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Although this is a topic Randall obviously takes very seriously, and by far most of the facts fit with known history, he still includes several [[#Jokes in the comic|jokes in the comic]]. See also the [[#Table of all elements|table]] explaining each item in the comic.
 
Although this is a topic Randall obviously takes very seriously, and by far most of the facts fit with known history, he still includes several [[#Jokes in the comic|jokes in the comic]]. See also the [[#Table of all elements|table]] explaining each item in the comic.
  
The title text compares the saying that "the temperature has changed before" comparing temperature changes over thousands of years to the rapid global warming over the last century with saying that the "small" changes to the temperature a car experiences over the years of normal usage should not make you worried over the rapid temperature increase that happens when someone sets your car on fire. Randall previously used this joke in [[1693: Oxidation]] and [[1014: Car Problems]].
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The title text compares the saying that "the temperature has changed before" comparing temperature changes over thousands of years to the rapid global warming over the last century with saying that the "small" changes to the temperature a car experiences over the years of normal usage should not make you worried over the rapid temperature increase that happens when someone sets your car on fire. Randall previously used this joke in [[1693: Oxidation]].
  
 
===Jokes in the comic===
 
===Jokes in the comic===
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**Another real band {{w|Nine Inch Nails}} is referenced 15000 BCE where Megan writes the band's stylized name NIИ on the wall next to [[Hairy]] who is in the process of painting the {{w|cave painting}} at {{w|Lascaux}} in France.
 
**Another real band {{w|Nine Inch Nails}} is referenced 15000 BCE where Megan writes the band's stylized name NIИ on the wall next to [[Hairy]] who is in the process of painting the {{w|cave painting}} at {{w|Lascaux}} in France.
 
* Around the setting of the {{w|Iliad}} and the {{w|Odyssey}} (1200 BCE) a drawing of the {{w|Trojan Horse}} has writing on it that states: ''Not a trap''.  
 
* Around the setting of the {{w|Iliad}} and the {{w|Odyssey}} (1200 BCE) a drawing of the {{w|Trojan Horse}} has writing on it that states: ''Not a trap''.  
* Just below the previous entry also at 1200 BCE is the mentioning of the invasion of the {{w|Sea Peoples}}. This sounds so much like a reference to {{w|Mermaid|mermaids}}, often called {{w|Mermaid#One_Thousand_and_One_Nights|sea people}} that Randall feels the need to note that this invasion and these sea people is ''a real thing'' in a [[Footnote|footnote]]. This is opposed to the Pokémon reference above where he notes that it is ''not a real fact''. The sea people was a seafaring confederation of groups known to have attacked ancient Egypt and other Bronze age civilizations around this time. It is widely regarded to be one of the major causes of the {{w|Late Bronze Age collapse|Bronze Age Collapse}}.
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* Just below the previous entry also at 1200 BCE is the mentioning of the invasion of the {{w|Sea Peoples}}. This sounds so much like a reference to {{w|Mermaid|mermaids}}, often called {{w|Mermaid#One_Thousand_and_One_Nights|sea people}} that Randall feels the need to note that this invasion and these sea people is ''a real thing'' in a footnote. This is opposed to the Pokémon reference above where he notes that it is ''not a real fact''. The sea people was a seafaring confederation of groups known to have attacked ancient Egypt and other Bronze age civilizations around this time. It is widely regarded to be one of the major causes of the {{w|Late Bronze Age collapse|Bronze Age Collapse}}.
 
* The reference at 450 BCE compares the {{w|Battle of Thermopylae}} (also known as 300 Spartans) with the dramatized 2007 movie ''{{w|300 (film)|300}}'', but in the real world the fighting of course occurred [https://youtu.be/FCfdyroV7kc?t=12 at regular speed and with more clothing].
 
* The reference at 450 BCE compares the {{w|Battle of Thermopylae}} (also known as 300 Spartans) with the dramatized 2007 movie ''{{w|300 (film)|300}}'', but in the real world the fighting of course occurred [https://youtu.be/FCfdyroV7kc?t=12 at regular speed and with more clothing].
 
*There are other minor jokes but this list mentions all the major jokes.
 
