explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1283: Headlines

2013-10-28T12:25:30Z

Lmpk: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1283
| date = October 28, 2013
| title = Headlines
| image = headlines.png
| titletext = 1916: 'PHYSICIST DAD' TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO GRAVITY, AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT HE FINDS. [PICS] [NSFW]
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}
"Getting more clicks" is a common goal in news and blog sites, where more entries mean greater popularity. To achieve that goal, the editors give different articles excessively sensational headlines, which Randall parodies in this comic. These headlines are designed to make the story sound so unbelievable the reader has to check out the details for himself.

*1905 - How a shocking new theory, discovered by a dad, proves scientists are wrong about ''everything!''
:Albert Einstein published his {{w|Annus Mirabilis papers}}, which laid the groundwork for much of modern physics; he had an infant son in 1905.
*1912 - 6 ''Titanic'' survivors who should have died
:{{w|Sinking of the RMS Titanic}}.
*1916: 'Physicist dad' turns his attention to gravity, and you won't believe what he finds. [PICS] [NSFW]
:Einstein published his theory of {{w|General relativity}}, which is a vast generalization of the theory of {{w|Special relativity}} from 1905 and provides a model for gravity.
*1920 - 17 things that will be outlawed now that women can vote
:The {{w|Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution}} was passed, guaranteeing voting rights for women in all US states.
*1928 - This one weird mold kills all germs
:{{w|Penicillin}} was discovered.
*1929 - Most embarrassing reactions to the stock market crash [GIFS]
:This is a reference to the {{w|Wall Street Crash of 1929}}, the largest stock market crash in history and the beginning of the Great Depression.
*1945 - These 9 Nazi atrocities will make you lose faith in humanity
:1945 is the year that World War 2 ended. It's also the year that many war crimes committed by Nazi Germany were discovered or declassified.
*1948 - 5 insane plans for feeding West Berlin you won't believe are real
:1948 is when the Soviet Union established the {{w|Berlin Blockade}}, preventing food and other critical supplies from reaching occupied Berlin. In response, Western forces organized the {{w|Berlin Airlift}}.
*1955 - Avoid polio with this one weird trick
:The {{w|Polio vaccine}} was developed.
*1957 - 12 nip slips potentially visible to Sputnik
:The Soviet Union launched {{w|Sputnik 1}}, the world's first artificial satellite.
*1968 - This year's assassinations ranked from most to least tragic
:{{w|Martin Luther King Jr.}} and {{w|Robert F. Kennedy}} were both assassinated in 1968.
*1969 - This is the most important photo of an astronaut you'll see all day
:{{w|Apollo 11}} performed the first manned lunar landing.
*1986 - This video of a terminally ill child watching the ''Challenger'' launch will break your heart
:Space Shuttle Challenger exploded one minute into its launch. See {{w|Space Shuttle Challenger disaster}} for details.
*1989 - You won't ''believe'' what these people did to the Berlin wall! [video]
:{{w|Fall of the Berlin Wall}}.
*Jan 1, 1990 - 500 signs you're a 90s kid

The excessively sensational headlines usually follow a few patterns, including bringing in family relationships and a number in the title.
* [NSFW] is "Not Safe for Work" - a tag to identify that there are (usually) images that you don't want to have on your screen when somebody at work might glance at it over your shoulder, most frequently because they depict nudity. In this case it is used in an attempt to make the reader click the link by appealing to his primitive instincts.
* [GIFS] indicates that the post will contain an animated GIF image - a crude form of short video
* [PICS] tells the potential viewer that there are images embedded
* [video] indicates a link to a video

==Transcript==
:20th Century Headlines
:Rewritten to get more clicks

:1905 - How a shocking new theory, discovered by a dad, proves scientists are wrong about ''everything!''
:1912 - 6 ''Titanic'' survivors who should have died
:1920 - 17 things that will be outlawed now that women can vote
:1928 - This one weird mold kills all germs
:1929 - Most embarrassing reactions to the stock market crash [GIFS]
:1945 - These 9 Nazi atrocities will make you lose faith in humanity
:1948 - 5 insane plans for feeding West Berlin you won't believe are real
:1955 - Avoid Polio with this one weird trick
:1957 - 12 nip slips potentially visible to Sputnik
:1968 - This year's assassinations ranked from most to least tragic
:1969 - This is the most important photo of an astronaut you'll see all day
:1986 - This video of a terminally ill child watching the ''Challenger'' launch will break your heart
:1989 - You won't ''believe'' what these people did to the Berlin wall! [video]
:Jan 1, 1990 - 500 signs you're a 90s kid

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

1172: Workflow

2013-02-11T17:06:38Z

Lmpk: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1172
| date = February 11, 2013
| title = Workflow
| image = workflow.png
| titletext = There are probably children out there holding down spacebar to stay warm in the winter! YOUR UPDATE MURDERS CHILDREN
}}

==Explanation==
Users will often try to work around bugs in their software, and are sometimes able to get used to having the bugs around. Some bugs are even interpreted as features and users complain when the software authors fixed them. A similar effect may be caused by other improvements, particularly those which involve changes in the user interface.

The comic shows a somehow extreme example. Some software had a bug causing the CPU to overheat when you hold the spacebar. In version 10.17, the bug was fixed. Soon, longtimeuser4 complained that they liked the "feature" of CPU overheating on holding spacebar, presents the workflow how they use it (which is, again, more weird than usual) and wants an option to re-enable it. Emacs (''E''ditor ''MAC''ro''S'') is a text editor popular in Linux (with ports to virtually all operating systems including Android) that features a very powerful internal macro language. Macros are little programs or scripts for automating repetitive tasks.

