explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2036: Edgelord

2018-08-22T14:28:03Z

172.69.226.119:

Presumably has something to do with https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=edgelord
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.129|173.245.48.129]] 04:37, 22 August 2018 (UTC)

What is up with the wolverine? Am I missing a joke here? Possibly a reference somewhere else? {{unsigned ip|172.68.34.106}}
: That is a reference to Wolverine, the Marvel Comics character, who has retractable "claws" stowed in his forearms and come out the back of his hands. The claws of an actual wolverine, like others in the family Mustelidae, are permanently extended. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 12:41, 22 August 2018 (UTC)
: It seems to me like the Wolverine thing is almost a non sequitur. I think a better comparison would be "like calling an engineering student a 'forcelord'" or "calling an astronomy PhD a 'Starlord'", or a pharmacologist a 'Druglord'. -- [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 13:02, 22 August 2018 (UTC)
:: Agree. Update made.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.90|172.68.65.90]] 13:19, 22 August 2018 (UTC)

If you are actually an "edgelord", wouldn't you answer "no" anyway to provoke once again? [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 08:40, 22 August 2018 (UTC)

I feel like there should be some discussion of what an edge (or hyper-edge) is in graph theory. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.165.22|162.158.165.22]] 10:20, 22 August 2018 (UTC)

Good that he doesn't call his plumber a shitlord. Might need one again. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.54.75|172.69.54.75]] 11:54, 22 August 2018 (UTC)

So... is the joke just a half-working pun on "edge", or am I missing something? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.226.119|172.69.226.119]] 14:28, 22 August 2018 (UTC)

2034: Equations

2018-08-17T08:53:52Z

172.69.226.119:

{{comic
| number = 2034
| date = August 17, 2018
| title = Equations
| image = equations.png
| titletext = All electromagnetic equations: The same as all fluid dynamics equations, but with the 8 and 23 replaced with the permittivity and permeability of free , respectively.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EQUATION - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:20%"|Equation
!style="width:20%"|Field
!style="width:60%"|Explanation
|-
|<math>E = K_0t + \frac{1}{2}\rho vt^2</math>
|All kinematics equations
|Energy equals a constant <math>K_0</math> multiplied by time plus half of density multiplied by speed multiplied by time squared
|-
|<math>K_n = \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{\pi=0}^{\infty}(n-\pi)(i-e^{\pi-\infty})</math>
|All number theory equations
|Taken literal the equation says: "The nth K-number is equal to for all i in 0 to infinity, for all pi in 0 to infinity; subtract pi from n and multiply it with i minus e (to the power of pi minus infinity)". A twofold misconception can be seen here. The first is the reassignment of pi as a variable instead of the constant (3.14). This might be a jab at how in number theory letters and numbers are used interchangeably, but where some letters are all of a sudden fixed constants. The second misconception is the use of infinity in the latter part of the formula. Naively this would signify that (with the reassigned pi values) the part in the power would range from minus infinity to zero. However infinity is not a number and cannot be used as one without using a limit construct.
|-
|<math>\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\nabla\cdot p = \frac{8}{23}

