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| number    = 485
 
| number    = 485
 
| date      = October 6, 2008
 
| date      = October 6, 2008
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| before    = [[#Explanation|↓ Skip to explanation ↓]]
 
 
| title    = Depth
 
| title    = Depth
 
| image    = depth.png
 
| image    = depth.png
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Here's a walk through the entire comic:
 
Here's a walk through the entire comic:
  
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* At the top, we see a cutaway view of a story apartment complex. From left to right, different activities can be seen in the apartments; [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] playing in a ball pit, Megan {{w|exorcising}} {{w|Windows Vista}}, [[Ponytail]] and Megan playing ''{{w|Guitar Hero}}'' or a similar game, Cueball at a desk, and what appear to be some sexytimes.
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* At the top we see a cutaway view of a story apartment complex. From left to right are a reference to [[150: Grownups]], [[Megan]] {{w|exorcising}} {{w|Windows Vista}}, [[Ponytail]] and Megan playing {{w|Guitar Hero}} or a similar game, [[Cueball]] at a desk, and what appear to be some sexytimes.
 
* The view descends into Cueball's tower PC.
 
* The view descends into Cueball's tower PC.
 
* Entering the computer's internals, we see a mouse plugged into the PS/2 (6-pin mini-DIN) connector. This is a visual pun, since the mouse is an actual rodent and not a handheld device.
 
* Entering the computer's internals, we see a mouse plugged into the PS/2 (6-pin mini-DIN) connector. This is a visual pun, since the mouse is an actual rodent and not a handheld device.
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* Next, we dive into the CPU. We see a multi-layered pun on the question "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" There may be a pun with a chip's connector pin, but the more obvious reference is Randall's answer of 32,767 = 2<sup>15</sup> - 1, the largest possible value of a signed 16-bit integer. Adding one rolls back over to -32,768, which is 32,768 devils or "negative angels." (See [[571: Can't Sleep]] for a similar joke and a more elaborate explanation.)
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* Next we dive into the CPU. We see a multi-layered pun on the question "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" There may be a pun with a chip's connector pin, but the more obvious reference is Randall's answer of 32,767 = 2<sup>15</sup> - 1, the largest possible value of a signed 16-bit integer. Adding one rolls back over to -32,768, which is 32,768 devils or "negative angels." (See [[571: Can't Sleep]] for a similar joke and a more elaborate explanation.)
 
* A blood-sucking mosquito appears to be "leeching" a torrent.
 
* A blood-sucking mosquito appears to be "leeching" a torrent.
 
* A {{w|segfault}} is a problem with memory access.
 
* A {{w|segfault}} is a problem with memory access.
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* {{w|Dust mite}}s are small arachnids that feed on house dust and are known to cause allergies.  {{w|Rust mite}}s are very small mites that live on plants and cause discoloration of leaves and fruit, or small galls.
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* We zoom into a memory unit on the CPU. Cueball is being {{w|rickrolled}}, as indicated by the label "pixel on Rick Astley's shoulder."
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* We zoom in on a memory unit on the CPU. Cueball is being {{w|rickrolled}}, as indicated by the label "pixel on {{w|Rick Astley|Rick Astley's}} shoulder."
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* A "fork();" command points at one of several unlabeled spermatazoa. Forking and sperm are capable of spawning "child processes." Groan.
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* A "fork();" command points at one of several unlabeled spermatazoa. Forking and sperm are capable of spawning "child processes."
 
 
* {{w|Peter Norton}} is the founder of {{w|Norton Antivirus}}. He is shown fighting a biological virus, rather than informatic malware.
 
