explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T00:45:12Z

DKMell: transcript

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

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

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Cueball is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3233: Make It Myself

2026-04-15T21:55:00Z

DKMell: minor

{{comic
| number = 3233
| date = April 15, 2026
| title = Make It Myself
| image = make_it_myself_2x.png
| imagesize = 284x438px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's not as big a loss as it looks, because now I have have leftover supplies, which will help me talk myself into doing this all over again with a new project!
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created BY A BOT MADE WITH 20 MINUTES OF CODING, 30 MINUTES OF TROUBLESHOOTING, ANOTHER HOUR OF CODING, AND A SUBSCRIPTION TO CURSOR. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
There are many people who complain about rising prices with the recent trend of high inflation rates. People sometimes claim that they could make something themselves, thinking it will be quick and easy. Instead Cueball reflects real life by listing the actual effort he would expend on such a project. In total, Cueball spends $60 creating his replacement, and then ends up just buying the one in the store because his {{w|do it yourself|do-it-yourself}} replacement didn't work. This means that Cueball actually lost $60 on this venture, as well as at least a few hours and several trips to the store.

The title text has Cueball compensating for his losses by deluding himself into believing that the leftover supplies will help him with a future project.
==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Cueball and White Hat stand together looking at two boxes on the right side of the frame. Cueball is holding his arms out toward the boxes.
Cueball: They want $80 for this? I could make one myself for $10 in parts, an hour of work, a trip to the hardware store, another $30 in parts, another few hours of work, two more trips to the store for $20 more in parts, another hour to redo the first hour of work because I messed up, and $80 to buy this when the one I made breaks.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category: Comics featuring White Hat]]

3233: Make It Myself

2026-04-15T21:54:19Z

DKMell:

{{comic
| number = 3233
| date = April 15, 2026
| title = Make It Myself
| image = make_it_myself_2x.png
| imagesize = 284x438px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's not as big a loss as it looks, because now I have have leftover supplies, which will help me talk myself into doing this all over again with a new project!
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created BY A BOT MADE WITH 20 MINUTES OF CODING, 30 MINUTES OF TROUBLESHOOTING, ANOTHER HOUR OF CODING, AND A SUBSCRIPTION TO CURSOR. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
There are many people who complain about rising prices with the recent trend of high inflation rates. People sometimes claim that they could make something themselves, thinking it will be quick and easy. Instead Cueball reflects real life by listing the actual effort he would expend such a project. In total, Cueball spends $60 creating his replacement, and then ends up just buying the one in the store because his {{w|do it yourself|do-it-yourself}} replacement didn't work. This means that Cueball actually lost $60 on this venture, as well as at least a few hours and several trips to the store.

The title text has Cueball compensating for his losses by deluding himself into believing that the leftover supplies will help him with a future project.
==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Cueball and White Hat stand together looking at two boxes on the right side of the frame. Cueball is holding his arms out toward the boxes.
Cueball: They want $80 for this? I could make one myself for $10 in parts, an hour of work, a trip to the hardware store, another $30 in parts, another few hours of work, two more trips to the store for $20 more in parts, another hour to redo the first hour of work because I messed up, and $80 to buy this when the one I made breaks.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category: Comics featuring White Hat]]

927: Standards

2026-04-14T16:36:56Z

DKMell: minor fixes; European forcing

{{comic
| number = 927
| date = July 20, 2011
| title = Standards
| image = standards.png
| titletext = Fortunately, the charging one has been solved now that we've all standardized on mini-USB. Or is it micro-USB? Shit.
}}

==Explanation==
For any engineering task, there are numerous ways a given problem can be solved. The more complex the task, the more room for diversity. That's all well and good for a one-off problem, but if a design is meant to be iterated over time, or if an entire industry is solving that same problem, part reuse and {{w|interoperability}} become issues to deal with. {{w|Technical standards}} thus came to exist so that industries could avoid wasting resources {{w|reinventing the wheel}}, while offering their clients a certain amount of simplicity and compatibility between vendors.

But standards have issues of their own. They don't accommodate every {{w|use case}}, they might have restrictions or royalties attached, and people tend to be plagued by ''{{w|Not invented here|Not Invented Here syndrome}}''. So competing standards have a tendency to arise to address different perceived needs. After a while, the market for competing standards gets messy and hard to follow, and {{w|system integration|integrating systems}} built around competing standards gets burdensome. As a result, someone eventually takes on the challenge of creating a universal standard that everyone can rally around.

This almost never works. In many cases, a new standard fails to displace the incumbent standards, eventually loses funding and support, and thus becomes a relic of history. In many other cases, it only penetrates far enough to survive, ironically making the situation messier like in the comic. The latter situation often ends up becoming cyclical, with new standards periodically rising and failing to gain traction.

Three examples are given at the top of the comic: {{w|AC adapter|AC chargers}}, {{w|character encoding}} and {{w|instant messaging}}.
* Power adapters are notorious for varying from device to device - partly to try to prevent dangerous voltage/current mismatches, but partly just because manufacturers all chose different adapter designs. In 2011, mobile phone chargers had mostly converged on a common USB-based solution, but laptop charging remained highly varied despite the adoption of yet another standard, {{w|IEC 62700}}, and Apple mobile devices generally used proprietary {{w|Lightning (connector)|Lightning connectors}} (however, that is changing because of European law). Randall notes that there was additional complexity due to the fact that there were also ''competing USB types''; thanks to the European Union's {{w|common external power supply}} specification, micro-USB then won the day. In August 2014, the {{w|USB Type-C}} specification was published and started to displace micro-USB; it gained ground among laptop manufacturers as well. From 2021 to 2022, the EU successfully legislated for its {{w|USB-C#Regulations for compatibility|common use}}.
* Character encoding is, in theory, a solved problem - {{w|Unicode}} is a standard for character sets which currently includes over 135,000 characters. However, Unicode is not an encoding, just an abstract representation of the characters, and there are several implementations which encode Unicode "code points" into usable characters (including the two most common, {{w|UTF-8}} and {{w|UTF-16}}). Despite the [https://w3techs.com/technologies/history_overview/character_encoding/ms/y success of UTF-8 Unicode], older encodings like {{w|Windows-1252}} have stuck around, continuing to cause weird bugs in old software and websites to this day.
* Unlike the other examples, there has been little or no effort by instant messaging companies to make their services interoperable. There's more value to keeping IM as a {{w|closed platform}} so users are forced to use the company's software to access it. Some software, like the {{w|Trillian (software)|Trillian}} chat client, can connect to multiple different services, but there is essentially no way to, for example, send a {{w|X (social network)|Twitter}} message directly to a {{w|Skype}} user. {{w|ActivityPub}} is an example of a standard intended to be universal, so any software using it for instant messaging can be 'federated' with each other, but as the comic points out, all this has led to is yet another competing standard.

The title text mentions mini-USB and micro-USB, which were different standards used in 2011. As of 2019 for most applications of small USB ports (especially for charging / connecting cell phones), mini USB has lost most of its relevance and micro-USB is competing with USB-C, as well as some solutions only used by single companies (such as Apple). As of 2023, Apple has also switched entirely to USB-C after pressure from the European Union. Furthermore, USB-C has become the most common connector for other new purposes such as charging laptops, charging non-electronic devices like reading lights or toy motors, and connecting external hard drives or computers to monitors. Thus, in hindsight, this comic has not "aged well". By enforcing use of USB-C in Europe, European legislators did not add to competing standards but instead may have started to displace all of the others. This is especially true because USB-C handles increased capacity in power and data, compared to the various legacy USB standards. Although the comic implies that serving "all use cases" would add to the standards problem, with USB-C it may have actually solved it. It is possible to charge a phone then use the same charger and cable to charge a portable battery, then use the same charger and cable to charge a set of Bluetooth headphones, then take the same cable to connect a camera to a computer, then use that same cable again to charge the phone from the portable battery charged earlier. (This may have also been true with some {{w|USB hardware#Connectors|prior versions of USB}} when, for example, micro-USB was the 'newest and latest' universal choice.) This widespread commonality across many different uses is obviously very convenient, and it occurred just a little more than a decade after the comic suggested it couldn't be done. It did not, however, happen merely because someone came up with a new standard; rather it was the requirement in Europe to use a single connector type that caused it to happen.

Not all {{w|technical standards|standards}} are created equal. In the development of standards, private standards adopt a non-consensus process in comparison to voluntary consensus standards. Private standards in the {{w|Information and Communications Technology}} (ICT) sector and the agri-food industry (governed by the {{w|Global Food Safety Initiative}}) are discussed in a [https://docplayer.net/23885374-International-standards-and-private-standards.html publication] from the {{w|International Organization for Standardization}} (ISO).

==Transcript==
:[Caption above the panels:]
:How Standards Proliferate
:(See: A/C chargers, character encodings, instant messaging, etc.)

:[A text-only panel.]
:Situation:
:There are 14 competing standards.

:[Cueball and Ponytail stand facing each other.]
:Cueball: 14?! Ridiculous! We need to develop one universal standard that covers everyone's use cases.
:Ponytail: Yeah!

:[Another text-only panel. The word "Soon:" appears in its own box at the upper left of the panel.]
:Soon:
:Situation:
:There are 15 competing standards.

{{comic discussion}}

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

3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T02:56:50Z

DKMell: food samples

{{comic
| number = 3232
| date = April 13, 2026
| title = Countdown Standard
| image = countdown_standard_2x.png
| imagesize = 474x222px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Anyone who is caught counting 'three ... two ... one ... zero ... GO!' will be punished with a lifetime of eating only ISO standard food samples.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page WILL BE CREATED IN TWO...THREE...ONE...NEGATIVE ONE...NOW! Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic makes fun of the fact that when people are counting to prepare for a synchronized action as a group, such as lifting something heavy, there are several ways involving rhythmic counting to get everybody to do the action at the same time. However, two of the ways that people often count up can be confusing: the action can be taken ''on'' the beat of 'three', or on the beat ''after'' 'three'. This comic alleges that, if Randall gained control of the {{w|International Organization for Standardization}} (ISO), he would standardize counting to go ''down'' from three and have the 'go'-point be at zero.

The fact that these are called "countdowns", yet two (the ones also considered most intrinsically troublesome) are counts that go ''up'', is probably intentional, and cause for additional complaint by those who are as bothered by the inherent inconsistencies. Also, ''deprecated'' is a term applied to something that will be eliminated in the future, so you should fix things so as not to use it anymore; it's commonly used in coding, when procedures, libraries, etc. are planned to be retired.

{{w|ISO}} is an international organization that is responsible for standardizing many things, such as technology and safety standards to allow for smooth interoperability between countries, manufacturers, etc. However, it doesn't standardize everyday actions like countdowns, and the joke is that that would be Randall's first act if he were put in charge of it. Also there are no "ISO standard food samples" as mentioned in the title text, but one can imagine they would be unimaginably bland.

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T02:54:51Z

DKMell: deprecation

{{comic
| number = 3232
| date = April 13, 2026
| title = Countdown Standard
| image = countdown_standard_2x.png
| imagesize = 474x222px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Anyone who is caught counting 'three ... two ... one ... zero ... GO!' will be punished with a lifetime of eating only ISO standard food samples.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page WILL BE CREATED IN TWO...THREE...ONE...NEGATIVE ONE...NOW! Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic makes fun of the fact that when people are counting to prepare for a synchronized action as a group, such as lifting something heavy, there are several ways involving rhythmic counting to get everybody to do the action at the same time. However, two of the ways that people often count up can be confusing: the action can be taken ''on'' the beat of 'three', or on the beat ''after'' 'three'. This comic alleges that, if Randall gained control of the {{w|International Organization for Standardization}} (ISO), he would standardize counting to go ''down'' from three and have the 'go'-point be at zero.

