2523: Endangered - Revision history

1234231587678 at 20:01, 16 December 2025

2025-12-16T20:01:07Z

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

2024-11-18T10:07:44Z

‎Explanation

162.158.106.39: Removed "harmful" from phrase "harmful pathogen" as pathogen implies a disease causing agent.

2024-10-08T06:39:48Z

Removed "harmful" from phrase "harmful pathogen" as pathogen implies a disease causing agent.

Davidy22: Reverted edits by Explain xkcd server admin (talk) to last revision by Theusaf

2022-05-21T02:52:57Z

Reverted edits by Explain xkcd server admin (talk) to last revision by Theusaf

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Explain xkcd server admin at 23:53, 20 May 2022

2022-05-20T23:53:19Z

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Theusaf: Reverted edits by 👖🔥 (talk) to last revision by Jacky720

2022-05-11T18:47:20Z

Reverted edits by 👖🔥 (talk) to last revision by Jacky720

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👖🔥 at 17:30, 11 May 2022

2022-05-11T17:30:06Z

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Jacky720: rv

2022-05-04T23:36:01Z

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Ex Kay Cee Dee at 23:35, 4 May 2022

2022-05-04T23:35:58Z

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Jacky720: rv

2022-05-04T23:25:25Z

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 The {{w|endangered species}} list (also known as the {{w|IUCN Red List}}) is a system for categorizing species based on "level of extinction". This list is primarily focused on macroscopic organisms such as animals and plants, as it is these organisms whose extinction is easiest to quantify, and on which most conservation efforts focus. Generally, it is a serious concern when a species is listed on the endangered species list, as this indicates its extinction could be at hand. [[Ponytail]], [[Cueball]], and [[Megan]] in this comic are scientists who maintain an endangered species list of microscopic pathogens. People generally want pathogens and parasites to go extinct,{{citation needed}} unlike harmless plants and animals, so each species added to the pathogen endangered species list is a cause for celebration rather than concern, and the characters in the comic indulge in this celebration by sarcastically pretending to be upset about the potential for pathogen extinction, while in reality being excited about the possibility.
-The title text mentions some of the species on the list, including {{w|polio}} and {{w|Dracunculiasis|Guinea worm disease}} - diseases that have historically sickened and killed many people but are currently being {{w|Eradication of infectious diseases|eradicated due to worldwide efforts}} - the former, famously, through vaccination, and the latter through education and prevention techniques. As their eradication proceeds, they become more and more endangered of extinction, and thus earn their place on the list. The title also mentions a much less important pathogen, namely a certain strain of an {{w|enterovirus}}, also known as a stomach flu, which unlike polio and guinea worm is likely only to cause temporary discomfort, not death or long-term disability, in infected people. However, the strain in question infected every member of the lab maintaining the list, and as a result of their personal negative experience with it, and the spiteful feelings that resulted from that experience, the characters will celebrate its extinction as much as that of polio, and have accordingly added it to the list. (A similar revenge-based public health policy to combat [[:Category:COVID-19|SARS-CoV-2]] was discussed in [[2448]].)
+The title text mentions some of the species on the list, including {{w|polio}} and {{w|Dracunculiasis|Guinea worm disease}} - diseases that have historically sickened and killed many people but are currently being {{w|Eradication of infectious diseases|eradicated due to worldwide efforts}} - the former, famously, through vaccination, and the latter through education and prevention techniques. As their eradication proceeds, they become more and more endangered of extinction, and thus earn their place on the list. The title also mentions a much less important pathogen, namely a certain strain of an {{w|enterovirus}}, also known as a stomach flu, which unlike polio and guinea worm is likely only to cause temporary discomfort, not death or long-term disability, in infected people. However, the strain in question infected every member of the lab maintaining the list, and as a result of their personal negative experience with it, and the spiteful feelings that resulted from that experience, the characters will celebrate its extinction as much as that of polio, and have accordingly added it to the list. (A similar revenge-based public health policy to combat [[:Category:COVID-19|SARS-CoV-2]] was discussed in [[2448: Eradication]].)
 Randall was most likely inspired by [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-021-00642-4 this article] about different {{w|influenza}} strains. Influenza causes the yearly flu, which infects 5–15% of the global population annually and causes 3-5 million severe cases worldwide.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 The {{w|endangered species}} list (also known as the {{w|IUCN Red List}}) is a system for categorizing species based on "level of extinction". This list is primarily focused on macroscopic organisms such as animals and plants, as it is these organisms whose extinction is easiest to quantify, and on which most conservation efforts focus. Generally, it is a serious concern when a species is listed on the endangered species list, as this indicates its extinction could be at hand. [[Ponytail]], [[Cueball]], and [[Megan]] in this comic are scientists who maintain an endangered species list of microscopic pathogens. People generally want pathogens and parasites to go extinct,{{citation needed}} unlike harmless plants and animals, so each species added to the pathogen endangered species list is a cause for celebration rather than concern, and the characters in the comic indulge in this celebration by sarcastically pretending to be upset about the potential for pathogen extinction, while in reality being excited about the possibility.
