Editing 2636: What If? 2 Countdown
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{{comic | {{comic | ||
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | This comic takes the idea of {{w| | + | {{incomplete|Created by FOUR SCORE AND 7 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
+ | This comic takes the idea of {{w|Advent calendar}}s, and takes it to the extreme. It uses rather absurd and/or obscure ways to measure the amount of time until [[Randall]]'s new book ''What if? 2'' is released, with esoteric units or esoteric numbers. And often both. | ||
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+ | Some concepts that appear several times throughout the calendar are: | ||
* '''{{w|SI prefixes}}''', which can be applied to the beginning of a unit's name to multiply or divide the unit by powers of 10 or 1,000. This is standard for units like meters and grams, but is rarely applied to measurements of time other than when a unit of less than one second is needed, most commonly in various fields of science and engineering such as physics and electronics. | * '''{{w|SI prefixes}}''', which can be applied to the beginning of a unit's name to multiply or divide the unit by powers of 10 or 1,000. This is standard for units like meters and grams, but is rarely applied to measurements of time other than when a unit of less than one second is needed, most commonly in various fields of science and engineering such as physics and electronics. | ||
* The '''{{w|Gettysburg Address}}''', a famous speech delivered by U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in 1863, where he began by referring to the signing of the Declaration of Independence taking place "four score and seven years ago". A score is a dated term for the number 20, so "four score and seven" is equivalent to 87. | * The '''{{w|Gettysburg Address}}''', a famous speech delivered by U.S. president Abraham Lincoln in 1863, where he began by referring to the signing of the Declaration of Independence taking place "four score and seven years ago". A score is a dated term for the number 20, so "four score and seven" is equivalent to 87. | ||
− | * A '''dog year''' is traditionally considered to be one-seventh the length of a normal human year, since a dog's overall lifespan is roughly one-seventh of a typical human's. The comic applies this to other units of time, such as minutes and months, each of which is also one-seventh the length of the standard unit. The number | + | * A '''dog year''' is traditionally considered to be one-seventh the length of a normal human year, since a dog's overall lifespan is roughly one-seventh of a typical human's. The comic applies this to other units of time, such as minutes and months, each of which is also one-seventh the length of the standard unit. The number 7 (traditionally a "lucky number") is also used in many of the numbers quoted in the calendar. |
* Other comparative durations of time that are not normally or usefully applied to day-length multiples. At the top end, there is the age of the universe, at the other there is {{w|Planck units#Planck time|Planck-time}} – with entire durations of periods of human history and the time needed to watch popular TV/film franchises in-between – most of which require a non-trivial multiplier or divisor to bring them to the necessary scale required. | * Other comparative durations of time that are not normally or usefully applied to day-length multiples. At the top end, there is the age of the universe, at the other there is {{w|Planck units#Planck time|Planck-time}} – with entire durations of periods of human history and the time needed to watch popular TV/film franchises in-between – most of which require a non-trivial multiplier or divisor to bring them to the necessary scale required. | ||
* A '''{{w|baker's dozen}}''' is 13, or one more than a normal dozen. Here, the "baker's" prefix can be applied to any unit by adding an extra one of its constituent parts, like an extra hour added to a day. | * A '''{{w|baker's dozen}}''' is 13, or one more than a normal dozen. Here, the "baker's" prefix can be applied to any unit by adding an extra one of its constituent parts, like an extra hour added to a day. | ||
* '''{{w|Irrational numbers}}''' like {{w|pi}} (3.14159...), {{w|Euler's number}} or ''e'' (2.71828...), the {{w|golden ratio}} (1.61803...), and the {{w|square root of 2}} (1.41421...). These are all interesting numbers because of their mathematical properties, but very impractical to use as arbitrary measurements of time because they have an endless series of non-repeating decimal digits. | * '''{{w|Irrational numbers}}''' like {{w|pi}} (3.14159...), {{w|Euler's number}} or ''e'' (2.71828...), the {{w|golden ratio}} (1.61803...), and the {{w|square root of 2}} (1.41421...). These are all interesting numbers because of their mathematical properties, but very impractical to use as arbitrary measurements of time because they have an endless series of non-repeating decimal digits. | ||
* The teenage dating game '''{{w|Seven minutes in heaven}}'''. | * The teenage dating game '''{{w|Seven minutes in heaven}}'''. | ||
− | * | + | * Rotation and revolution periods of various planets and moons in the Solar System. |