The fact that these are called "countdowns", yet two (the ones also considered most intrinsically troublesome) are counts that go ''up'', is probably intentional, and cause for additional complaint by those who are as bothered by the inherent inconsistencies. Also, ''deprecated'' is a term applied to something that will be eliminated in the future, so you should fix things so as not to use it anymore; it's commonly used in coding, when procedures, libraries, etc. are planned to be retired.

{{w|ISO}} is an international organization that is responsible for standardizing many things, such as technology and safety standards to allow for smooth interoperability between countries, manufacturers, etc. However, it doesn't standardize everyday actions like countdowns, and the joke is that that would be Randall's first act if he were put in charge of it.

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T00:46:16Z

DKMell: better wording

{{comic
| number = 3232
| date = April 13, 2026
| title = Countdown Standard
| image = countdown_standard_2x.png
| imagesize = 474x222px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Anyone who is caught counting 'three ... two ... one ... zero ... GO!' will be punished with a lifetime of eating only ISO standard food samples.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page WILL BE CREATED IN TWO...THREE...ONE...NEGATIVE ONE...NOW! Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic makes fun of the fact that when people are counting to prepare for a synchronized action as a group, such as lifting something heavy, there are several ways involving rhythmic counting to get everybody to do the action at the same time. However, two of the ways that people often count up can be confusing: the action can be taken ''on'' the beat of 'three', or on the beat ''after'' 'three'. This comic alleges that, if Randall gained control of the {{w|International Organization for Standardization}} (ISO), he would standardize counting to go ''down'' from three and have the 'go'-point be at zero.

The fact that these are called "countdowns", yet two (the ones also considered most intrinsically troublesome) are counts that go ''up'', is probably intentional, and cause for additional complaint by those who are as bothered by the inherent inconsistencies.

{{w|ISO}} is an international organization that is responsible for standardizing many things, such as technology and safety standards to allow for smooth interoperability between countries, manufacturers, etc. However, it doesn't standardize everyday actions like countdowns, and the joke is that that would be Randall's first act if he were put in charge of it.

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T00:44:58Z

DKMell: minor fixes

{{comic
| number = 3232
| date = April 13, 2026
| title = Countdown Standard
| image = countdown_standard_2x.png
| imagesize = 474x222px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Anyone who is caught counting 'three ... two ... one ... zero ... GO!' will be punished with a lifetime of eating only ISO standard food samples.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page WILL BE CREATED IN TWO...THREE...ONE...NEGATIVE ONE...NOW! Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic makes fun of the fact that when people are counting to prepare for a synchronized action as a group, such as lifting a heavy object, there are several ways involving rhythmic counting to get everybody to do the action at the same time. However, two of the ways that people often count up can be confusing: the action can be taken ''on'' the beat of 'three', or on the beat ''after'' 'three'. This comic alleges that, if Randall gained control of the {{w|International Organization for Standardization}} (ISO), he would standardize counting to go ''down'' from three and have the 'go'-point be at zero.

The fact that these are called "countdowns", yet two (the ones also considered most intrinsically troublesome) are counts that go ''up'', is probably intentional, and cause for additional complaint by those who are as bothered by the inherent inconsistencies.

{{w|ISO}} is an international organization that is responsible for standardizing many things, such as technology and safety standards to allow for smooth interoperability between countries, manufacturers, etc. However, it doesn't standardize everyday actions like countdowns, and the joke is that that would be Randall's first act if he were put in charge of it.

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3232: Countdown Standard

2026-04-14T00:44:32Z

DKMell: clarification

{{comic
| number = 3232
| date = April 13, 2026
| title = Countdown Standard
| image = countdown_standard_2x.png
| imagesize = 474x222px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Anyone who is caught counting 'three ... two ... one ... zero ... GO!' will be punished with a lifetime of eating only ISO standard food samples.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page WILL BE CREATED IN TWO...THREE...ONE...NEGATIVE ONE...NOW! Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic makes fun of the fact that when people are counting to prepare for a synchronized action, such as lifting a heavy object, as a group, there are several ways involving rhythmic counting to get everybody to do the action at the same time. However, two of the ways that people often count up can be confusing: the action can be taken ''on'' the beat of 'three', or on the beat ''after'' 'three'. This comic alleges that, if Randall gained control of the {{w|International Organization for Standardization}} (ISO), he would standardize counting to go ''down'' from three and have the 'go'-point be at zero.

The fact that these are called "countdowns", yet two (the ones also considered most intrinsically troublesome) are counts that go ''up'', is probably intentional, and cause for additional complaint by those who are as bothered by the inherent inconsistencies.

{{w|ISO}} is an international organization that is responsible for standardizing many things, such as technology and safety standards to allow for smooth interoperability between countries, manufacturers, etc. However, it doesn't standardize everyday actions like countdowns, and the joke is that that would be Randall's first act if he were put in charge of it.

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

785: Open Mic Night

2026-04-13T06:22:14Z

DKMell: minor

{{comic
| number = 785
| date = August 27, 2010
| title = Open Mic Night
| image = open_mic_night.png
| titletext = Ever notice how the more successful observational comics become, the more their jokes focus on flying and hotels?
}}

==Explanation==
The comic depicts four acts at an {{w|Open mic|open mic night}}, where performances typically include comedy, poetry, music and other similar performance arts.

===Panel 1===
[[Megan]] confidently introduces herself as M.C. Aphasia, and starts to talk to the audience. Midway through her sentence, however, she appears unable to continue to talk, ending with a sheepish "Hi?". {{w|Aphasia}} is a language disorder symptomized by disturbance in formulation and comprehension of language. This class of language disorder ranges from having difficulty remembering words to being completely unable to speak, read, or write. M. C. stands for {{w|Master of Ceremonies}} - in the context of hip-hop performance, it means a rapper. Because a rapper's delivery depends on the ability to deliver lyrics fluently at high speed, aphasia would render an MC unable to perform.

===Panel 2===
The second panel shows [[Black Hat]] on the stage, just after a {{w|heckler}} in the audience fired a 'Yo Mama' joke at Black Hat (possibly "when yo mama sits around the house, she sits ''around'' the house"). A heckler's aim is usually to put the performer off of their routine, and appear funny themselves. Responses from the performer vary from simply ignoring the heckler to replying with a witty put down to get the audience back on the comedian's side and dissuade the heckler from continuing. Rather than a short witty over-the-top reply in the typical style of {{w|Yo Mama}} jokes, Black Hat's response is a dark, detailed, realistic insult, implying that the heckler's mother is a failure and isn't proud of the heckler.

===Panel 3===
The third panel is a reference to the {{w|Quine paradox}}, whereby a sentence repeated twice in succession proves to be paradoxical. For example:
:"Yields falsehood when preceded by its quotation" yields falsehood when preceded by its quotation.
The sentence is another way of saying "this statement is false" but without the explicit self-reference. Named after the paradox, a {{w|quine (computing)|quine}} is also a computer program which outputs its own source code.

The first sentence uses the word "say" in the normal way, as a transitive verb, with the second sentence in quotation marks as its object. The second sentence has the same words as the first, but now the word "say" is used as an intransitive verb: a non-standard usage approximately meaning "speak impressively".

===Panel 4===
In the fourth panel, [[Beret Guy]]'s speech begins as if with the common observation, "Ever notice how men go to the restroom alone, while women go in groups", but somehow gets derailed through the use of the word hordes instead of groups, and a confusion between women and orcs. When an audience member (or heckler) points this out, Beret Guy's response shows that his observations weren't intended as comedy in the first place.

The description of orc armies is reminiscent of their appearance in the movie adaptations of ''The Lord of the Rings'', but in archaic wording. (For example, the phrase "clad all in sable armor" also appears in [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/60184/60184-h/60184-h.htm Howard Pyle's ''The Story of King Arthur and His Knights''] (1903).)

The title text continues the riff on different kinds of stand-up comedians, commonly referred to as comics. {{w|Observational humor}} is a joke that presents a typical real-life situation humorously, often with a touch of exaggeration. The title text is likely referring to stand-up comedians, like {{w|Jerry Seinfeld}}, who use observational humor. When an observational comic becomes more successful, they will probably "go on tour" resulting in a great deal of travel. This gives them lots of experience with airplanes and hotels, and more jokes about them will show up in the routine. Furthermore, the title text is itself an observational joke.

==Transcript==
:[Megan on stage, holding microphone, hip-hop stance.]
:Megan: Yo, I'm M.C. Aphasia and I'm here to say that, I... Uh...
:Megan: ...Um...
:Megan: ...Hi?

:[Black Hat on stage, holding microphone.]
:Black Hat: So I... oh? Does she? Well, when ''yo'' mama sits around the house, she finds herself wishing she'd finished her degree instead of having kids right away, maybe started that business. Then she might have created something she's ''proud'' of.

:[Cueball on stage, holding microphone, fist pumping toward audience.]
:Cueball:
:Yo, I'm M.C. Quine
:and I'm here to say,
:"Yo, I'm M.C. Quine
:and I'm here to say!"

:[Beret Guy on stage, holding microphone.]
:Beret Guy: Ever notice how men go to the restroom alone, while women go in hordes ten thousand strong, clad all in sable armor and bristling with swords and spears?
:Audience member (off-screen): Those are orcs.
:Beret Guy: Oh.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Your Mom]]
[[Category:LOTR]]

786: Exoplanets

2026-04-13T06:13:49Z

DKMell: minor fixes

{{distinguish|1071: Exoplanets|common=Exoplanets01}}
{{comic
| number = 786
| date = August 30, 2010
| title = Exoplanets
| image = exoplanets_2010.png
| titletext = I'm just worried that we'll all leave and you won't get to come along!
}}

==Explanation==
[[Beret Guy]] runs to wake up [[Cueball]], who is probably under the covers in bed, with his potentially middle of the night revelation that humankind is discovering "{{w|exoplanets}}", planets that exist outside of our solar system. The indication is that these planets are habitable enough for humans, even if just for a visit.

Then Beret Guy takes it a bit further thinking that one of the countries on Earth could restart {{w|Project Orion (nuclear propulsion)|Project Orion}} (which is later mentioned in [[2423: Project Orion]]). As Beret suggests, Project Orion was an early project to produce a spacecraft that would ride the shockwave from a series of nuclear bombs it dropped in order to travel very, very fast. However, the one major downside of Project Orion was the fallout that the launching of any such craft would present on Earth. One could try to boost the Orion spacecraft into orbit with conventional rockets, but Orion spacecraft are heavy — being composed of giant pusher plates and rows upon rows of nuclear bombs, they are hard to lift. On top of this, the {{w|Nuclear Test Ban Treaty}} means that the craft would be flatly illegal to build and launch on Earth, no matter what. However, if an asteroid mining project were to be started, the Orion drive spacecraft, the nuclear bombs, and all the infrastructure needed to staff, build, and crew it could all be built safely in space, well away from the Earth's fragile biosphere, where little harm could be done. Some commercial spaceflight programs are interested in starting asteroid mining in the future, or even now; for example, see: https://www.planetaryresources.com.

In summary, Beret is very excited that we can see (with the Hubble telescope and other Earth-bound telescopes) and find exoplanets. Then with some advances in space technology we can create nuclear propulsion in space to reach these planets, and it will all be happening quite possibly within a few decades. He is thus worried that Cueball will miss all of this ongoing excitement.

