Editing 2418: Metacarcinization
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|Created by a HEAVILY OPTIMIZED CRAB. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
− | + | The comic strip opens with a conversation between [[White Hat]] and [[Cueball]] as they are walking together. White Hat asks Cueball if he has seen a video of a crow sledding on a roof -- presumably [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uXiAe7Oc-I this one], or one of its later viral reposts. In this case, the "crow" is a {{w|Western Jackdaw}}, a highly social member of the crow family (Corvidae). Cueball remarks that it's a cool example of {{w|tool use by animals}}, a sign of intelligence (which corvids, including crows, ravens, and [https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/brain-and-cognitive-sciences/9-20-animal-behavior-fall-2013/lecture-notes/MIT9_20F13_Lec4.pdf jackdaws], are famous for). He then points out that {{w|Tool use by sea otters|sea otters use tools}} too, namely using stones to crack open crab shells. | |
− | + | This in turn leads him to bring up the fact that the 'crab' body plan has evolved multiple times, a phenomenon known as {{w|carcinization}}, previously discussed in [[2314: Carcinization]]. In that strip, Cueball turned into a crab shortly after hearing about carcinization, so presumably White Hat will likewise be transformed momentarily. Then again, this is White Hat, so any transformation is likely to be delayed, mutated, or projected onto something else, perhaps one of his business ventures. | |
− | The | + | The caption is a joke that, much like natural life-forms have evolved into crab-like forms multiple independent times, so to do all of Cueball's (or Randall's) conversations evolve into a discussion of that evolutionary process. |
− | In the title text, Randall jokes that marine biologists have a similar tendency to bring up {{w|Whale fall|whalefall}} (or "whale fall") ecosystems, which arise whenever a whale's carcass falls onto the deep ocean floor | + | In the title text, Randall jokes that marine biologists have a similar tendency to bring up {{w|Whale fall|whalefall}} (or "whale fall") ecosystems, which arise whenever a whale's carcass falls onto the deep ocean floor. Such occurrences are relatively rare, perhaps occurring once every few miles on whale migration routes, but they happen anyway, much like conversations about them. Another example of scientists having a tendency to bring up facts from their field of study can be found at [[1610: Fire Ants]], and Randall often brings up the fact that birds evolved from dinosaurs. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[White Hat and Cueball are walking together. White Hat has his smartphone out in his hand. | + | :[White Hat and Cueball are walking together. White Hat has his smartphone out in his hand. |
:White Hat: Have you seen this video of a crow sledding on a roof? | :White Hat: Have you seen this video of a crow sledding on a roof? | ||
:Cueball: Yeah! It's always cool to see animals using tools. | :Cueball: Yeah! It's always cool to see animals using tools. |