\int\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\bigcirc\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\int
\rho\,ds\,dt\cdot \rho\frac{\partial}{\partial\nabla}
</math>
|All fluid dynamic equations
|-
|<math>|\psi_{x,y}\rangle = A(\psi) A(|x\rangle \otimes |y\rangle)</math>
|All quantum mechanic equations
|
|-
|<math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + \mathrm{OH} + \mathrm{HEAT} \rightarrow \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CH}_2 + \mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{EAT}</math>
|All chemistry equations
| A modification of the combustion of methane. The correct form is often taught and a good example problem but obviously there are more chemistry problems.<math>\mathrm{HEAT}</math> is normally shorthand for {{w|activation energy}}, but in Randall's version it's jokingly used as a chemical ingredient and becomes <math>\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{EAT}</math>, taking the hydrogen atom freed by the combustion equation shown. To deliver the punchline while maintaining proper stoichiometry, <math>\mathrm{OH}</math> (which should be <math>\mathrm{OH}^-</math>, since the oxygen keeps a free electron when it combines with a single hydrogen) is shown instead of <math>\mathrm{O}_2</math>. The proper methane combustion equation would be: <math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + 2 \mathrm{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CO}_2</math>
|-
|<math>SU(2)U(1) \times SU\left(U(2)\right)</math>
|All quantum gravity equations
|This equation seems to refer to the unified theory of gravity and quanta theory, that is one of the most search goal of current physic. SU can be a reference to Unix command to take super-administrator power, it would mean 2 roots (or persons) are separatly one and a couple of roots (or persons) are super-administrator, like the <math>1 + 1 \rightarrow 3</math>
|-
|<math>S_g = \frac{-1}{2\bar{\epsilon}}i\eth \hat{\big(} \zeta_0 \dotplus p_\epsilon \rho_v^{abc}\cdot \eta_0 \hat{\big)} f_a^0 a\lambda(\xi) \psi(0_a)</math> 
|All gauge theory equations
|
|-
|<math>H(t) + \Omega + G \cdot \Lambda \, \dots \begin{cases} \dots > 0 & \text{(HUBBLE MODEL)} \\ \dots = 0 & \text{(FLAT SPHERE MODEL)} \\ \dots < 0 & \text{(BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL)} \end{cases}
</math>
|All cosmology equations
|
|-
|<math>\hat H - u_{0} = 0</math>
|All truly deep physics equations
|<math>\hat H</math> is the hamiltonian operator, which when applied to a system returns the total energy. In this context U would usually be the potential energy. However there is also a subscript 0 and a diacritic making indicating some other variable. Much of physics is based on Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. The Lagrangian is defined as <math>\hat L = \hat K - \hat U </math> with K being the kinetic energy and U the potential. Hamiltonian mechanics uses the equation <math>\hat H = \hat K + \hat U </math>. The Hamiltonian must be conserved so taking the time derivative and setting it equal to zero is a powerful tool. The principle of least action says allows most modern physics to be derived by setting the time derivative of the Lagrangian to zero.
|-

|<math>\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\nabla\cdot p = \frac{\epsilon_0}{\mu_0}
\int\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\bigcirc\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\int
\rho\,ds\,dt\cdot \rho\frac{\partial}{\partial\nabla}
</math>
|All electromagnetic equations
|This equation has superficial resemblance to portions of [//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations Maxwell's Equations], but just miscellaneous bits, some from the integral forms and some from the differential forms.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[TODO: Avoid using math markup here because the images of these equations isn't helpful in a transcript. Sigh.]
[Nine equations are listed and labeled as followed:]
 
E = K0t + 1/2 pvt2 
ALL KINEMATICS EQUATIONS 
 
<math>K_n = \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{\pi=0}^{\infty}(n-\pi)(i-e^{\pi-\infty})</math> 
ALL NUMBER THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
∂/∂t ∇ ⋅ p = 8/23 (∯ ρ ds dt ⋅ ρ ∂/∂∇) 
ALL FLUID DYNAMIC EQUATIONS 
 
<math>|\psi_{x,y}\rangle = A(\psi) A(|x\rangle \otimes |y\rangle)</math> 
ALL QUANTUM MECHANIC EQUATIONS 
 
CH4 + OH + HEAT → H2O + CH2 + H2EAT 
ALL CHEMISTRY EQUATIONS 
 
SU(2)U(1) × SU(U(2)) 
ALL QUANTUM GRAVITY EQUATIONS 
 
<math>S_g = \frac{-1}{2\epsilon}i\eth \hat{\big(} \zeta_0 \dotplus p_\epsilon \rho_v^{abc}\cdot \eta_0 \hat{\big)} f_a^0 a\lambda(\zeta) \psi(0_a)</math> 
ALL GAUGE THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
<math>H(t) + \Omega + G \cdot \land \, ... \begin{cases} ... > 0 & \text{(HUBBLE MODEL)} \\ ... = 0 & \text{(FLAT SPHERE MODEL)} \\ ... < 0 & \text{(BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL)} \end{cases}
</math> 
ALL COSMOLOGY EQUATIONS 
 