Cueball would just rather snooze, as he is not impressed. Beret Guy gives him only one snooze because as is apparent in the title text he is afraid that Cueball will be left behind if he snoozes too long! Given the fact that he just stated that it may take hundreds of years, this is of course silly, but fits well with Beret Guy's behavior.

Exoplanets have been discovered starting in 1996, but there are still only a few confirmed {{w|List of habitable planet candidates|planet candidates}} in the habitable zone of a distant star. This did change fast after that time since new ways of finding planets are created — see [[1071: Exoplanets]], which has the same title. At that point, there were exactly 786 Exoplanets confirmed — the number of this comic, which is probably not a coincidence as done by [[Randall]].

Part of the humor of this particular strip is that Beret Guy seems to have a sense of urgency and immediacy about something that is actually occurring at a snail's pace over decades, where Cueball finishing sleeping, or hitting snooze twice, couldn't possibly make one crystalline erg of difference.

[[1624: 2016]] is similar to this comic in that in each case, one character wakes up another character in order to inform that character about an event that is neither immediately relevant to that character nor short/urgent enough that that character could miss it if he slept until the morning.

==Transcript==
:[Beret Guy runs into a bedroom arms up calling to someone who is in the bed under the covers. Only part of the bed is visible. The person under the covers speaks. Later part of his face can be seen, and it could be Cueball.]
:Beret guy: Wake up! Wake up!
:Cueball (under the cover): What is it?

:[Beret Guy stands with his arms out talking to Cueball hiding under the covers of the bed now completely inside the panel.]
:Beret guy: We're alive during the time when they're first discovering other planetary systems! They're finding them as fast as they can build new instruments to look for them!

:[In this frame-less panel only Beret Guy is shown standing with one arm out and one arm up looking left away from the off-panel bed.]
:Beret Guy: And if one of Earth's cultures advances its space program enough to start enriching uranium on asteroids, we'll lose the main barrier to restarting Project Orion and building nuke-riding city-ships!

:[Beret Guy bends down, hands on his knees, to eye level with Cueball in the bed, who is finally peeking out from the covers, only showing part of his face (so it could be any character, as any hair could be hidden, and the hat could be on the bed stand).]
:Beret Guy: The only known technology capable of fast interstellar travel could be operational within just a few generations, and we're discovering all these destinations to pick from!
:Beret Guy: Come ''on!''
:Cueball: Can I hit "snooze"?
:Beret Guy: Okay, but ''just once!''

==Trivia==
*This was the first time Randall released a comic with the exact same name as a previous comic, in this case [[1071: Exoplanets]], released on June 20, 2012. Since then, he has done so [[:Category:Comics sharing name|a few times]]. When the new comic was released, it caused problems on xkcd as the title of the image file (<code>explanets.png</code>) was the same for the two comics. This was resolved by renaming this comic's image, adding the year of its release to the title: <code>explanets_2010.png</code>.

* The number of this comic ([[786: Exoplanets]]) is the same number of planets featured in the comic [[1071: Exoplanets]] (786 planets) with the same title. It isn't clear whether this is a coincidence or Randall purposefully waited for the number of discovered planets to be the same as this comic's number.

*Cueball is not completely visible in this comic, and the last image only shows a face. Given that almost all characters without a beard have the same face, this could be any character, including one with a hat (which could be hidden or outside of the frames) or hair (several of the usual styles). The comic's official transcript refers to this person as "bed man", meaning it isn't intended to be a female character. As it is easier to explain the comic using Cueball's name, and given that he is the usual guy to draw when no particular features are added, it still makes sense to call him Cueball in this comic.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Exoplanets]]
[[Category:Nuclear weapons]]
[[Category:Rockets]]
[[Category:Comics edited after their publication]]

788: The Carriage

2026-04-13T06:02:06Z

DKMell: fixed link

{{comic
| number = 788
| date = September 3, 2010
| title = The Carriage
| image = the carriage.png
| titletext = I learned from Achewood that since this poem is in ballad meter, it can be sung to the tune of Gilligan's Island. Since then, try as I might, I haven't ONCE been able to read it normally.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Emily Dickinson}} is a famous American poet, who wrote a poem called "[https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47652/because-i-could-not-stop-for-death-479 Death]", about the personification of Death kindly stopping for her to pick her up.

''{{w|Grand Theft Auto (series)|Grand Theft Auto}}'' is a well known video game series where players commonly steal cars by grabbing the driver and throwing them out of the vehicle. In the lower left corner of the second panel, there is a picture of the Y-button used to enter (and steal) vehicles in the Xbox versions of the game.

The proposed Emily Dickinson edition of ''Grand Theft Auto'' mashes up these two concepts. When Death stops to pick up the protagonist ([[Hairbun]], possibly representing Dickinson herself), she violently carriage-jacks him and takes over his carriage to use for her own purposes.

The title text refers to [http://achewood.com/index.php?date=08032010 this] strip from the webcomic ''{{w|Achewood}}'' where it is pointed out that poems written in {{w|ballad metre}} can be sung to the same tune as the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfR7qxtgCgY theme song] of ''{{w|Gilligan's Island}}'', a 1960s sitcom. Upon learning this it can (as it seemingly has for Randall) become difficult to read Dickinson's poem without singing it.

The Western-themed ''{{w|Red Dead Redemption}}'' by the same publisher as ''Grand Theft Auto'' uses the same gameplay mechanic for stealing horses and horse carriages, but ''Grand Theft Auto'' was a more established franchise at the time of the comic's release.

==Transcript==
:[Death with his scythe is driving a horse-drawn carriage. The text is written in two frames above and below the carriage:]
:Because I could not stop for death
:He kindly stopped for me

:[Hairbun grabs Death by the arm and pulls him off the carriage. There is a circle with the letter Y in the lower left corner. The text above the carriage is in a frame.]
:The carriage held but just oursel-
:Death: Hey!
:Hands holding Death: ''Grab''
:Circle: Y

:[Hairbun takes off in the carriage with the scythe, leaving Death behind on the ground in the dust from the carriage taking off.]
:Hairbun: Hyah!

:[Hairbun stands with her arms crossed, and Death's scythe next to her. The first text above her is printed as the official logo and the text below is in a type of square brackets.]
:Grand Theft Auto
:Emily Dickinson Edition

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]

789: Showdown

2026-04-13T04:51:56Z

DKMell: per

{{comic
| number = 789
| date = September 8, 2010
| title = Showdown
| image = showdown.png
| titletext = The tumbleweed then tried to roll off into the sunset, but due to the Old West's placement north of the subtropical ridge, the prevailing winds were in the wrong direction.
}}

==Explanation==
Shootouts were common in many old {{w|Western (genre)|Western}} films, most famously in {{w|spaghetti Westerns}}. Commonly, to accentuate the silence and emptiness of the landscape before the fight, a {{w|tumbleweed}} would roll past the fighters. In this comic, the two gunmen, per the cliche, stand quietly. The tumbleweed then rolls past, and pulls a pair of revolvers. It then shoots both of the gunfighters simultaneously, winning the duel. This is somewhat unusual, as tumbleweeds don't appear to be able to use revolvers.{{Citation needed}}

The title text refers to a common trope in Westerns to have the hero (or in this case, the tumbleweed) ride (roll) into the sunset at the conclusion of the film. Since the sun rises in the east and set in the west, the tumbleweed would have to roll westward. However, given that prevailing winds go from west to east, that means that the tumbleweed would be unable to tumble into the sunset and be prevented from fulfilling this trope.

==Transcript==
:[Two cowboys face off silently in the desert, the blazing sun beating down.]

:[They exchange steely glares, hands poised to reach their guns, as a tumbleweed rolls into frame, with a helicoidal line depicting its movement.]
:''TUMBLE''

:[Close-up on the tumbleweed. It draws two guns.]
:''CLICK CLICK''

:[The tumbleweed shoots both cowboys simultaneously, and they fall backwards.]
:''BLAM BLAM''

{{comic discussion}}

789: Showdown

2026-04-13T04:51:36Z

DKMell: empty

{{comic
| number = 789
| date = September 8, 2010
| title = Showdown
| image = showdown.png
| titletext = The tumbleweed then tried to roll off into the sunset, but due to the Old West's placement north of the subtropical ridge, the prevailing winds were in the wrong direction.
}}

==Explanation==
Shootouts were common in many old {{w|Western (genre)|Western}} films, most famously in {{w|spaghetti Westerns}}. Commonly, to accentuate the silence and emptiness of the landscape before the fight, a {{w|tumbleweed}} would roll past the fighters. In this comic, the two gunmen, as per the cliche, stand quietly. The tumbleweed then rolls past, and pulls a pair of revolvers. It then shoots both of the gunfighters simultaneously, winning the duel. This is somewhat unusual, as tumbleweeds don't appear to be able to use revolvers.{{Citation needed}}

The title text refers to a common trope in Westerns to have the hero (or in this case, the tumbleweed) ride (roll) into the sunset at the conclusion of the film. Since the sun rises in the east and set in the west, the tumbleweed would have to roll westward. However, given that prevailing winds go from west to east, that means that the tumbleweed would be unable to tumble into the sunset and be prevented from fulfilling this trope.

==Transcript==
:[Two cowboys face off silently in the desert, the blazing sun beating down.]

:[They exchange steely glares, hands poised to reach their guns, as a tumbleweed rolls into frame, with a helicoidal line depicting its movement.]
:''TUMBLE''

:[Close-up on the tumbleweed. It draws two guns.]
:''CLICK CLICK''

:[The tumbleweed shoots both cowboys simultaneously, and they fall backwards.]
:''BLAM BLAM''

{{comic discussion}}

795: Conditional Risk

2026-04-13T04:46:02Z

DKMell: actual rate

{{comic
| number = 795
| date = September 20, 2010
| title = Conditional Risk
| image = conditional_risk.png
| titletext = 'Dude, wait -- I'm not American! So my risk is basically zero!'
}}

==Explanation==
The comic deals with the difference between the general probability of a certain event based on history and the probability of the same event in particular circumstances. The chance of any American selected randomly from the general population to be killed by lightning is very low (actually on average [https://www.cdc.gov/lightning/data-research/index.html about 28 people die in the U.S. each year]), but part of the reason for this is that an average American would seek shelter and safety when caught in a lightning storm. The joke is that someone armed with this particular statistical knowledge would not take the normal precautions and therefore leave themselves far more vulnerable.

In the title text, since the statistic provided talks only about Americans, the other character wrongly assumes that lightning strikes ''only'' happen to Americans, rather than the data for lightning strikes for other nationalities being simply not included in the discussion. Because of this, as a non-American, he believes his chance of being struck by lightning is nonexistent – which underlines the difference between knowing a certain event can't or didn't happen and not having any data about the event.

The "one in six" statistic is probably invented by the author – which also illuminates the danger of dealing with "statistical data" provided by random sources without any attribution to actual statistical surveys or hard data. And of course, now a lot of xkcd readers know the statistic, likely bringing down the death rate.

A similar situation is referred to in the ''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'' article ''{{what if|159|Hailstones}}''.

==Transcript==
:[Lightning strikes the ground, illuminating trees with a bright white light. Two people are standing near it. One has a walking stick.]
:''CRACK''
:''BOOM''
:First person: Whoa! We should get inside!
:Second person: It's okay! Lightning only kills about 45 Americans a year, so the chances of dying are only one in 7,000,000. Let's go on!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:The annual death rate among people who know that statistic is one in six.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Statistics]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

3231: Lightning

2026-04-10T21:20:42Z

DKMell: where is BOOOOM

{{comic
| number = 3231
| date = April 10, 2026
| title = Lightning
| image = lightning_2x.png
| imagesize = 328x364px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Maybe you should wear one too? I guess I'm taller than you, so as long as I have one we're fine.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a GROUNDED BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

An {{w|anti-static wrist strap}} is a device worn by people working with sensitive electronic devices. The strap is connected to a "ground", so that if there's any static charge built up it will discharge there rather than being transmitted to the device, which may otherwise damage it.