Examples of real life changes in software which, though often acclaimed by critics, caused great annoyance among existing user base include ribbons introduced in Microsoft Office 2007, Start screen of Windows 8 or Unity desktop manager bundled with Ubuntu since version 11.10. In the latter case, developers included an option to use the older interface; for the rest, applications emulating (to some extent) old behaviour were developed by third parties.

The title text makes a hyperbole to humorous effect, children will freeze to death during the winter because they won't be warmed by a rather unconventional heater. Proving (or creating an illusion of) a connection between one's opinion and care for children's welfare is a common method of gaining public support for this opinion, as such arguments are hard to deflect by the other side of the debate.

==Transcript==
Latest: 10.17       [Update]
----
:'''Changes in version 10.17:'''
:The CPU no longer overheats
:when you hold down spacebar.
----
:<div style="margin-left: 5em;">Comments:</div>
:'''LongtimeUser4''' writes:

:This update broke my workflow!
:my control key is hard to reach,
:so I hold spacebar instead, and I
:configured Emacs to intepret a
:rapid temperature rise as "control".

:'''Admin''' writes:

:That's horrifying.

:'''LongtimeUser4''' writes:

:Look, my setup works for me.
:Just add an option to reenable
:spacebar heating.

:Every change breaks someone's workflow.

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

1172: Workflow

2013-02-11T17:04:19Z

Lmpk:

{{comic
| number = 1172
| date = February 11, 2013
| title = Workflow
| image = workflow.png
| titletext = There are probably children out there holding down spacebar to stay warm in the winter! YOUR UPDATE MURDERS CHILDREN
}}

==Explanation==
Users will often try to work around bugs in their software, and are sometimes able to get used to having the bugs around. Some bugs are even interpreted as features and users complain when the software authors fixed them. A similar effect may be caused by other improvements, particularly those which involve changes in the user interface.

The comic shows a somehow extreme example. Some software had a bug causing the CPU to overheat when you hold the spacebar. In version 10.17, the bug was fixed. Soon, longtimeuser4 complained that they liked the "feature" of CPU overheating on holding spacebar, presents the workflow how they use it (which is, again, more weird than usual) and wants an option to re-enable it. Emacs (''E''ditor ''MAC''ro''S'') is a text editor popular in Linux (with ports to virtually all operating systems including Android) that features a very powerful internal macro language. Macros are little programs or scripts for automating repetitive tasks.

Examples of real life changes in software which, though often acclaimed by critics, caused great annoyance among existing user base include ribbons introduced in Microsoft Office 2007, Start screen and Metro interface of Windows 8 or Unity desktop manager bundled with Ubuntu since version 11.10. In the latter case, developers included an option to use the older interface; for the rest, applications emulating (to some extent) old behaviour were developed by third parties.

The title text makes a hyperbole to humorous effect, children will freeze to death during the winter because they won't be warmed by a rather unconventional heater. Proving (or creating an illusion of) a connection between one's opinion and care for children's welfare is a common method of gaining public support for this opinion, as such arguments are hard to deflect by the other side of the debate.

==Transcript==
Latest: 10.17       [Update]
----
:'''Changes in version 10.17:'''
:The CPU no longer overheats
:when you hold down spacebar.
----
:<div style="margin-left: 5em;">Comments:</div>
:'''LongtimeUser4''' writes:

:This update broke my workflow!
:my control key is hard to reach,
:so I hold spacebar instead, and I
:configured Emacs to intepret a
:rapid temperature rise as "control".

:'''Admin''' writes:

:That's horrifying.

:'''LongtimeUser4''' writes:

:Look, my setup works for me.
:Just add an option to reenable
:spacebar heating.

:Every change breaks someone's workflow.

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

Talk:1163: Debugger

2013-01-21T20:22:12Z

Lmpk:

Isn't this also a reference to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halting_problem halting problem]? [[User:DonGoat|DonGoat]] ([[User talk:DonGoat|talk]]) 08:33, 21 January 2013 (UTC)

:It may be, but it isn't an INSTANCE of halting problem. You can understand how something work without being able to predict what exactly it will do. The problem may be also related to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del%27s_incompleteness_theorems Gödel's incompleteness theorems], which basically states that any nontrivial theory cannot be proven consistent and complete in itself. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 09:15, 21 January 2013 (UTC)

It's also reminiscent of a joke: ''"I was saying to myself that a brain is truly a wondrous creation with its complexity and power. And then I realized '''who''' is saying that to me."'' -- [[User:Edheldil|Edheldil]] ([[User talk:Edheldil|talk]]) 10:59, 21 January 2013 (UTC)

Not sure if it's relevant, but it reminds me of a quote: 'If our brains were simple enough for us to understand them, we'd be so simple that we couldn't' by Ian Stewart. (Yeah, I do know it from Civilization 4.) [[User:Lmpk|Lmpk]] ([[User talk:Lmpk|talk]]) 20:22, 21 January 2013 (UTC)

1147: Evolving

2012-12-14T16:43:16Z

Lmpk: /* Pokémon */ video

{{comic
| number = 1147
| date = December 14, 2012
| title = Evolving
| image = evolving.png
| titletext = Biologists play reverse Pokémon, trying to avoid putting any one team member on the front lines long enough for the experience to cause evolution.
}}

