explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T01:49:42Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, {{w|NASA}} has sent several spacecraft into space in order to make unmanned missions to distant planets in order to provide data and take photos for scientists back on earth. This comic shows several spacecraft being sent to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first 2 crafts investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the planet, which would be useful in determining signs of life. (Europa’s ocean is frozen on the top, which is why they say subsurface ocean.)

A Zamboni is a vehicle that, rather than transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks after hockey games. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the {{w|National Hockey League}} wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be {{What If|124|an interesting idea.}} The title text talks about finding hockey playing life on Europa, which would be unlikely, as the life on earth and Europa are completely separate cultures, so even if the life on Europa does have its own forms of entertainment similar to sports, it would be unlikely that the sports played have even remotely similar rules or equipment.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Cueball is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T01:48:15Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, NASA has sent several spacecraft into space in order to make unmanned missions to distant planets in order to provide data and take photos for scientists back on earth. This comic shows several spacecraft being sent to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first 2 crafts investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the planet, which would be useful in determining signs of life. (Europa’s ocean is frozen on the top, which is why they say subsurface ocean.)

A Zamboni is a vehicle that, rather than transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks after hockey games. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the {{w|National Hockey League}} wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be {{What If|124|an interesting idea.}} The title text talks about finding hockey playing life on Europa, which would be unlikely, as the life on earth and Europa are completely separate cultures, so even if the life on Europa does have its own forms of entertainment similar to sports, it would be unlikely that the sports played have even remotely similar rules or equipment.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Cueball is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T01:42:41Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, NASA has sent several spacecraft into space in order to make unmanned missions to distant planets in order to provide data and take photos for scientists back on earth. This comic shows several spacecraft being sent to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first 2 crafts investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the planet, which would be useful in determining signs of life. (Europa’s ocean is frozen on the top, which is why they say subsurface ocean.)

A Zamboni is a vehicle that, rather than transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks after hockey games. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the {{w|National Hockey League}} wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be {{What-If|124|an interesting idea.}}

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Cueball is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T01:41:25Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, NASA has sent several spacecraft into space in order to make unmanned missions to distant planets in order to provide data and take photos for scientists back on earth. This comic shows several spacecraft being sent to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first 2 crafts investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the planet, which would be useful in determining signs of life. (Europa’s ocean is frozen on the top, which is why they say subsurface ocean.)

A Zamboni is a vehicle that, rather than transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks after hockey games. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the [[w|National Hockey League]] wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be [[What-If|124|an interesting idea.]]

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Cueball is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T01:27:03Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3234
| date = April 17, 2026
| title = Europa Missions
| image = europa_missions_2x.png
| imagesize = 515x274px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Before resurfacing, they promise to inspect the ice for any evidence of hockey-playing life.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently by the Zamboni Voyager. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
In recent years, NASA has sent several spacecraft into space in order to make unmanned missions to distant planets in order to provide data and take photos for scientists back on earth. This comic shows several spacecraft being sent to observe Jupiter’s moon Europa. According to NASA, the moon could be a candidate for life, so it would make sense that the scientists would send spacecraft to observe it. The first 2 crafts investigate the ocean, topography and chemistry of the planet, which would be useful in determining signs of life. (Europa’s ocean is frozen on the top, which is why they say subsurface ocean.)
A Zamboni is a vehicle that, rather than transport, is meant to quickly resurface ice rinks after hockey games. The comic talks about a hypothetical spacecraft carrying a Zamboni because the [[w|National Hockey League]] wants to expand their games to Europa due to the surface of the moon’s oceans being completely covered in ice. Hockey in reduced gravity would be [[What-If|124|an interesting idea.]]

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is standing in front of an image of a spacecraft.]
:Cueball: There are now three spacecraft headed to Europa:
:Cueball: NASA's ''Europa Clipper'', which investigate Europa's subsurface ocean,

:[Cueball, Ponytail, and Hairy are standing in front of another spacecraft image, with Cueball gesturing at it.]
:Cueball: ESA's ''Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter'', which will study the topography and chemistry of Europa and the other moons,

:[Cueball is in front of an image of a {{w|Zamboni}} with a firing rocket nozzle on its bottom.]
:Cueball: And the NHL's ''Zamboni Voyager'', which plans to resurface Europa.
:Voice out of frame: Oh no.
:Cueball: We tried to stop them, but the league is set on an expansion.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3234: Europa Missions

2026-04-18T00:55:47Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44:

235: Kite

2026-04-17T00:59:37Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44: /* Explanation */

{{distinguish|1614: Kites|common=Kite01}}
{{comic
| number = 235
| date = March 14, 2007
| title = Kite
| image = kite.jpg
| titletext = It's easy to regret your awkward conversations but hard to regret the ones you didn't have.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic presents, through a surreal scenario, one of Randall's recurring themes: that it is better to [[458:_Regrets|take a chance]] and make an [[308:_Interesting_Life|interesting]] [[267: Choices: Part 4|choice]].