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{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! Days left !! Date !! Duration specified !! Duration in days !! Explanation | ! Days left !! Date !! Duration specified !! Duration in days !! Explanation | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 83 || Jun 22 || π<sup>e</sup> millidecades || 82.03 | + | | 83 || Jun 22 || π<sup>e</sup> millidecades || 82.03 days || π ≈ 3.14159, e ≈ 2.718, so π<sup>e</sup> is about 22.459. A millidecade is 1/1000 decade, or 1/100 year, or 3.652425 days. Multiplying these results in 82.03 days. This is a play on {{w|Euler's identity}}, e<sup>iπ</sup>=-1, but raising pi to the power of e instead. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 82 || Jun 23 || 7 megaseconds || 81.02 days || 7,000,000 seconds | + | | 82 || Jun 23 || 7 megaseconds || 81.02 days || 7,000,000 seconds |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 81 || Jun 24 || | + | | 81 || Jun 24 || e lunar months || 80.27 days || A lunar month ≈ 29.53059 days, e ≈ 2.718 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 80 || Jun 25 || 60 rotations of Foucault's pendulum in Paris || 79. | + | | 80 || Jun 25 || 60 rotations of Foucault's pendulum in Paris || 79.67 days || '''{{w|Paris}}''' is the capital city of '''{{w|France}}''' and it's located at a latitude of 48º 51' 23" N. '''{{w|Foucault's pendulum}}''' is a device conceived by French physicist '''{{w|Léon Foucault}}''', consisting of a pendulum that is free to rotate its plane of oscillation. When placed in a rotating '''{{w|Non-inertial reference frame}}''' such as the '''{{w|Earth}}''', that has an associated rotation period of 24 hours, the oscillation plane of Foucault's pendulum rotates at a rate determined by the Earth's period and the angle between the rotation axis of the frame of reference and the direction of its elongation in resting position, i.e. its latitude, with a period T = T<sub>🜨</sub>/sin(λ), being T<sub>🜨</sub> Earth's period and λ the latitude of the pendulum. Historically, Léon Foucault performed this experiment in the city of Paris, most famously (although not for the first time, which happened at the '''{{w|Paris Observatory}}''') under the dome of the '''{{w|Panthéon}}''', to demonstrate Earth's rotation. At this latitude, Foucault's pendulum completes a full rotation every 31.8 hours. |
|- | |- | ||
| 79 || Jun 26 || 8 milligenerations || 78.89 days || A generation is in general 22-33 years, with a reasonable mid-point of 27; and 8 x 0.001 (milli) x 365.2425 (accounting for leap years) x 27 ≈ 78.89 days | | 79 || Jun 26 || 8 milligenerations || 78.89 days || A generation is in general 22-33 years, with a reasonable mid-point of 27; and 8 x 0.001 (milli) x 365.2425 (accounting for leap years) x 27 ≈ 78.89 days | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 78 || Jun 27 || 777,777 dog minutes || 77.16 days || A popular myth is that dogs age | + | | 78 || Jun 27 || 777,777 dog minutes || 77.16 days || A popular myth is that dogs age 7 times faster than humans, so 1 dog minute equals 1/7 human minutes. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 77 || Jun 28 || 7! episodes of ''Jeopardy!'' (skipping ads) || 77+ days || 7! = 7x6x5x4x3x2x1 = 5040. The standard episode of ''Jeopardy'' is 22-26 minutes, skipping ads. At 22 minutes each the total is | + | | 77 || Jun 28 || 7! episodes of ''Jeopardy!'' (skipping ads) || 77+ days || 7! = 7x6x5x4x3x2x1 = 5040. The standard episode of ''Jeopardy'' is 22-26 minutes, skipping ads. At 22 minutes each, the total is 110880 minutes, or exactly 77 days. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 76 || Jun 29 || 5,000 repeats of ''99 Bottles of Beer'' || 76.39 days || Each verse of {{w|99 Bottles of Beer}} is "''N'' bottles of beer on the wall, ''N'' bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, ''N-1'' bottles of beer on the wall." The entire song contains 99 verses. Randall apparently sings this rather slowly at around 72 bpm, taking about 13 seconds per verse | + | | 76 || Jun 29 || 5,000 repeats of ''99 Bottles of Beer'' || 76.39 days || Each verse of {{w|99 Bottles of Beer}} is "''N'' bottles of beer on the wall, ''N'' bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, ''N-1'' bottles of beer on the wall." The entire song contains 99 verses. Randall apparently sings this rather slowly at around 72 bpm, taking about 13 seconds per verse. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 75 || Jun 30 || 5 baker's fortnights || 75 days || A {{w|baker's dozen}} is a dozen (12) plus | + | | 75 || Jun 30 || 5 baker's fortnights || 75 days || A {{w|baker's dozen}} is a dozen (12) plus 1 extra item. Randall has generalized this to adding 1 to any unit. A fortnight is 2 weeks, so a baker's fortnight is 15 days. 5x15 is 75 days. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 74 || Jul 1 || √2 dog years || 73.79 days || See day 78 (Jun 27 | + | | 74 || Jul 1 || √2 dog years || 73.79 days || See day 78 (Jun 27) |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 73 || Jul 2 || π millivics (1/1000th of Queen Victoria's reign) || 72.97 days || {{w|Queen Victoria}} ruled between 20 June 1837 and 22 January 1901 (23,226 days). | + | | 73 || Jul 2 || π millivics (1/1000th of Queen Victoria's reign) || 72.97 days || {{w|Queen Victoria}} ruled between 20 June 1837 and 22 January 1901 (23,226 days). |