Ĥ - u̧0 = 0 
ALL TRULY DEEP PHYSICS EQUATIONS
 

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Math]]

2034: Equations

2018-08-17T08:52:27Z

172.69.226.119:

{{comic
| number = 2034
| date = August 17, 2018
| title = Equations
| image = equations.png
| titletext = All electromagnetic equations: The same as all fluid dynamics equations, but with the 8 and 23 replaced with the permittivity and permeability of free , respectively.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EQUATION - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:20%"|Equation
!style="width:20%"|Field
!style="width:60%"|Explanation
|-
|<math>E = K_0t + \frac{1}{2}\rho vt^2</math>
|All kinematics equations
|Energy equals a constant <math>K_0</math> multiplied by time plus half of density multiplied by speed multiplied by time squared
|-
|<math>K_n = \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{\pi=0}^{\infty}(n-\pi)(i-e^{\pi-\infty})</math>
|All number theory equations
|Taken literal the equation says: "The nth K-number is equal to for all i in 0 to infinity, for all pi in 0 to infinity; subtract pi from n and multiply it with i minus e (to the power of pi minus infinity)". A twofold misconception can be seen here. The first is the reassignment of pi as a variable instead of the constant (3.14). This might be a jab at how in number theory letters and numbers are used interchangeably, but where some letters are all of a sudden fixed constants. The second misconception is the use of infinity in the latter part of the formula. Naively this would signify that (with the reassigned pi values) the part in the power would range from minus infinity to zero. However infinity is not a number and cannot be used as one without using a limit construct.
|-
|<math>\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\nabla\cdot p = \frac{8}{23}

\int\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\bigcirc\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\int
\rho\,ds\,dt\cdot \rho\frac{\partial}{\partial\nabla}
</math>
|All fluid dynamic equations
|-
|<math>|\psi_{x,y}\rangle = A(\psi) A(|x\rangle \otimes |y\rangle)</math>
|All quantum mechanic equations
|
|-
|<math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + \mathrm{OH} + \mathrm{HEAT} \rightarrow \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CH}_2 + \mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{EAT}</math>
|All chemistry equations
| A modification of the combustion of methane. The correct form is often taught and a good example problem but obviously there are more chemistry problems.<math>\mathrm{HEAT}</math> is normally shorthand for {{w|activation energy}}, but in Randall's version it's jokingly used as a chemical ingredient and becomes <math>\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{EAT}</math>, taking the hydrogen atom freed by the combustion equation shown. To deliver the punchline while maintaining proper stoichiometry, <math>\mathrm{OH}</math> (which should be <math>\mathrm{OH}^-</math>, since the oxygen keeps a free electron when it combines with a single hydrogen) is shown instead of <math>\mathrm{O}_2</math>. The proper methane combustion equation would be: <math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + 2 \mathrm{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CO}_2</math>
|-
|<math>SU(2)U(1) \times SU\left(U(2)\right)</math>
|All quantum gravity equations
|This equation seems to refer to the unified theory of gravity and quanta theory, that is one of the most search goal of current physic. SU can be a reference to Unix command to take super-administrator power, it would mean 2 roots (or persons) are separatly one and a couple of roots (or persons) are super-administrator, like the <math><1 \times 1 \rightarrow 3</math>
|-
|<math>S_g = \frac{-1}{2\bar{\epsilon}}i\eth \hat{\big(} \zeta_0 \dotplus p_\epsilon \rho_v^{abc}\cdot \eta_0 \hat{\big)} f_a^0 a\lambda(\xi) \psi(0_a)</math> 
|All gauge theory equations
|
|-
|<math>H(t) + \Omega + G \cdot \Lambda \, \dots \begin{cases} \dots > 0 & \text{(HUBBLE MODEL)} \\ \dots = 0 & \text{(FLAT SPHERE MODEL)} \\ \dots < 0 & \text{(BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL)} \end{cases}
</math>
|All cosmology equations
|
|-
|<math>\hat H - u_{0} = 0</math>
|All truly deep physics equations
|<math>\hat H</math> is the hamiltonian operator, which when applied to a system returns the total energy. In this context U would usually be the potential energy. However there is also a subscript 0 and a diacritic making indicating some other variable. Much of physics is based on Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. The Lagrangian is defined as <math>\hat L = \hat K - \hat U </math> with K being the kinetic energy and U the potential. Hamiltonian mechanics uses the equation <math>\hat H = \hat K + \hat U </math>. The Hamiltonian must be conserved so taking the time derivative and setting it equal to zero is a powerful tool. The principle of least action says allows most modern physics to be derived by setting the time derivative of the Lagrangian to zero.
|-