[[Cueball]] flies a kite, then fixes it to a tree and climbs its string. In real life, of course, the string would not be able to support the weight of a human.{{Citation needed}} Up in the sky, [[Megan]] appears hanging on a blimp, looking at him throughout the encounter. Cueball wonders about her and considers talking to her, but he does not act. After she has gone, Cueball is alone again; nothing has changed. This might be a reference to [[108: M.C. Hammer Slide]]

The title text explains the meaning of this metaphor. It is easy to regret an awkward conversation you had. In contrast, you don't regret the conversations you didn't have the nerve to start, because their cost is invisible--yet, they may have been missed opportunities, possibly a much higher cost than a simple awkward conversation.

Later in the [[1614: Kites]] title text, it turns out that other people ([[Beret Guy]]) can also fly with a kite.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball readies a kite.]
:[Cueball starts to fly the kite.]
:[Cueball continues to fly the kite.]
:[Cueball ties the kite string to a tree.]
:[Cueball grabs the string.]
:[Cueball starts to climb the string.]
:[A scene showing Cueball holding onto the string at a high altitude, against a color backdrop of the ground, clouds, water, and the sky.]
:[Black and white again. Megan comes into view holding onto a small blimp.]
:Cueball (thinking): Hey, there's someone else up here. I wonder what her story is.
:[Megan floats to the other side of the panel.]
:Cueball (thinking): Maybe I should say hi.
:[Cueball is alone holding onto the string.]

==Trivia==
There is a [https://youtu.be/3fCxyVSzd2k fan made animated version of this comic].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Kites]]
[[Category:Airships]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]

235: Kite

2026-04-17T00:54:15Z

2603:6011:1F0:2A40:8029:4807:A81F:EE44: /* Explanation */

{{distinguish|1614: Kites|common=Kite01}}
{{comic
| number = 235
| date = March 14, 2007
| title = Kite
| image = kite.jpg
| titletext = It's easy to regret your awkward conversations but hard to regret the ones you didn't have.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic presents, through a surreal scenario, one of Randall's recurring themes: that it is better to [[458:_Regrets|take a chance]] and make an [[308:_Interesting_Life|interesting]] [[267: Choices: Part 4|choice]].

[[Cueball]] flies a kite, then fixes it to a tree and climbs its string. In real life, of course, the string would not be able to support the weight of a human.{{Citation needed}} Up in the sky, [[Megan]] appears hanging on a blimp, looking at him throughout the encounter. Cueball wonders about her and considers talking to her, but he does not act. After she has gone, Cueball is alone again; nothing has changed. This might be a reference to [[108: M.C Hammer Slide]]

The title text explains the meaning of this metaphor. It is easy to regret an awkward conversation you had. In contrast, you don't regret the conversations you didn't have the nerve to start, because their cost is invisible--yet, they may have been missed opportunities, possibly a much higher cost than a simple awkward conversation.

Later in the [[1614: Kites]] title text, it turns out that other people ([[Beret Guy]]) can also fly with a kite.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball readies a kite.]
:[Cueball starts to fly the kite.]
:[Cueball continues to fly the kite.]
:[Cueball ties the kite string to a tree.]
:[Cueball grabs the string.]
:[Cueball starts to climb the string.]
:[A scene showing Cueball holding onto the string at a high altitude, against a color backdrop of the ground, clouds, water, and the sky.]
:[Black and white again. Megan comes into view holding onto a small blimp.]
:Cueball (thinking): Hey, there's someone else up here. I wonder what her story is.
:[Megan floats to the other side of the panel.]
:Cueball (thinking): Maybe I should say hi.
:[Cueball is alone holding onto the string.]

==Trivia==
There is a [https://youtu.be/3fCxyVSzd2k fan made animated version of this comic].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Kites]]
[[Category:Airships]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]