{{w|Lightning}} is a release of static electricity that occurs when there's a large charge difference between a cloud and the Earth or between two clouds. In the comic, [[Cueball]] has confused how anti-static devices work -- rather than protecting a device from static in the person, he thinks it will protect the person from static in the lightning. In fact, wearing a strap that conducts electricity will make it ''more'' likely that he will be struck by lightning, and the strap is far too small to protect him from the electricity in the lightning strike.

He may think that the anti-static device works like a {{w|lightning rod}}, attracting the lighting and diverting it away from his body. This is corroborated by the title text, in which he thinks that [[Ponytail]] should be safe because he's taller than she is, and lightning tends to be attracted to the highest conductor in its vicinity (e.g., lighting rods that are above the roof of the building they're protecting). While this is true, it ignores the fact that he's made himself more likely to be struck, and potentially severely hurt or killed, by a lightning strike.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[Lightning overhead. Cueball and Ponytail are standing on a hill at night.]

:[In the sky, by the lightning:]
:BOOOOM

:[Cueball:]

:Don't worry, I'm wearing an anti-static wrist strap

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3231: Lightning

2026-04-10T21:19:37Z

DKMell: true but

{{comic
| number = 3231
| date = April 10, 2026
| title = Lightning
| image = lightning_2x.png
| imagesize = 328x364px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Maybe you should wear one too? I guess I'm taller than you, so as long as I have one we're fine.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a GROUNDED BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

An {{w|anti-static wrist strap}} is a device worn by people working with sensitive electronic devices. The strap is connected to a "ground", so that if there's any static charge built up it will discharge there rather than being transmitted to the device, which may otherwise damage it.

{{w|Lightning}} is a release of static electricity that occurs when there's a large charge difference between a cloud and the Earth or between two clouds. In the comic, [[Cueball]] has confused how anti-static devices work -- rather than protecting a device from static in the person, he thinks it will protect the person from static in the lightning. In fact, wearing a strap that conducts electricity will make it ''more'' likely that he will be struck by lightning, and the strap is far too small to protect him from the electricity in the lightning strike.

He may think that the anti-static device works like a {{w|lightning rod}}, attracting the lighting and diverting it away from his body. This is corroborated by the title text, in which he thinks that [[Ponytail]] should be safe because he's taller than she is, and lightning tends to be attracted to the highest conductor in its vicinity (e.g., lighting rods that are above the roof of the building they're protecting). While this is true, it ignores the fact that he's made himself more likely to be struck, and potentially severely hurt or killed, by a lightning strike.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[Lightning overhead. Cueball and Ponytail are standing on a hill at night.]

:BOOOOM

:[Cueball:]

:Don't worry, I'm wearing an anti-static wrist strap

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3231: Lightning

2026-04-10T21:01:28Z

DKMell: why bad

3230: Overton

2026-04-09T16:33:42Z

DKMell: minor fixes

{{comic
| number = 3230
| date = April 8, 2026
| title = Overton
| image = overton_2x.png
| imagesize = 242x268px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I think I accidentally installed an Overton window in my bedroom. A few months ago, the sun wasn't in my face in the morning, but now it is.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by JOSEPH PAUL OVERTON, BACK FROM THE DEAD. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

{{w|Joseph Paul Overton}} was a political scientist who created the concept of the {{w|Overton window}}, which is the range of subjects that are politically appropriate to raise during a period of time. The first set of dates, 1960 and 2003, are the years that Overton was born and died.

It is common for political commentators to state that the Overton window has "moved," meaning that the standard for which political positions are "moderate" or "extreme" changes. In the comic, the "Overton window" instead refers to the time span in which Joseph Paul Overton was alive. The dates on Overton's grave have been repeatedly crossed out and replaced as this 'window' has moved. This creates the ridiculous implication that Overton was living at least four lives simultaneously, or that history has repeatedly changed so that the dates of his life shifted, either of which is impossible.{{cn}} Alternatively, it could reflect changes in the frame of reference the keepers of the grave are using to date events.

In the title text, the speaker notices that the sunlight is now being let in earlier in the morning, and attributes this to it coming through an "Overton window" that can physically move. This is unlikely, since the Overton window is an abstract concept, not an architectural feature, and sunlight is not generally influenced by social attitudes.{{cn}} It is more likely that the phenomenon is due to the seasonal movement of the Sun in the sky, where its apparent path across the sky moves further north or south between the {{w|summer solstice}} (highest arc) and {{w|winter solstice}} (lowest arc), changing the place it falls at a given time of day. This shift is caused by the Earth's tilt relative to its orbit. The Sun's position at a certain clock time may also be perceived to change suddenly due to the beginning or end of {{w|daylight saving time}}, as occurred in most US states and many other countries shortly before this comic was published. (This is an issue that Randall has covered [[:Category:Daylight saving time|multiple times]], although apparently ''not'' (unless this is a subtle reference) this year.)

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[A gravestone is shown on some grass. On the inscription, all of the years except the last one are crossed out in red, and all except the first pair of years have the years themselves in red. The inscription is as follows:]
:Joseph Paul Overton
:<s>1960</s> - <s>2003</s>
:<s>1965</s> - <s>2011</s>
:<s>1973</s> - <s>2018</s>
:1982 -

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with red annotations]]

3223: Inflation Timeline

2026-03-26T00:25:46Z

DKMell: price

{{comic
| number = 3223
| date = March 23, 2026
| title = Inflation Timeline
| image = inflation_timeline_2x.png
| imagesize = 423x213px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Depending what corners of the internet you hang out on, 'regular' may at times awkwardly coexist with 'sexy.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an INFLATIONARY BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

{{w|Cosmic inflation}} is the theory that the very early universe briefly expanded at an enormous rate. This explains the "clumpiness" of the early universe, which is necessary to explain the formation of large-scale structures (e.g., galaxies, {{w|galaxy clusters}}, {{w|galaxy filaments}}, etc.) as the universe evolved. "Regular" (price) {{w|inflation}} refers to the economic process in which the average price of goods and services increases over time. This is usually gradual, but can be very rapid during times of economic distress.

The comic puts both of these on the same {{w|Chronology of the universe|timeline of the universe}}. Cosmic inflation occurred very shortly (~10-34 s) after the {{w|Big Bang}}. Regular inflation occurs only during the time of human society after money started being used, perhaps {{w|History of money|7,000 years ago}}. Because of the logarithmic scale of the graph, the cosmic inflation period, which is only a tiny fraction of a second, looks much larger than regular inflation, which has existed for at least a few thousand years. This misinterpretation is likely [[Randall]]'s intention in the comic, along with conflating two wildly different kinds of "inflation".

The title text refers to a third meaning, that of {{w|body inflation}} as a sexual fetish or kink, which has no direct relationship to cosmology or economics.{{Citation needed}} [[Randall]] points out that body inflation happens at the same time as economic inflation, presumably because both arise from human activities. The suggestion that this coexistence may be "awkward" perhaps implies that people are paying to indulge in the fetish, and that those prices are subject to economic inflation. The "inflation" might also refer to something akin to a {{w|Sex doll|blow-up doll}}.

Another comic illustrating cosmic inflation is [[2240]].

==Trivia==
Assuming regular inflation started with the {{w|History of money|first use of money 7,000 years ago}}, the "regular" inflation bar, if accurately displayed, would go from 1017.63856460 to 1017.63856482 seconds, with a difference in the exponents of 0.00000022. Depending on your display resolution, this would make the graph's "regular" bar on the order of a millionth of a pixel wide.

Given that there are only seven secondary tick marks between the primary (labeled) tick marks, these denote not increments of 1 order of magnitude but 1.125 orders of magnitude.

==Transcript==
:[Caption:] Timeline of Inflation
:[A log-scale timeline labeled "Age of the Universe (seconds)" ranging from 10-40 to about 1025, with labeled tick marks at 10-40, 10-30, ..., 1020 s. A bar labeled "Cosmic" begins off-panel to the left and continues up to roughly 10-33 seconds. A second, much thinner bar labeled "Regular" covers another period between roughly 1016.9 and 1017.3 seconds.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Timelines]]
[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Sex]]

3223: Inflation Timeline

2026-03-26T00:24:29Z

DKMell: punctuation

{{comic
| number = 3223
| date = March 23, 2026
| title = Inflation Timeline
| image = inflation_timeline_2x.png
| imagesize = 423x213px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Depending what corners of the internet you hang out on, 'regular' may at times awkwardly coexist with 'sexy.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an INFLATIONARY BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

{{w|Cosmic inflation}} is the theory that the very early universe briefly expanded at an enormous rate. This explains the "clumpiness" of the early universe, which is necessary to explain the formation of large-scale structures (e.g., galaxies, {{w|galaxy clusters}}, {{w|galaxy filaments}}, etc.) as the universe evolved. "Regular" {{w|inflation}} refers to the economic process in which the average price of goods and services increases over time. This is usually gradual, but can be very rapid during times of economic distress.

The comic puts both of these on the same {{w|Chronology of the universe|timeline of the universe}}. Cosmic inflation occurred very shortly (~10-34 s) after the {{w|Big Bang}}. Regular inflation occurs only during the time of human society after money started being used, perhaps {{w|History of money|7,000 years ago}}. Because of the logarithmic scale of the graph, the cosmic inflation period, which is only a tiny fraction of a second, looks much larger than regular inflation, which has existed for at least a few thousand years. This misinterpretation is likely [[Randall]]'s intention in the comic, along with conflating two wildly different kinds of "inflation".

The title text refers to a third meaning, that of {{w|body inflation}} as a sexual fetish or kink, which has no direct relationship to cosmology or economics.{{Citation needed}} [[Randall]] points out that body inflation happens at the same time as economic inflation, presumably because both arise from human activities. The suggestion that this coexistence may be "awkward" perhaps implies that people are paying to indulge in the fetish, and that those prices are subject to economic inflation. The "inflation" might also refer to something akin to a {{w|Sex doll|blow-up doll}}.

Another comic illustrating cosmic inflation is [[2240]].

==Trivia==
Assuming regular inflation started with the {{w|History of money|first use of money 7,000 years ago}}, the "regular" inflation bar, if accurately displayed, would go from 1017.63856460 to 1017.63856482 seconds, with a difference in the exponents of 0.00000022. Depending on your display resolution, this would make the graph's "regular" bar on the order of a millionth of a pixel wide.

Given that there are only seven secondary tick marks between the primary (labeled) tick marks, these denote not increments of 1 order of magnitude but 1.125 orders of magnitude.

==Transcript==
:[Caption:] Timeline of Inflation
:[A log-scale timeline labeled "Age of the Universe (seconds)" ranging from 10-40 to about 1025, with labeled tick marks at 10-40, 10-30, ..., 1020 s. A bar labeled "Cosmic" begins off-panel to the left and continues up to roughly 10-33 seconds. A second, much thinner bar labeled "Regular" covers another period between roughly 1016.9 and 1017.3 seconds.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Timelines]]
[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Sex]]

3223: Inflation Timeline

2026-03-25T17:57:20Z

DKMell: minor fixes

{{comic
| number = 3223
| date = March 23, 2026
| title = Inflation Timeline
| image = inflation_timeline_2x.png
| imagesize = 423x213px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Depending what corners of the internet you hang out on, 'regular' may at times awkwardly coexist with 'sexy.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an INFLATIONARY BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

{{w|Cosmic inflation}} is the theory that the very early universe briefly expanded at an enormous rate. This explains the "clumpiness" of the early universe, which is necessary to explain the formation of large-scale structures (e.g., galaxies, {{w|galaxy clusters}}, {{w|galaxy filaments}}, etc.) as the universe evolved. "Regular" {{w|inflation}} refers to the economic process in which the average price of goods and services increases over time. This is usually gradual, but can be very rapid during times of economic distress.