* {{w|Peter Norton}} is the founder of {{w|Norton Antivirus}}. He is shown fighting a biological virus, rather than informatic malware.
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* Showing the relative scale of {{w|carbon nanotubes}}, the suggestion is that these then lead on to a more megastructural {{w|Space Elevator}}, for which carbon nanotubes are often cited as a suitably strong component needed for the cable.
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* Showing the relative scale of carbon nanotubes, the suggestion is that these then lead on to a more megastructural Space Elevator, for which carbon nanotubes are often cited as a suitably strong component needed for the cable.
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* We soon zoom in on a silicon atom in the CPU. In the {{w|electron cloud}}, the squiggles made out of arrows are {{w|Feynman diagram}}s. A Feynman diagram in the shape of a stick figure is saying "Sup?", a pun on the "Sup" particle (supersymmetric partner 'squark' to the Up quark) and an abbreviation of the greeting "What's up?"
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* We soon zoom into a silicon atom in the CPU. In the {{w|electron cloud}}, the squiggles made out of arrows are {{w|Feynman diagram}}s. A Feynman diagram in the shape of a stick figure is saying "Sup?", a pun on the "Sup" particle (supersymmetric partner 'squark' to the Up quark) and an abbreviation of the greeting "What's up?."
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* An 'iPod Femto' is shown, as a pun on the '{{w|iPod Nano}}' (both are {{w|SI prefixes}}), both of which refer to units far smaller than any iPod that has ever, or likely will ever, be created.
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* An 'iPod Femto' is shown, as a pun on the 'iPod Nano' (both are {{w|SI prefixes}}).
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* {{w|Brian Greene}} is a theoretical physicist and {{w|Popular science|pop scientist}} who discusses the nature of the universe. The picture of him knitting is a pun on {{w|string theory}} and PBS miniseries, {{w|The Fabric of the Cosmos}}.  The term 'knitting furiously' shows up in the 1857 Volume 14, page 46 of {{w|The Monthly Packet}}. Furthermore, Greene doing something furiously references "{{w|Colorless green ideas sleep furiously}}", a correctly-formulated sentence that nonetheless conveys no meaning or logic.
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* Brian Greene is a theoretical physicist and {{w|Popular science|pop scientist}} who discusses the nature of the universe. The picture of him knitting is a pun on {{w|string theory}} and PBS miniseries, {{w|The Fabric of the Cosmos}}.
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* The {{w|Planck length}} (<big>ℓ</big><sub>P</sub>) is the smallest theoretically measurable distance, defined by three fundamental constants in physics: the {{w|speed of light}} in a vacuum (c), {{w|Planck constant|Planck's constant}} (h), and the {{w|gravitational constant}} (G). The Planck length is vastly smaller than any known particle that isn't a point mass, and modern physics is a long way from being able to investigate such a scale.
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* The {{w|Planck length}} (<big>ℓ</big><sub>P</sub>) is the smallest theoretically measurable distance, defined by three fundamental constants in physics: the {{w|speed of light}} in a vacuum (c), {{w|Planck constant|Planck's constant}} (h), and the {{w|gravitational constant}} (G). The Planck length is vastly smaller than any known particle, and modern physics is a long way from being able investigate such a scale.
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 +
[[1162: Log Scale]] and [[482: Height]] are other comics about the use of log scales.
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:Megan using witchcraft to ban vista "Out, Vista!"
 
:Megan using witchcraft to ban vista "Out, Vista!"
 
:Ponytail and Megan play Rock Band  
 
:Ponytail and Megan play Rock Band  
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:A couple is having sex under the cover in bed.
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:Man and woman are having "fun" on a shaking bed.
 
:[Below this series of images, an image of a man on the computer.]
 
:[Below this series of images, an image of a man on the computer.]
 
:Cueball is on a computer and the image expands as it goes down. Here are the labels from left to right, up to down:
 
:Cueball is on a computer and the image expands as it goes down. Here are the labels from left to right, up to down:
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:OVUM
 
:OVUM
 
:Data (a pixel on Rick Astley's shoulder), rust mite, fork();
 
:Data (a pixel on Rick Astley's shoulder), rust mite, fork();
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:Peter Norton fighting a bacteriophage
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:Peter Norton fighting a baxteriophage
 
:memory
 
:memory
 
:carbon nanotubes
 
:carbon nanotubes
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:silicon nucleus
 
:silicon nucleus
 
:IPod femto
 
:IPod femto
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:Brian Greene knitting furiously [next to his knitting needles there is text saying ''clink, clink'']
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:Brian Greene knitting furiously ''clank, clunk''
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==Trivia==
 
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*The ballpit inside the apartment is a reference to [[150: Grownups]], in which Megan filled her apartment with playpen balls.
 
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*The structure next to the couple in bed could be an elliptical dish to increase the sound from their [[Loud Sex]].
 
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*[[1162: Log Scale]] and [[482: Height]] are other comics about the use of log scales.
 
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*[[271: Powers of One]] mocks the concept of getting cool effects by zooming in/out by, instead of a log scale, using powers of one.
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Large drawings]]
 
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[[Category:Illustrations of scale]]
 
 
[[Category:Charts]]
 
[[Category:Charts]]
 
[[Category:Physics]]
 
[[Category:Physics]]
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[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
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[[Category:Rhythm Games]]
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[[Category:Guitar Hero]]
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[[category:Sex]]
 

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