https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Victor explain xkcd - User contributions [en] 2026-04-28T11:07:52Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.30.0 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3195:_International_Station&diff=403771 3195: International Station 2026-01-16T15:03:59Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ formatting of the &quot;Bold Italic International Station&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3195<br /> | date = January 16, 2026<br /> | title = International Station<br /> | image = international_station_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 265x250px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Welcome to the International Space Station Exclamation Point!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created ACCIDENTALLY DUE TO A TRANSLATION ERROR PERIOD. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> This joke makes fun of the parity between 'space', as in the invisible character between words, and 'space', as in the place that is not earth. In this case, it is said that the word 'space' was never meant to be there at all, but it was included as a word due to a formatting error. The title text furthers the joke by transcribing the exclamation mark at the end of the phrase, similar to [[3143: Question Mark]]. <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Ponytail is talking to Cueball. They seem to be floating in space, surrounded by a wrench, a book, two sheets of paper and some debris.]<br /> :Ponytail: You know, NASA and Roscosmos actually originally named it the '''''International Station''''', but a translation issue led someone to accidentally transcribe the formatting.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3195:_International_Station&diff=403769 3195: International Station 2026-01-16T15:02:53Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ background</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3195<br /> | date = January 16, 2026<br /> | title = International Station<br /> | image = international_station_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 265x250px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Welcome to the International Space Station Exclamation Point!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created ACCIDENTALLY DUE TO A TRANSLATION ERROR PERIOD. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> This joke makes fun of the parity between 'space', as in the invisible character between words, and 'space', as in the place that is not earth. In this case, it is said that the word 'space' was never meant to be there at all, but it was included as a word due to a formatting error. The title text furthers the joke by transcribing the exclamation mark at the end of the phrase, similar to [[3143: Question Mark]]. <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Ponytail is talking to Cueball. They seem to be floating in space, surrounded by a wrench, a book, two sheets of paper and some debris.]<br /> :Ponytail: You know, NASA and Roscosmos actually originally named it the International Station, but a translation issue led someone to accidentally transcribe the formatting.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3195:_International_Station&diff=403768 3195: International Station 2026-01-16T15:00:09Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ featuring</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3195<br /> | date = January 16, 2026<br /> | title = International Station<br /> | image = international_station_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 265x250px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Welcome to the International Space Station Exclamation Point!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created ACCIDENTALLY DUE TO A TRANSLATION ERROR PERIOD. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> This joke makes fun of the parity between 'space', as in the invisible character between words, and 'space', as in the place that is not earth. In this case, it is said that the word 'space' was never meant to be there at all, but it was included as a word due to a formatting error. The title text furthers the joke by transcribing the exclamation mark at the end of the phrase, similar to [[3143: Question Mark]]. <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Ponytail is talking to Cueball.]<br /> :Ponytail: You know, NASA and Roscosmos actually originally named it the International Station, but a translation issue led someone to accidentally transcribe the formatting.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3195:_International_Station&diff=403767 3195: International Station 2026-01-16T14:59:03Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3195<br /> | date = January 16, 2026<br /> | title = International Station<br /> | image = international_station_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 265x250px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Welcome to the International Space Station Exclamation Point!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created ACCIDENTALLY DUE TO A TRANSLATION ERROR PERIOD. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> This joke makes fun of the parity between 'space', as in the invisible character between words, and 'space', as in the place that is not earth. In this case, it is said that the word 'space' was never meant to be there at all, but it was included as a word due to a formatting error. The title text furthers the joke by transcribing the exclamation mark at the end of the phrase, similar to [[3143: Question Mark]]. <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Ponytail is talking to Cueball.]<br /> :Ponytail: You know, NASA and Roscosmos actually originally named it the International Station, but a translation issue led someone to accidentally transcribe the formatting.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3191:_Superstition&diff=403094 3191: Superstition 2026-01-07T20:09:30Z <p>Victor: /* Explanation */ by a superstition</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3191<br /> | date = January 7, 2026<br /> | title = Superstition<br /> | image = superstition_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 275x393px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's important to teach yourself to feel responsible for random events, because with great responsibility comes great power. That's what my wise Uncle Ben told me right before he died; he might still be alive today if only I'd said rabbit rabbit that year!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created by a superstition. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Blondie, Cueball and a child are walking from left to right. The child is turning towards Cueball.]<br /> <br /> :Cueball: Oops, I forgot to say &quot;rabbit rabbit&quot; on January first!<br /> <br /> :Child: Why do you do that?<br /> <br /> :Cueball: Just a superstition.<br /> <br /> :Child: What's a superstition?<br /> <br /> :Cueball: It's a way to train yourself to feel like any bad thing that happens is your fault.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3191:_Superstition&diff=403091 3191: Superstition 2026-01-07T19:53:09Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3191<br /> | date = January 7, 2026<br /> | title = Superstition<br /> | image = superstition_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 275x393px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's important to teach yourself to feel responsible for random events, because with great responsibility comes great power. That's what my wise Uncle Ben told me right before he died; he might still be alive today if only I'd said rabbit rabbit that year!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Blondie, Cueball and a child are walking from left to right. The child is turning towards Cueball.]<br /> <br /> :Cueball: Oops, I forgot to say &quot;rabbit rabbit&quot; on January first!<br /> <br /> :Child: Why do you do that?<br /> <br /> :Cueball: Just a superstition.<br /> <br /> :Child: What's a superstition?<br /> <br /> :Cueball: It's a way to train yourself to feel like any bad thing that happens is your fault.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3170:_Service_Outage&diff=391293 3170: Service Outage 2025-11-20T03:16:03Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3170<br /> | date = November 19, 2025<br /> | title = Service Outage<br /> | image = service_outage_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 376x364px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Now, if it were the *Canon* wiki, it's possible to imagine someone with a productivity-related reason for consulting it, but no one's job requires them to read that much about Admiral Daala.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> In this comic, Cueball is comparing the effects that service outages for different websites can have on people's productivity. When the service (like Google) is essential to his work, his productivity will clearly go down. However, his productivity increases if the service (the Star Wars Legends wiki) is non-essential, implying that he frequently gets distracted by them.<br /> <br /> The title-text continues the Star Wars Legends Wiki joke, mentioning the canon and non-canon wikis. A writer or editor for a forthcoming Star Wars product may have a work-related reason to review a wiki containing Star Wars canon. Star Wars Legends, on the other hand, have been considered non-canon since 2014. The character of [https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Natasi_Daala Admiral] [https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Natasi_Daala Daala] is well documented, but a relatively niche line of interest.