==Explanation==

====Pokémon====
In {{w|Pokémon}}, a highly popular game series, the protagonist goes out in search for the eponymous creatures. Many Pokémon can be found directly in the wild, but there are also a lot of Pokémon that require training and growth, to cause them to "evolve" into new Pokémon. "Evolve", the game's term, is a misnomer which [http://www.cephasministry.com/save_our_children_pokemon_booklet.html earned itself quite some controversy in the past]; in reality, Pokémon "evolution" is more akin to puberty or metamorphosis, since, instead of the entire species of Pokémon acquiring changes throughout an extended period of time, one specific member of the species grows instantly to the "higher stage." At that point in the game, the Pokémon glows before transforming into the new form, then stops glowing, and the very same text ''"What? Xxx is evolving!"'' is used (see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qUwWAMgy3E this video] or {{w|File:Pokemon evolution.png|those screenshots}} for instance). The changes of such a tranformation can be [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/snorunt quite] [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/froslass dramatic]... [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/poliwhirl or] [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/poliwrath not].

====Staphylococcus Aureus====
This comic depicts the "evolution" of a bacteria as observed by a Biologist in the same format as the game Pokémon. Here we have [[Staphylococcus Aureus]], which is not a desirable bacterium (it causes {{w|Staph infection}}s) which evolves into {{w|MRSA|"Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus"}}. {{w|Methicillin}} is an anti-biotic. If the bacteria becomes resistant, it means the anti-biotic will not kill the bacteria, and infections become harder to treat. Thus, the observer is not pleased with such an evolution.

The title text references this by suggesting that biologists do NOT want bacteria to evolve in this way, as opposed to Pokémon where you put a Pokémon on the "front lines" as much as possible to gain it experience and hope it evolves. [A point of irony is that Pokémon evolution can be prevented (by using an Everstone) or stopped (by pressing the B button in the game controller during evolution) most of the time, especially if there are [http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/vigoroth/ Pokémon that someone does not want to evolve].] The bit about the front lines is that, if a bacteria is exposed sufficiently to an antibiotic, the bacteria acquires a resistance to the antibiotic.

Staphylococcus aureus is a very common bacteria (that under an electron microscope looks like the xkcd drawing) and is the major cause of staph infections (there are other types of staph bacteria), frequently found in the nostrils and skin. Hospitals are often plagued with outbreaks of methicillin-resistant staph aureus (MRSA) as it is very difficult to treat as the typical antibiotics do not work on it.

{{Incomplete}}

==Transcript==
:[bacterial cell culture]
:What?
:'''''Staphylococcus Aureus''''' is evolving!

:...

:Off-screen: Aww, crap.
:'''''Staphylococcus Aureus''''' evolved into '''Methicillin-resistant ''Staphylococcus Aureus!'''''

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

Talk:1145: Sky Color

2012-12-10T19:01:10Z

Lmpk:

Of course with '''''vertical''''' mirror vertical axis is selected: perceived switching of left and right (really close with far to mirror surface). When '''standing on''' '''''horizontal''''' mirror we will perceive switching bottom from top. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 09:09, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

You're certainly correct, but I think that the original question is not really asking about text (or other things) which are perpendicular to the mirror, but rather text which is parallel to it (and thus the close vs. far doesn't come into it). For example, when reading signs in your rear view mirror or holding a book in front of your chest while looking in a mirror. I've added a little bit to the explanation to attempt to help clarify what's happening in that situation. I'm not sure if it really helps or not. [[User:KeithyIrwin|KeithyIrwin]] ([[User talk:KeithyIrwin|talk]]) 10:00, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Easier way to describe it: Imagine you hold a piece of glas. Write on the glass and hold it in front of the mirror, so that you can see both the original text and the mirrored text. Both versions of the text will look identical. So the mirror doesn't change anything. [[Special:Contributions/62.220.2.194|62.220.2.194]] 11:10, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

I always wonder: Since the sky goes from red to blue to red and the optical spectrum goes from red to green to blue. How come the sky is never green?
: Because of human color perception. You only perceive green in polychromatic light when said light is stronger in the middle wavelengths than the low or high wavelengths; in other words, you would need a process in the sky that removed ''both'' the high and low wavelengths from white light. As the sun sets, only the lower wavelengths are removed, so you perceive yellows and reds -- this perception of color is "one-sided", i.e. it is not interfered with by even longer wavelengths. By the way, sometimes you do see green briefly in the sky, it's called a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash Green Flash]. --[[User:Prooffreader|Prooffreader]] ([[User talk:Prooffreader|talk]]) 16:41, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

This sentence doesn't make sense: "(from "his" right to left instead of from "his" left to right)" [[User:Trek7553|Trek7553]] ([[User talk:Trek7553|talk]]) 15:15, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Repeat Character Watch: The girl has appeared previously in [[842: Mark]], [[892: Null Hypothesis]], [[1058: Old-Timers]], and [[1104: Feathers]] (A similar looking character also appears in [[635: Locke and Demosthenes]] but this is actually the character Valentine from the book Ender's Game). The mother is seen in comics [[806: Tech Support]] and [[813: One-Liners]]. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 18:12, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

About [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1145:_Sky_Color&diff=22416&oldid=22414 this edition]: 1/(x^4) does not look like a root to me. IMHO the forth root of x would be more like x^(1/4) but it's not the formula from the comic. (I'm too lazy to try to type lambda). [[User:Lmpk|Lmpk]] ([[User talk:Lmpk|talk]]) 19:00, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Talk:1145: Sky Color