|- | |- | ||
| 72 || Jul 3 || 42 drives from NYC to LA (Google Maps estimate) || 71.75 days || According to Google Maps, the drive from New York City to Los Angeles via I-80 W (2789 miles or 4489 km) takes 41 hours. | | 72 || Jul 3 || 42 drives from NYC to LA (Google Maps estimate) || 71.75 days || According to Google Maps, the drive from New York City to Los Angeles via I-80 W (2789 miles or 4489 km) takes 41 hours. | ||
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| 71 || Jul 4 || 1,000 viewings of ''Groundhog Day''|| 70.14 days || Using {{w|Groundhog Day (film)|Groundhog Day's}} 101-minute run time. | | 71 || Jul 4 || 1,000 viewings of ''Groundhog Day''|| 70.14 days || Using {{w|Groundhog Day (film)|Groundhog Day's}} 101-minute run time. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 70 || Jul 5 || 100,000 minutes || 69.44 days || | + | | 70 || Jul 5 || 100,000 minutes || 69.44 days || |
|- | |- | ||
| 69 || Jul 6 || 1/10th of Martian year || 68.70 Earth days || Martian sidereal and tropical years both round to 687.0 Earth days | | 69 || Jul 6 || 1/10th of Martian year || 68.70 Earth days || Martian sidereal and tropical years both round to 687.0 Earth days | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 68 || Jul 7 || 1,234,567 sound-miles || 67.63 days || The speed of sound in air depends on the temperature. | + | | 68 || Jul 7 || 1,234,567 sound-miles || 67.63 days || The speed of sound in air depends on the temperature. 15 °C or 59 °F gives the value 340 m/s and the travel time of 67.6349058 days. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 67 || Jul 8 || 2<sup>π<sup>e</sup></sup> seconds || 66.74 days || 2^(π^e) = 5,766,073 seconds | + | | 67 || Jul 8 || 2<sup>π<sup>e</sup></sup> seconds || 66.74 days || 2^(π^e) = 5,766,073 seconds |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 66 || Jul 9 || 2<sup>16</sup> beats (Swatch Internet Time) || 65.54 days || A "{{w|.beat}}" is equal to 1/ | + | | 66 || Jul 9 || 2<sup>16</sup> beats (Swatch Internet Time) || 65.54 days || A "{{w|.beat}}" is equal to 1/1000 day. |
|- | |- | ||
| 65 || Jul 10 || 1,000 ISS orbits || 64.58 days || Each orbit of the ISS takes 90-93 minutes. Here a value of 93 minutes is used. | | 65 || Jul 10 || 1,000 ISS orbits || 64.58 days || Each orbit of the ISS takes 90-93 minutes. Here a value of 93 minutes is used. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 64 || Jul 11 || | + | | 64 || Jul 11 || Five hundred twenty five thousand (base seven) minutes|| 62.88 days || This refers to {{w|radix}}-7 arithmetic: 525,000<sub>7</sub> minutes = 90,552<sub>10</sub> minutes. Also references the opening and recurring line "Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes" from {{w|Seasons of Love}}, a song from the musical {{w|Rent (musical)|''Rent''}}, which is also referenced in [[1047: Approximations]]. "base seven" has the same rhythm as "six hundred". |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 63 || Jul 12 || 10<sup>50</sup> Planck times || 62.38 days || 10^50 x 5.39 x 10^-44 seconds | + | | 63 || Jul 12 || 10<sup>50</sup> Planck times || 62.38 days || 10^50 x 5.39 x 10^-44 seconds |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 62 || Jul 13 || 4,000 episodes of ''The Office'' (skipping ads)|| | + | | 62 || Jul 13 || 4,000 episodes of ''The Office'' (skipping ads)|| 62.50 days || {{w|The Office (British TV series)|''The Office''}} was originally a {{w|BBC}} television show which had no commercial breaks, but Randall is obviously more familiar with the {{w|The Office (American TV series)|US version}}. This US "half-hour" comedy format contains 22.5 minutes of content (including the title sequence) and 7.5 minutes of ads. <!-- When you get here, note that the original The Office was on the BBC in the UK and had no ads and thus filled its allocated broadcasting slot, give or take intro/follow-on announcements... Only the US adaptation/remake has ads to be skipped. So link the 'correct' one (from Randall's POV, at least). --> |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 61 || Jul 14 || Four score and seven kilominutes || 60.42 days || 87 x | + | | 61 || Jul 14 || Four score and seven kilominutes || 60.42 days || 87 x 1000 minutes |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 60 || Jul 15 || 2 lunar months || 59.06 days || There are a number of different ways to define the {{w|lunar month}}. The most common is the synodic month because it relates to the phases of the moon, and it's approximately 29.53 days. | + | | 60 || Jul 15 || 2 lunar months || 59.06 days || There are a number of different ways to define the {{w|lunar month}}. The most common is the synodic month, because it relates to the phases of the moon, and it's approximately 29.53 days. |
|- | |- | ||
| 59 || Jul 16 || Half a day on Venus || 58.38 Earth days || A Venus synodic day is 116 days 18 hours. | | 59 || Jul 16 || Half a day on Venus || 58.38 Earth days || A Venus synodic day is 116 days 18 hours. | ||
