https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=2603%3A8000%3A5E00%3A2913%3AF36B%3AE6E7%3A6DDC%3A17DDexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2026-04-12T23:09:44ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3212:_Little_Red_Dots&diff=4072153212: Little Red Dots2026-02-26T05:25:40Z<p>2603:8000:5E00:2913:F36B:E6E7:6DDC:17DD: /* Explanation */ wlink</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 3212<br />
| date = February 25, 2026<br />
| title = Little Red Dots<br />
| image = little_red_dots_2x.png<br />
| imagesize = 634x306px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = After a lot of analysis, I've determined that they're actually big red dots; they're just very far away.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|This page was created by a LITTLE RED BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br />
<br />
Cueball asks researchers in different subjects to identify "little red dots" in an image from the {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (referred to in the caption as "JWST").<br />
<br />
The {{w|Little red dot (astronomical object)|little red dot}}s that the comic refers to are actually young black holes from 500-700 million years after the Big Bang in the JWST telescope, the comic instead jokingly asks several different experts their thoughts<br />
<br />
According to the Entomologist they are: {{w|Clover mite | Clover mites}} (Bryobia praetiosa) are very small [[Red Spiders]].<br />
<br />
According to the Computer Scientist they are: {{w|Defective pixel|Stuck pixels}}, pixels that do not work properly, and are stuck to one single color.<br />
<br />
According to the Dermatologist they are: {{w|Cherry angioma|Cherry angiomas}}, harmless, non-cancerous skin growths made of clusters of dilated capillaries, appearing as bright red, smooth, or slightly raised spots.<br />
<br />
According to the Graphic Designer they are: Colors of type Jasper (#d73b3e) and Vermillion (#e34234, sometimes called Cinnabar)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:[Caption above all the panels:]<br />
:Astronomers asking researchers from different departments to help them identify the "little red dots" in JWST images:<br />
<br />
:[In each panel, Cueball stands at the left of an easel. The easel is shown each time as having a black image with three red dots on it. At the right of the easel in each panel is a different character looking at the image on the easel and commenting on it. At the top of each panel is a caption indicating the type of researcher commenting on the image.]<br />
<br />
:Caption: Entomologists<br />
:Megan: Clover mites.<br />
<br />
:Caption: Computer scientists<br />
:Knit Cap: Stuck pixels.<br />
<br />
:Caption: Dermatologists<br />
:Ponytail: Cherry angiomas.<br />
<br />
:Caption: Graphic designers<br />
:Hairy: No, those are vermillion, or maybe jasper.<br />
:Hairy: Can I see your color settings?<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude><br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Knit Cap]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Astronomy]]<br />
[[Category:Telescopes]]<br />
[[Category:Biology]]<br />
[[Category:Computers]]<br />
[[Category:Medicine]]<br />
[[Category:Graphic designers]]</div>2603:8000:5E00:2913:F36B:E6E7:6DDC:17DD