<br /> <br /> This comic was posted the day after there was an outage at {{w|Cloudflare}}, a major {{w|Content Delivery Network}} whose failure affected this very site (among many others). This followed a few weeks after there were outages at {{w|Microsoft Azure}} and {{w|Amazon Web Services}}, which provide {{w|cloud computing}} services, and fifteen months since {{w|2024 CrowdStrike-related IT outages|another significant outage}}. These aren't sites that most non-technical users are directly familiar with, but they provide infrastructure for many popular web sites, so their failures have wide-ranging impacts even for those who had been previously unaware of their role in their online life.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> <br /> :[A graph of &quot;Productivity when a major internet service goes down&quot; over time]<br /> :[The productivity line starts at average. A point in time is labelled 'outage begins']<br /> :[After that, the line splits into two lines: one labelled &quot;People whose work relies on the service&quot;. It goes down over time.]<br /> :[The second line is labelled &quot;People whose work doesn't rely on the service&quot;. It jumps a little and stays roughly constant after.]<br /> :[The second line is illustrated by Cueball seated at a desk, using a laptop computer. A thought bubble says: &quot;Aw man, the outage took down the Star Wars Legends wiki.&quot;]<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3156:_Planetary_Rings&diff=389050 3156: Planetary Rings 2025-10-17T16:13:01Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3156<br /> | date = October 17, 2025<br /> | title = Planetary Rings<br /> | image = planetary_rings_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 356x279px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = If you don't know where you are on Earth, the angle of satellite dishes can help constrain your latitude. If some of them are pointing straight up, you're probably near the Equator, right under the ring.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created by an off-axis satellite dish. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[On the right side, a drawing of the Earth from space, with Africa in view. Many dots represent the satellites, and most of them are in an ellipse. An arrow points to it:]<br /> :Geostationary satellite belt<br /> <br /> :[On the left side, a table:]<br /> : Planet Ring?<br /> : Mercury ☐<br /> : Venus ☐<br /> : Earth [[☑]]<br /> : Mars ☐<br /> : Jupiter ☑<br /> : Saturn ☑<br /> : Uranus ☑<br /> : Neptune ☑<br /> <br /> :[Caption below the panel:]<br /> : Astronomy fact: a century ago, Earth didn't have rings, but we have one now! It's where all the satellite dishes are pointed.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3123:_Canon&diff=383058 3123: Canon 2025-08-01T16:39:32Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ typo + add featurings</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3123<br /> | date = August 1, 2025<br /> | title = Canon<br /> | image = canon_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 299x408px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Achilles was a mighty warrior, but his Achilles' heel was his heel.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Cueball talks to White Hat while reading a book. Both are standing.]<br /> <br /> :Cueball: It's so weird reading these 18th century scholars argue about minor biblical details. It's like they're an online fandom or something - they've developed this whole elaborate canon.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3123:_Canon&diff=383057 3123: Canon 2025-08-01T16:37:22Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3123<br /> | date = August 1, 2025<br /> | title = Canon<br /> | image = canon_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 299x408px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Achilles was a mighty warrior, but his Achilles' heel was his heel.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Cueball talks to WhiteHat while reading a book. Both are standing.]<br /> <br /> :Cueball: It's so weird reading these 18th century scholars argue about minor biblical details. It's like they're an online fandom or something - they've developed this whole elaborate canon.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3110:_Global_Ranking&diff=380764 3110: Global Ranking 2025-07-03T08:20:05Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3110<br /> | date = July 2, 2025<br /> | title = Global Ranking<br /> | image = global_ranking_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 740x280px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Starting a meta-leaderboard for tracking who holds the record for ranking behind the most distinct people on an online leaderboard.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently and is the 3110TH BEST PAGE. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> : [Cueball is seated at a desk, and uses a laptop. White Hat is standing right behind him.]<br /> : Cueball: I'm ranked 7,145,000th globally on this chess platform. It's hard to be ranked that low in '''''ANY''''' activity.<br /> <br /> : [Zoom on Cueball talking]<br /> : Cueball: Few pastimes even '''''have''''' 7 million rated players. Until the Internet, it wasn't really possible. You could be this bad, but only unofficially.<br /> <br /> : [Cueball is now facing White Hat]<br /> : Cueball: So in a sense, I'm worse at chess than anyone was at '''''anything''''' for most of human history.<br /> : White Hat: Why are you still doing it?<br /> <br /> : [Cueball is back on the laptop]<br /> : Cueball: Well, no human has ever had this many friends to play with.<br /> : White Hat: That person is calling you some very obscene names.<br /> : Cueball: Our friendship is complicated.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> [[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category: Comics featuring White Hat]]<br /> [[Category: Chess]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3110:_Global_Ranking&diff=380763 3110: Global Ranking 2025-07-03T08:16:24Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic dialog</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3110<br /> | date = July 2, 2025<br /> | title = Global Ranking<br /> | image = global_ranking_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 740x280px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Starting a meta-leaderboard for tracking who holds the record for ranking behind the most distinct people on an online leaderboard.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently and is the 3110TH BEST PAGE. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> : Cueball: I'm ranked 7,145,000th globally on this chess platform. It's hard to be ranked that low in '''''ANY''''' activity.<br /> <br /> : Cueball: Few pastimes even '''''have''''' 7 million rated players. Until the Internet, it wasn't really possible. You could be this bad, but only unofficially.<br /> <br /> : Cueball: So in a sense, I'm worse at chess than anyone was at '''''anything''''' for most of human history.<br /> : White Hat: Why are you still doing it?<br /> <br /> : Cueball: Well, no human has ever had this many friends to play with.<br /> : White Hat: That person is calling you some very obscene names.<br /> : Cueball: Our friendship is complicated.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> [[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category: Comics featuring White Hat]]<br /> [[Category: Chess]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3109:_Dehumidifier&diff=380626 3109: Dehumidifier 2025-06-30T12:26:34Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3109<br /> | date = June 30, 2025<br /> | title = Dehumidifier<br /> | image = dehumidifier_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 295x327px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the manufacturer can patch remote exploits.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created remotely. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> <br /> : [A salesman is showing Cueball a dehumidifier.]<br /> <br /> : Salesman: The dehumidifier model features built-in WiFi for remote updates.<br /> : Cueball: Great! That will be really useful if they discover a new kind of water.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3093:_Drafting&diff=378416 3093: Drafting 2025-05-23T15:41:49Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ fix typo</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3093<br /> | date = May 23, 2025<br /> | title = Drafting<br /> | image = drafting_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 317x518px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = A 5% efficiency gain at the cost of a 99% efficiency loss<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> {{w|Drafting}} is an aerodynamic technique where one moving object follows another one closely to reduce drag by using the first objects {{w|splitstream}}. It is used in various sports, most prominently {{w|cycling}}.<br /> <br /> The comic explores the idea of using drafting for rockets and states that while it theoretically works, it isn't really recommended. The title text gives more details on this, claiming that there is an efficiency gain of 5% through drafting via the general mechanism, it also comes with a 99% loss (which isn't explained in detail).<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Needs image description. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> :[A rocket with two boosters is launching. A smaller rocket is following the first rocket very close, inside its exhaust plume. The first rocket has a tow-stage core, and two boosters. It produces 3 big flames. The second rocket does not have boosters. It produces 3 small flames.]<br /> <br /> :[Caption below the panel:]<br /> :Aerospace tip: Although the technique reduces atmospheric drag for many types of vehicles, you should ''never'' try to improve rocket launch efficiency through drafting.