The comic puts both of these on the same {{w|Chronology of the universe|timeline of the universe}}. Cosmic inflation occurred very shortly (~10-34 s) after the {{w|Big Bang}}. Regular inflation occurs only during the time of human society after money started being used, perhaps {{w|History of money|7,000 years ago}}. Because of the logarithmic scale of the graph, the cosmic inflation period, which is only a tiny fraction of a second, looks much larger than regular inflation, which has existed for at least a few thousand years. This misinterpretation is likely [[Randall]]'s intention in the comic, along with conflating two wildly different kinds of "inflation".

The title text refers to a third meaning, that of {{w|body inflation}} as a sexual fetish or kink, which has no direct relationship to cosmology or economics.{{Citation needed}} [[Randall]] points out that body inflation happens at the same time as economic inflation, presumably because both arise from human activities. The suggestion that this coexistence may be "awkward" perhaps implies that people are paying to indulge in the fetish, and that those prices are subject to economic inflation. The "inflation" might also refer to something akin to a {{w|Sex doll|blow-up doll}}.

Another comic illustrating cosmic inflation is [[2240]].

==Trivia==
Assuming regular inflation started with the {{w|History of money|first use of money 7,000 years ago}}, the "regular inflation" bar, if accurately displayed, would go from 1017.63856460 to 1017.63856482 seconds, with a difference in the exponents of 0.00000022. Depending on your display resolution, this would make the graph's "regular" bar on the order of a millionth of a pixel wide.

Given that there are only seven secondary tick marks between the primary (labeled) tick marks, these denote not increments of 1 order of magnitude but 1.25 orders of magnitude.

==Transcript==
:[Caption:] Timeline of Inflation
:[A log-scale timeline labeled "Age of the Universe (seconds)" ranging from 10-40 to about 1025, with labeled tick marks at 10-40, 10-30, ..., 1020 s. A bar labeled "Cosmic" begins off-panel to the left and continues up to roughly 10-33 seconds. A second, much thinner bar labeled "Regular" covers another period between roughly 1016.9 and 1017.3 seconds.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Timelines]]
[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Sex]]

3223: Inflation Timeline

2026-03-24T21:51:32Z

DKMell: added trivia

{{comic
| number = 3223
| date = March 23, 2026
| title = Inflation Timeline
| image = inflation_timeline_2x.png
| imagesize = 423x213px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Depending what corners of the internet you hang out on, 'regular' may at times awkwardly coexist with 'sexy.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an INFLATIONARY BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

{{w|Cosmic inflation}} is the theory that the very early universe briefly expanded at an enormous rate. This explains the "clumpiness" of the early universe, which is necessary to explain the formation of large-scale structures (e.g., galaxies, {{w|galaxy clusters}}, {{w|galaxy filaments}}, etc.) as the universe evolved. "Regular" {{w|inflation}} refers to the economic process in which the average price of goods and services increases over time. This is usually gradual, but can be very rapid during times of economic distress.

The comic puts both of these on the same {{w|Chronology of the universe|timeline of the universe}}. Cosmic inflation occurred very shortly (~10-34 s) after the {{w|Big Bang}}. Regular inflation occurs only during the time of human society after money started being used, perhaps {{w|History of money|7,000 years ago}}. Because of the logarithmic scale of the graph, the cosmic inflation period, which is only a tiny fraction of a second, looks much larger than regular inflation, which has existed for at least a few thousand years. This misinterpretation is likely [[Randall]]'s intention in the comic, along with conflating two wildly different kinds of "inflation".

The title text refers to a third meaning, that of {{w|body inflation}} as a sexual fetish or kink, which has no direct relationship to cosmology or economics.{{Citation needed}} [[Randall]] points out that body inflation happens at the same time as economic inflation, presumably because both arise from human activities. The suggestion that this coexistence may be "awkward" perhaps implies that people are paying to indulge in the fetish, and that those prices are subject to economic inflation. The "inflation" might also refer to something akin to a {{w|Sex doll|blow-up doll}}.

Another comic illustrating cosmic inflation is [[2240]].

==Trivia==
Assuming regular inflation started with the {{w|History of money|first use of money 7,000 years ago}}, the "regular inflation" bar, if accurately displayed, would go from 1017.63856460 to 1017.63856482 seconds, with a difference in the exponents of 0.00000022. Depending on your display resolution, this would make the graph's "regular" bar on the order of a millionth of a pixel wide.

==Transcript==
:[Caption:] Timeline of Inflation
:[A log-scale timeline labeled "Age of the Universe (seconds)" ranging from 10-40 to about 1025, with labeled tick marks at 10-40, 10-30, ..., 1020 s. A bar labeled "Cosmic" begins off-panel to the left and continues up to roughly 10-33 seconds. A second, much thinner bar labeled "Regular" covers another period between roughly 1016.9 and 1017.3 seconds.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Timelines]]
[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Sex]]

3223: Inflation Timeline

2026-03-23T23:35:53Z

DKMell: minor fixes

3222: Star Formation

2026-03-22T21:22:33Z

DKMell: minor

{{comic
| number = 3222
| date = March 20, 2026
| title = Star Formation
| image = star_formation_2x.png
| imagesize = 676x272px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = It's ok, I still have some nice, cool gas clouds that aren't collapsing. As long as nothing ionizes them, I can continue to enjoy their ... HEY! NO!!!
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a DIRECT COLLAPSE BLACK HOLE. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

This comic depicts a simplified model of how structure forms in the universe, then pushes it to an absurd extreme. In cosmology, small density variations in the early universe grow over time: regions with slightly higher density attract more matter via {{w|gravity}}, eventually forming {{w|gas cloud}}s, stars, and galaxies. Pressure, driven by temperature, resists collapse, so the evolution of a cloud depends on the balance between gravitational attraction and internal pressure; this is often described by the {{w|Jeans instability}} criterion.

In the first panel, the on-screen narrator (with a passing resemblance to the [[:Category:Time-Traveling Sphere|time-travelling sphere]] and other speaking dots uses in xkcd), an apparent creator of the universe, describes pressure waves moving through gas and causing it to clump. In the second, the clouds begin to collapse under gravity as more gas falls in. The third panel sees the outcome: as collapse proceeds, the gas heats up (via compression and radiation processes), increasing pressure and eventually sparking fusion. The comic depicts the formation of stars, something that we know this universe has done,{{cn}} with the implication that this was a totally unforeseen outcome for the {{w|Demiurge|manipulator}} or {{w|Creator deity|creator}} of this universe.

The final panel humorously frames this as the narrator lamenting the destruction of their "beautiful clouds," as the process has gone out of their control and produced a star instead of the desired (and perhaps, to their mind, more aesthetically pleasing) gently pulsating clouds.

The title text continues this joke by referencing the importance of ionization. "Cool" gas clouds (low temperature, neutral gas) can remain stable or collapse slowly. If they are ionized (for example, by nearby stars emitting {{w|ultraviolet}} radiation), the gas heats up, increasing pressure and preventing or disrupting collapse. The narrator hopes to preserve some of their own calm, neutral clouds but then reacts in horror as something ionizes them, ruining the delicate balance and ending their ability to "enjoy" stable gas clouds. But this is a natural result of {{w|star formation}} within and around a {{w|nebula}} again unforeseen by the being who apparently set up the circumstances that led to all the cosmic evolution we see.

==Transcript==
:[A black dot with star burst all around it is speaking, as indicated with a line from one of the burst lines to the text above it. Around the dot there are four larger and three small clouds. The one to the top right is somewhat larger than the other bigger ones.]
:Dot: I think I did a good job with this universe.
:Dot: Pressure waves dance through gas clouds.
:Dot: They clump together and then pressure pushes them apart.

:[In a fame-less panel the dot comments on the development as the largest cloud from seems to be gathering several other smaller clouds together. The other three larger clouds are still there, but there now seems to be some larger clouds stuck together in the upper right part, with more than ten smaller cloud either on top of these or moving in from all angles.]
:Dot: Oh weird, that big clump of clouds is staying together.
:Dot: Their gravity is overcoming the pressure and more gas is falling in.

:[The dot keeps commenting as the increasingly fragmentary clouds start to fall in streaks towards the original large cloud, which has now been compressed so it is smaller than before, but obviously are many more clouds stuck together. The larger clouds from before have begun to be drawn out and moving towards the larger.]
:Dot: It's not stopping!
:Dot: The heat is rising but the collapse is only accelerating!
:Dot: I messed up bad. I messed up '''''bad.'''''

:[The dot comments on the final result. There is now a shining star in place of the dense field of clouds, radiating strongly in all directions, blowing the few remaining smaller clouds around it, nine in total, away from it.]
:Dot: <big>'''''Noooooooo!!!'''''</big>
:Dot: My beautiful clouds!
:Dot: Ruined! It's all ruined!

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]

3221: Landscape Features

2026-03-18T19:39:44Z

DKMell: clarification

{{comic
| number = 3221
| date = March 18, 2026
| title = Landscape Features
| image = landscape_features_2x.png
| imagesize = 537x454px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Well, there's speculation that it's due to a mantle hotspot.' --a geologist who's trying to cover up the fact that they didn't hear your question
}}

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

This comic is a map of the United States, explaining some of the most significant geologic/human activity in each region. It claims that, in each area, there is one major mechanism (plate tectonics, erosion, volcanism, etc.) which is responsible for the majority of interesting formations and features.