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| 58 || Jul 17 || 5 megaseconds || 57.87 days || 5,000,000 seconds | | 58 || Jul 17 || 5 megaseconds || 57.87 days || 5,000,000 seconds | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 57 || Jul 18 || 30 microLits (1/1,000,000th of the time since the invention of literature) || 57.21 days || 3200 BCE is the approximate | + | | 57 || Jul 18 || 30 microLits (1/1,000,000th of the time since the invention of literature) || 57.21 days || 5222 years × 30 × 10<sup>-6</sup>. The 3200 BCE date is the approximate advent of pre-Sumerian proto-writing as given in {{w|History of writing|Wikipedia's article on the history of writing}}. |
|- | |- | ||
| 56 || Jul 19 || 1,000 viewings of ''Run Lola Run'' || 55.57 days || Using {{w|Run Lola Run|the movie's}} run time of 80 minutes. | | 56 || Jul 19 || 1,000 viewings of ''Run Lola Run'' || 55.57 days || Using {{w|Run Lola Run|the movie's}} run time of 80 minutes. | ||
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| 55 || Jul 20 || One million sound-miles || 54.78 days || The speed of sound in air depends on the temperature. 15 °C or 59 °F gives the value 340 m/s and the travel time of 54.7843137 days. | | 55 || Jul 20 || One million sound-miles || 54.78 days || The speed of sound in air depends on the temperature. 15 °C or 59 °F gives the value 340 m/s and the travel time of 54.7843137 days. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 54 || Jul 21 || 30 Ionian months || 53.07 | + | | 54 || Jul 21 || 30 Ionian months || 53.07 days || Orbital period of Io around Jupiter is approximately 1.77 days. |
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− | | 53 || Jul 22 || One dog year || 52.18 days || See day 78 (Jun 27) | + | | 53 || Jul 22 || One dog year || 52.18 days || See day 78 (Jun 27) |
|- | |- | ||
| 52 || Jul 23 || 60 viewings of ''Star Wars Episodes I-IX'' || 51.75 days || According to [https://dorksideoftheforce.com/2021/05/04/how-long-to-watch-every-star-wars-movie/ Fansided] the combined running times are 20 hours 42 minutes. | | 52 || Jul 23 || 60 viewings of ''Star Wars Episodes I-IX'' || 51.75 days || According to [https://dorksideoftheforce.com/2021/05/04/how-long-to-watch-every-star-wars-movie/ Fansided] the combined running times are 20 hours 42 minutes. | ||
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| 51 || Jul 24 || 1/100,000,000,000th of the universe's age || 50.40 days || The universe is estimated to be about 13.8 billion years old. | | 51 || Jul 24 || 1/100,000,000,000th of the universe's age || 50.40 days || The universe is estimated to be about 13.8 billion years old. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 50 || Jul 25 || 5 milli-generations || 49.3 days || See day 79 (Jun 26) | + | | 50 || Jul 25 || 5 milli-generations || 49.3 days || See day 79 (Jun 26) |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 49 || Jul 26 || 10,000 games of ''7 minutes in Heaven'' or | + | | 49 || Jul 26 || 10,000 games of ''7 minutes in Heaven'' or 7 games of ''10,000 minutes in Heaven'' || 48.61 days || {{w|Seven minutes in heaven}} is an Anglo-culture teenager game, occuring in several movies. 10,000 minutes in Heaven is almost a week of making out (or doing whatever in a broom closet), so this game is unlikely. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 48 || Jul 27 || φ<sup>e<sup>π</sup></sup> minutes || 47. | + | | 48 || Jul 27 || φ<sup>e<sup>π</sup></sup> minutes || 47.62 days || 68,567.57 minutes |
|- | |- | ||
| 47 || Jul 28 || 4 megaseconds || 46.30 days || 4,000,000 seconds | | 47 || Jul 28 || 4 megaseconds || 46.30 days || 4,000,000 seconds | ||
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| 44 || Jul 31 || π fortnights|| 43.98 days || 3.14159 x 14 days | | 44 || Jul 31 || π fortnights|| 43.98 days || 3.14159 x 14 days | ||
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− | | 43 || Aug 1 || One devil's spacewalk (666 orbits of the ISS) || 43.01 days || See day 65 (Jul 10). 666 is the {{w|number of the beast}} | + | | 43 || Aug 1 || One devil's spacewalk (666 orbits of the ISS) || 43.01 days || See day 65 (Jul 10). 666 is the {{w|number of the beast}}. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 42 || Aug 2 || 1 kilowatt-hour per watt || 41.66 days || | + | | 42 || Aug 2 || 1 kilowatt-hour per watt || 41.66 days || 1000 hours |
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− | | 41 || Aug 3 || e<sup>π</sup> Ionian months || 40. | + | | 41 || Aug 3 || e<sup>π</sup> Ionian months || 40.94 days || Orbital period of Io around Jupiter is 1.769137786 days |
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− | | 40 || Aug 4 || 30 rotations of Foucault's pendulum in Paris || 39. | + | | 40 || Aug 4 || 30 rotations of Foucault's pendulum in Paris || 39.84 days || Refer to Day 80 (Jun 25) |
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− | | 39 || Aug 5 || | + | | 39 || Aug 5 || e fortnights || 38.06 days ||2.71828 x 14 days |
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− | | 38 || Aug 6 || π<sup> | + | | 38 || Aug 6 || π<sup>e</sup> baker's days (25 hours) || 37.98 days || See day 75 (Jun 30) |
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| 37 || Aug 7 || One deciyear || 36.52 days || One tenth of one year | | 37 || Aug 7 || One deciyear || 36.52 days || One tenth of one year | ||