|<math>\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\nabla\cdot p = \frac{\epsilon_0}{\mu_0}
\int\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\bigcirc\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\int
\rho\,ds\,dt\cdot \rho\frac{\partial}{\partial\nabla}
</math>
|All electromagnetic equations
|This equation has superficial resemblance to portions of [//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations Maxwell's Equations], but just miscellaneous bits, some from the integral forms and some from the differential forms.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[TODO: Avoid using math markup here because the images of these equations isn't helpful in a transcript. Sigh.]
[Nine equations are listed and labeled as followed:]
 
E = K0t + 1/2 pvt2 
ALL KINEMATICS EQUATIONS 
 
<math>K_n = \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{\pi=0}^{\infty}(n-\pi)(i-e^{\pi-\infty})</math> 
ALL NUMBER THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
∂/∂t ∇ ⋅ p = 8/23 (∯ ρ ds dt ⋅ ρ ∂/∂∇) 
ALL FLUID DYNAMIC EQUATIONS 
 
<math>|\psi_{x,y}\rangle = A(\psi) A(|x\rangle \otimes |y\rangle)</math> 
ALL QUANTUM MECHANIC EQUATIONS 
 
CH4 + OH + HEAT → H2O + CH2 + H2EAT 
ALL CHEMISTRY EQUATIONS 
 
SU(2)U(1) × SU(U(2)) 
ALL QUANTUM GRAVITY EQUATIONS 
 
<math>S_g = \frac{-1}{2\epsilon}i\eth \hat{\big(} \zeta_0 \dotplus p_\epsilon \rho_v^{abc}\cdot \eta_0 \hat{\big)} f_a^0 a\lambda(\zeta) \psi(0_a)</math> 
ALL GAUGE THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
<math>H(t) + \Omega + G \cdot \land \, ... \begin{cases} ... > 0 & \text{(HUBBLE MODEL)} \\ ... = 0 & \text{(FLAT SPHERE MODEL)} \\ ... < 0 & \text{(BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL)} \end{cases}
</math> 
ALL COSMOLOGY EQUATIONS 
 
Ĥ - u̧0 = 0 
ALL TRULY DEEP PHYSICS EQUATIONS
 

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Math]]

Talk:2026: Heat Index

2018-07-31T06:36:03Z

172.69.226.119: Of course

Look at the formula, then at the table and try to tell with straight face that those tables were computed from the formulae and not the other way around. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 22:38, 30 July 2018 (UTC)
: The Wikipedia page explicitely says that the various formulaes try to approximate the table. Can't be more explicit. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.226.119|172.69.226.119]] 06:36, 31 July 2018 (UTC)

2025: Peer Review

2018-07-31T05:35:00Z

172.69.226.119: Adding that pre-prints are often not reviewed.