2012-12-10T19:00:28Z

Lmpk:

Of course with '''''vertical''''' mirror vertical axis is selected: perceived switching of left and right (really close with far to mirror surface). When '''standing on''' '''''horizontal''''' mirror we will perceive switching bottom from top. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 09:09, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

You're certainly correct, but I think that the original question is not really asking about text (or other things) which are perpendicular to the mirror, but rather text which is parallel to it (and thus the close vs. far doesn't come into it). For example, when reading signs in your rear view mirror or holding a book in front of your chest while looking in a mirror. I've added a little bit to the explanation to attempt to help clarify what's happening in that situation. I'm not sure if it really helps or not. [[User:KeithyIrwin|KeithyIrwin]] ([[User talk:KeithyIrwin|talk]]) 10:00, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Easier way to describe it: Imagine you hold a piece of glas. Write on the glass and hold it in front of the mirror, so that you can see both the original text and the mirrored text. Both versions of the text will look identical. So the mirror doesn't change anything. [[Special:Contributions/62.220.2.194|62.220.2.194]] 11:10, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

I always wonder: Since the sky goes from red to blue to red and the optical spectrum goes from red to green to blue. How come the sky is never green?
: Because of human color perception. You only perceive green in polychromatic light when said light is stronger in the middle wavelengths than the low or high wavelengths; in other words, you would need a process in the sky that removed ''both'' the high and low wavelengths from white light. As the sun sets, only the lower wavelengths are removed, so you perceive yellows and reds -- this perception of color is "one-sided", i.e. it is not interfered with by even longer wavelengths. By the way, sometimes you do see green briefly in the sky, it's called a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash Green Flash]. --[[User:Prooffreader|Prooffreader]] ([[User talk:Prooffreader|talk]]) 16:41, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

This sentence doesn't make sense: "(from "his" right to left instead of from "his" left to right)" [[User:Trek7553|Trek7553]] ([[User talk:Trek7553|talk]]) 15:15, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

Repeat Character Watch: The girl has appeared previously in [[842: Mark]], [[892: Null Hypothesis]], [[1058: Old-Timers]], and [[1104: Feathers]] (A similar looking character also appears in [[635: Locke and Demosthenes]] but this is actually the character Valentine from the book Ender's Game). The mother is seen in comics [[806: Tech Support]] and [[813: One-Liners]]. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 18:12, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

About [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1145:_Sky_Color&diff=22416&oldid=22414 this edition]: 1/(x^4) does not look like a root to me. IMHO the forth root of x would be more like x^(1/4) but it's not the formula from the comic. [[User:Lmpk|Lmpk]] ([[User talk:Lmpk|talk]]) 19:00, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

1133: Up Goer Five

2012-11-12T16:46:04Z

Lmpk: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1133
| date = November 12, 2012
| title = Up Goer Five
| image = up goer five.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Another thing that is a bad problem is if you're flying up to space and the parts start to fall off your space car in the wrong order. If that happens, it means you won't go to space today, or maybe ever.
}}

==Explanation==
Most of the jargon used in rocket science is not among the most commonly used words in everyday life. This comic is a commentary on the absurdity of boiling down technical explanations for lay people.

''The kind of air that once burned a big sky bag and people died and someone said "oh, the [humans]!'' - {{w|hydrogen}}, explained by using a reference to the {{w|Hindenburg disaster}}. The original version of the quoted exclamation was ''Oh, the humanity!''

==Transcript==
:Title: US Space Team's Up Goer Five
:Subtitle: The only flying space car that's taken anyone to another world (explained using only the ten hundred words people use the most often)
:''A list of Saturn 5 parts, top to bottom, with their "Up Goer" description follows''
:Launch Escape System (LES): Thing to help people escape really fast if there's a problem and everthing is on fire so they decide not to go to space
::LES side nozzle: Thing to control which direction the escaping people go
::LES fuel: Stuff to burn to make the box with the people in it escape ''really fast''
::LES bottom nozzles: Place where fire comes out to help them escape
:Apollo spacecraft
::Command Module (CM): Part that flies around the other world and comes back home with the people in it and fall in the water.
:::CM capsule parts: People box, door, chairs
::Service Module (SM): Part that goes along to give people air, water, computer and stuff. It comes back home with them but burns up without landing.
:::SM oxygen tanks: Cold air for burning (and breathing). This part had a ''very'' big problem once [reference to the ill-fated Apollo 13 flight].
::Lunar Module (LM): Part that flies down to the other world with two people inside
:::LM descent stage: Part that stays on the other world (it's still there)
:::LM feet: Feet that go on the ground of the other world
:Instrument Unit: Ring holding most of the computers
:S-IVB third stage: Part that falls of third (this part flew away from our world into space and hit the world we were going toward)
::Fuel tanks: Wet and ''very'' cold
:::Liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank: The kind of air that once burned a big sky bag [Hindenberg zeppelin disaster] and people died and someone said "Oh, the [humans]!" (used for burning)
:::Liquid oxygen (LOX) tank: The part of air you need to breathe, but not the other stuff (used for burning]
:::Helium pressurizing tanks: Things holding that kind of air that makes your voice funny (it's for filling up the space left when they take the cold air out to burn it.)
::J-2 engine nozzle: Fire comes out here
:S-II second stage: Part that falls off second
::LH2 tank: More sky bag air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Tank-to-engine fuel lines: Thing that brings in cold wet air to burn
::J-2 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Fire comes out here
:S-IC first stage: Part that falls off first
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Helium pressurizing tank: More funny voice air (for filling up space)
::LOX fill line: Opening for putting in cold wet air
::RP-1 fuel [similar to kerosene] tank: This is full of that stuff they burning in lights before houses had power. It goes together with the cold air when it's time to start going up.
::F-1 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Lots of fire comes out here.
:Bottom of spacecraft: This end should point toward the ground if you want to go to space. If it starts pointing toward space you are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with charts]]
[[Category:Language]]