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− | | 36 || Aug 8 || 7! milliweeks || 35.28 days || | + | | 36 || Aug 8 || 7! milliweeks || 35.28 days || 5040 × 0.001 weeks |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 35 || Aug 9 || 100,000 plays of the ''Jeopardy!'' "Think" music || 34.72 days || ''Think'' is the music played while the contestants try to answer the Final Jeopardy question; it is 30 seconds long. | + | | 35 || Aug 9 || 100,000 plays of the ''Jeopardy!'' "Think" music || 34.72 days || ''Think'' is the music played while the contestants try to answer the Final Jeopardy question; it is 30 seconds long. |
|- | |- | ||
| 34 || Aug 10 || 1000 basketball games (game time) || 33.33 days || Uses the NBA game time of four 12-minute quarters, or 48 minutes | | 34 || Aug 10 || 1000 basketball games (game time) || 33.33 days || Uses the NBA game time of four 12-minute quarters, or 48 minutes | ||
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− | | 33 || Aug 11 || 777 hours || 32.38 days || | + | | 33 || Aug 11 || 777 hours || 32.38 days || |
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| 32 || Aug 12 || One millilincoln (1/1000 of fourscore and seven years) || 31.78 days || {{w|Abraham Lincoln}}'s {{w|Gettysburg Address}} begins with the famous phrase "Four score and seven years ago". 1 score = twenty. <!-- in this case, of years, but 'years' is already after the "four score and seven", so redundant and somewhat wrong --> | | 32 || Aug 12 || One millilincoln (1/1000 of fourscore and seven years) || 31.78 days || {{w|Abraham Lincoln}}'s {{w|Gettysburg Address}} begins with the famous phrase "Four score and seven years ago". 1 score = twenty. <!-- in this case, of years, but 'years' is already after the "four score and seven", so redundant and somewhat wrong --> | ||
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− | | 31 || Aug 13 || 1,000 episodes of ''60 Minutes'' (skipping ads) || | + | | 31 || Aug 13 || 1,000 episodes of ''60 Minutes'' (skipping ads) || 31.25 days || Uses a television 'hour' containing 45 minutes of content and 15 minutes of ads |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 30 || Aug 14 || All of ''Star Trek'', consecutively || | + | | 30 || Aug 14 || All of ''Star Trek'', consecutively || 27.16* days || As per [https://redshirtsalwaysdie.com/2021/01/22/take-far-longer-watch-star-trek-think/ RedShirtsAlwaysDie.com] of January 22, 2021. *Note well: dozens of additional ''Star Trek'' franchise episodes have been produced since, and more are presently scheduled to be released through June, July, and August, so this value is somewhat indeterminate over the scope of the countdown. |
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− | | 29 || Aug 15 || 777,777 nanocenturies || 28.41 days || 777,777 × 10<sup>-9</sup> × 100 years | + | | 29 || Aug 15 || 777,777 nanocenturies || 28.41 days || 777,777 × 10<sup>-9</sup> × 100 years |
|- | |- | ||
| 28 || Aug 16 || One sidereal lunar month || 27.3 days || The time it takes moon to return to the same position relative to the fixed stars | | 28 || Aug 16 || One sidereal lunar month || 27.3 days || The time it takes moon to return to the same position relative to the fixed stars | ||
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− | | 27 || Aug 17 || 6 dog months || 26. | + | | 27 || Aug 17 || 6 dog months || 26.1 days || See day 78 (Jun 27) |
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| 26 || Aug 18 || π<sup>π</sup> kilominutes || 25.32 days || 36,462.16 minutes | | 26 || Aug 18 || π<sup>π</sup> kilominutes || 25.32 days || 36,462.16 minutes | ||
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− | | 25 || Aug 19 || 7 games of 7! minutes in Heaven || 24.5 days || 7 x 5040 (7 {{w| | + | | 25 || Aug 19 || 7 games of 7! minutes in Heaven || 24.5 days || 7 x 5040 (7 {{w|Factorial}}) minutes. See also day 49 (Jul 26). |
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− | | 24 || Aug 20 || 50 viewings of the extended ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy || 23.82 days || ''The Fellowship of the Ring'' extended version is 208 minutes, ''The Two Towers'' is 226 minutes, and ''The Return of the King'' is 252 minutes for its | + | | 24 || Aug 20 || 50 viewings of the extended ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy || 23.82 days || ''The Fellowship of the Ring'' extended version is 208 minutes, ''The Two Towers'' is 226 minutes, and ''The Return of the King'' is 252 minutes for its e.v., according to [https://fictionhorizon.com/how-long-are-all-the-lord-of-the-rings-and-the-hobbit-movies-combined/ FictionHorizon.com] |
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− | | 23 || Aug 21 || A drive from NYC to LA where you keep remembering new things you forgot and have to go back 6 times || 22.21 days || See day 72 (Jul 3). This is for 6 round-trips and 1 one-way trip | + | | 23 || Aug 21 || A drive from NYC to LA where you keep remembering new things you forgot and have to go back 6 times || 22.21 days || See day 72 (Jul 3). This is for 6 round-trips and 1 one-way trip.<!-- is this a reference to something? --> |