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> [[Category:Rockets]]<br /> [[Category:Tips]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3093:_Drafting&diff=378415 3093: Drafting 2025-05-23T15:40:44Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic description</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3093<br /> | date = May 23, 2025<br /> | title = Drafting<br /> | image = drafting_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 317x518px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = A 5% efficiency gain at the cost of a 99% efficiency loss<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> <br /> {{w|Drafting}} is an aerodynamic technique where one moving object follows another one closely to reduce drag by using the first objects {{w|splitstream}}. It is used in various sports, most prominently {{w|cycling}}.<br /> <br /> The comic explores the idea of using drafting for rockets and states that while it theoretically works, it isn't really recommended. The title text gives more details on this, claiming that there is an efficiency gain of 5% through drafting via the general mechanism, it also comes with a 99% loss (which isn't explained in detail).<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Needs image description. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}<br /> :[A rocket with two boosters is launching. A smaller rocket is following the first<br /> rocket very close, inside its exhaust plume. The first rocket has a tow-stage core, and two boosters. It produces 3 big flames. The second rocket does not have boosters. It produces 3 small flames.]<br /> <br /> :[Caption below the panel:]<br /> :Aerospace tip: Although the technique reduces atmospheric drag for many types of vehicles, you should ''never'' try to improve rocket launch efficiency through drafting.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}&lt;noinclude&gt;<br /> [[Category:Rockets]]<br /> [[Category:Tips]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3067:_SawStart&diff=369985 3067: SawStart 2025-03-24T12:57:41Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3067<br /> | date = March 24, 2025<br /> | title = SawStart<br /> | image = sawstart.png<br /> | imagesize = 290x313px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Unfortunately, SawStart is one-use-only. Once started, the blade cannot be stopped, and must be replaced with a fresh blade while the running one is carefully disposed of.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Black Hat show a table saw, branded SawStart, to Megan and Cueball]:<br /> :When the saw detects contact with skin, an explosive charge starts the blade spinning at full speed within a few milliseconds.<br /> <br /> :[Caption bellow the panel]<br /> :SawStop's less-popular competitor<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3063:_Planet_Definitions&diff=368914 3063: Planet Definitions 2025-03-14T17:03:33Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ fix dude</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3063<br /> | date = March 14, 2025<br /> | title = Planet Definitions<br /> | image = planet_definitions_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 653x1435px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Under the 'has cleared its orbital neighborhood' and 'fuses hydrogen into helium' definitions, thanks to human activities Earth technically no longer qualifies as a planet but DOES count as a star.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|In the [[#Trivia|trivia section]], mention the 2 errors in the comic.}}<br /> <br /> This comic addresses the controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet and gives many other humorous definitions of what a planet could be.<br /> <br /> Prior to 2006, there was no formal definition of a &quot;planet&quot; and it was generally accepted as a colloquialism there were nine planets around the Sun, Pluto included. As more sophisticated methods of mapping the Solar System were developed and Eris was discovered to be even more massive than Pluto, it became clear to astronomers that amore standardized definition was needed. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) published their formal redefinition of a &quot;planet&quot; to require a planet to be gravitationally dominant within its orbit, disqualifying Pluto (and Eris) which is now considered a &quot;dwarf planet.&quot; This has been subject to pushback from countless people, including [https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.15285 some planetary scientists], but in numbers mostly nostalgic laymen dissatisfied with Pluto being &quot;demoted&quot; or otherwise snubbed.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A table with 3 columns, labelled &quot;Definition&quot;, &quot;# of planets&quot;, and &quot;Solar system&quot;. The last row is a drawing of the Solar system, with elements included in the definition of the row colored in green]<br /> :['''Traditionalist:''' Pluto is a planet | 9 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune + its satellite (probably an error, and Pluto should be colored instead]<br /> :['''Modern:''' Pluto is not a planet | 8 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (probably an error, Pluto should not be colored)]<br /> :['''Expansive:''' Dwarf planets are planets | 17+ | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Ceres Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Ultratraditionalist:''' Only the classical planets are planets | 5 | Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn]<br /> :['''Condescending:''' Only giant planets are planets; the rest are big asteroids. | 4 | Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune]<br /> :['''Simplistic:''' Anything gravitationally round is a planet | 37+ | the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Grounded:''' Only objects a spaceship has landed on are planets | 10 | Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and Titan]<br /> :['''Regolithic:''' Anything covered in dirt and ice and stuff is a planet | infinity | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres and all asteroids from the Asteroid belt, the moons of Jupiter, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt and their moons]<br /> :['''Lunar:''' You can't be a planet if you don't have a moon | 12+ | the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and some other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Solipsitic:''' Earth is the only planet | 1 | the Earth]<br /> :['''Judgemental:''' Only the prettiest ones are planets | 6 | the Earth, Jupiter and one of its moons, Saturn and Titan, Triton, and Pluto]<br /> :['''Empiricist:''' Only worlds that I, author of this table, have personally seen are planets | 12 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars Jupiter and its moons, Saturn, and Neptune]<br /> :['''Marine biologist:''' Only objects with oceans are planets | 6+ | the Earth, some moons of Jupiter, and two moons of Saturn]<br /> :['''Maritime:''' Only objects with '''''surface''''' oceans are planets | 6+ | the Earth, and Titan]<br /> :['''Universalist:''' They're all planets | infinity | the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres and all asteroids from the Asteroid belt, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto and the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Existantialist:''' What is space '''''itself''''' is a planet??? | ''Duude'' | the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres and all asteroids from the Asteroid belt, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto, the Kuiper belt, and the space around it]<br /> :['''Spiteful:''' '''''Only''''' Pluto is a planet | 1 | Pluto]<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3063:_Planet_Definitions&diff=368913 3063: Planet Definitions 2025-03-14T16:55:36Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ finish last rows</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3063<br /> | date = March 14, 2025<br /> | title = Planet Definitions<br /> | image = planet_definitions_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 653x1435px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Under the 'has cleared its orbital neighborhood' and 'fuses hydrogen into helium' definitions, thanks to human activities Earth technically no longer qualifies as a planet but DOES count as a star.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|In the [[#Trivia|trivia section]], mention the 2 errors in the comic.}}<br /> <br /> This comic addresses the controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet and gives many other humorous definitions of what a planet could be.<br /> <br /> Prior to 2006, there was no formal definition of a &quot;planet&quot; and it was generally accepted as a colloquialism there were nine planets around the Sun, Pluto included. As more sophisticated methods of mapping the Solar System were developed and Eris was discovered to be even more massive than Pluto, it became clear to astronomers that amore standardized definition was needed. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) published their formal redefinition of a &quot;planet&quot; to require a planet to be gravitationally dominant within its orbit, disqualifying Pluto (and Eris) which is now considered a &quot;dwarf planet.&quot; This has been subject to pushback from countless people, including [https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.15285 some planetary scientists], but in numbers mostly nostalgic laymen dissatisfied with Pluto being &quot;demoted&quot; or otherwise snubbed.