Talk:1132: Frequentists vs. Bayesians

2012-11-09T16:22:52Z

Lmpk:

Note: taking that bet would be a mistake. If the Bayesian is right, you're out $50. If he's wrong, everyone is about to die and you'll never get to spend the winnings. Of course, this meta-analysis is itself a type of Bayesian thinking, so [http://lmgtfy.com/?q=dunning-kruger+effect Dunning-Kruger Effect] would apply. - [[User:Frankie|Frankie]] ([[User talk:Frankie|talk]]) 13:50, 9 November 2012 (UTC)
: You don't think you could spend fifty bucks in eight minutes? ;-) (PS: wikipedia is probably a better link than lmgtfy: {{w|Dunning-Kruger effect}}) -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 15:35, 9 November 2012 (UTC)
Randall has referenced the Labyrinth guards before: [http://xkcd.com/246/ xkcd 246:Labyrinth puzzle]. Plus he has satirized p<0.05 in [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=882:_Significant xkcd 882:Significant]--[[User:Prooffreader|Prooffreader]] ([[User talk:Prooffreader|talk]]) 15:59, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

A bit of maths. Let event N be the sun going nova and event Y be the detector giving the answer "Yes". The detector has already given a positive answer so we want to compute P(N|Y). Applying the Bayes' theorem:
: P(N|Y) = P(Y|N) * P(N) / P(Y)
: P(Y|N) = 1
: P(N) = 0.0000....
: P(Y|N) * P(N) = 0.0000...
: P(Y) = p(Y|N)*P(N) + P(Y|-N)*P(-N)
: P(Y|-N) = 1/36
: P(-N) = 0.999999...
: P(Y) = 0 + 1/36 = 1/36
: P(N|Y) = 0 / (1/36) = 0
Quite likely it's not entirely correct. [[User:Lmpk|Lmpk]] ([[User talk:Lmpk|talk]]) 16:22, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

1125: Objects In Mirror

2012-10-24T16:29:54Z

Lmpk:

{{comic
| number = 1125
| date = October 24, 2012
| title = Objects In Mirror
| image = objects in mirror.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Universes in mirror, like those in windshield, are larger than they appear.
}}

==Explanation==
For all people who are not from USA, India, Canada, Korea, and Australia: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" is a required, although ridiculous "safty warning", required to be engraved on passenger side mirrors of motor vehicles.
This comic is a reference to the phenomena known as redshift/blueshift. Due to the Doppler effect, objects that are moving toward an observer appear bluer than they actually are (known as blueshift). Objects moving away from the observer (e.g. objects viewed in the rear-view mirror of a moving vehicle) appear redder than they actually are (known as redshift), and thus the objects are in reality bluer than they appear. This is generally relevant only in terms of high speed motion such as observation of the expansion of the universe in astrophysics. The joke is that the relative speed of any object visible in a rear-view mirror would create an insignificant and unobservable redshift.

Edwin Hubble was an astronomer credited with "Hubble's Law," which states that a Doppler shift can be observed for objects in space moving with relative velocity to Earth. Probably the most famous application of the law was measurement of relative velocities of galaxies, such as those seen in the picture known as {{w|Hubble Deep Field}}, taken by the {{w|Hubble Space Telescope}}. The results proved that most galaxies keep getting farther apart as a result of expansion of the universe. This was one of many evidences towards the {{w|Big Bang}} theory.

The title text may be a reference to comic [[1110: Click and Drag]].

==Transcript==
:View of a car mirror that reads "Objects in mirror are bluer than they appear," with caption "Edwin Hubble's car"

{{comic discussion}}

1113: Killed in Action

2012-09-26T05:48:14Z

Lmpk: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1113
| date = September 26, 2012
| title = Killed in Action
| image = killed in action.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = We can't let this happen again. We need to build a secure TWO-day-before-retirement safe room.
}}

==Explanation==
The humor in this comic arises from the fact that such a room exists for such a rare occasion as a cop retiring.

The title text is a reference to the reactionary nature of security procedures put in place in the aftermath of an incident, and how they are typically fail to address the cause of the problem.

The comic also illustrates some variation of the Murphy's law - if a desired situation has lasted for a long time and there is only one chance left for it to go wrong, it will go wrong. Police officers, having had put their lives at risk every day for years, apparently used to die on the last day of their service. Therefore, a secure room has been built for them to survive this day. But this solution only shifted the last day before being safe for the earlier day, and therefore the policeman whose funeral we see, died a day before being locked.

If the advice from the title text is followed, the number of days police officers spend in the secure room will eventually encompass their whole service.

