https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=174.125.142.95&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T11:08:29ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1147:_Evolving&diff=228871147: Evolving2012-12-15T03:09:43Z<p>174.125.142.95: /* Explanation */</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1147<br />
| date = December 14, 2012<br />
| title = Evolving<br />
| image = evolving.png<br />
| titletext = Biologists play reverse Pokémon, trying to avoid putting any one team member on the front lines long enough for the experience to cause evolution.<br />
}}<br />
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==Explanation==<br />
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In {{w|Pokémon}}, a highly popular game series, the protagonist goes out in search for the eponymous creatures. Many Pokémon can be found directly in the wild, but there are also a lot of Pokémon that require training and growth, to cause them to "evolve" into new Pokémon. "Evolve", the game's term, is a misnomer which [http://www.cephasministry.com/save_our_children_pokemon_booklet.html earned itself quite some controversy in the past]; in reality, Pokémon "evolution" is more akin to puberty or metamorphosis, since, instead of the entire species of Pokémon acquiring changes throughout an extended period of time, one specific member of the species grows instantly to the "higher stage." At that point in the game, the Pokémon glows before transforming into the new form, then stops glowing, and the very same text ''"What? Xxx is evolving!"'' is used (see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qUwWAMgy3E this video] or {{w|File:Pokemon evolution.png|those screenshots}} for instance). The changes of such a tranformation can be [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/snorunt quite] [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/froslass dramatic]... [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/poliwhirl or] [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/poliwrath not].<br />
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This comic depicts the "evolution" of bacteria as observed by a Biologist in the same format as the game Pokémon. Here we have {{w|Staphylococcus Aureus}}, which is not a desirable bacterium (it causes {{w|Staph infection}}s) which evolves into {{w|MRSA|"Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus"}}. {{w|Methicillin}} is an anti-biotic. If the bacteria becomes resistant, it means the anti-biotic will not kill the bacteria, and infections become harder to treat. Thus, the observer is not pleased with such an evolution.<br />
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The title text references this by suggesting that biologists do NOT want bacteria to evolve in this way, as opposed to Pokémon where you put a Pokémon on the "front lines" as much as possible to gain it experience and hope it evolves. [A point of irony is that Pokémon evolution can be prevented (by using an Everstone) or stopped (by pressing the B button in the game controller during evolution) most of the time, especially if there are [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/vigoroth Pokémon that someone does not want to evolve].] The bit about the front lines is that, if a bacteria colony is exposed sufficiently to an antibiotic, those bacteria not killed by the antibiotic demonstrate resistance to the antibiotic, and are able reproduce in spite of the antibiotic.<br />
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Staphylococcus aureus is a very common bacteria (that under an electron microscope looks like the xkcd drawing) and is the major cause of staph infections (there are other types of staph bacteria), frequently found in the nostrils and skin. Hospitals are often plagued with outbreaks of methicillin-resistant staph aureus (MRSA) as it is very difficult to treat as the typical antibiotics do not work on it.<br />
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{{Incomplete}}<br />
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==Transcript==<br />
:[bacterial cell culture]<br />
:What?<br />
:'''''Staphylococcus Aureus''''' is evolving!<br />
<br />
:...<br />
<br />
:Off-screen: Aww, crap.<br />
:'''''Staphylococcus Aureus''''' evolved into '''Methicillin-resistant ''Staphylococcus Aureus!'''''<br />
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{{comic discussion}} <br />
[[Category:Biology]]</div>174.125.142.95https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1146:_Honest&diff=22557Talk:1146: Honest2012-12-12T15:46:36Z<p>174.125.142.95: </p>
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<div>Ya can't explain this one![[Special:Contributions/176.61.46.230|176.61.46.230]] 11:06, 12 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
:No, other work is getting in the way. Someone else'll do it. [[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 11:15, 12 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
:The honesty of this comic makes it pretty self-explanatory. I like it. [[Special:Contributions/76.122.5.96|76.122.5.96]] 12:21, 12 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
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That 1-line explanation by anon 69.143.0.147 is ''brilliant''.<br />
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Most people, despite looking generally competent, are just barely making it through the day.</div>174.125.142.95