*There are other minor jokes but this list mentions all the major jokes.
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***In a few cases where a maximum is reached 0.05°C has been used
 
***In a few cases where a maximum is reached 0.05°C has been used
 
**Explanation of each element.
 
**Explanation of each element.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
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{| class="wikitable"
 
!Year group
 
!Year group
 
!Element
 
!Element
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|-
 
|-
 
| rowspan="4"| 9000 <small>BCE</small>
 
| rowspan="4"| 9000 <small>BCE</small>
| | Last North American {{w|Pokémon}} go extinct <br> [Cueball with a spear and Megan is looking up at this last “fact”.] <br> Megan: That is not a real fact. || 8900 BCE || -0.1 || Pokemon are not real {{Citation needed}}. This faux-extinction is likely a reference to the {{w|Pokémon Go}} game, which Randall spoofed in [[1705|1705: Pokémon Go]]. Virtual Pokémon now thrive throughout the entire world, and are most commonly found near [http://time.com/4443225/pokemon-go-affluent-white-neighborhoods-report/ affluent first world neighborhoods].
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| | Last North American {{w|Pokémon}} go extinct <br> [Cueball with a spear and Megan is looking up at this last “fact”.] <br> Megan: That is not a real fact. || 8900 BCE || -0.1 || Pokemon are not real. This faux-extinction is likely a reference to the {{w|Pokémon Go}} game, which Randall spoofed in [[1705|1705: Pokémon Go]]. Virtual Pokémon now thrive throughout the entire world, and are most commonly found near [http://time.com/4443225/pokemon-go-affluent-white-neighborhoods-report/ affluent first world neighborhoods].
  
 
|-
 
|-
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*There have been several ''[[:Category:Large drawings|large drawings]]'' in the history of xkcd, some of which are bigger than this one (for instance [[1110: Click and Drag]]).  
 
*There have been several ''[[:Category:Large drawings|large drawings]]'' in the history of xkcd, some of which are bigger than this one (for instance [[1110: Click and Drag]]).  
 
**Among those that can be viewed in one go, without downloading a larger file or moving around, this is by far the longest.
 
**Among those that can be viewed in one go, without downloading a larger file or moving around, this is by far the longest.
*The timeline starts at 20,000 BCE (22,000 years ago) and ends at 2100 CE, thus covering 22,100 years.
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**The next longest is probably [[482: Height]].
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*The timeline starts at 20,000 BCE (22,000 years ago) and ends at 2100 CE, thus covering 22,100 years.  
 
*There are several spelling mistakes.  
 
*There are several spelling mistakes.  
 
**Most obvious is the second time Randall wrote the word "Iliad," because he just spelled it correctly at 1500 BCE and then spelled it ''Illiad'' at 1000 BCE with two Ls.
 
**Most obvious is the second time Randall wrote the word "Iliad," because he just spelled it correctly at 1500 BCE and then spelled it ''Illiad'' at 1000 BCE with two Ls.
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===Popularity of comic===
 