The title text plays off the fact that a large part of geology concerned with activity in the mantle, so explaining some geologic feature by saying "there's speculation that it's due to a mantle hotspot" does not give much information. Saying this would let a distracted geologist buy time while responding to a missed question. Many of Earth's seemingly out-of-place features (e.g., {{w|Hawaii hotspot}}, {{w|Iceland}}, the {{w|Snake River Plain}} in Idaho, etc.) form from such mantle hotspots. Thus, it's an easy go-to explanation for many of the geological features people are often most curious about.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Location
! Description
! Explanation
|-
| Adirondack Mountains
| ???
| The Adirondack Mountains are made of billion-year-old rock but were uplifted relatively recently, within the last 5–10 million years. They’re still rising today despite being far from any plate boundary, forming a dome with no clear tectonic cause, thus the "???" due to an ongoing mystery as to their formation.
|-
| Most of northern conterminous U.S.
| glaciers
| During the {{w|Last Glacial Period}}, this area was covered by {{w|Laurentide Ice Sheet|an ice sheet}} that left its marks on the landscape, in the form of {{w|moraines}}, {{w|eskers}}, {{w|glacial erratics}}, etc.
|-
| Appalachian Mountains
| continents colliding
|
|-
| Near Mississippi & Ohio Rivers
| rivers
|
|-
| Southeastern U.S.
| farming
|
|-
| Southern Florida
| ongoing disputes between limestone and water
|
|-
| Southern Missouri/Northern Arkansas
| geology
|
|-
| Central column of U.S.
| farming
|
|-
| Central Idaho/Yellowstone
| a supervolcano
|
|-
| Eastern Washington
| a megaflood
| Most likely a reference to the {{w|Missoula floods}} and the {{w|Bonneville flood}}, a series of floods caused by glacial ice dam failures causing massive lakes to flood large regions of present-day Eastern Washington.
|-
| West Coast
| a plate tectonic speedrun
| Most likely a reference to the significant tectonic activity on the western coast of the US, caused by the collisions of the {{w|Juna de Fuca plate}}, {{w|Pacific plate}}, and the {{w|North American plate}}.
|-
| Desert Southwest
| water and time
|
|-
| Northern Alaska
| geology
|
|-
| Aleutian Islands
| volcanoes
|
|-
| Southeast Alaska
| glaciers
| This part of Alaska (including {{w|Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park}}) and western Canada has many glaciers that are still carving the landscape.
|-
| Hawaiian island chain
| volcanoes
| Hawaii, including the {{w|Northwest Hawaiian Islands}}, and seamounts northwest of it were formed by a tectonic plate moving over a hotspot, with volcanoes erupting and forming land as it went. The entire chain can be seen [https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0555574,-176.5939317,4904085m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D here].
|}

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3221: Landscape Features

2026-03-18T19:35:27Z

DKMell: capitalization

{{comic
| number = 3221
| date = March 18, 2026
| title = Landscape Features
| image = landscape_features_2x.png
| imagesize = 537x454px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Well, there's speculation that it's due to a mantle hotspot.' --a geologist who's trying to cover up the fact that they didn't hear your question
}}

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

This comic is a map of the United States, explaining some of the most significant geologic/human activity in each region. It claims that, in each area, there is one major mechanism (plate tectonics, erosion, volcanism, etc.) which is responsible for the majority of interesting formations and features.

The title text plays off the fact that a large part of geology concerned with activity in the mantle, so explaining that there is speculation that something is "due to a mantle hotspot" is not giving much information. Saying this would let a distracted geologist buy for time while responding to a missed question. The area of the map in upstate New York marked with question marks is the {{w|Adirondack Mountains}}, which are theorized to have been caused by uplift from such a mantle hotspot.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Location
! Description
! Explanation
|-
| Adirondack Mountains
| ???
| The Adirondack Mountains are made of billion-year-old rock but were uplifted relatively recently, within the last 5–10 million years. They’re still rising today despite being far from any plate boundary, forming a dome with no clear tectonic cause, thus the "???" due to an ongoing mystery as to their formation.
|-
| Most of northern conterminous U.S.
| glaciers
| During the {{w|Last Glacial Period}}, this area was covered by {{w|Laurentide Ice Sheet|an ice sheet}} that left its marks on the landscape, in the form of {{w|moraines}}, {{w|eskers}}, {{w|glacial erratics}}, etc.
|-
| Appalachian Mountains
| continents colliding
|
|-
| Near Mississippi & Ohio Rivers
| rivers
|
|-
| Southeastern U.S.
| farming
|
|-
| Southern Florida
| ongoing disputes between limestone and water
|
|-
| Southern Missouri/Northern Arkansas
| geology
|
|-
| Central column of U.S.
| farming
|
|-
| Central Idaho/Yellowstone
| a supervolcano
|
|-
| Eastern Washington
| a megaflood
| Most likely a reference to the {{w|Missoula floods}} and the {{w|Bonneville flood}}, a series of floods caused by glacial ice dam failures causing massive lakes to flood large regions of present-day Eastern Washington.
|-
| West Coast
| a plate tectonic speedrun
|
|-
| Desert Southwest
| water and time
|
|-
| Northern Alaska
| geology
|
|-
| Aleutian Islands
| volcanoes
|
|-
| Southeast Alaska
| glaciers
| This part of Alaska (including {{w|Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park}}) and western Canada has many glaciers that are still carving the landscape.
|-
| Hawaiian island chain
| volcanoes
| Hawaii, including the {{w|Northwest Hawaiian Islands}}, and seamounts northwest of it were formed by a tectonic plate moving over a hotspot, with volcanoes erupting and forming land as it went. The entire chain can be seen [https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0555574,-176.5939317,4904085m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D here].
|}

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3221: Landscape Features

2026-03-18T19:33:39Z

DKMell: hawaii

{{comic
| number = 3221
| date = March 18, 2026
| title = Landscape Features
| image = landscape_features_2x.png
| imagesize = 537x454px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Well, there's speculation that it's due to a mantle hotspot.' --a geologist who's trying to cover up the fact that they didn't hear your question
}}

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

This comic is a map of the United States, explaining some of the most significant geologic/human activity in each region. It claims that, in each area, there is one major mechanism (plate tectonics, erosion, volcanism, etc.) which is responsible for the majority of interesting formations and features.

The title text plays off the fact that a large part of geology concerned with activity in the mantle, so explaining that there is speculation that something is "due to a mantle hotspot" is not giving much information. Saying this would let a distracted geologist buy for time while responding to a missed question. The area of the map in upstate New York marked with question marks is the {{w|Adirondack Mountains}}, which are theorized to have been caused by uplift from such a mantle hotspot.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Location
! Description
! Explanation
|-
| Adirondack Mountains
| ???
| The Adirondack Mountains are made of billion-year-old rock but were uplifted relatively recently, within the last 5–10 million years. They’re still rising today despite being far from any plate boundary, forming a dome with no clear tectonic cause, thus the "???" due to an ongoing mystery as to their formation.
|-
| Most of northern conterminous U.S.
| Glaciers
| During the {{w|Last Glacial Period}}, this area was covered by {{w|Laurentide Ice Sheet|an ice sheet}} that left its marks on the landscape, in the form of {{w|moraines}}, {{w|eskers}}, {{w|glacial erratics}}, etc.
|-
| Appalachian Mountains
| Continents colliding
|
|-
| Near Mississippi & Ohio Rivers
| Rivers
|
|-
| Southeastern U.S.
| Farming
|
|-
| Southern Florida
| Ongoing disputes between limestone and water
|
|-
| Southern Missouri/Northern Arkansas
| Geology
|
|-
| Central column of U.S.
| Farming
|
|-
| Central Idaho/Yellowstone
| A supervolcano
|
|-
| Eastern Washington
| A megaflood
| Most likely a reference to the {{w|Missoula floods}}, a series of floods caused by glacial ice dam failures causing massive lakes to flood large regions of present-day Eastern Washington.
|-
| West Coast
| A plate tectonic speedrun
|
|-
| Desert Southwest
| Water and time
|
|-
| Northern Alaska
| Geology
|
|-
| Aleutian Islands
| Volcanoes
|
|-
| Southeast Alaska
| Glaciers
| This part of Alaska (including {{w|Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park}}) and western Canada has many glaciers that are still carving the landscape.
|-
| Hawaiian island chain
| Volcanoes
| Hawaii, including the {{w|Northwest Hawaiian Islands}}, and seamounts northwest of it were formed by a tectonic plate moving over a hotspot, with volcanoes erupting and forming land as it went. The entire chain can be seen [https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0555574,-176.5939317,4904085m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D here].
|}

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

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3221: Landscape Features

2026-03-18T19:19:58Z

DKMell: the other "glaciers" explanation

3221: Landscape Features

2026-03-18T19:16:39Z

DKMell: Glaciers description

3221: Landscape Features

2026-03-18T19:06:21Z

DKMell: clarifications

3221: Landscape Features

2026-03-18T19:01:13Z

DKMell: links, minor fixup

3220: Rotational Gravity

2026-03-17T19:38:13Z

DKMell: cn and some fixup

{{comic
| number = 3220
| date = March 16, 2026
| title = Rotational Gravity
| image = rotational_gravity_2x.png
| imagesize = 303x325px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I don't get it. The peak acceleration for passengers was WAY lower than in the giant-waterslide-loop-the-loop incident the other cruise line fired me for.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by A DISMEMBERED WATERSLIDE TEST DUMMY. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Low-gravity environments can cause humans and other animals to lose muscle mass, a serious problem for people staying for extended periods on the {{w|International Space Station}}.

[[Cueball]] at first appears to be describing his experience operating a spaceship, creating {{w|Artificial_gravity#Centrifugal_force|artificial gravity by rotating the ship}} so as to preserve the passengers' muscle mass.

However, the caption to the panel indicates that the "ship" Cueball was operating was a cruise ship, not a spaceship. Since cruise ships that travel upon the seas and oceans of the Earth experience the same gravity that they would experience at sea level on land, there is no need for "artificial gravity" aboard a cruise ship.

Furthermore, Cueball's rotation of the ship along its longitudinal axis would involve capsizing the ship (and then righting it again). This would likely result in many people aboard drowning if not the outright sinking of the vessel. Anything on the outside of the ship that wasn't firmly attached would be lost, by the combination of drag from the water and being flung away by the centrifugal force. There's no indication of ''how'' the rotation would be created, which would be a significant undertaking given that cruise ships are generally built with some priority given to keeping them right-side-up,{{cn}} via things like concentrations of mass at the bottom of the hull. In contrast, objects in outer space do not need continuous acceleration to continue rotating because they don't have to overcome significant drag from their environment in the way that a cruise ship partially immersed in water does.

The title text references the earlier comic [[2935: Ocean Loop]], where Cueball made a loop-the-loop water slide like {{w|Action_Park#Cannonball_Loop|Action Park's Cannonball Loop}}, but for cruise ships. Such loops for people can subject riders to [https://www.wired.com/2012/04/g-forces-in-a-looping-water-slide/ over 10g] of acceleration. Cueball complains about being fired, and says he does not understand why, since "the peak acceleration for passengers was WAY lower than in the giant-waterslide-loop-the-loop incident the other cruise line fired me for." This is thus the second comic where Cueball has been fired by a cruise line for his hazardous actions. In the first comic he similarly complains about the decision of the cruise line in the title text.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball stands facing Hairbun and White Hat. Hairbun has a "steaming" symbol above her head indicating anger, and her hands are in fists, while White Hat is facepalming.]

:Cueball: I was able to produce artificial gravity by rotating the ship along its longitudinal axis, helping passengers maintain muscle mass on the long-duration voyage!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Well, the cruise line fired me.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Physics]]

3220: Rotational Gravity

2026-03-17T19:02:41Z

DKMell: cn

{{comic
| number = 3220
| date = March 16, 2026
| title = Rotational Gravity
| image = rotational_gravity_2x.png
| imagesize = 303x325px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I don't get it. The peak acceleration for passengers was WAY lower than in the giant-waterslide-loop-the-loop incident the other cruise line fired me for.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by A DISMEMBERED WATERSLIDE TEST DUMMY. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Low-gravity environments can cause humans and other animals to lose muscle mass, a serious problem for people staying for extended periods on the {{w|International Space Station}}.

[[Cueball]] at first appears to be describing his experience operating a spaceship, creating {{w|Artificial_gravity#Centrifugal_force|artificial gravity by rotating the ship}} so as to preserve the passengers' muscle mass.

However, the caption to the panel indicates that the "ship" Cueball was operating was a cruise ship, not a space ship. Since cruise ships that travel upon the seas and oceans of the Earth, experience the same gravity that they would experience at sea level on land, there is no need for "artificial gravity" aboard a cruise ship.

Furthermore, Cueball's rotation of the ship along its longitudinal axis would involve capsizing the ship (and then righting it again). This would likely result in many people aboard drowning if not outright sinking the vessel. Anything on the outside of the ship that wasn't firmly attached would be lost, by the combination of drag from the water and being flung away by the centrifugal force. There's no indication of ''how'' the rotation would be created, which would be a significant undertaking given that cruise ships are generally built with some priority given to keeping them right-side-up,{{cn}} via things like concentrations of mass at the bottom of the hull. In contrast, objects in space do not need continuous acceleration to continue rotating because they don't have to overcome significant drag from their environment in the way that a cruise ship partially immersed in water does.

