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We have an explanation for all 3321 xkcd comics, the 21 extra comics, and everything xkcd-related.
Only 67 explanations (2%) are incomplete. Help us finish them!


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Simulation
No matter what I initially open Universe Sandbox to do, I always end up just mashing planets together like a small child making toys kiss.
Title text: No matter what I initially open Universe Sandbox to do, I always end up just mashing planets together like a small child making toys kiss.

    Explanation

    Some people have speculated that Earth is actually a simulation, and we are living inside it. Universe Sandbox is a game that simulates the orbital paths of different planets, and the player can, as referenced in the comic, smash asteroids into Earth in this game. The comic plays on the meaning of "simulation". While most people think of a futuristic VR simulation (like the one in The Matrix) we’re trapped in, Randall speculates that any "higher beings" that could simulate Earth would be doing so in a similar context to Universe Sandbox, either to destroy the Earth for fun or otherwise test something else about it. Because most players will eventually resort to hitting Earth with asteroids, and Earth is not getting hit by obscene amounts of asteroids (at this time), this proves that Earth cannot be a simulation. Because if it were, the ones running the simulation cannot have resisted this method of continually disturbing or even destroying the Earth with asteroids.

    The title text describes Randall playing Universe Sandbox, comparing it with his behavior when he was little. To children (and also some adults, and especially particle physicists), smashing things together is immensely satisfying, so Randall inevitably would decide to just smash all the planets together for his enjoyment.

    Transcript

    [A graph showing "Cataclysmic asteroid impact rate" on the Y-axis, with an unlabeled X-axis. The Y-axis is labeled "Rare" at the bottom, with an arrow pointing up towards "Constant" at the top. A point on the graph, horizontally aligned with "Rare", is labeled "Real Earth". A box with whiskers is positioned slightly below "Constant", with a whisker above "Constant", and is labeled "Earth in the average install of Universe Sandbox". The box is directly above the point.]
    [Caption below the panel:]
    Evidence that we don't live in a simulation

             View comic discussion



    Edit this week's pick!

    This Week's Explanation for Improvement

    As part of the Explanation Improvement Project, each week the community selects one older, stagnant, or otherwise neglected explanation to expand and polish together. This week's pick is comic 1008: Suckville, you can help us by editing its explanation!

    To get involved with the project, you can also nominate an explanation that you think should be improved, or vote on current nominations!

    Suckville
    Suckville is considered by the Census Bureau to be part of the Detroit metropolitan statistical area, despite not being located anywhere near Detroit.
    Title text: Suckville is considered by the Census Bureau to be part of the Detroit metropolitan statistical area, despite not being located anywhere near Detroit.

      Explanation

      Welcome to This Week's Explanation for Improvement! Anyone is encouraged to help explain comic 1008: Suckville; click here to get started! If you are new to wiki editing, you can read our editing FAQ for guidance. Here are some suggestions for improving this explanation:

        We can elaborate on "ubiquitous signage you see along American roads"
        The "population: you" joke is poorly explained
        Does "SF-1 table P1" mean something, is it a reference?
        Explain why the city is considered to be part of the Detroit metropolitan statistical area


      Megan and Cueball are playing a card game (possibly Dominion) and Megan whips a common insult, a play on the word "suck" that adds a typical city name suffix to the end of it. Other variations are: "Losercity", "Lamesburg", etc.

      The phrase is originally based on the ubiquitous signage you see along American roads that say "Welcome to Town X — Population Y".

      The intention of the statement is to suggest "suckville" is inhabited solely by cueball, or in simpler terms, that he sucks at the game.

      Then, since Cueball one-ups Megan by indicating there is a city by that name, she can only resign herself to the fact that her smack talk did not work. Since Cueball knows where Suckville can be found in the census data, it's likely that he has received this insult in the past (maybe even from Megan) and searched through the census data to prepare a comeback for this time.

      The title text informs the reader that Suckville is classified as part of the Detroit area despite not being located there. Detroit, of course, is the quintessential example of a city so run down, it might as well really be named "Suckville", or include a district of that name. In fact, the city only recently (2013) declared itself bankrupt. (Fun fact: looking in the US Census Suckville is "corrected" to Saukville, Wisconsin, which is indeed not particularly close to Detroit, Michigan. However the population of Saukville in the 2010 census is given as 4451 for the village, and 1755 for the surrounding town municipality.)

      Transcript

      [Megan is kneeling on the floor, playing a card game.]
      Megan: Hah!
      Megan: Welcome to Suckville–population: You.
      [In a frame-less panel, Cueball is sitting on the floor opposite her, also playing the game.]
      Cueball: Why are you using 2000 census data?
      Cueball: That's an old figure.
      [Megan turns around from the game to look at her laptop, which is sitting on the floor behind her.]
      Megan: I couldn't find Suckville in the 2010 census.
      Cueball: Huh? It's right there in SF-1 table P1.
      Megan: Oh. So it is.
      [Megan turns back to Cueball, who is looking at his cards.]
      Megan: Well, then.
      Megan: Welcome to Suckville–population: 83.
      Cueball: Much better.

      Trivia

      In the third panel, Megan appears to have 3 arms and 4 legs. This may indicate a movement between the cards and the laptop or just a drawing error.


               View comic discussion

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