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A table with 3 columns, labelled &quot;Definition&quot;, &quot;# of planets&quot;, and &quot;Solar system&quot;. The last row is a drawing of the Solar system, with elements included in the definition of the row colored in green]<br /> :['''Traditionalist:''' Pluto is a planet | 9 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune + its satellite (probably an error, and Pluto should be colored instead]<br /> :['''Modern:''' Pluto is not a planet | 8 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (probably an error, Pluto should not be colored)]<br /> :['''Expansive:''' Dwarf planets are planets | 17+ | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Ceres Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Ultratraditionalist:''' Only the classical planets are planets | 5 | Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn]<br /> :['''Condescending:''' Only giant planets are planets; the rest are big asteroids. | 4 | Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune]<br /> :['''Simplistic:''' Anything gravitationally round is a planet | 37+ | the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Grounded:''' Only objects a spaceship has landed on are planets | 10 | Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and Titan]<br /> :['''Regolithic:''' Anything covered in dirt and ice and stuff is a planet | infinity | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres and all asteroids from the Asteroid belt, the moons of Jupiter, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt and their moons]<br /> :['''Lunar:''' You can't be a planet if you don't have a moon | 12+ | the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and some other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Solipsitic:''' Earth is the only planet | 1 | the Earth]<br /> :['''Judgemental:''' Only the prettiest ones are planets | 6 | the Earth, Jupiter and one of its moons, Saturn and Titan, Triton, and Pluto]<br /> :['''Empiricist:''' Only worlds that I, author of this table, have personally seen are planets | 12 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars Jupiter and its moons, Saturn, and Neptune]<br /> :['''Marine biologist:''' Only objects with oceans are planets | 6+ | the Earth, some moons of Jupiter, and two moons of Saturn]<br /> :['''Maritime:''' Only objects with '''''surface''''' oceans are planets | 6+ | the Earth, and Titan]<br /> :['''Universalist:''' They're all planets | infinity | the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres and all asteroids from the Asteroid belt, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto and the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Existantialist:''' What is space '''''itself''''' is a planet??? | infinity | the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres and all asteroids from the Asteroid belt, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto, the Kuiper belt, and the space around it]<br /> :['''Spiteful:''' '''''Only''''' Pluto is a planet | 1 | Pluto]<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3063:_Planet_Definitions&diff=368911 3063: Planet Definitions 2025-03-14T16:50:10Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Some more rows</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3063<br /> | date = March 14, 2025<br /> | title = Planet Definitions<br /> | image = planet_definitions_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 653x1435px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Under the 'has cleared its orbital neighborhood' and 'fuses hydrogen into helium' definitions, thanks to human activities Earth technically no longer qualifies as a planet but DOES count as a star.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|In the [[#Trivia|trivia section]], mention the 2 errors in the comic.}}<br /> <br /> This comic addresses the controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet and gives many other humorous definitions of what a planet could be.<br /> <br /> Prior to 2006, there was no formal definition of a &quot;planet&quot; and it was generally accepted as a colloquialism there were nine planets around the Sun, Pluto included. As more sophisticated methods of mapping the Solar System were developed and Eris was discovered to be even more massive than Pluto, it became clear to astronomers that amore standardized definition was needed. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) published their formal redefinition of a &quot;planet&quot; to require a planet to be gravitationally dominant within its orbit, disqualifying Pluto (and Eris) which is now considered a &quot;dwarf planet.&quot; This has been subject to pushback from countless people, mostly (but not entirely) nostalgic laymen dissatisfied with Pluto being &quot;demoted&quot; or otherwise snubbed.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A table with 3 columns, labelled &quot;Definition&quot;, &quot;# of planets&quot;, and &quot;Solar system&quot;. The last row is a drawing of the Solar system, with elements included in the definition of the row colored in green]<br /> :['''Traditionalist:''' Pluto is a planet | 9 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune + its satellite (probably an error, and Pluto should be colored instead]<br /> :['''Modern:''' Pluto is not a planet | 8 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (probably an error, Pluto should not be colored)]<br /> :['''Expansive:''' Dwarf planets are planets | 17+ | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Ceres Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Ultratraditionalist:''' Only the classical planets are planets | 5 | Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn]<br /> :['''Condescending:''' Only giant planets are planets; the rest are big asteroids. | 4 | Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune]<br /> :['''Simplistic:''' Anything gravitationally round is a planet | 37+ | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Grounded:''' Only objects a spaceship has landed on are planets | 10 | Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and Titan]<br /> :['''Regolithic:''' Anything covered in dirt and ice and stuff is a planet | infinity | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres and all asteroids from the Asteroid belt, the moons of Jupiter, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt and their moons]<br /> :['''Lunar:''' You can't be a planet if you don't have a moon | 12+ | the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and some other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Solipsitic:''' Earth is the only planet | 1 | the Earth]<br /> :['''Judgemental:''' Only the prettiest ones are planets | 6 | the Earth, Jupiter and one of its moons, Saturn and Titan, Triton, and Pluto]<br /> :['''Empiricist:''' Only worlds that I, author of this table, have personally seen are planets | 12 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars Jupiter and its moons, Saturn, and Neptune]<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3063:_Planet_Definitions&diff=368905 3063: Planet Definitions 2025-03-14T16:42:16Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ some more rows</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3063<br /> | date = March 14, 2025<br /> | title = Planet Definitions<br /> | image = planet_definitions_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 653x1435px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Under the 'has cleared its orbital neighborhood' and 'fuses hydrogen into helium' definitions, thanks to human activities Earth technically no longer qualifies as a planet but DOES count as a star.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|In the [[#Trivia|trivia section]], mention the 2 errors in the comic.}}<br /> <br /> This comic addresses the controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet and gives many other humorous definitions of what a planet could be.<br /> <br /> Prior to 2006, there was no formal definition of a &quot;planet&quot; and it was generally accepted as a colloquialism there were nine planets around the Sun, Pluto included. As more sophisticated methods of mapping the Solar System were developed and Eris was discovered to be even more massive than Pluto, it became clear to astronomers that amore standardized definition was needed. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) published their formal redefinition of a &quot;planet&quot; to require a planet to be gravitationally dominant within its orbit, disqualifying Pluto (and Eris) which is now considered a &quot;dwarf planet.&quot; This has been subject to pushback from countless people, mostly (but not entirely) nostalgic laymen dissatisfied with Pluto being &quot;demoted&quot; or otherwise snubbed.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A table with 3 columns, labelled &quot;Definition&quot;, &quot;# of planets&quot;, and &quot;Solar system&quot;. The last row is a drawing of the Solar system, with elements included in the definition of the row colored in green]<br /> :['''Traditionalist:''' Pluto is a planet | 9 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune + its satellite (probably an error, and Pluto should be colored instead]<br /> :['''Modern:''' Pluto is not a planet | 8 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (probably an error, Pluto should not be colored)]<br /> :['''Expansive:''' Dwarf planets are planets | 17+ | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Ceres Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Ultratraditionalist:''' Only the classical planets are planets | 5 | Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn]<br /> :['''Condescending:''' Only giant planets are planets; the rest are big asteroids. | 4 | Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune]<br /> :['''Simplistic:''' Anything gravitationally round is a planet | 37+ | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and Titan, Uranus and its moons, Neptune and its moon, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> :['''Grounded:''' Only objects a spaceship has landed on are planets | 10 | Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and Titan]<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3063:_Planet_Definitions&diff=368904 3063: Planet Definitions 2025-03-14T16:36:32Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ 3 first rows</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3063<br /> | date = March 14, 2025<br /> | title = Planet Definitions<br /> | image = planet_definitions_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 653x1435px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Under the 'has cleared its orbital neighborhood' and 'fuses hydrogen into helium' definitions, thanks to human activities Earth technically no longer qualifies as a planet but DOES count as a star.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|In the [[#Trivia|trivia section]], mention the 2 errors in the comic.