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− | | 22 || Aug 22 || ''It's a Small World'' sung at 1/10,000th speed || 21. | + | | 22 || Aug 22 || ''It's a Small World'' sung at 1/10,000th speed || 21.18 days || {{w|It's a Small World}} is a song that was composed for the attraction of the same name at various {{w|Disney}} theme parks, and plays continuously at them in various languages. |
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− | | 21 || Aug 23 || 500 hours || 20.83 days || | + | | 21 || Aug 23 || 500 hours || 20.83 days || |
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| 20 || Aug 24 || √2 fortnights || 19.80 days || 1.4142 × 14 days | | 20 || Aug 24 || √2 fortnights || 19.80 days || 1.4142 × 14 days | ||
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− | | 19 || Aug 25 || Time it would take Vanessa Carlton to walk 1,000 miles || 18.94 days || {{w|Vanessa Carlton}} is an American singer, and {{w|A Thousand Miles}} is her most successful song. Randall estimates her walking speed at about 2.2 miles/hour. | + | | 19 || Aug 25 || Time it would take Vanessa Carlton to walk 1,000 miles || 18.94 days || {{w|Vanessa Carlton}} is an American singer, and {{w|A Thousand Miles}} is her most successful song. Randall estimates her walking speed at about 2.2 miles/hour. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 18 || Aug 26 || 100,000 breaths || 17 | + | | 18 || Aug 26 || 100,000 breaths || 15 seconds per breath for 17 days || Normal respiratory rate for adults is typically 12-20 breaths per minute, or about 3-4 seconds each. Randall may be a practitioner of "[https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353/full slow breathing.]" |
|- | |- | ||
| 17 || Aug 27 || √2 megaseconds || 16.37 days || 1.4142 × 1,000,000 seconds | | 17 || Aug 27 || √2 megaseconds || 16.37 days || 1.4142 × 1,000,000 seconds | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 16 || Aug 28 || π<sup>π<sup>π</sup></sup> πcoseconds || 15.51 days || 1.3402 × 10<sup>18</sup> picoseconds (i.e., 10<sup>-12</sup> seconds), making a joke how the mathematical "pi" is written with the character "π" | + | | 16 || Aug 28 || π<sup>π<sup>π</sup></sup> πcoseconds || 15.51 days || 1.3402 × 10<sup>18</sup> picoseconds (i.e., 10<sup>-12</sup> seconds), making a joke how the mathematical "pi" is written with the character "π" |
|- | |- | ||
| 15 || Aug 29 || One baker's fortnight (15 days) || 15 days || See day 75 (Jun 30) | | 15 || Aug 29 || One baker's fortnight (15 days) || 15 days || See day 75 (Jun 30) | ||
Line 191: | Line 166: | ||
| 14 || Aug 30 || One baker's dozen (13) baker's days (25 hours) || 13.54 days || 325 hours; see day 75 (Jun 30) | | 14 || Aug 30 || One baker's dozen (13) baker's days (25 hours) || 13.54 days || 325 hours; see day 75 (Jun 30) | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 13 || Aug 31 || 300 hours || 12.5 days || | + | | 13 || Aug 31 || 300 hours || 12.5 days || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 12 || Sep 1 || One million seconds || 11.57 days || | + | | 12 || Sep 1 || One million seconds || 11.57 days || |
|- | |- | ||
| 11 || Sep 2 || One nonstop bike ride from NYC to LA || 10.54 days || Google maps estimates the trip at 253 hours | | 11 || Sep 2 || One nonstop bike ride from NYC to LA || 10.54 days || Google maps estimates the trip at 253 hours | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 10 || Sep 3 || <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>1,000</sub>th of a generation || 9.86 days || See day 79 (Jun 26) | + | | 10 || Sep 3 || <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>1,000</sub>th of a generation || 9.86 days || See day 79 (Jun 26) |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 9 || Sep 4 || 777,777 seconds || 9.002 days || | + | | 9 || Sep 4 || 777,777 seconds || 9.002 days || |
|- | |- | ||
| 8 || Sep 5 || 100 viewings of ''Groundhog Day'' || 7.01 days || See Day 71 (Jul 4). | | 8 || Sep 5 || 100 viewings of ''Groundhog Day'' || 7.01 days || See Day 71 (Jul 4). | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 7 || Sep 6 || 100 games of ''Lincoln Kissing'' ( | + | | 7 || Sep 6 || 100 games of ''Lincoln Kissing'' (Fourscore and seven minutes in Heaven) || 6.04 days || 8,700 minutes |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 6 || Sep 7 || One pico-universe-lifetime || 5.04 days || See Day 51 (Jul 24) | + | | 6 || Sep 7 || One pico-universe-lifetime || 5.04 days || See Day 51 (Jul 24) |
|- | |- | ||
| 5 || Sep 8 || The ''Baby Shark'' chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks || 4.63 days || The chorus lasts about 8 seconds per 'person' | | 5 || Sep 8 || The ''Baby Shark'' chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks || 4.63 days || The chorus lasts about 8 seconds per 'person' | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 4 || Sep 9 || One centiyear || 3.65 days || 365. | + | | 4 || Sep 9 || One centiyear || 3.65 days || 365.24 days/100 |
|- | |- | ||
| 3 || Sep 10 || Cyndi Lauper's ''Time After Time'' played 1,000 times || 2.79 days || Based on a length of 4 minutes, 1 second | | 3 || Sep 10 || Cyndi Lauper's ''Time After Time'' played 1,000 times || 2.79 days || Based on a length of 4 minutes, 1 second | ||
Line 215: | Line 190: | ||