===Popularity of comic===
This comic received attention from a much broader audience than most xkcd comics. It was discussed admiringly by news sites such as [https://www.popsci.com/xkcd-earth-average-temperature-timeline Popular Science], [https://reason.com/blog/2016/09/14/send-around-this-xkcd-climate-change-web Reason], [https://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2016/09/13/xkcd_takes_on_global_warming.html Slate], [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-comic-masterfully-shows-how-climate-has-changed-through-time-180960451/ Smithsonian], [https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2016/09/13/heres-22000-years-of-climate-changes-in-a-single-comic/ Forbes], [https://www.vox.com/2016/9/12/12891814/climate-change-xkcd-graphic Vox], [https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/09/14/493925781/epic-climate-cartoon-goes-viral-but-it-has-one-key-problem NPR], [https://qz.com/780391/xkcd-tells-the-entire-history-of-humanity-and-climate-change-in-one-cartoon-chart/ Quartz], [https://www.sciencealert.com/why-4-5-million-years-of-fluctuating-global-temperatures-can-t-explain-climate-change-today Science Alert] and [https://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-xkcd-comic-20696 Climate Central]. It was promoted by famous individuals such as [https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/775632728548970500 Elon Musk] and even [https://twitter.com/unfccc/status/776129715799224320 twitted by the UN council on Climate Change], and obviously hated on by vocal {{rw|climate_change|climate change deniers}} and {{rw|crank|cranks}} such as [https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/53poul/josh_takes_on_xkcds_climate_timeline/ Anthony Watts]<sup><small>{{rw|Anthony_Watts|debunked}}</small></sup> and [https://joannenova.com.au/2016/09/how-to-make-climate-graphs-look-scary-a-reply-to-xkcd/ Joanne Nova]<sup><small>{{rw|Joanne_Nova|debunked}}</small></sup>
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This comic became popular with a much broader audience than most xkcd comics. It was discussed admiringly by news sites such as [http://www.popsci.com/xkcd-earth-average-temperature-timeline Popular Science], [http://reason.com/blog/2016/09/14/send-around-this-xkcd-climate-change-web Reason], [http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2016/09/13/xkcd_takes_on_global_warming.html Slate], [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-comic-masterfully-shows-how-climate-has-changed-through-time-180960451/ Smithsonian], [http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2016/09/13/heres-22000-years-of-climate-changes-in-a-single-comic/ Forbes], [https://www.vox.com/2016/9/12/12891814/climate-change-xkcd-graphic Vox], [https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/09/14/493925781/epic-climate-cartoon-goes-viral-but-it-has-one-key-problem NPR], [https://qz.com/780391/xkcd-tells-the-entire-history-of-humanity-and-climate-change-in-one-cartoon-chart/ Quartz], [https://www.sciencealert.com/why-4-5-million-years-of-fluctuating-global-temperatures-can-t-explain-climate-change-today Science Alert] and [https://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-xkcd-comic-20696 Climate Central]. It was promoted by famous individuals such as [https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/775632728548970500 Elon Musk] and even [https://twitter.com/unfccc/status/776129715799224320 twitted by the UN council on Climate Change], and obviously hated on by vocal {{rw|climate_change|climate change deniers}} and {{rw|crank|cranks}} such as [https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/53poul/josh_takes_on_xkcds_climate_timeline/ Anthony Watts]<sup><small>{{rw|Anthony_Watts|debunked}}</small></sup> and [http://joannenova.com.au/2016/09/how-to-make-climate-graphs-look-scary-a-reply-to-xkcd/ Joanne Nova]<sup><small>{{rw|Joanne_Nova|debunked}}</small></sup>
  
For more {{rw|rationalist}} critiques of this chart not driven by the agenda of pushing {{rw|pseudoscientific}} beliefs which are against the worldwide consensus, see the following articles:
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Saying the "dotted line comes from computer models" is a bit inaccurate. Prehistoric temperature reconstructions are based on lots of measurements from lots of places around the planet: ice cores, lake and ocean sediments, etc. which are the best proxy records of climate change. From those measurements, one infers temperature, so [[Randall Munroe]] [https://www.scpr.org/news/2016/09/15/64670/epic-climate-cartoon-goes-viral-but-it-has-one-key/#comment-2900724860 may be more correct than he realises]. Calling that process computer modeling stretches the meaning of the phrase. For more {{rw|rationalist}} critique of this chart not driven by the agenda of pushing {{rw|pseudoscientific}} beliefs which are against the worldwide consensus, see [https://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-xkcd-comic-20696 t][https://reason.com/2016/09/14/send-around-this-xkcd-climate-change-web/ h][https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/09/14/493925781/epic-climate-cartoon-goes-viral-but-it-has-one-key-problem i][https://www.scpr.org/news/2016/09/15/64670/epic-climate-cartoon-goes-viral-but-it-has-one-key/ s] and most insightfully, [https://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2016/09/13/everybody-always-gets-this-wrong-even-smart-people this].
* [https://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-xkcd-comic-20696 Climate Change, Explained in One Simple Comic]
 
* [https://reason.com/2016/09/14/send-around-this-xkcd-climate-change-web/ Send Around This XKCD Climate Change Web Cartoon, But Really Look at It First]
 
* [https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/09/14/493925781/epic-climate-cartoon-goes-viral-but-it-has-one-key-problem Epic Climate Cartoon Goes Viral, But It Has One Key Problem]
 
* [https://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2016/09/13/everybody-always-gets-this-wrong-even-smart-people Everybody Always Gets This Wrong, Even Smart People]
 
  
Due to the increased level of interest in this comic, Randall made some changes to the site and the week's release schedule:
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*Due to increased interest, Randall decided to push the release of the next comic [[1733: Solar Spectrum]] one day back for a rare [[:Category:Thursday comics|Thursday release]] instead of the scheduled [[:Category:Wednesday comics|Wednesday release]].  
 
