1017: Backward in Time - Revision history

2A00:23C8:3309:F01:FB16:30FD:3CB8:209E: /* Explanation */ spelling

2026-03-10T08:18:42Z

‎Explanation: spelling

82.132.245.70: /* Explanation / One "from" must* be intended as "form". Lallement's machine barely enlarged the front wheel, but letting that go, just removing "like a tricycle, but not", as patently ridiculous+wrong (adult machines have three wheels all bike-sized)

2025-11-27T15:12:23Z

‎Explanation: One "from" *must* be intended as "form". Lallement's machine *barely* enlarged the front wheel, but letting that go, just removing "like a tricycle, but not", as patently ridiculous+wrong (adult machines have three wheels all bike-sized)

2603:7000:6100:F725:9D3A:8655:13F8:B44F: Changed "Emperor" to "King". Tarquinius Superbus was the last king of Rome, not emperor. He (if he ever existed) preceded the emperors by hundreds of years.

2025-11-27T12:30:58Z

Changed "Emperor" to "King". Tarquinius Superbus was the last king of Rome, not emperor. He (if he ever existed) preceded the emperors by hundreds of years.

FaviFake at 21:49, 17 August 2025

2025-08-17T21:49:17Z

Mathmaster at 21:42, 17 August 2025

2025-08-17T21:42:17Z

FaviFake at 20:50, 12 August 2025

2025-08-12T20:50:57Z

Mathmaster at 20:46, 12 August 2025

2025-08-12T20:46:37Z

162.158.216.216: /* Explanation */ The prior edit was... sufficiently wrong/anthropocentric. Redoing to encompass broader knowledge.

2025-05-05T20:11:55Z

‎Explanation: The prior edit was... sufficiently wrong/anthropocentric. Redoing to encompass broader knowledge.

DollarStoreBa'al at 18:41, 5 May 2025

2025-05-05T18:41:05Z

FaviFake at 18:29, 25 April 2025

2025-04-25T18:29:25Z

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 | Kim Jong-il Dies. || Kim Jong-il, the president of North Korea at the time, dies of a suspected heart attack. He is succeeded by Kim Jong-un.
 |-
-| US Leaves Iraq.   || Early 2003, the majority of Americans supported the {{w|2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraq Invasion}}. However, a little more than a year later the majority of Americans thought that the invasion was a mistake. Representative {{w|John Murtha}} introduced a resolution in 2005 for U.S. soldiers in Iraq to be "redeployed at the earliest practicable date" and the {{w|Republican Party (United States)|Republicans}} called for "the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately", however this was immmeditly shot down. A year later, another bill was shot down preposing a deadline for recalling soldiers. The House Majority Leader, {{w|John Boehner}}, argued that "achieving victory is our only option". A bill finally passed congress in 2007 that called for the removal of troops within the end of the year, however it was vetoed by {{w|George W. Bush|President Bush}}. In 2008 both the American and Iraqi governments signed the {{w|U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement}}. It stated that, by June 30th of the following year, American forces would withdraw from Iraqi cities and would be completely gone by 2012. On December 18, 2011, the very last 500 solders left Iraq.
+| US Leaves Iraq.   || Early 2003, the majority of Americans supported the {{w|2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraq Invasion}}. However, a little more than a year later the majority of Americans thought that the invasion was a mistake. Representative {{w|John Murtha}} introduced a resolution in 2005 for U.S. soldiers in Iraq to be "redeployed at the earliest practicable date" and the {{w|Republican Party (United States)|Republicans}} called for "the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately", however this was immediately shot down. A year later, another bill was shot down preposing a deadline for recalling soldiers. The House Majority Leader, {{w|John Boehner}}, argued that "achieving victory is our only option". A bill finally passed congress in 2007 that called for the removal of troops within the end of the year, however it was vetoed by {{w|George W. Bush|President Bush}}. In 2008 both the American and Iraqi governments signed the {{w|U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement}}. It stated that, by June 30th of the following year, American forces would withdraw from Iraqi cities and would be completely gone by 2012. On December 18, 2011, the very last 500 solders left Iraq.
 |-
 | 10% || September, 2011