| 2 || Sep 11 || ''Speed'' (1994) played at one frame per second || 1.9 days || {{w|Speed (1994 film)}} has runtime of 116 minutes = 6,960 seconds = 167,040 film frames at standard frame rate of 24 frames/second | | 2 || Sep 11 || ''Speed'' (1994) played at one frame per second || 1.9 days || {{w|Speed (1994 film)}} has runtime of 116 minutes = 6,960 seconds = 167,040 film frames at standard frame rate of 24 frames/second | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | 1 || Sep 12 || F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of ''N Bottles of Beer On the wall'' followed by F(N-1) || 0.76 days || Each iteration contains ''N'' verses. ''N + N-1 + N-2 ... + 1'' equals ''N * (N+1) / 2'', so 99 recursions = 4950 verses. Using the same 13-second (72 bpm) rate as Jun 29, this is close to 18 hours. Probably refers to | + | | 1 || Sep 12 || F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of ''N Bottles of Beer On the wall'' followed by F(N-1) || 0.76 days || Each iteration contains ''N'' verses. ''N + N-1 + N-2 ... + 1'' equals ''N * (N+1) / 2'', so 99 recursions = 4950 verses. Using the same 13-second (72 bpm) rate as Jun 29, this is close to 18 hours. Probably refers to Donald Knuth's article {{w|The Complexity of Songs}}. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | 0 || Sep | + | | 0 || Sep 13 || ''What If? 2'' release day || N/A || |
|} | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | The title text refers to the recursive time period on Sep 12. If you don't stop when you reach N=0 bottles, the repetition never ends, so that time interval becomes infinite. He likens it to {{w|The Song That Never Ends}}, another repetitive children's song, which is specifically intended to go on forever. The difference is that the Beer song has a natural stopping point at 0, while ''The Song That Never Ends'' is completely repetitive. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
− | : | + | |
− | + | Large heading: Countdown to ''What if? 2'' | |
− | : | + | Subheading: (Preorder at [https://xkcd.com/whatif2 xkcd.com/whatif2] to get it at the end of the countdown) |
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+ | Remainder of comic is a calendar with the date in one corner of each day's box. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {| class="wikitable" | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! Date !! Description | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 22 || π<sup>e</sup> millidecades | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 23 || 7 megaseconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 24 || e lunar months | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 25 || 60 rotations of Foucault's pendulum in Paris | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 26 || 8 milligenerations | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 27 || 777,777 dog minutes | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 28 || 7! episodes of ''Jeopardy!'' (skipping ads) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 29 || 5,000 repeats of ''99 Bottles of Beer'' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jun 30 || 5 baker's fortnights (15 days) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 1 || √2 dog years | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 2 || π millivics (1/1000th of Queen Victoria's reign) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 3 || 42 drives from NYC to LA (Google Maps estimate) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 4 || 1,000 viewings of ''Groundhog Day'' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 5 || 100,000 minutes | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 6 || 1/10th of Martian year | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 7 || 1,234,567 sound-miles | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 8 || 2<sup>π<sup>e</sup></sup> seconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 9 || 2<sup>16</sup> beats (Swatch Internet Time) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 10 || 1,000 ISS orbits | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 11 || Five hundred twenty five thousand (base seven) minutes (text preceded by several drawn musical notes) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 12 || 10<sup>50</sup> Planck times | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 13 || 4,000 episodes of ''The Office'' (skipping ads) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 14 || Four score and seven kilominutes | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 15 || 2 lunar months | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 16 || Half a day on Venus | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 17 || 5 megaseconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 18 || 30 microLits (1/1,000,000th of the time since the invention of literature) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 19 || 1,000 viewings of ''Run Lola Run'' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 20 || One million sound-miles | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 21 || 30 Ionian months | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 22 || One dog year | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 23 || 60 viewings of ''Star Wars Episodes I-IX'' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 