Difference between revisions of "537: Ducklings"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Jump to: navigation, search
(adding ant mill)
(Put missing closed parentheses)
Line 12: Line 12:
 
[[Cueball]] scares the mother duck, so she starts running away, her children following her in a line. Then [[Megan]] snatches the mother duck, leaving the first duckling to start following the last duckling, causing the ducklings to walk in a loop. Hence the caption at the end - "Operation: Duckling Loop."
 
[[Cueball]] scares the mother duck, so she starts running away, her children following her in a line. Then [[Megan]] snatches the mother duck, leaving the first duckling to start following the last duckling, causing the ducklings to walk in a loop. Hence the caption at the end - "Operation: Duckling Loop."
  
This behavior occurs naturally in real life with creatures that are less smart than ducks, such as ants (the phenomenon is called an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_mill ant mill].
+
This behavior occurs naturally in real life with creatures that are less smart than ducks, such as ants (the phenomenon is called an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_mill ant mill]).
  
 
The title text refers to a meme called "Duckrolled", where one would post a link to [http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9ZqD3N_DuAvMnN9Pl5k4Km6HCdCFXCLs3Gi4uJhge1ytfG3_qUgNU4To a picture of a duck on wheels.] It became much more famous in its later incarnation as the {{w|Rickroll}}.
 
The title text refers to a meme called "Duckrolled", where one would post a link to [http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9ZqD3N_DuAvMnN9Pl5k4Km6HCdCFXCLs3Gi4uJhge1ytfG3_qUgNU4To a picture of a duck on wheels.] It became much more famous in its later incarnation as the {{w|Rickroll}}.

Revision as of 20:15, 17 April 2014

Ducklings
DUCKLOOP'D?
Title text: DUCKLOOP'D?

Explanation

The comic shows an elaborate, albeit useless, plan. The mother and her ducklings will always walk in a line. The ducklings will either follow their mother, or the duckling in front of them.

Cueball scares the mother duck, so she starts running away, her children following her in a line. Then Megan snatches the mother duck, leaving the first duckling to start following the last duckling, causing the ducklings to walk in a loop. Hence the caption at the end - "Operation: Duckling Loop."

This behavior occurs naturally in real life with creatures that are less smart than ducks, such as ants (the phenomenon is called an ant mill).

The title text refers to a meme called "Duckrolled", where one would post a link to a picture of a duck on wheels. It became much more famous in its later incarnation as the Rickroll.

Transcript

[A mother duck and her ducklings.]
Megan: Ready?
Cueball: Ready.
[The duck and ducklings move.]
Cueball: ROAR! BOO!
[The mother duck is frightened, and turns back. Her children follow.]
[Megan snatches the duck with a yoink.]
Duck: QUACK!
[The ducklings are now trapped in a circle of sorts.]
OPERATION: DUCKLING LOOP


comment.png add a comment! ⋅ comment.png add a topic (use sparingly)! ⋅ Icons-mini-action refresh blue.gif refresh comments!

Discussion

My idea is more of creating an endless loop. A duckling will always follow either it's mother or another duckling. By scaring the mother she turns around and you create the first part of the loop. If you take away the mother in the right moment, the first duckling will see the last duckling and follow it. So the loop is closed. After seeing this comic I really would like to test it in reality. But I think the sound of the mother will ruin everything (shout out warnings).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_mill 85.178.209.22 15:49, 21 September 2013 (UTC)

Why is it useless?108.162.225.11 16:08, 26 February 2015 (UTC)

tell us a practical use for this plan, then Just some random derp 02:31, 10 June 2015 (UTC)
Maybe it could be used to generate electricity? 162.158.180.113 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

I think the "duckloop'd" in the title text is a reference http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/D 108.162.237.22 15:49, 6 January 2017 (UTC)

who hasn't duck/rick rolled someone after looking at this comic? I did. -- Overlord of oddities (talk) 06:29, 24 January 2020 (please sign your comments with ~~~~)