==Transcript==
:[Old lady, woman and Cueball are standing in the background by a coffin. Two police are standing in the forground]
:Policewoman: Good Cop.
:Policewoman: It's a real shame-
:Policewoman: He was just one day away from getting put in the locked, heavily guarded room where all cops stay for the last day before they retire.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category: Comic featuring Cueball]]

1110: Click and Drag

2012-09-19T17:36:11Z

Lmpk:

{{comic
| number = 1110
| date = September 19, 2012
| title = Click and Drag
| image = click_and_drag.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Click and drag.
}}

== Explanation ==

This comic is a take on how vast and rich the world is, and on the thrill of exploring it. The world can be described as sad, as well as it can be described as wonderful, even if this seems a bit contradictory, just because there are so many different things happening it it.

[[Cueball]] comments about this, and the title text invites the reader to, with his mouse, click and drag the inside of the last panel, and by dragging and dragging, explore what is hidden outside that panel. The image displayed at first turns out to be part of a HUUUGE landscape, filled with big or small things, humorous details, people here and there, cave mazes, things floating in the air, jokes and references, unexpected things, relaxing views, etc.

The fact that we only see a small part of the landscape at once refers to the idea that we cannot in real life comprehend the whole world altogether, but only what is around us and/or in the range of our understanding at the time. And the click-and-drag process, in which it is impossible to go as fast as we would want to, also draws a parallel with the fact that exploration is always done gradually, step by step, and trying something (i.e. here dragging in a certain direction) is always done costly. In the end, all this makes that this click-and-drag exploration reproduces pretty well the thrill of discovering new horizons, getting lost sometimes, finding unexpected things, seeing beauty, humor, desolation or happiness here and there... which can easily captivate an xkcd reader for a looong time (and as such qualifies as [[356: Nerd Sniping|nerd sniping]]).

'''''Warning:''' there are cheating possibilities, people have implemented ways to explore that world more easily, but the best way to enjoy this comic is probably to play the game, explore the comic's world the way you're supposed to, get lost in the caves or in the sky, be startled by unexpected things or happy when finding some people after lengthy click-and-dragging through a repetitive landscape... So if you didn't do that already, '''reading any below will spoil you from truly enjoying the comic.'''''

== List of details and references ==

{{Incomplete|1110: Click and Drag}}

The 225 existing tiles are sorted by columns from West to East and from North to South in each column.

{| class="wikitable" |
! width="130px" | Grid coords
!Explanation and Transcript
|-
|{{1110|1|n|33|w}}
|[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] reach the edge of the image and decide to live there.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|32|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|31|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|30|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|29|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|28|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|27|w}}
|{{w|Velociraptor}}s in the high grass.
;Transcript
:[Rolling hills with tall grass.]
:[On the left there are two velociraptors. The east-facing one looks to be a modern interpretation of the raptor, the west-facing is more Jurassic Park like.]
|-
|{{1110|1|n|26|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|25|w}}
|A large {{w|radio telescope}} with a female listening for a signal. Possibly a reference to the movie {{w|Contact (film)|Contact}}.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|24|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|23|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|22|w}}
|A large rocket (possibly a {{w|Saturn V}} rocket) on a launchpad.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|22|w}}
|[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]]; [[Cueball]] implies that {{w|Jesus Christ}} is a {{w|transformer}}.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|21|w}}
|The question asked of Jesus is reference to the inspirational text ''{{w|Footprints (poem)|Footprints}}'' as well as a reference to the {{w|Transformers}}. Apparently the coast of a body of water.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|20|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|19|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|18|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|17|w}}
|A reference to the hatch in {{w|Lost}}.
|-
|{{1110|1|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|4|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|5|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|6|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|7|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|8|s|17|w}}
|An X-Wing fighter from Wars
|-
|{{1110|9|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|10|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|11|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|12|s|17|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|16|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|12|s|16|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|15|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|12|s|15|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|14|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|12|s|14|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|13|w}}