}}<br /> <br /> This comic addresses the controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet and gives many other humorous definitions of what a planet could be.<br /> <br /> Prior to 2006, there was no formal definition of a &quot;planet&quot; and it was generally accepted as a colloquialism there were nine planets around the Sun, Pluto included. As more sophisticated methods of mapping the Solar System were developed and Eris was discovered to be even more massive than Pluto, it became clear to astronomers that amore standardized definition was needed. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) published their formal redefinition of a &quot;planet&quot; to require a planet to be gravitationally dominant within its orbit, disqualifying Pluto (and Eris) which is now considered a &quot;dwarf planet.&quot; This has been subject to pushback from countless people, mostly (but not entirely) nostalgic laymen dissatisfied with Pluto being &quot;demoted&quot; or otherwise snubbed.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A table with 3 columns, labelled &quot;Definition&quot;, &quot;# of planets&quot;, and &quot;Solar system&quot;. The last row is a drawing of the Solar system, with elements included in the definition of the row colored in green]<br /> :['''Traditionalist:''' Pluto is a planet | 9 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune + its satellite (probably an error, and Pluto should be colored instead]<br /> :['''Modern:''' Pluto is not a planet | 8 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (probably an error, Pluto should not be colored)]<br /> :['''Expansive:''' Dwarf planets are planets | 17+ | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Ceres Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and other dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt]<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3063:_Planet_Definitions&diff=368902 3063: Planet Definitions 2025-03-14T16:33:25Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ fix + start first row</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3063<br /> | date = March 14, 2025<br /> | title = Planet Definitions<br /> | image = planet_definitions_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 653x1435px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Under the 'has cleared its orbital neighborhood' and 'fuses hydrogen into helium' definitions, thanks to human activities Earth technically no longer qualifies as a planet but DOES count as a star.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|In the [[#Trivia|trivia section]], mention the error in the comic.}}<br /> <br /> This comic addresses the controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet and gives many other humorous definitions of what a planet could be.<br /> <br /> Prior to 2006, there was no formal definition of a &quot;planet&quot; and it was generally accepted as a colloquialism there were nine planets around the Sun, Pluto included. As more sophisticated methods of mapping the Solar System were developed and Eris was discovered to be even more massive than Pluto, it became clear to astronomers that amore standardized definition was needed. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) published their formal redefinition of a &quot;planet&quot; to require a planet to be gravitationally dominant within its orbit, disqualifying Pluto (and Eris) which is now considered a &quot;dwarf planet.&quot; This has been subject to pushback from countless people, mostly (but not entirely) nostalgic laymen dissatisfied with Pluto being &quot;demoted&quot; or otherwise snubbed.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A table with 3 columns, labelled &quot;Definition&quot;, &quot;# of planets&quot;, and &quot;Solar system&quot;. The last row is a drawing of the Solar system, with elements included in the definition of the row colored in green]<br /> :['''Traditionalist:''' Pluto is a planet | 9 | Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune + its satellite]<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3063:_Planet_Definitions&diff=368900 3063: Planet Definitions 2025-03-14T16:28:07Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ start table</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3063<br /> | date = March 14, 2025<br /> | title = Planet Definitions<br /> | image = planet_definitions_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 653x1435px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Under the 'has cleared its orbital neighborhood' and 'fuses hydrogen into helium' definitions, thanks to human activities Earth technically no longer qualifies as a planet but DOES count as a star.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by an ERROR IN THE ILLUSTRATION - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> This comic addresses the controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet and gives many other humorous definitions of what a planet could be.<br /> <br /> Prior to 2006, there was no formal definition of a &quot;planet&quot; and it was generally accepted as a colloquialism there were nine planets around the Sun, Pluto included. As more sophisticated methods of mapping the Solar System were developed and Eris was discovered to be even more massive than Pluto, it became clear to astronomers that amore standardized definition was needed. In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) published their formal redefinition of a &quot;planet&quot; to require a planet to be gravitationally dominant within its orbit, disqualifying Pluto (and Eris) which is now considered a &quot;dwarf planet.&quot; This has been subject to pushback from countless people, mostly (but not entirely) nostalgic laymen dissatisfied with Pluto being &quot;demoted&quot; or otherwise snubbed.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A table with 3 rows, labelled &quot;Definition&quot;, &quot;# of planets&quot;, and &quot;Solar system&quot;]<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3055:_Giants&diff=366872 3055: Giants 2025-02-25T16:13:58Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Basic trascript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3055<br /> | date = February 24, 2025<br /> | title = Giants<br /> | image = giants_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 341x423px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = I can't get over the suspicion that all those viral pictures are photoshopped and 'Flemish' belongs in the lower right circle.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a MAMMAL GIANT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> This comic is a {{w|Venn Diagram}} (a [[2721: Euler Diagrams|more exacting subset]] of {{w|Euler Diagram}}) grouping different things with &quot;giant&quot; in the name. The three categories are giants from space, 'geological' features called giants and giants who have been proven to be fictional. In the central overlap of all categories is a possible 'giant', fulfilling all groupings, but normally ''without'' the word &quot;giant&quot; in its name.<br /> <br /> {| class=&quot;wikitable&quot;<br /> |-<br /> ! Name !! Class !! Explanation<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Red giant|Red Giant}} || Space || A type of large, relatively cool star.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Blue giant|Blue Giant}} || Space || An early type of large, relatively hot star.<br /> |-<br /> | Iron Giant || Space, Not Real || Title character from a {{w|The Iron Giant|1999 animated film}} and the {{w|The Iron Man (novel)|1968 children's book}} it was based on (written by English poet and author {{w|Ted Hughes}} and published outside the US as ''The Iron Man: A Children's Story in Five Nights'') : a robot from outer space.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Frost Giant (disambiguation)|Frost Giant}} || Not Real || Beings from Norse mythology, Frost Giants also appear in Marvel comic/film versions.<br /> |-<br /> | Jolly Green Giant || Not Real || A mascot for a {{w|Green Giant|brand of canned vegetables}}.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Cardiff Giant}} || Geologic/Planetary, Not Real || An 1869 archaeological hoax of a supposed petrified giant man.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Atacama Giant}} || Geologic/Planetary || A prehistoric {{w|geoglyph}}.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Paratethys#Salt Giants|Salt Giant}} || Geologic/Planetary || A huge salt deposit below the Mediterranean sea.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Gas giant|Gas Giant}} || Space, Geologic/Planetary || A large gaseous planet, like Jupiter or Saturn.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Ice giant|Ice Giant}} || Space, Geologic/Planetary || A relatively large icy planet, like Uranus or Neptune.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Man in the Moon|The Man In The Moon}} || Space, Geologic/Planetary, Not Real || A 'face' visible in the near side of the moon, sometimes shown as a character in children's nursery rhymes. As a feature, it is real, but not a 'real'&lt;!-- somehow resolve this with Atacama==real(created) yet Cardiff==unreal(created)? --&gt; giant, only a {{w|pareidolia}}.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Flemish Giant rabbit|Flemish Giant}} (title text) || Real, but Randall suspects it belongs in Not Real || One of the largest breeds of domestic bun (about the same size as a {{w|Cocker Spaniel}} dog).<br /> <br /> |}<br /> <br /> This is one of many xkcd comics that include or reference Venn diagrams.