-The title text mentions some of the species on the list, including {{w|polio}} and {{w|Dracunculiasis|Guinea worm disease}} - diseases that have historically sickened and killed many people but are currently being {{w|Eradication of infectious diseases|eradicated due to worldwide efforts}} - the former, famously, through vaccination, and the latter through education and prevention techniques. As their eradication proceeds, they become more and more endangered of extinction, and thus earn their place on the list. The title also mentions a much less important pathogen, namely a certain strain of an {{w|enterovirus}}, also known as a stomach flu, which unlike polio and guinea worm is likely only to cause temporary discomfort, not death or long-term disability, in infected people. However, the strain in question infected every member of the lab maintaining the list, and as a result of their personal negative experience with it, and the spiteful feelings that resulted from that experience, the characters will celebrate its extinction as much as that of polio, and have accordingly added it to the list.
+The title text mentions some of the species on the list, including {{w|polio}} and {{w|Dracunculiasis|Guinea worm disease}} - diseases that have historically sickened and killed many people but are currently being {{w|Eradication of infectious diseases|eradicated due to worldwide efforts}} - the former, famously, through vaccination, and the latter through education and prevention techniques. As their eradication proceeds, they become more and more endangered of extinction, and thus earn their place on the list. The title also mentions a much less important pathogen, namely a certain strain of an {{w|enterovirus}}, also known as a stomach flu, which unlike polio and guinea worm is likely only to cause temporary discomfort, not death or long-term disability, in infected people. However, the strain in question infected every member of the lab maintaining the list, and as a result of their personal negative experience with it, and the spiteful feelings that resulted from that experience, the characters will celebrate its extinction as much as that of polio, and have accordingly added it to the list. (A similar revenge-based public health policy to combat [[:Category:COVID-19|SARS-CoV-2]] was discussed in [[2448]].)
 Randall was most likely inspired by [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-021-00642-4 this article] about different {{w|influenza}} strains. Influenza causes the yearly flu, which infects 5–15% of the global population annually and causes 3-5 million severe cases worldwide.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-The {{w|endangered species}} list (also known as the {{w|IUCN Red List}}) is a system for categorizing species based on "level of extinction". This list is primarily focused on macroscopic organisms such as animals and plants, as it is these organisms whose extinction is easiest to quantify, and on which most conservation efforts focus. Generally, it is a serious concern when a species is listed on the endangered species list, as this indicates its extinction could be at hand. [[Ponytail]], [[Cueball]], and [[Megan]] in this comic are scientists who maintain an endangered species list of microscopic pathogens. People generally want harmful pathogens and parasites to go extinct,{{citation needed}} unlike harmless plants and animals, so each species added to the pathogen endangered species list is a cause for celebration rather than concern, and the characters in the comic indulge in this celebration by sarcastically pretending to be upset about the potential for pathogen extinction, while in reality being excited about the possibility.
+The {{w|endangered species}} list (also known as the {{w|IUCN Red List}}) is a system for categorizing species based on "level of extinction". This list is primarily focused on macroscopic organisms such as animals and plants, as it is these organisms whose extinction is easiest to quantify, and on which most conservation efforts focus. Generally, it is a serious concern when a species is listed on the endangered species list, as this indicates its extinction could be at hand. [[Ponytail]], [[Cueball]], and [[Megan]] in this comic are scientists who maintain an endangered species list of microscopic pathogens. People generally want pathogens and parasites to go extinct,{{citation needed}} unlike harmless plants and animals, so each species added to the pathogen endangered species list is a cause for celebration rather than concern, and the characters in the comic indulge in this celebration by sarcastically pretending to be upset about the potential for pathogen extinction, while in reality being excited about the possibility.
 The title text mentions some of the species on the list, including {{w|polio}} and {{w|Dracunculiasis|Guinea worm disease}} - diseases that have historically sickened and killed many people but are currently being {{w|Eradication of infectious diseases|eradicated due to worldwide efforts}} - the former, famously, through vaccination, and the latter through education and prevention techniques. As their eradication proceeds, they become more and more endangered of extinction, and thus earn their place on the list. The title also mentions a much less important pathogen, namely a certain strain of an {{w|enterovirus}}, also known as a stomach flu, which unlike polio and guinea worm is likely only to cause temporary discomfort, not death or long-term disability, in infected people. However, the strain in question infected every member of the lab maintaining the list, and as a result of their personal negative experience with it, and the spiteful feelings that resulted from that experience, the characters will celebrate its extinction as much as that of polio, and have accordingly added it to the list.