{{comic
| number = 2025
| date = July 27, 2018
| title = Peer Review
| image = peer_review.png
| titletext = Your manuscript "Don't Pay $25 to Access Any of the Articles in this Journal: A Review of Preprint Repositories and Author Willingness to Email PDF Copies for Free" has also been rejected, but nice try.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a PEER REVIEWER. Needs volunteer commentary on title text. Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

How academic publishing works: When a researcher wants to publish their findings, they send it to an academic journal. The editor of the journal is another researcher (usually a college professor), ''who gets paid nothing or a minimal honorarium'' for editing the journal. The editor chooses a few (usually three) peer reviewers who are other researchers familiar enough with the study's subfield to judge the study's quality fairly and accurately, and sends it out to them for review. These peer reviewers ''do not get paid'' for the work of reviewing the manuscript and offering a detailed critique of every part of the study, from lit review to methodology to conclusions drawn from the results. If the peer reviewers and editor agree that the study was well-conducted and the paper well-written (or just needs minor revisions), it is accepted and published in the journal. The researcher ''is not paid'' for getting their paper published in the journal.

In short, nobody in the process is paid for their work except the journal publisher, who charges other researchers, libraries and individuals for access to the fruit of these people's free labor. This is commonly referred to as a "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paywall Paywall]".

This system relies upon researchers to be employed by either companies or universities in positions which require them to publish in order to remain employed or achieve promotions or pay raises. In universities, only postdocs and tenure-track or tenured professors are paid in a way that figures in their research time as well as their teaching time, which means that anyone not in one of those positions (lecturers, educators, adjunct instructors) is not paid for any research they might be doing and publishing, nor are those who are conducting research but cannot get a tenure-track job due to universities replacing tenure lines with non-tenure-track positions.

Charging for access to these works has raised [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cost_of_Knowledge controversy] in recent years, due to concerns that this may lead to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_silo Information silos].

Ponytail seems to be presenting papers concluding that this flow of currency is not equitable. Unfortunately (?), the journal she has submitted these findings to has opted not to review or publish them, either because they do not find her research suitable for their publication, or because they have a financial interest which conflicts with the findings, since sending her paper to review would give it directly to her target audience.

The title text refers to a recent Twitter [https://twitter.com/hwitteman/status/1015049411276300289 post] that went viral. Researcher Dr. Holly Witteman informs the public that you could just ask many researchers for a PDF copy of their academic paper and that they would be delighted to do so free of charge. (This hearkens back to the days of snailmail, when researchers would distribute printed copies, "reprints", of their work for, at most, the price of a self-addressed stamped envelope.) She has additionally written [http://holly.witteman.ca/index.php/2017/12/11/getting-access-to-paywalled-papers/ an article] on the situation and how to get papers for free.
Pre-Print Repositories are online databases for researchers to publish drafts of their research for quick distribution to willing reviewers, sidestepping the lengthy and often arduous reviewing process as conducted by many research journals. These databases are free to access by researchers and the general public, and often papers will remain on these sites long after their journal publication, making them a convenient way to get to papers locked behind a paywall. However, the pre-print versions of the papers will often lack peer review, and as such may contain a higher occurrence of errors. There are also sites which collect and re-publish papers for free, such as [http://sci-hub.is/ Sci-Hub], which attempts to provide all published papers free of charge globally. Links to Sci-Hub can go dead after being widely published; this one was live as of July 27, 2018. In the title text, the publisher refuses to publish a paper that describes ways to get around the paywall restrictions that make up their bottom line.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Ponytail is sitting and looking at a laptop.]

:RE: Economics Journal Submission

:We have received your manuscript "The Bizarre Economics of Academic Publishing: Why Volunteer Peer Reviewers Should Rise Up and Demand Payment from For-Profit Journals."

:We have elected not to send it out for review.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]