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :Types of Giant<br /> <br /> :[A Venn diagram with three categories: In space, Geologic/Planetary, Not real]<br /> :[Only in &quot;In space&quot;: Red, Blue]<br /> :[Only in &quot;Geologic/Planetary&quot;: Atacama, Salt]<br /> :[Only in &quot;Not read&quot;: Frost, Jolly green]<br /> :[Both in &quot;In space&quot; and &quot;Geologic/Planetary&quot;: Gas, Ice]<br /> :[Both in &quot;In space&quot; and &quot;Not real&quot;: Iron]<br /> :[Both in &quot;Geologic/Planetary&quot; and Not real&quot;: Cardiff]<br /> :[In all three: [The man in the Moon]]<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Charts]]<br /> [[Category:Astronomy]]<br /> [[Category:Puns]]<br /> [[Category:Fiction]]<br /> [[Category:Venn diagrams]]<br /> [[Category:Animals]]<br /> [[Category:Buns]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3042:_T._Rex_Evolution&diff=363428 3042: T. Rex Evolution 2025-01-24T13:13:15Z <p>Victor: /* Explanation */</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3042<br /> | date = January 24, 2025<br /> | title = T. Rex Evolution<br /> | image = t_rex_evolution_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 418x378px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Unfortunately, body size and bite force continue to increase.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a leg-less bot - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A graph of limbs over time, with 3 animals represented]<br /> :[The vertical axis ins labelled Limbs, from 0 to 4]<br /> :[The horizontal axis is not labelled but represents time, in ticks of 10 million years, from 180 million years ago to 0.]<br /> :[&quot;Extinction&quot; points to 65 million years ago, and &quot;Now&quot; points to 0.]<br /> <br /> :[The first animal, a regular dinosaur, is in the top left: 4 limbs, 150 million years ago.]<br /> : 4 normal limbs<br /> <br /> :[An arrow goes from it to the second animal, a T.Rex, in the middle, just left of &quot;extinction&quot;.]<br /> : Barely more than 2<br /> <br /> :[An dashed arrow with a question mark goes from it to the last animal: a leg-less dinosaur with a big mouth.]<br /> : ???<br /> <br /> :[Caption bellow the panel:]<br /> :If T.Rex hadn't gone extinct<br /> :(linear extrapolation)<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3042:_T._Rex_Evolution&diff=363427 3042: T. Rex Evolution 2025-01-24T13:12:44Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3042<br /> | date = January 24, 2025<br /> | title = T. Rex Evolution<br /> | image = t_rex_evolution_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 418x378px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Unfortunately, body size and bite force continue to increase.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A graph of limbs over time, with 3 animals represented]<br /> :[The vertical axis ins labelled Limbs, from 0 to 4]<br /> :[The horizontal axis is not labelled but represents time, in ticks of 10 million years, from 180 million years ago to 0.]<br /> :[&quot;Extinction&quot; points to 65 million years ago, and &quot;Now&quot; points to 0.]<br /> <br /> :[The first animal, a regular dinosaur, is in the top left: 4 limbs, 150 million years ago.]<br /> : 4 normal limbs<br /> <br /> :[An arrow goes from it to the second animal, a T.Rex, in the middle, just left of &quot;extinction&quot;.]<br /> : Barely more than 2<br /> <br /> :[An dashed arrow with a question mark goes from it to the last animal: a leg-less dinosaur with a big mouth.]<br /> : ???<br /> <br /> :[Caption bellow the panel:]<br /> :If T.Rex hadn't gone extinct<br /> :(linear extrapolation)<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3034:_Features_of_Adulthood&diff=361209 3034: Features of Adulthood 2025-01-07T07:52:32Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ try to add content of the plot</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3034<br /> | date = January 6, 2025<br /> | title = Features of Adulthood<br /> | image = features_of_adulthood_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 704x620px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = I don't dig pit traps and cover them with sticks and a thin layer of leaves nearly as much as I expected; I find a chance to do it barely once a month.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete| Unexpectedly created by an adult BOT digging pit traps - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> This comic is a graph comparing the (mostly) common ideas of adulthood from a young person's perspective with the sad reality of it. The features that are most expected but don't actually come up (quicksand, grappling hooks, crocodiles, and twins switching place) are common tropes in fiction. At the opposite end, some very mundane activities are common but we don't expect them to be important when we're young: deciding what to eat, dealing with weird noises and smells.<br /> <br /> It is clear that many of the things that were imagined more likely than they turned out to be are ''direct'' references to fictional scenarios on film or TV, especially with a number of action movie tropes, throughout the 'lower-right triangle'. In contrast, the complimentary 'upper-left triangle' has situations that mostly (though not entirely!) seem to not be portrayed in many fictional depictions.<br /> <br /> ==Events==<br /> <br /> {| class=&quot;wikitable&quot;<br /> ! Event<br /> ! Expected frequency in adulthood<br /> ! Actual frequency in adulthood<br /> ! Notes<br /> |-<br /> | {{tvtropes|FormalFullArrayOfCutlery|Which fork you're supposed to use for what}}<br /> | 0%<br /> | 0%<br /> | Different types of {{w|forks}} are used to eat different courses of a meal. Usually, cutlery is arranged in a way that makes easier to understand which is needed. Learning which fork to use may be a lesson in an {{w|etiquette school}} class.<br /> |-<br /> | {{tvtropes|CartoonBomb|Lit fuses}}<br /> | 40%<br /> | 0%<br /> | Explosives with visible lit fuses are commonly seen in movies and TV shows. In reality, explosives are more likely to be remotely detonated or have an {{w|time bomb|unlit}} or concealed fuse (e.g. {{w|grenade}}s).<br /> |-<br /> | {{tvtropes|PalatePropping|Shoving a stick}} in a {{w|crocodile}}'s mouth to wedge it open<br /> | 80%<br /> | 0%<br /> | Placing a vertical stick in a crocodile’s mouth is a popular TV trope to prevent the crocodile from {{w|Crocodile attack|bitting down}} (usually on the stick placer).<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Quicksand}}<br /> | 100%<br /> | 0%<br /> | Quicksand is {{tvtropes|QuicksandSucks|common in adventure fiction}}, but it's quite rare in real life, and an average person is highly unlikely to encounter quicksand in day to day life.<br /> |- <br /> | {{w|Car chase}}s<br /> | 35%<br /> | 5%<br /> | Car chases are frequently seen in movies and TV shows involving police. But unless you're a police officer or criminal trying to evade them, you'll probably never be involved in one. Possibly the only actual car chase many people have actually seen is {{w|O.J.Simpson}}'s white Ford Bronco, which was shown on TV after he was identified as the prime suspect in his wife's murder.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Grappling hook}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | A grappling hook is a metal piece that is attached to a rope. If the person is going up a cliff, the “hook” would be thrown or shot at the top of the cliff and would either snag something, or more commonly, would wrap around something like a tree then hook onto itself, thus securing a way up the cliff.<br /> |-<br /> | People offering free drugs<br /> | 30%<br /> | 10%<br /> | Typically refers to illicit drugs. The expectation is that a drug pusher will offer you free samples to get you addicted, then start charging expensive prices.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Parachute}}s<br /> | <br /> |<br /> | Giant fabric tarp that is tied to you in order to slow a {{w|Parachuting|very high fall}}.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Barrels}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Wooden or {{w|Drum (container)|metal}} storage implements, frequently used as concealment, improvised weapons and (sometimes explosive) obstacles in popular media.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Middle name}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | A second (or occasionally also third or more) {{w|given name}}, common in some traditions. Sometimes used specifically to honor someone (perhaps the same first name of a grandparent or loved one, occasionally such a person's surname). It can be used as further identification, if one has a common first and last name. In some families, the first name may bectraditionally shared with the appropriate parent (and the grandparent, their parent) and reference by the middle name(s), alone, may be more useful to distinguish the person being addressed from within a family situation. In later life, a person may drop the use of middle names (or, conversely, adopt ''only'' them as the name they are known by) and the unweildy complete set of names becomes less common, as they may be considered unprofessional and unnecessary.<br /> Authors and politicians may most obviously buck this trend, as they have to develop an identity far beyond their immediate personal and professional circles, and perhaps need to be more disambiguously individual and free of confusion from others of similar named as &quot;Firstname Surname&quot;, but this might also just reflect that the practice of more formally complete names is a tradition that is being dropped from those of [[Randall]] (Patrick) Munroe's generation, leaving only the generations before (most represented, in the public eye, by elder statesmen and well-read writers) still using them in the way they always did.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Food fight}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | Twins {{tvtropes|TwinSwitch|switching places}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{tvtropes|PoptheTires|Flat}} {{w|tire}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Briefcase}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Frequently used to carry documents and other small office equipment. Often portrayed as {{tvtropes|BriefcaseFullOfMoney|a means to carry a large amount of cash}} or {{tvtropes|BriefcaseBlaster|conceal a firearm}}.