@@ Line 61: / Line 61: @@
 | Rubber Vulcanized, || {{w|Vulcanization}} is when one heats and adds sulphur to rubber, usually {{w|Polyisoprene|polyisoprene}} (natural rubber) or {{w|Styrene-butadiene|SBR rubber}}. This helps its elasticity and improves its strength. Charles Goodyear was the inventor of vulcanization. In the early, 1800s tires quickly turned soft and sticky after they got hot (something that happens when you drive on them for miles at a time in warm weather). Charles Goodyear heated up the rubber to add various chemicals to the tires and, to his amazment, the process worked!! The strength of tire was thus improved. The only problem was that the improvement wasn't because of the chemicals but because of the heating. He would eventally learn this after dropping the rubber in a frying pan, watching the rubber not melt (as one would expect), but harden. Soon after, in 1844, he patented the process.
 |-
-| Bicycle Invented,  || Randell's {{w|timeline}} may be {{w|Error|wrong}} here. It could be {{w|Argument|argued}} that the {{w|1|first}} "{{w|Bicycle|bicycle}}" {{w|Name|called}} a {{w|Dandy horse|"dandy horse"}}, was {{w|Invention|invented}} in {{w|1817}} by {{w|Baron}} {{w|Karl Drais|Karl von Drais}}. However the dandy horse didn't have any {{w|Bicycle pedal|pedals}}, so another argument could be made that the {{w|Treadle bicycle|first bicycle}} was {{w|Creativity|created}} in {{w|1839}} by {{w|Kirkpatrick MacMillan}}. This bicycle didn't move by {{w|Angular momentum|spinning}} the pedals, but by {{w|Treadle|pumping them up and down}} ({{w|Similarity (geometry)|similar}} to a {{w|grindstone}} or {{w|antique}} {{w|sewing machine}}). The first time a {{w|Crank (mechanism)|mechanical crank}} was used was in the early {{w|1860}}s, when {{w|Pierre Michaux}} and {{w|Pierre Lallement}} {{w|Scaling (geometry)|enlarged}} the {{w|Direction (geometry)|front}} wheel and added the crank to that, like a very large two wheeled {{w|Tricycle|tricycle}}. In {{w|1869}} {{w|Thomas McCall (inventor)|Thomas McCall}} made a rear-wheel drive bicycle. On top of all that, the word bicycle wasn't used until {{w|1868}}, until then all bicycles (or not bicycles) were called {{w|velocipede}}. Around this time the {{w|French people|French}} vélocipède, made of {{w|iron}} and {{w|wood}}, turned into the "{{w|penny-farthing}}" (as it was later to be known) which was made from a {{w|steel}} from and {{w|Tire|rubber tires}}. The invention of the bicycle wasn't just one invention, but many small inventions made by people all around a {{w|continent}}.
+| Bicycle Invented,  || Randell's {{w|timeline}} may be {{w|Error|wrong}} here. It could be {{w|Argument|argued}} that the {{w|1|first}} "{{w|Bicycle|bicycle}}" {{w|Name|called}} a {{w|Dandy horse|"dandy horse"}}, was {{w|Invention|invented}} in {{w|1817}} by {{w|Baron}} {{w|Karl Drais|Karl von Drais}}. However the dandy horse didn't have any {{w|Bicycle pedal|pedals}}, so another argument could be made that the {{w|Treadle bicycle|first bicycle}} was {{w|Creativity|created}} in {{w|1839}} by {{w|Kirkpatrick MacMillan}}. This bicycle didn't move by {{w|Angular momentum|spinning}} the pedals, but by {{w|Treadle|pumping them up and down}} ({{w|Similarity (geometry)|similar}} to a {{w|grindstone}} or {{w|antique}} {{w|sewing machine}}). The first time a {{w|Crank (mechanism)|mechanical crank}} was used was in the early {{w|1860}}s, when {{w|Pierre Michaux}} and {{w|Pierre Lallement}} {{w|Scaling (geometry)|enlarged}} the {{w|Direction (geometry)|front}} wheel and added the crank to that. In {{w|1869}} {{w|Thomas McCall (inventor)|Thomas McCall}} made a rear-wheel drive bicycle. On top of all that, the word bicycle wasn't used until {{w|1868}}, until then all bicycles (or not bicycles) were called {{w|velocipede}}. Around this time the {{w|French people|French}} vélocipède, made of {{w|iron}} and {{w|wood}}, turned into the "{{w|penny-farthing}}" (as it was later to be known) which was made from a {{w|steel}} form and {{w|Tire|rubber tires}}. The invention of the bicycle wasn't just one invention, but many small inventions made by people all around a {{w|continent}}.
 |-
 | Wrench Patented    || The {{w|wrench}} was patented. The first wrench was created by Charles Moncky and was called the monkey wrench.

