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| − | ''Welcome to the | + | __NOTOC__{{DISPLAYTITLE:explain xkcd}} |
| + | <center> | ||
| + | <font size=5px>''Welcome to the '''explain [[xkcd]]''' wiki!''</font> | ||
| − | + | We have collaboratively explained [[:Category:Comics|'''{{#expr:{{PAGESINCAT:Comics}}-9}}''' xkcd comics]], | |
| + | <!-- Note: the -9 in the calculation above is to discount subcategories (there are 8 of them as of 2013-02-27), | ||
| + | as well as [[List of all comics]], which is obviously not a comic page. --> | ||
| + | and only {{#expr:{{LATESTCOMIC}}-({{PAGESINCAT:Comics}}-9)}} | ||
| + | ({{#expr: ({{LATESTCOMIC}}-({{PAGESINCAT:Comics}}-9)) / ({{PAGESINCAT:Comics}}-9) * 100 round 0}}%) | ||
| + | remain. '''[[Help:How to add a new comic explanation|Add yours]]''' while there's a chance! | ||
| + | </center> | ||
| + | == Latest comic == | ||
| + | <div style="border:1px solid grey; background:#eee; padding:1em;"> | ||
| + | <span style="float:right;">[[{{LATESTCOMIC}}|'''Go to this comic explanation''']]</span> | ||
| + | <br clear="right"> | ||
| + | {{:{{LATESTCOMIC}}}} | ||
| + | {{#ifexist:Talk:{{LATESTCOMIC}}|<h2>Discussion</h2> | ||
| + | {{Talk:{{LATESTCOMIC}}}} | ||
| + | }}</div> | ||
| − | + | <small>''Is this out of date? {{Purge|Clicking here will fix that}}.''</small> | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | == New here? == | |
| + | You can read a brief introduction about this wiki at [[explain xkcd]]. Feel free to sign up for an account and contribute to the wiki! We need explanations for comics, characters, themes, memes and everything in between. If it is referenced in an [[xkcd]] web comic, it should be here. | ||
| − | + | * If you're new to wikis like this, take a look at these help pages describing [[mw:Help:Navigation|how to navigate]] the wiki, and [[mw:Help:Editing pages|how to edit]] pages. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | * Discussion about various parts of the wiki is going on at [[Explain XKCD:Community portal]]. Share your 2¢! | |
| − | + | * [[List of all comics]] contains a complete table of all xkcd comics so far and the corresponding explanations. The red links ([[like this]]) are missing explanations. Feel free to help out by creating them! [[Help:How to add a new comic explanation|Here's how]]. | |
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== Rules == | == Rules == | ||
| − | Don't be a jerk. | + | Don't be a jerk. There are a lot of comics that don't have set in stone explanations; feel free to put multiple interpretations in the wiki page for each comic. |
| − | If you want to talk about a specific comic, | + | If you want to talk about a specific comic, use its discussion page. |
| − | Please only submit material directly related to | + | Please only submit material directly related to —and helping everyone better understand— xkcd... and of course ''only'' submit material that can legally be posted (and freely edited.) Off-topic or other inappropriate content is subject to removal or modification at admin discretion, and users who repeatedly post such content will be blocked. |
| − | If you | + | If you need assistance from an admin, feel free to leave a message on their personal discussion page. The list of admins is [[Special:ListUsers/sysop|here]]. |
| − | + | [[Category:Root category]] | |
Revision as of 05:35, 4 March 2013
Welcome to the explain xkcd wiki!
We have collaboratively explained Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ",". xkcd comics, and only Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ",". (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character ",".%) remain. Add yours while there's a chance!
Latest comic
| Combination Vision Test |
 Title text: If you see two numbers but they're both the same and you have to squint to read them, you have synesthesia, colorblindness, diplopia, and myopia. |
Explanation
There are two numbers embedded in the big circle of numbers, in a similar way to a common color perception test. But this test can not work for colors because it is just a Black and White picture. Nobody can see it. But at this point the joke is just starting:
The numbers are four and two, forming the number 42, which is the famous “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything”, according to the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
The number 4 is formed by digits 2, 3, 5 and 7, which are the only prime numbers in the range 0–9. The number 2 is formed by digits 3, 5, 7 and 9, apparently all odd numbers in the range 0–9, except for 1.
A normal person does not readily see the big numbers, obviously. However, there is a neurological condition called synesthesia, in which perception in one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. Common examples are experiencing colors when seeing numbers or words, hearing tones or music while reading words or text, seeing sequences of numbers or month names in a distinct and fixed shape, etc. If we give some numbers a color, such as how a person with number to color synesthesia would see it, we get this:
The comic playfully suggests that if you have synesthesia as well as colorblindness, then some of the colors might appear identical and so one number would not be visible, only leaving the other number.
The alt-text brings in two more conditions: diplopia, or double vision, and myopia, or near-sightedness. Those who are near-sighted sometimes see distant objects more clearly while squinting. Then they would be able to see the one large number still visible from the synesthesia/colorblindness combination, but because of double vision they see a second copy of it, hence two numbers that are the same.
Since each number would appear in a different color with synesthesia (unlike above where 2,3,5,7,9 are all the same color), the following image better demonstrates how the image might appear to some viewers.
Transcript
- Combination Vision Test
- a circle filled with several hundred numeric digits
- If you can see one big number but not the other, you have synesthesia and colorblindness.
Is this out of date? .
New here?
You can read a brief introduction about this wiki at explain xkcd. Feel free to sign up for an account and contribute to the wiki! We need explanations for comics, characters, themes, memes and everything in between. If it is referenced in an xkcd web comic, it should be here.
- If you're new to wikis like this, take a look at these help pages describing how to navigate the wiki, and how to edit pages.
- Discussion about various parts of the wiki is going on at Explain XKCD:Community portal. Share your 2¢!
- List of all comics contains a complete table of all xkcd comics so far and the corresponding explanations. The red links (like this) are missing explanations. Feel free to help out by creating them! Here's how.
Rules
Don't be a jerk. There are a lot of comics that don't have set in stone explanations; feel free to put multiple interpretations in the wiki page for each comic.
If you want to talk about a specific comic, use its discussion page.
Please only submit material directly related to —and helping everyone better understand— xkcd... and of course only submit material that can legally be posted (and freely edited.) Off-topic or other inappropriate content is subject to removal or modification at admin discretion, and users who repeatedly post such content will be blocked.
If you need assistance from an admin, feel free to leave a message on their personal discussion page. The list of admins is here.