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Martial arts}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Water damage}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Backpack}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Backpacks of various sizes are a versatile means to carry items. They are almost as popular in real life as in fiction.<br /> |-<br /> | My academic record<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Adhesive}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Adhesives such as {{w|glue}}, {{w|adhesive tape|tape}} and {{w|epoxy resin}} are used to bond items together, typically for use in arts and crafts. They also have widespread industrial applications.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Board game}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Board games are sometimes used as minigames in video games. The {{w|Mario Party}} franchise is a video game adaptation of the board game formula.<br /> |-<br /> | Tying {{w|knot}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | There are many knots to tie, each with distinct purposes. May also refer to &quot;tying the knot&quot;, an expression for {{w|marriage}}.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Cable management}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Laser}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> |<br /> |-<br /> | Dangerous driving situations<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Pizza}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Often thought of as takeout or delivery food. A favorite of {{w|Spider-Man}} and the {{w|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles}}.<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Star Wars}}<br /> |<br /> |<br /> |<br /> |-<br /> | Cool toys<br /> |<br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Weather forecast}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Batteries}}<br /> |<br /> |<br /> |<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Power tools}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Video game}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Often thought of as a childish pastime, adults frequently play video games.<br /> |-<br /> | Figuring out what to have for dinner<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Heating, ventilation and air conditioning|HVAC}} issues<br /> |<br /> |<br /> |<br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Cooking}}<br /> | <br /> | <br /> |<br /> |-<br /> | Secret {{w|password}}s<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | Laundry<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | {{w|Tax}}es<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | One of two inevitable things in life, {{w|Death and taxes|the other being death}}<br /> |-<br /> | Customer service<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | Shopping<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | Unexplained smells or noises<br /> | <br /> | 100%<br /> | <br /> |-<br /> | Pocket radio communicators<br /> | <br /> | 100%<br /> | Examples include {{w|cell phone}}s, {{w|pager}}s and {{w|walkie-talkie}}s<br /> |-<br /> | Bills<br /> | <br /> | 100%<br /> | Most households have to contend with electricity, water and telecommunication service bills<br /> |-<br /> | Digging {{w|pit trap}}s (title text)<br /> | <br /> | <br /> | Inside the Star Destroyer in [[1608: Hoverboard]] we see [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/f/fd/1608_1055x1090y_Trap_covered_with_leaves_and_flying_Ponytail_at_bottom_of_hull.png Cueball cover a pit trap with leaves], so this is something Randall actually thinks about sometimes!<br /> |}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Shown is a scatter plot:]<br /> :Y axis label: How often it comes up in my adult life<br /> :X axis label: How often I expected it to come up in my adult life<br /> <br /> :[first row, comes up very often, from least to most expected:]<br /> :Unexplained smells or noises, customer service, pocket radio communicators, bills, shopping<br /> :Figuring out what to have for dinner, HVAC issues, secret passwords, laundry, cooking, taxes<br /> :Weather forecasts, batteries, video games, power tools<br /> :Cable management, dangerous driving situations, pizza, Star Wars, lasers, cool toys<br /> :Adhesives, board games, tying knots<br /> :Water damage, backpacks, my academic record<br /> :Flat tires, briefcases, martial arts<br /> :Middle names, people offering free drugs, food fights, parachutes, twins switching places, barrels<br /> :[last row, comes up very rarely, from least to most expected:]<br /> :Which fork you're supposed to use for what, car chases, lit fuses, shoving a stick in a crocodile's mouth to wedge it open, grappling hooks, qhuicksand<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category: Scatter plots]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3019:_Advent_Calendar_Advent_Calendar&diff=358442 3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar 2024-12-02T16:00:27Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ More details. Not sure about the equation being the best way to describe, but a list would be very long.</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3019<br /> | date = December 2, 2024<br /> | title = Advent Calendar Advent Calendar<br /> | image = advent_calendar_advent_calendar_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 482x324px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = The growth rate of items per day may may seem absurd, but it's actually much less than the acceleration in the 12 Days of Christmas song.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by 2 Turtle Bots - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> Advent calanders are a form of countdown where you get a small present (traditionally, just a thematic picture) every day until Christmas.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[On a grey board, are 23 advent calendars, numbered from 3 to 25, plus two open calendars.]<br /> :[Each calendar numbered n has m squares in it. n+m=26.]<br /> :[One open calendar has 25 squares, 2 of which are black. The other open calendar has 24 squares, one of which is black.]<br /> <br /> :I like advent calendars, so I got an advent calendar that gives me a new one every day until Christmas.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3019:_Advent_Calendar_Advent_Calendar&diff=358440 3019: Advent Calendar Advent Calendar 2024-12-02T15:55:55Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3019<br /> | date = December 2, 2024<br /> | title = Advent Calendar Advent Calendar<br /> | image = advent_calendar_advent_calendar_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 482x324px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = The growth rate of items per day may may seem absurd, but it's actually much less than the acceleration in the 12 Days of Christmas song.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by 2 Turtle Bots - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> Advent calanders are a form of countdown where you get a small present every day until Christmas.<br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[On a grey board, are 23 advent calendars, numbered from 3 to 25, plus two open calendars.]<br /> :I like advent calendars, so I got an advent calendar that gives me a new one every day until Christmas.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3018:_Second_Stage&diff=358206 3018: Second Stage 2024-11-29T13:59:13Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ add description</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3018<br /> | date = November 29, 2024<br /> | title = Second Stage<br /> | image = second_stage_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 740x272px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Hmm, they won't do in-flight delivery, so let's order a new first and second stage to our emergency landing site and then try to touch down on top of them to save time.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> :[A multi-stage rocket, with a capsule on top, is lifting-off the ground.]<br /> :We have liftoff.<br /> <br /> :[The first stage separates from the rest of the rocket.]<br /> :Main engine cutoff.<br /> :Stage separation confirmed.<br /> :We are go for second stage burn.<br /> <br /> :Second stage?<br /> <br /> :Yes.<br /> :...What?<br /> <br /> :[The first stage and the rest of the rocket are drifting appart. No rocket is firing.]<br /> :We were supposed to have a second stage?<br /> <br /> :...Yes!<br /> <br /> :Did '''''you''''' set up a second stage?<br /> <br /> :I thought '''''you''''' were handling staging!<br /> <br /> :Oh no.<br /> <br /> :[They continue to drift appart slowly.]<br /> :Okay, don't panic.<br /> :Lemme see if we can order a stage online for same-day delivery.<br /> <br /> :''Sigh''.<br /> <br /> :Hey, what zip code should I put? Ours keeps changing.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Space]]<br /> [[Category:Kerbal Space Program]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3018:_Second_Stage&diff=358205 3018: Second Stage 2024-11-29T13:55:09Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ dialog</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3018<br /> | date = November 29, 2024<br /> | title = Second Stage<br /> | image = second_stage_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 740x272px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Hmm, they won't do in-flight delivery, so let's order a new first and second stage to our emergency landing site and then try to touch down on top of them to save time.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> :We have liftoff.<br /> <br /> <br /> :Main engine cutoff.<br /> :Stage separation confirmed.<br /> :We are go for second stage burn.<br /> <br /> :Second stage?<br /> <br /> :Yes.<br /> :...What?<br /> <br /> <br /> :We were supposed to have a second stage?<br /> <br /> :...Yes!<br /> <br /> :Did '''''you''''' set up a second stage?<br /> <br /> :I thought '''''you''''' were handling staging!<br /> <br /> :Oh no.<br /> <br /> <br /> :Okay, don't panic.<br /> :Lemme see if we can order a stage online for same-day delivery.