@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 |-
 | 60% || 405 AD
-| ''Not given in comic'' || The {{w|War of Radagaisus}} started. Radagaisus lead a group of about 100,000 men across the Alps into Rome. The three remaining {{w|Sibylline Books}} were burned. The Sibylline books were a series of nine prophesy books written by an old woman (it has never been found out who, but most likely a {{w|Cumaean Sibyl}}. It is said that they were offered to the last Emperor of Rome, {{w|Lucius Tarquinius Superbus}}, who refused to buy them twice, which resulted in three books getting burned for each denial. She then offered them back to the emperor for the same price and, at last, the Emperor bought them. The Roman Senate took control of the books and was extremely protective of them. The books were initially put under the care of two guardians, increasing to ten, then to fifteen. However, after eight centuries, a Roman General called {{w|Stilicho}} ordered them to be burned as they were being used to attack the government.
+| ''Not given in comic'' || The {{w|War of Radagaisus}} started. Radagaisus lead a group of about 100,000 men across the Alps into Rome. The three remaining {{w|Sibylline Books}} were burned. The Sibylline books were a series of nine prophesy books written by an old woman (it has never been found out who, but most likely a {{w|Cumaean Sibyl}}. It is said that they were offered to the last King of Rome, {{w|Lucius Tarquinius Superbus}}, who refused to buy them twice, which resulted in three books getting burned for each denial. She then offered them back to the emperor for the same price and, at last, the king bought them. The Roman Senate took control of the books and was extremely protective of them. The books were initially put under the care of two guardians, increasing to ten, then to fifteen. However, after eight centuries, a Roman General called {{w|Stilicho}} ordered them to be burned as they were being used to attack the government.
 |-
 | 70% || 22,000 Years Ago

@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 | rowspan="3" | 70.33% || rowspan="3" | 24,000 Years Ago
 | Caves Painted,        || This is around the time some cave paintings are from.
-|g
+|-
 | Ceramic Art Made.     || This is around the time the oldest known ceramics are from. The earliest known are the gravettian figurines.
 |-

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 ==Explanation==
 [[Cueball]]/[[Randall]] creates this formula which helps him wait for long stretches of time which goes increasingly faster into the past as more time goes by, which gives him the effect of looking like the time goes by quickly. Which assists in the waiting process.
@@ Line 55: / Line 54: @@
 | rowspan="3" | ''Not given in comic'' || The European Common Market is created.
 |-
-|                                         Khruschev gains control of the USSR.
+|                                         Khruschev gains control of the USSR after Stalin dies.
 |-
-|                                         The first American satellite, Explorer 1, is launched into orbit.
+|                                         The first American satellite, Explorer 1, is launched into orbit, after the Sputnik 1 and 2 were launched.
 |-
 | rowspan="3" | 47.91% || rowspan="3" | 1844
@@ Line 64: / Line 63: @@
 | Bicycle Invented,  || Randell's {{w|timeline}} may be {{w|Error|wrong}} here. It could be {{w|Argument|argued}} that the {{w|1|first}} "{{w|Bicycle|bicycle}}" {{w|Name|called}} a {{w|Dandy horse|"dandy horse"}}, was {{w|Invention|invented}} in {{w|1817}} by {{w|Baron}} {{w|Karl Drais|Karl von Drais}}. However the dandy horse didn't have any {{w|Bicycle pedal|pedals}}, so another argument could be made that the {{w|Treadle bicycle|first bicycle}} was {{w|Creativity|created}} in {{w|1839}} by {{w|Kirkpatrick MacMillan}}. This bicycle didn't move by {{w|Angular momentum|spinning}} the pedals, but by {{w|Treadle|pumping them up and down}} ({{w|Similarity (geometry)|similar}} to a {{w|grindstone}} or {{w|antique}} {{w|sewing machine}}). The first time a {{w|Crank (mechanism)|mechanical crank}} was used was in the early {{w|1860}}s, when {{w|Pierre Michaux}} and {{w|Pierre Lallement}} {{w|Scaling (geometry)|enlarged}} the {{w|Direction (geometry)|front}} wheel and added the crank to that, like a very large two wheeled {{w|Tricycle|tricycle}}. In {{w|1869}} {{w|Thomas McCall (inventor)|Thomas McCall}} made a rear-wheel drive bicycle. On top of all that, the word bicycle wasn't used until {{w|1868}}, until then all bicycles (or not bicycles) were called {{w|velocipede}}. Around this time the {{w|French people|French}} vélocipède, made of {{w|iron}} and {{w|wood}}, turned into the "{{w|penny-farthing}}" (as it was later to be known) which was made from a {{w|steel}} from and {{w|Tire|rubber tires}}. The invention of the bicycle wasn't just one invention, but many small inventions made by people all around a {{w|continent}}.
 |-
-| Wrench Patented    || The {{w|wrench}} was patented.
+| Wrench Patented    || The {{w|wrench}} was patented. The first wrench was created by Charles Moncky and was called the monkey wrench.
 |-
 | 50% || 1776
@@ Line 77: / Line 76: @@
 | rowspan="3" | 70.33% || rowspan="3" | 24,000 Years Ago
 | Caves Painted,        || This is around the time some cave paintings are from.
-|-
+|g
-| Ceramic Art Made.     || This is around the time the oldest known ceramics are from.
+| Ceramic Art Made.     || This is around the time the oldest known ceramics are from. The earliest known are the gravettian figurines.
 |-
 | Neanderthals Extinct. || As a distinct species, ''Homo neanderthalensis'' goes extinct for reasons {{w|Neanderthal#Extinction|not entirely understood}}. This eventually leaves ''Homo sapiens'' as the sole remaining human genus, albeit still with a quantifiable amount of {{w|Interbreeding between archaic and modern humans|Neanderthal ancestry}}.