|The statue of liberty head and hand is reference to {{w|Planet of the Apes(film)|Planet of Apes}}.
|-
|{{1110|12|s|13|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|12|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|12|s|12|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|11|n|11|w}}
|A (useless) white empty cell with symetric coordinates (±11, ±11).
|-
|{{1110|1|n|11|w}}
|Someone playing {{w|Marco Polo (game)|Marco Polo}} in the sea.
|-
|{{1110|11|s|11|w}}
|A (useless) black empty cell with symetric coordinates (±11, ±11).
Note, that this PNG file contains an ICC section which means that the blackness in this image is properly {{w|Color correction|color-corrected}}.
|-
|{{1110|12|s|11|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|10|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|12|s|10|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|9|w}}
|Possibly a reference to the {{w|Principality of Sealand|Principality of Sealand}} or to the concept of a micronation in general, {{w|List of micronations|List of micronations}}.
|-
|{{1110|2|s|9|w}}
|Jellyfish playing some sort of console game.
|-
|{{1110|12|s|9|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|8|w}}
|A boat with a reference to Monty Python? {{w|Glossary of nautical terms#Avast|Avast!}} is not the {{w|Avast!|antivirus software}} - Possibly a reference to the comic is from the same date as {{w|International Talk Like a Pirate Day}}.
|-
|{{1110|12|s|8|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|13|s|8|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|7|n|7|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|7|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|13|s|7|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|14|s|7|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|6|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|s|6|w}}
|Jellyfish
|-
|{{1110|13|s|6|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|14|s|6|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|6|n|5|w}}
|Red spiders from earlier comics falling from the sky
|-
|{{1110|1|n|5|w}}
|{{w|I'm on a Boat|"I'm on a Boat"}} is a single from The Lonely Island's debut album Incredibad.
|-
|{{1110|14|s|5|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|4|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|4|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|14|s|4|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|n|3|w}}
|
; Transcript
:[High in the sky.]
:[Cueball is sitting in a swing attached to the end of a crane, and is swinging]
:Cueball: WHEEE!
|-
|{{1110|2|n|3|w}}
|A (useless) white empty cell.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|3|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|14|s|3|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|8|n|2|w}}
|This seems to be {{w|Burj Khalifa}} at witch {{1110|6|n|27|e}} refers.
|-
|{{1110|7|n|2|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|6|n|2|w}}
|Black hat is seen in the picture with a gatling gun, probably the Imperial cannons referred in 8 North, 6 East.
|-
|{{1110|5|n|2|w}}
|A construction crane lifting another, smaller, construction crane. Possibly a reference to the "Truck Truck Truck" gag from the Simpsons. Also, self-erecting tower cranes do usually not lift {{w|crawler crane}}s
|-
|{{1110|4|n|2|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|n|2|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|2|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|2|w}}
|Megan says "I came here to chew bubblegum... And I'm all out of bubblegum" is a reference to the movie {{w|They Live|They Live}} in which the character Nada famously says "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum". That line is also used in the game {{w|Duke Nukem 3D|Duke Nukem 3D}} by Duke himself, when Shrapnel City (Episode 3) starts. Also, Cueball says "That's a shame" a line popularised by Jerry in the sitcom {{w|Seinfeld|Seinfeld}}. Pool line is a reference to "pool on the roof" prank from the movie {{w|Hackers (film)|Hackers}}.
|-
|{{1110|14|s|2|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|8|n|1|w}}
|A (useless) white empty cell.
|-
|{{1110|5|n|1|w}}
|The tail of the crawler crane lifted at {{1110|5|n|2|w}}.
|-
|{{1110|2|n|1|w}}
|A (useless) white empty cell.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|1|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|14|s|1|w}}
|
|-
|{{1110|15|s|1|w}}
|Possible statement about the ubiquity of Facebook and Twitter (that even people living in caves are aware of those services). It may also be an allusion to how desperately people seek attention through these media - a viewer could expect the characters to cry for help in order to save their lives; while they do take an appropriately desperate tone, they ask for something else entirely.
|-
|{{1110|13|n|1|e}}
|Two whales is possibly a reference to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the planet [http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Magrathea Magrathea], where (improbably) two incoming missiles are turned into a whale and a bowl of petunias.
|-
|{{1110|6|n|1|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|1|e}}
|The {{w|Origin (mathematics)|"center"}} of the world, it's the first tile to show up (see above). The balloons may be a reference to comic [[1106]]. This may also be a reference to {{w|Winnie The Pooh}}.

