has holes which Megan's sword is able to go through.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A shark cage, while able to provide resistance against larger threats, has holes through which Megan's sword can go.

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Particulate matter#Health problems|Toxic dust}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|{{w|Lead poisoning|Lead is poisonous}}, so while a solid lead barrier would prevent toxic dust from passing through, any dust or metal fragments from the shield would still be dangerous.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Water actually can be {{w|Dust abatement|used to prevent the spread of dust}}. However, toxic dust that gets into drinking water will {{w|Water pollution#Groundwater pollution|contaminate it}}, causing health problems just as airborne toxic dust can.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|With no air to slow it down, dust in space can move at dangerously high speeds, possibly fast enough to tear through Cueball's space suit.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Radio}}
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Radio waves from two-way radios, like the kind shown in the comic, {{w|Radio propagation#Direct modes (line-of-sight)|cannot penetrate deep water}}. There are {{w|Radio propagation#Surface modes (groundwave)|radio frequencies that ''can'' penetrate deep water}}, but these have a much lower frequency, require more powerful transmitters, and (in the case of {{w|Extremely low frequency#Difficulties of ELF communication|extremely low frequencies}}) cannot transmit audio.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|
| style="background:#FFF978;"|
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|A {{w|Faraday cage}} is specifically designed to block electromagnetic fields such as radio waves. In fact, this is the ''only'' hazard here that it blocks.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|

|-
! scope="row"| {{w|Sharks}}
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Sharks cannot travel very far on land or in the air.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Shielding yourself with lead plates will effectively protect you against sharks.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Sharks live in water, so water is not an effective shield against sharks.{{cn}}
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Glass will effectively protect you against sharks, provided that it is thick enough. In fact, sharks are commonly (and safely) shown to the public in aquariums.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|Cueball in the vacuum of space is very far from shark habitat in the ocean.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|Oven mitts are not very effective at stopping sharks.{{cn}}
| style="background:#DDDCB2;"|Depending on the armor, a shark might still be able to bite you through it.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A biohazard suit is weak enough that a shark can rip through it.
| style="background:#FFF978;"|A Faraday cage is weak enough that a shark can rip through it.
| style="background:#C4C5C7;"|A shark cage is specifically designed to protect against sharks. In fact, this is the ''only'' hazard here that it blocks.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
The whole comic is in one panel
A matrix sits in the middle with the following rows and columns:

Air:
*Gamma rays - Yellow
*Neutrons - Yellow
*Alpha particles - Gray
*Light - Yellow
*Sound - Yellow
*Heat - Yellow
*Swords - Yellow
*Toxic dust - Yellow
*Radio - Yellow
*Sharks - Gray

Lead:
*Gamma rays - Gray
*Neutrons - Grayish-yellow
*Alpha particles - Gray
*Light - Gray
*Sound - Yellow
*Heat - Yellow
*Swords - Gray
*Toxic dust - Grayish-yellow
*Radio - Gray
*Sharks - Gray

Water:
*Gamma rays - Grayish-yellow
*Neutrons - Gray
*Alpha particles
*Light - Grayish-yellow
*Sound - Yellow
*Heat - Yellow
*Swords - Yellow
*Toxic dust - Yellow
*Radio - Gray
*Sharks - Yellow

*Glass:
*Gamma rays
*Neutrons
*Alpha particles
*Light
*Sound
*Heat
*Swords
*Toxic dust
*Radio
*Sharks

Vacuum:
*Gamma rays
*Neutrons
*Alpha particles
*Light
*Sound
*Heat
*Swords
*Toxic dust
*Radio
*Sharks

Oven mitts:
*Gamma rays
*Neutrons
*Alpha particles
*Light
*Sound
*Heat
*Swords
*Toxic dust
*Radio
*Sharks

Armor:
*Gamma rays
*Neutrons
*Alpha particles
*Light
*Sound
*Heat
*Swords
*Toxic dust
*Radio
*Sharks

Biohazard suit:
*Gamma rays
*Neutrons
*Alpha particles
*Light
*Sound
*Heat
*Swords
*Toxic dust
*Radio
*Sharks

Faraday cage:
*Gamma rays
*Neutrons
*Alpha particles
*Light
*Sound
*Heat
*Swords
*Toxic dust
*Radio
*Sharks

Shark cage:
*Gamma rays
*Neutrons
*Alpha particles
*Light
*Sound
*Heat
*Swords
*Toxic dust
*Radio
*Sharks - cueball on hanged cage and shark

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Confusion matrices]]
[[Category:Sharks]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]