24 || 1/100,000,000,000th of the universe's age | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 25 || 5 milli-generations | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 26 || 10,000 games of ''7 minutes in Heaven'' or 7 games of ''10,000 minutes in Heaven'' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 27 || φ<sup>e<sup>π</sup></sup> minutes | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 28 || 4 megaseconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 29 || 2<sup>16</sup> minutes | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 30 || e<sup>e<sup>e</sup></sup> seconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Jul 31 || π fortnights | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 1 || one devil's spacewalk (666 orbits of the ISS) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 2 || 1 kilowatt-hour per watt | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 3 || e<sup>π</sup> Ionian months | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 4 || 30 rotations of Foucault's pendulum in Paris | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 5 || e fortnights | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 6 || π<sup>e</sup> baker's days (25 hours) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 7 || one deciyear | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 8 || 7! milliweeks | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 9 || 100,000 plays of the ''Jeopardy!'' "Think" music | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 10 || 1000 basketball games (game time) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 11 || 777 hours | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 12 || one millilincoln (1/1000 of fourscore and seven years) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 13 || 1,000 episodes of ''60 Minutes'' (skipping ads) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 14 || All of ''Star Trek'', consecutively | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 15 || 777,777 nanocenturies | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 16 || one sidereal lunar month | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 17 || 6 dog months | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 18 || π<sup>π</sup> kilominutes | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 19 || 7 games of ''7! minutes in Heaven'' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 20 || 50 viewings of the extended ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 21 || A drive from NYC to LA where you keep remembering new things you forgot and have to go back 6 times | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 22 || ''It's a Small World'' sung at 1/10,000th speed | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 23 || 500 hours | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 24 || √2 fortnights | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 25 || Time it would take Vanessa Carlton to walk 1,000 miles | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 26 || 100,000 breaths | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 27 || √2 megaseconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 28 || π<sup>π<sup>π</sup></sup> πcoseconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 29 || One baker's fortnight (15 days) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 30 || One baker's dozen (13) baker's days (25 hours) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Aug 31 || 300 hours | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 1 || One million seconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 2 || One nonstop bike ride from NYC to LA | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 3 || <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>1,000</sub>th of a generation | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 4 || 777,777 seconds | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 5 || 100 viewings of ''Groundhog Day'' | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 6 || 100 games of ''Lincoln Kissing'' (Fourscore and seven minutes in Heaven) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 7 || One pico-universe-lifetime | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 8 || The ''Baby Shark'' chorus for a family of 50,000 sharks | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 9 || One centiyear | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 10 || Cyndi Lauper's ''Time After Time'' played 1,000 times | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 11 || ''Speed'' (1994) played at one frame per second | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 12 || F(99) where F(N) means sing all the verses of ''N Bottles of Beer On the wall'' followed by F(N-1) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Sep 13 || ''What If? 2'' release day | ||
+ | |} | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Book promotion]] | [[Category:Book promotion]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]] | [[Category:Comics featuring real people]] | ||
[[Category:Songs]] | [[Category:Songs]] | ||
[[Category:Animals]] | [[Category:Animals]] | ||
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