; Transcript:
:[Open scene.]
:[To the extreme left there is the end of a parking lot. Right from that Cueball is holding onto a balloon several feet from the ground.]
:Cueball [narration]: I just didn't expect it to be so ''BIG''.
:[About 50 feet east of Cueball there is a lone tree with no leaves on it. Cueball is approximately parallel to with the top of it.]
:[Farther east and much higher up is a single balloon floating away.]
:[More east and on the ground Beret Guy is waving a butterfly net, chasing an RC Helicopter.]
:[Two girls, one blonde and one darker, are walking away from Beret Guy.]
:[On the extreme right is a fountain spraying water.]
|-
|{{1110|14|s|1|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|15|s|1|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|16|s|1|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|17|s|1|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|9|n|2|e}}
|{{w|Apollo 13}} messaging 'Houston, we have a problem'.
|-
|{{1110|3|n|2|e}}
|A falling {{w|Icarus}} screams "I hope the story of how ''Building Wax Wings Enabled Me To Fly'' teaches everyone a lesson about hubris." Referring to the Greek myth of Icarus and his father's escape from Crete by building wings of feathers and wax.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|2|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|14|s|2|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|17|s|2|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|n|3|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|3|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|1|n|3|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|14|s|3|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|17|s|3|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|18|s|3|e}}
|{{w|Minecraft}} reference: Someone escapes a creeper, running deeper into the cave he just fell in.
|-
|{{1110|2|n|4|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|4|e}}
|A black empty cell (required because unspecified North tiles are automatically filled with white).
|-
|{{1110|18|s|4|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|19|s|4|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|5|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|5|e}}
|A black empty cell (required because unspecified North tiles are automatically filled with white).
|-
|{{1110|17|s|5|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|19|s|5|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|8|n|6|e}}
|{{w|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Red Five}} is both Anakin and Luke Skywalker's call sign. Anakin uses the sign in the Battle of Coruscant and Luke uses it in the Battle of Yavin. Also note the use of "{{w|cannon}}" and "{{w|Canon (basic principle)|canon}}."
|-
|{{1110|2|n|6|e}}
|Giant airborne jellyfish.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|6|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|16|s|6|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|17|s|6|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|19|s|6|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|7|e}}
|A {{w|Mario}} level (level 1, Super Mario Bros 1, NES). This is confirmed by text on {{1110|3|s|7|e}}.
|-
|{{1110|1|s|7|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|s|7|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|s|7|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|4|s|7|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|5|s|7|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|6|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|7|s|7|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|8|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|9|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|10|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|11|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|12|s|7|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|13|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|14|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|15|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|16|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|17|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|19|s|7|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|1|n|8|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|16|s|8|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|17|s|8|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|18|s|8|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|19|s|8|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|9|e}}
|Reference to the first line of "{{w|99 Problems}}" by {{w|Jay-Z}} ("If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son. I've got 99 problems but a <rhymes with "witch"> ain't one.").
|-
|{{1110|3|n|10|e}}
|The outline of a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft, with original photo located [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_Dash_8 here].
|-
|{{1110|1|n|10|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|11|n|11|e}}
|A (useless) white empty cell with symetric coordinates (±11, ±11).
|-
|{{1110|1|n|11|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|11|s|11|e}}
|A (useless) black empty cell with symetric coordinates (±11, ±11).
Note, that this PNG file contains an ICC section which means that the blackness in this image is properly {{w|Color correction|color-corrected}}.
|-
|{{1110|5|n|12|e}}
|A hot-air balloon with someone singing "Daiiisyyy... Daiiiiisy..." and another person climbing up the balloon to rip it open. These are Hal 9000's dying words as Dave pulls the plug ({{w|Daisy Bell}}).
|-
|{{1110|1|n|12|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|13|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|14|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|15|e}}
|Reference to, and first line of the chorus of, the song Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger. {{w|Oregon Trail (computer game)|Oregon Trail}} reference.
|-
|{{1110|2|n|16|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|16|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|17|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|17|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|n|18|e}}
|Commercial airline jet with landing gear deployed. Caption: "Folks, this is your captain speaking. I need you all to turn on every electronic device your have. There's no time to explain." (a reference to {{w|No Time To Explain|the game with the same name}}?)
|-
|{{1110|1|n|18|e}}
|Two swimmers in the ocean saying "Stupid FreeBSD...". A reference to comic [[349]].
|-
|{{1110|1|n|19|e}}
|Reference to "{{w|Free Willy}}"? (No, this is a {{w|blue whale}}, while "Free Willy" was about a {{w|killer whale}}.)
|-
|{{1110|1|n|20|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|21|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|22|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|1|n|22|e}}
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|{{1110|3|n|23|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|2|n|23|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|1|n|23|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|4|n|24|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|3|n|24|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|2|n|24|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|1|n|24|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|5|n|25|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|4|n|25|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|3|n|25|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|2|n|25|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|1|n|25|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|6|n|26|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|5|n|26|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|4|n|26|e}}
|Black Hat is hanging from one of the wire supports.
|-
|{{1110|3|n|26|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|26|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|26|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|7|n|27|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|6|n|27|e}}
|Tallest man made structure is {{w|Burj Khalifa}} (829.84 m (2,723 ft)) located in Dubai. This appears to be the former record-holder, the {{w|KVLY-TV mast}} in North Dakota.
|-
|{{1110|5|n|27|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|4|n|27|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|n|27|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|27|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|27|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|6|n|28|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|5|n|28|e}}
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|{{1110|4|n|28|e}}
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|{{1110|3|n|28|e}}
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|{{1110|2|n|28|e}}
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|{{1110|1|n|28|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|5|n|29|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|4|n|29|e}}
|Someone is sliding down the wire.
|-
|{{1110|3|n|29|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|29|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|29|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|4|n|30|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|3|n|30|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|2|n|30|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|30|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|3|n|31|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|31|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|1|n|31|e}}
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|-
|{{1110|2|n|32|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|32|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|33|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|34|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|35|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|36|e}}
|Reference to the original Pokemon games. When Prof. Oak tells you not to go into the tall grass without a Pokemon.
;Transcript
:[There is a large hill with very tall grass (taller than any character in this section).]
:[Left-most is some structure of some kind.]
:[West of the structure is Cueball shouting to Megan, who is running into the long grass.]
:Cueball: Don't go into the long grass!
:Megan: Pikachu, I choose ''DEATH''—
:Megan: And with it immortality.
|-
|{{1110|1|n|37|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|38|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|2|n|39|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|39|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|40|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|41|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|42|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|43|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|44|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|45|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|46|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|47|e}}
|
|-
|{{1110|1|n|48|e}}
|[[Cueball]] with a ballon in his hand, flying towards the image border. He says “I wonder where I'll float next”. This is a reference to [[1|the very first xkcd comic]]. Maybe it's also a reference to {{w|World of Goo}}, a computer game, where at the and of level 1 the goo balls leave the screen carried by ballons, wondering what will be next.
;Transcript
:[Grassy hill slowly rolls until the extreme right which ends in a much larger drop-off. This is the end of the world.]
:[Cueball is still floating holding his balloon, heading further east.]
:Cueball: I wonder where I'll float next.
|-
|}

== Whole Image ==

[[Image:1110_full_tiny.png|600px|center|Whole image]]

The probably best way to see the whole image and navigate effortlessly through it (map-like, with zooming in and out), has been implemented at http://xkcd-map.rent-a-geek.de/.

== Trivia ==

*The click-and-drag portion of this comic is divided up into 2592 sections of 2048x2048 pixels.
*There are 225 separate 2048x2048 PNG files (plus the PNG container with the first panels). The other 2337 sections are simply filled black (in the south) or white (in the north) with HTML.
*The populated area is 81 frames wide(33 West - 48 East) and 32 frames tall (13 North - 19 South)
*According to [[Randall]] in #xkcd on the night this was released, a full size image of this comic, leaving out the blanks would be 60 gigapixels, a true single rectangular image would be close to a terapixel. The online version is 1 gigapixel without the blanks and 10 gigapixel as rectangular image (2048x2048x225 = 943,718,400 and 2048x2048x2592 = 10,871,635,968).

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Velociraptors]]