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**He [http://web.archive.org/web/20160915101125/http://xkcd.com/ noted this] above [[:image:1732_Earth_Temperature_Timeline_header_text_changed_for_all_comics.png|all the comics]] in the [[:image:1732_Earth_Temperature_Timeline_header_text_changed.png|header text on xkcd]]:
* xkcd normally releases new comics on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This comic was released on Monday, but given the amount of attention it was receiving, Randall decided to release the next comic [[1733: Solar Spectrum]] on [[:Category:Thursday comics|Thursday]].
+
::''Note: Since a lot of new people are here looking for this chart today,''
* He [https://web.archive.org/web/20160915101125/http://xkcd.com/ replaced] the default header of xkcd.com with an explanatory note, which remained until noon (EST) on Thursday:<br/>
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::''I'll be posting Wednesday's comic on Thursday instead.''
:: ''Note: Since a lot of new people are here looking for this chart today, I'll be posting Wednesday's comic on Thursday instead.''
+
:*Before that, the [http://web.archive.org/web/20160912181546/https://xkcd.com/ normal heading] with the release day of xkcd was shown.
* On the day of the release of this comic, the [[Warning|warning]] that had been on the site for over 10 years, along with the [[Footnote#3._Bitcoin_addresses|previous footnote]], were [[Warning#Warning_removed|both]] [[Footnote#4._Footnote_removed|removed]]. While a [[Footnote#5._Current_footnote|new footnote]] was added 22 days later, the warning never came back.
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:*This was (of course) still there Tuesday the [http://web.archive.org/web/20160913231501/http://xkcd.com/ day after] the release, because it was first on Wednesday there were reason to note the delay.
* On March 1, 2019, this comic became one of the six [[Footer comics|footer comics]] featured in the bottom segment of [https://xkcd.com xkcd.com].
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:*It stayed in place even [[:image:1732_Earth_Temperature_Timeline_header_text_changed_also_when_next_comic_was_released.png|for some time after]] the "Wednesday" comic was released on Thursday, but was [http://web.archive.org/web/20160915154605/http://xkcd.com/ then removed] before [[:image:1732_Earth_Temperature_Timeline_header_text_back_to_normal_shortly_after_next_comic_was_released.png|noon (EST)]] on Thursday.
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:**Randall did thus not post a link to this comic in the header text for new visitors to use, only giving them that one extra day.
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:*Even though the next comic was released on a Thursday, the scheduled Friday comic [[1734: Reductionism]] was still released as planned.  
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:**This was also the first time this occurred on xkcd - see [[1734: Reductionism#Trivia|this trivia item]] from the Friday comic.
 +
*On 2019-03-01, this comic became one of the six [[Design of xkcd.com|footer]] comics.
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==== Removal of warning and footnote ====
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*This comic's popularity was probably the reason both the more-than-10-year-old [[warning|xkcd warning]] and the [[footnote#3._Bitcoin_addresses|previous footnote]] were [[footnote#4._Footnote_removed|removed]] on the day of this comic's release.
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**The next footnote was added 22 days later.
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
  
[[Category:Comics with lowercase text]]
 
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
[[Category:Comics with color]]
 
[[Category:Large drawings]]
 
[[Category:Large drawings]]
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[[Category:Volcanoes]]
 
[[Category:Volcanoes]]
 
[[Category:Nuclear weapons]]
 
[[Category:Nuclear weapons]]
[[Category:Characters with hats]] <!-- Beginning -->
 
[[Category:Footnotes]] <-- ...Sea Peoples * a real thing -->
 
[[Category:Popular Comics]]
 

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