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 | rowspan="2" | ''Not given in comic'' || {{w|O.J. Simpson}} was found liable for the deaths of {{W|Nicole Brown}} and {{w|Ronald Goldman}}. O.J. owed the two families $35.5 million. It is worth noting that after he was found liable, he refused to pay the money and did everything in his power to avoid giving them it. However the Goldmans eventally did end up with one of his assets, the rather scandalous book "If I Did It" (O.J. writing about HYPOTHETICALLY if he HAD killed them, how and why he'd have HYPOTHETICALLY killed them) which the Goldmans rebranded from "a ghost story", as O.J. put it, to "a confession of a killer".
 |-
-|                                         Princess Diana died in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/31/newsid_2510000/2510615.stm].
+|                                         Princess Diana died in a car crash [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/31/newsid_2510000/2510615.stm while being chased by paparazzi].
 |-
 | rowspan="2" | 31.12% || rowspan="2" | February 1995

@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 | Ceramic Art Made.     || This is around the time the oldest known ceramics are from.
 |-
-| Neanderthals Extinct. || ''Homo neanderthalensis'' goes extinct after being exterminated by the intellectually superior ''Homo sapiens''.
+| Neanderthals Extinct. || As a distinct species, ''Homo neanderthalensis'' goes extinct for reasons {{w|Neanderthal#Extinction|not entirely understood}}. This eventually leaves ''Homo sapiens'' as the sole remaining human genus, albeit still with a quantifiable amount of {{w|Interbreeding between archaic and modern humans|Neanderthal ancestry}}.
 |-
 | 80% || 671,000 Years Ago

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 The remaining adjustments are technical. The coefficient in front of p³ adjusts the constant by which the result will be multiplied while adding some constant to p, while it also roughly ensures that p=1 yields the lifetime of the universe. The 3 added to the product in the exponent further adjusts the actual values of the power without touching the slope (the multiplicative constant). In the parentheses, e³ is subtracted to put the time to 0 when p=0. Otherwise the function would start approx. 20 yrs and 1 month ago. For bigger p, this offset does not matter much. Imagine subtracting 20 yrs from the lifetime of the universe!
-Finally, the result is subtracted from the current date for aesthetical reasons. The formula could tell you "20 years ago", or it could read "February 1992". Randall decided the latter would be better. The punchline "Swoosh!" is about how fast the last few percents of Cueball's download happen in "such a rush". For most humans waiting for a download to complete tends to become really boring and progress would instead seem to get slower and slower.
+Finally, the result is subtracted from the current date for aesthetical reasons. The formula could tell you "20 years ago", or it could read "February 1992". Randall decided the latter would be better. The punchline "Swoosh!" is about how fast the last few percents of Cueball's download happen in "such a rush". For most humans waiting for a download to complete tends to become really boring and progress would instead seem to get slower and slower. The workout website mentioned initially, Fitocracy, has been mentioned previously in [[940: Oversight]].
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
@@ Line 98: / Line 98: @@
 | First stars ignite. || The first stars were born in this era.
 |}
 Note that as of the time that this page was last cached, the comic was uploaded at {{#expr:100*(((ln(({{#time:U}}-1329195600)/31536000+e^3)-3)/20.3444)^.5)}}% progress.