The title text references the earlier comic [[2935: Ocean Loop]], where Cueball made an {{w|Action Park}}'s Cannonball Loop for Cruise ships. Such loops can subject riders to [https://www.wired.com/2012/04/g-forces-in-a-looping-water-slide/ over 10g] of acceleration. Cueball complains about being fired, and says he does not understand why. Since "The peak acceleration for passengers was WAY lower than in the giant-waterslide-loop-the-loop incident the other cruise line fired me for." This is thus the second comic where Cueball has been fired by a cruise line for his hazardous actions. In the first comic he similarly complains about the decision of the cruise line in the title text.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball stands facing Hairbun and White Hat. Hairbun has a "steaming" symbol above her head indicating anger, while White Hat is facepalming.]

:Cueball: I was able to produce artificial gravity by rotating the ship along its longitudinal axis, helping passengers maintain muscle mass on the long-duration voyage!

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Well, the cruise line fired me.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Physics]]

3219: Planets and Bright Stars

2026-03-16T19:10:34Z

DKMell: links etc.

{{comic
| number = 3219
| date = March 13, 2026
| title = Planets and Bright Stars
| image = planets_and_bright_stars_2x.png
| imagesize = 374x265px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = An old astronomer trick for distinguishing the Sun from other stars is to take multiple photos a few minutes apart and overlay them, making the Sun stand out due to its high proper motion.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a GLOWING SPACE BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic shows an identification chart for some of the planets and bright stars visible at night from Earth. Bright shiny objects in the sky are often confused with each other by people without astronomical experience. Thus the chart is supposed to make identification easier by placing them adjacent to one another to easily see the differences. The joke is that all 12 dots are nearly identical, making the chart useless.

The real way of distinguishing these objects is by their location in the sky. Stars can be found by using constellations, which are an apparent pattern of bright stars that make different regions of the sky distinguishable from one another. The planets can be distinguished by not belonging to the constellations, and further differentiated by their color, brightness, and movement relative to the stars (on the scale of weeks or months).

The stars and planets do indeed look similar to one another in reality, but they are not identical. Some of them (in particular, the star Betelgeuse and the planet Mars) have a distinct reddish color, which can be seen in good conditions. The brightness is also different, and it can serve as a guide, but it's difficult to precisely judge brightness by eye, and the planets don't have a constant brightness over time. The differences are actually visible in the comic to a degree — e.g., the spots for {{w|Venus}} and {{w|Jupiter}} are slightly larger than the others (Venus is an Earth-sized planet that is relatively close at the times we can actually see its brightly lit sunward side; the much more distant Jupiter because it's the ''largest'' planet in the solar system) — but they're subtle enough to not be recognizable at first glance.

Each 'object' in the comic also has a color, albeit ''extremely'' desaturated (very nearly white). If deliberately exaggerated, the comic's planets and stars are all notably non-white, as can be seen in the picture in the [[#Trivia|trivia section]] below..
*Planets:
**{{w|Venus}}: the yellowy-orange hue of its cloud layers.
**{{w|Mars}}: the red of its surface (given more muted saturation, in the comic, for the joke to work?).
**{{w|Jupiter}}: the general orange hue of its combined cloud layers.
**{{w|Saturn}}: a more 'peachy' orange of its clouds (no obvious hint of its ring system).
**{{w|Mercury (planet)|Mercury}}: a yellow surface (not typically noted, in true-hue images, perhaps artistic license from its proximity to the {{w|Sun}}).
*Stars
**{{w|Sirius}} (binary system, primarily a {{w|main sequence}} A-type star): light blue.
**{{w|Procyon}} ({{w|subgiant}} F-type star): more light green, or yellowy-blue/cyan.
**{{w|Antares}} (M-type star, {{w|red supergiant}}): orange.
**{{w|Altair}} (A-type, main sequence): light blue.
**{{w|Betelgeuse}} (M-type, {{w|red supergiant}}): relatively dark red (usually visible as such in real eyes-only observations).
**{{w|Vega}} (A-type, main sequence): light blue.
**{{w|Polaris}} (ternary star-system, dominant member being an F-type {{w|yellow supergiant}}): ''extremely'' unsaturated cyan.

Using even a small telescope would make it easy to distinguish the planets by their brightness, size, and surface features. Additionally, using a spectroscope would allow for a measurement of the star's spectrum, which coupled with its brightness would allow an astronomer to distinguish the mentioned stars.

The title text suggests a "trick" for recognizing the Sun among other stars, suggesting measuring its {{w|proper motion}} by overlaying several images. Proper motion is a measure of the change in apparent position against the more distant 'fixed' background of stars, as an {{w|angular rate}} (like degrees/second). This {{w|Time-domain astronomy#History|astronomically useful}} trick is similar in principle to a {{w|blink comparator}}. It would indeed differentiate it from other stars, but there are much easier methods, such as its extreme brightness and large angular size.{{cn}} A disadvantage of this method is that it distinguishes the Sun from other stars, but it cannot distinguish the Sun from planets. A further disadvantage is that pointing any ordinary camera at the Sun could damage the imaging part of the camera, and pointing a typical wide-aperture astronomical telescope at it would be very likely to do so. It is also completely unnecessary, except during a {{w|solar eclipse}}, because stars are not usually visible during the day, when the Sun is out. Additionally, "proper motion" is a term usually not used for the Sun.

==Transcript==
:[An array of four columns and three rows of white dots are displayed on a black background. Above them there is caption in white text. Below each white dot there is a label in white. The dots are almost identical, slightly fuzzy and 'white'. There may be a slight color hue to some of the dots, and very minor differences in size, but it is not clearly visible.]
:[Caption text:] Planets and Bright Stars identification chart
:[Dot labels, in reading order:]
:Venus
:Mars
:Jupiter
:Saturn
:Mercury
:Sirius
:Procyon
:Antares
:Altair
:Betelgeuse
:Vega
:Polaris

==Trivia==
*[[User:Rumbling7145]] made this picture enhancing the colors of the dots in the original comic:
[[File:3219_planets-and-bright-stars-2x-saturation.png]]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]

3219: Planets and Bright Stars

2026-03-13T20:21:41Z

DKMell: clarification

3216: Bazookasaurus

2026-03-06T19:23:36Z

DKMell: minor fixes

{{comic
| number = 3216
| date = March 6, 2026
| title = Bazookasaurus
| image = bazookasaurus_2x.png
| imagesize = 315x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = In contrast to the deep booming sound associated with the cannon in pop culture depictions, recent studies show it actually made more of a 'toot toot!' noise.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created ~240 mya, but not for the reasons previously thought. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

As with [[3185: Sauropods]], this comic relates to the reinterpretation of fossil remains on the basis of new evidence, resulting in radical new understandings of the creatures involved.

Various dinosaurs developed impressive-looking {{w|Thagomizer|spikes}}, plates, and the like, and the historical assumption has tended to be that these were used as offensive or defensive measures in conflicts with other dinosaurs. However, in some cases, later evidence has cast doubt on this, suggesting that the structures would have been too fragile or immobile to serve the purpose. Instead, it has been proposed that they may have been developed as a means of display, perhaps through a process of {{w|Fisherian runaway|runaway selection}}. These new discoveries may be viewed as disappointing, revealing that "awesome" dinosaurs did not actually possess the combat prowess they were assumed to have.

This comic parodies this trend by showing a Bazookasaurus, a fictitious dinosaur, which apparently developed a structure that bears a remarkable resemblance to a {{w|bazooka}} mounted on its back. (The "bazooka" depicted is a somewhat stylized representation that is rather more intricate than its real-life namesake, including the addition of various additional bone growths.) Supposedly, paleontologists initially believed that this was an actual functioning bazooka that was used by the animal, despite some rather obvious problems that would be presented to it in terms of acquiring, loading, and firing ammunition. Further study has apparently shown that the structure would not have been robust enough to stand up to the forces involved in firing a bazooka, so could not have served any combat purpose. As with the real life cases, this has led to a revision of understanding, and it is now thought that the "bazooka", despite its appearance, served as {{w|Advertising in biology|ornamentation}}.

{{w|Vascularisation}} is the way in which veins form through tissue. Study of this can give clues to the type of tissue that would have surrounded the structures. In some cases it may indicate that they would have been highly susceptible to damage, rupture, leakage or hemorrhage, and therefore unsuitable for use as a weapon or a defense. A bazooka wouldn't typically have veins in it, so a vascularization study would show that there isn't enough blood flow.{{Citation needed}}

The title text is referencing the fact that the calls of dinosaurs have been reappraised in recent years. Traditionally, and particularly in popular culture, they have been represented as having a deep roar or growl. This is probably through analogy with the majority of large fearsome animals that exist today, which have a tendency to make such noises. However, studies of the vocal apparatus available to them has suggested that they were more likely to make higher, more fluting sounds, similar to today's birds. The weapon bazooka was named for a loose resemblance to a {{w|Bazooka_(instrument)|musical instrument of the same name}}, which produced a tooting-type sound.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] stand in front of a dinosaur fossil exhibit, with Megan gesturing at the fossil on display.]
:Megan: Although Bazookasaurus's distinctive structure was long assumed to be a weapon, vascularization studies show that it was very fragile and could only have been used for display.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]

3215: Solar Warning

2026-03-06T18:15:08Z

DKMell: added the other What If? article

{{comic
| number = 3215
| date = March 4, 2026
| title = Solar Warning
| image = solar_warning_2x.png
| imagesize = 304x333px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = This replaces the previous solar activity watch, which was issued last month when the sun took off its sunglasses.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by a frowning solar flare. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Children's drawings and cartoon representations may stereotypically personify objects that are not living, including planets and stars. Often, the {{w|Sun}} is drawn with a smiling face or other expression. Cartoonized representations are also often used as an easily-recognized and interpreted schema for reporting and prediction services, such as weather forecasts.

This comic pretends this smile is an actual feature of the real Sun. However, the Sun cannot smile as it does not have a mouth.{{cn}} Apparently, the emotion that the Sun is expressing can give an indication of {{w|space weather|solar weather}}, including events such as {{w|solar flare}}s and {{w|coronal mass ejection}}s. The Sun changing its expression has triggered this official announcement of a warning. [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/alerts-watches-and-warnings Similar warnings] are produced by NOAA's [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov Space Weather Prediction Center] because such solar activity can affect communications, power grids, satellites, etc.

The title text indicates that the prior change that provoked a warning was the removal of the Sun's sunglasses. The Sun wearing sunglasses is a further (possibly paradoxical) element of personification often added to images of the Sun. [[Randall]] has previously referred to the Sun's sunglasses in comics including [[1733: Solar Spectrum]] and the ''What If?'' articles {{What If|115|Into the Sun}} and {{What If|129|Black Hole Moon}}.

The removal of eyewear is used in the "Deal With It" visual meme and as part of {{tvtropes|TheGlassesComeOff|various other tropes}} that reflect a change in attitude. Another interpretation could be that it is referencing the video game {{w|Minesweeper (video game)|Minesweeper}}, in which the Sun puts on sunglasses when the game is won and takes them back off when the game is reset (i.e., there is more danger).

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

:[Blondie stands at a table with her hands together, resting her arms on the table. Behind her are two pictures of the sun: one with a smiling face, labeled "Last week," and one with a frowning face labeled "Today."]
:Blondie: A warning for solar flares and geomagnetic storms has been issued after new images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory show that the big smiley face on the sun has turned into a frown.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:News anchor]]

3215: Solar Warning

2026-03-05T20:49:13Z

DKMell: example What If

{{comic
| number = 3215
| date = March 4, 2026
| title = Solar Warning
| image = solar_warning_2x.png
| imagesize = 304x333px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = This replaces the previous solar activity watch, which was issued last month when the sun took off its sunglasses.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by a frowning solar flare. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Children's drawings and cartoon representations may stereotypically personify objects that are not living, including planets and stars. Often, the {{w|Sun}} is drawn with a smiling face or other expression. Cartoonized representations are also often used as an easily-recognized and interpreted schema for reporting and prediction services, such as weather forecasts.

This comic pretends this smile is an actual feature of the real Sun. However, the Sun cannot smile as it does not have a mouth.{{cn}} Apparently, the emotion that the Sun is expressing can give an indication of {{w|space weather|solar weather}}, including events such as {{w|solar flares}} and {{w|coronal mass ejections}}. The Sun changing its expression has triggered this official announcement of a warning. [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/alerts-watches-and-warnings Similar warnings] are produced by NOAA's [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov Space Weather Prediction Center] because such solar activity can affect communications, power grids, satellites, etc.

The title text indicates that the prior change that provoked a warning was the removal of the Sun's sunglasses. The Sun wearing sunglasses is a further (possibly paradoxical) element of personification often added to images of the Sun. [[Randall]] has previously referred to the Sun's sunglasses in comics including [[1733: Solar Spectrum]] and ''What If?'' articles such as [https://what-if.xkcd.com/115/ Into the Sun].

The removal of eyewear is used in the "Deal With It" visual meme or as part of the {{tvtropes|TheGlassesComeOff|various other tropes}} that reflect a change in attitude. Another interpretation could be that it is referencing {{w|Minesweeper (video game)}}, where the Sun puts on sunglasses when the game is won and takes them back off when the game is reset (i.e., there is more danger).

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

:[Blondie stands at a table with her hands together, resting her arms on the table. Behind her are two pictures of the sun: one with a smiling face, labeled "Last week," and one with a frowning face labeled "Today."]
:Blondie: A warning for solar flares and geomagnetic storms has been issued after new images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory show that the big smiley face on the sun has turned into a frown.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:News anchor]]

3215: Solar Warning

2026-03-04T19:36:24Z

DKMell: SWPC

{{comic
| number = 3215
| date = March 4, 2026
| title = Solar Warning
| image = solar_warning_2x.png
| imagesize = 304x333px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = This replaces the previous solar activity watch, which was issued last month when the sun took off its sunglasses.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently :(. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Children's drawings may stereotypically personify objects that are not living, including planets and stars. In children's drawings, the Sun is normally drawn smiling. This comic pretends this smile was an actual thing that the Sun has. Apparently, the emotion that the Sun is expressing can signal imminent solar flares and coronal mass ejections, hence this official announcement of a warning. [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/alerts-watches-and-warnings Similar warnings] are produced by NOAA's [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov Space Weather Prediction Center] because such solar activity can affect communications, power grids, satellites, etc.

The title text indicates that the prior change that provoked a warning was when the Sun's sunglasses were removed. The Sun wearing sunglasses is a further (possibly paradoxical) element of personification often added to images of the Sun. Randall has previously referred to the Sun's sunglasses in comics such as [[1733: Solar Spectrum]] and a couple of ''What If?'' articles.

The removal of eyewear is used in the "Deal With It" visual meme or as part of the {{tvtropes|TheGlassesComeOff|various other tropes}} that reflect a change in attitude. Another interpretation could be that it is referencing {{w|Minesweeper}}, where the Sun puts on sunglasses when the game is won and takes them back off when the game is reset, i.e., there is more danger.

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

:[Blondie stands at a table with her hands together, resting her arms on the table. Behind her are two pictures of the sun: one with a smiling face, labeled "Last week," and one with a frowning face labeled "Today."]
:Blondie: A warning for solar flares and geomagnetic storms has been issued after new images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory show that the big smiley face on the sun has turned into a frown.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:News anchor]]

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-03-02T16:38:54Z

DKMell: minor

{{comic
| number = 3213
| date = February 27, 2026
| title = Dental Formulas
| image = dental_formulas_2x.png
| imagesize = 212x337px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I mean, half of these are undefined. And your multiplication dots are too low; they look like decimal points.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by your new dentist, who has a pure math background. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

A {{w|dental formula}} specifies the typical number and location of teeth of each type for a given species. There are two rows, representing the upper and lower jaw, separated by a horizontal line. On each row, the number of each type of tooth is given for one side of the jaw, with dots separating the numbers. The number of {{w|incisors}} is indicated first, {{w|canine teeth|canines}} second, {{w|premolars}} third, and finally {{w|molars}}. The formula in the comic would represent 3 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, and 1 molar on each side of the upper jaw, and equal numbers in the lower jaw, with the exception that there are only 2 premolars; this is the dental formula for the {{w|Felidae|cat family}}. The adult human dental formula is 2.1.2.3 for both the upper and lower jaw.

Cueball is mistakenly treating a dental formula as an arithmetic expression, with the line indicating division and the dots indicating multiplication: 3⋅1⋅3⋅1 divided by 3⋅1⋅2⋅1, giving 9/6 = 3/2. Since the numbers involved are always small natural numbers, calculating the results when treating them this way would be fairly trivial, which is why he is surprised at the effort given to studying them.

In the title text, his statement that half the formulae are undefined refers to animals that lack one of the four types of teeth in the lower jaw, leading to a zero in the lower part of the dental formula. Cueball is attempting to multiply all terms in that lower part, giving a result of zero, and then treat that as a mathematical denominator, resulting in an {{w|Division_by_zero|undefined division expression}}. He also notes that the "dots are too low", as the dots in a dental formula are {{w|Full stop|period characters}}, whereas multiplication in mathematical formulae uses {{w|Interpunct#In_mathematics_and_science|middle dot}} characters (except in the Commonwealth, where this is sometimes reversed).

The word '{{wiktionary|mammologist}}' is an alternate spelling of '{{wiktionary|mammalogist}}', meaning one who studies {{w|mammals}} (or, in some cases, specifically studying the mammaries (i.e. breasts) which mark out mammals in general). Unlike odontology (dentistry), which studies the ''health'' of a patient's teeth, mammalogy studies teeth as a means to identify species and what they eat.

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

:[Cueball and Megan are standing in front of a whiteboard, on which is written
::3.1.3.1 3.1.2.1
:along with a drawing of a tooth and some other scribbles.]

:Cueball: Do mammologists think these are hard?
:Cueball: I mean this one just evaluates to 3/2.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Mathematicians encounter dental formulas

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Math]]

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-03-02T16:37:28Z

DKMell: minor fixes

{{comic
| number = 3213
| date = February 27, 2026
| title = Dental Formulas
| image = dental_formulas_2x.png
| imagesize = 212x337px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I mean, half of these are undefined. And your multiplication dots are too low; they look like decimal points.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by your new dentist, who has a pure math background. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

A {{w|dental formula}} specifies the typical number and location of teeth of each type for a given species. There are two rows, representing the upper and lower jaw, separated by a horizontal line. On each row, the number of each type of tooth is given for one side of the jaw, with dots separating the numbers. The number of {{w|incisors}} is indicated first, {{w|canine teeth|canines}} second, {{w|premolars}} third, and finally {{w|molars}}. The formula in the comic would represent 3 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, and 1 molar on each side of the upper jaw, and equal numbers in the lower jaw, with the exception that there are only 2 premolars; this is the dental formula for the {{w|Felidae|cat family}}. The adult human dental formula is 2.1.2.3 for both the upper and lower jaw.

Cueball is mistakenly treating a dental formula as an arithmetic expression, with the line indicating division and the dots indicating multiplication: 3⋅1⋅3⋅1 divided by 3⋅1⋅2⋅1, giving 9/6 = 1.5. Since the numbers involved are always small natural numbers, calculating the results when treating them this way would be fairly trivial, which is why he is surprised at the effort given to studying them.

In the title text, his statement that half the formulae are undefined refers to animals that lack one of the four types of teeth in the lower jaw, leading to a zero in the lower part of the dental formula. Cueball is attempting to multiply all terms in that lower part, giving a result of zero, and then treat that as a mathematical denominator, resulting in an {{w|Division_by_zero|undefined division expression}}. He also notes that the "dots are too low", as the dots in a dental formula are {{w|Full stop|period characters}}, whereas multiplication in mathematical formulae uses {{w|Interpunct#In_mathematics_and_science|middle dot}} characters (except in the Commonwealth, where this is sometimes reversed).

The word '{{wiktionary|mammologist}}' is an alternate spelling of '{{wiktionary|mammalogist}}', meaning one who studies {{w|mammals}} (or, in some cases, specifically studying the mammaries (i.e. breasts) which mark out mammals in general). Unlike odontology (dentistry), which studies the ''health'' of a patient's teeth, mammalogy studies teeth as a means to identify species and what they eat.

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

:[Cueball and Megan are standing in front of a whiteboard, on which is written
::3.1.3.1 3.1.2.1
:along with a drawing of a tooth and some other scribbles.]

:Cueball: Do mammologists think these are hard?
:Cueball: I mean this one just evaluates to 3/2.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Mathematicians encounter dental formulas

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Math]]

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T23:31:35Z

DKMell: middle dot

{{comic
| number = 3213
| date = February 27, 2026
| title = Dental Formulas
| image = dental_formulas_2x.png
| imagesize = 212x337px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I mean, half of these are undefined. And your multiplication dots are too low; they look like decimal points.
}}

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

A {{w|dental formula}} specifies the number of teeth of each type on each side of the jaw, with dots separating the numbers. There are two rows, representing the upper and lower jaw, separated by a horizontal line. The number of incisors is indicated first, canines second, premolars third, and finally molars, so the formula in the comic would represent 3 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars, and 1 molar on each side of the upper jaw, and equal numbers in the lower jaw except only 2 premolars. This is the dental formula for the {{w|Felidae|cat family}}. The adult human dental formula is 2.1.2.3 for both the upper and lower jaw.

Cueball is (wrongly) treating a dental formula as an arithmetic expression, with the line indicating division and the dots indicating multiplication. In the title text his statement that half the formulae are undefined refers to animals that lack one of the four types of teeth in the lower jaw, leading to a zero in the "denominator" of the dental formula and an undefined division expression. He also notes that the "dots are too low", as in fact the dots in a dental formula are {{w|Full stop|period characters}} and aren't meant to imply multiplication, which uses {{w|Interpunct#In_mathematics_and_science|middle dot}} characters.

'Mammologists' is also misused; the correct term is mamm''a''logists. Mammologists study human breasts specifically, usually in a medical context. This may be a deliberate nod towards Cueball not understanding what he's looking at, or may simply be a mistake.

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

:[ [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] are standing in front of a whiteboard, on which is written
::3.1.3.1 3.1.2.1
:along with some other scribbles.
:Underneath the panel is the caption, "Mathematicians encounter dental formulas".]

Cueball: Do mammologists think these are hard?

Cueball: I mean this one just evaluates to 3/2.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T23:13:26Z

DKMell: minor

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T22:21:27Z

DKMell: zero denom

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T22:16:33Z

DKMell: lions and tigers and lynx, oh my

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T22:05:46Z

DKMell: humans

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T22:02:48Z

DKMell: minor

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T22:01:13Z

DKMell: decimals

3213: Dental Formulas

2026-02-27T21:58:04Z

DKMell: transcript