<br /> <br /> :''Sigh''.<br /> <br /> :Hey, what zip code should I put? Ours keeps changing.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Space]]<br /> [[Category:Kerbal Space Program]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=3011:_Europa_Clipper&diff=356586 3011: Europa Clipper 2024-11-13T13:38:19Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 3011<br /> | date = November 13, 2024<br /> | title = Europa Clipper<br /> | image = europa_clipper_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 333x356px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = They had BETTER make this a sample return mission.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a Galilean bakery - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A satellite has two rectangular solar panels, a circular dish of the front, and a massive spoon on the bottom, twice the length of its solar panels]<br /> <br /> :[Below the panel:]<br /> :Good news: NASA's '''''Europa Clipper''''' is en route to Europa and has successfully deployed its crème brûlée spoon.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Victor&diff=351735 User talk:Victor 2024-09-30T20:57:17Z <p>Victor: drama</p> <hr /> <div>{{kick}}<br /> [[Category:Pages to delete]]<br /> <br /> First I've been kicked in the face, then I'm to be deleted? :'(</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2992:_UK_Coal&diff=351727 2992: UK Coal 2024-09-30T20:47:04Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2992<br /> | date = September 30, 2024<br /> | title = UK Coal<br /> | image = uk_coal_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 532x232px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = The Watership Down rabbits removed an additional 0.1 nanometers constructing their warren, although that was mostly soil. British rabbits have historically mined very little coal; the sole rabbit-run coal plant was shut down in the 1990s.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a BOT RUNNING ON 3 INCHES OF THE UK - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> This comic uses dimensional analysis to humorously describe the end of the coal mining industry in the United Kingdoms, in reference to the [https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/30/climate/uk-coal-plant-end-fossil-fuels/index.html shutting down of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power plant] in central England on Monday, September 30, 2024. This event signified the closure of the last coal plant in the UK.<br /> <br /> The equation shown in the comic determines how much coal was mined in the UK with respect to the surface area of the region, and results in the total change in height if the amount of coal mined was evenly distributed across the UK. The caption creates the humor of the comic by reducing the entirety of the coal industry’s environmental impact into a 3 inch height difference.<br /> <br /> The comic’s title text adds the additional humor of referencing the same metric for rabbits (referencing ''Watership Down''), and humorously implying the existence of a rabbit-run coal plant in the UK and suggesting it was shut down in the 1990s. This is a humorous play on depictions of anthropomorphic rabbits in children's literature. No coal plants have ever been run by rabbits.{{fact}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[UK total coal production (1853-present, UK Desnz)/(coal seam density) x (UK land area) = 25 billion tonnes / 1.3kg/L x 240,000km² ≈ 3 inches]<br /> :[Cueball is standing to the right of the formula, above the ground and a dotted line. Two arrows indicate that the dotted line is 3 inches above the ground]<br /> <br /> :[Caption below the panel:]<br /> :The UK shut down their last coal power plant today, which means that over the course of the industrial revolution, they dug up and burned an average of 3 inches of their country.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2992:_UK_Coal&diff=351725 2992: UK Coal 2024-09-30T20:42:24Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Caption syntax</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2992<br /> | date = September 30, 2024<br /> | title = UK Coal<br /> | image = uk_coal_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 532x232px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = The Watership Down rabbits removed an additional 0.1 nanometers constructing their warren, although that was mostly soil. British rabbits have historically mined very little coal; the sole rabbit-run coal plant was shut down in the 1990s.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a BOT RUNNING ON 3 INCHES OF THE UK - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> This comic uses dimensional analysis to humorously describe the end of the coal mining industry in the United Kingdoms, in reference to the [https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/30/climate/uk-coal-plant-end-fossil-fuels/index.html shutting down of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power plant] in central England on Monday, September 30, 2024. This event signified the closure of the last coal plant in the UK.<br /> <br /> The equation shown in the comic determines how much coal was mined in the UK with respect to the surface area of the region, and results in the total change in height if the amount of coal mined was evenly distributed across the UK. The caption creates the humor of the comic by reducing the entirety of the coal industry’s environmental impact into a 3 inch height difference.<br /> <br /> The comic’s title text adds the additional humor of referencing the same metric for rabbits (referencing ''Watership Down''), and humorously implying the existence of a rabbit-run coal plant in the UK and suggesting it was shut down in the 1990s. This is a humorous play on depictions of anthropomorphic rabbits in children's literature. No coal plants have ever been run by rabbits.{{fact}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[Caption below the panel:]<br /> :The UK shut down their last coal power plant today, which means that over the course of the industrial revolution, they dug up and burned an average of 3 inches of their country.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2986:_Every_Scientific_Field&diff=350671 2986: Every Scientific Field 2024-09-17T09:20:26Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ Basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2986<br /> | date = September 17, 2024<br /> | title = Every Scientific Field<br /> | image = every scientific field.png<br /> | imagesize = <br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Conveniently for everyone, it turns out that dark energy is produced by subterranean parasitoid wasps.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a DARK MATTER PARASITOID MICROBE - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> Randall is making the case that most scientific fields &amp;mdash; such as cosmology, microbiology, or entomology as mentioned in the pie chart &amp;mdash; spends a disproportionately huge amount of study on only a small number of subjects, which the common layperson might not have even heard of.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :The makeup of every scientific field:<br /> :[A pie chart, with a very slim section labelled 'Everything you've heard of', and the rest labeled 'Some obscure-sounding category like &quot;Subsurface microbes&quot; or &quot;Dark energy&quot; or &quot;Parasitoid wasps&quot;']<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Science]]<br /> [[Category:Charts]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2983:_Monocaster&diff=350285 2983: Monocaster 2024-09-10T20:42:35Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ logarithmic scales</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2983<br /> | date = September 9, 2024<br /> | title = Monocaster<br /> | image = monocaster_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 536x673px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = My competitors say the tiny single tiny caster is unsafe, unstable, and offers no advantages over traditional designs, to which I say: wow, why are you guys so mean? I thought we were friends!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a LAPTOP-CONTROLLED HAMSTER BALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> A caster, also spelled castor, is a small unpowered wheel attached to a swiveling base. They are typically found on carts and heavy appliances that need to be pushed around by people on a regular basis.<br /> <br /> Randall has proposed a variant of the skateboard with only one caster on the bottom, the titular &quot;monocaster.&quot; He claims this fills an untapped hole in the market, which is filled with plenty of vehicles with one large wheel like unicycles, or multiple small wheels like roller skates, but none with only a single small wheel.<br /> <br /> The joke depends on the caster's obvious impractically in this role: the hole in the market was open ''for a reason''. A single caster is effectively useless, forcing all the weight of a person on a single swiveling point. The rider has no way to propel themselves besides pushing off the ground, and will almost certainly lose their balance immediately upon trying. The other designs on the market were all designed specifically to solve this problem: the unicycle's larger wheel and pedal drive make balancing in motion much less dangerous, while multi-wheeled vehicles give more points of contact with the ground.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A chart picturing many wheeled vehicles. The vertical axis is labeled &quot;Wheel Diameter&quot;, logarithmic from 1cm to 5m. The horizontal axis is labeled &quot;Number of wheels&quot;, logarithmic from 1 to 16. From top left to bottom right, there is a person with a cap, seated in a circle, labeled &quot;1920s monowheel&quot;, a monster truck with a skull and a lightning bolt on the side, a lorry (truck), a Cueball on a unicycle moving back and forth, a Cueball on a bicycle, a car, a Cueball using a Onewheel, a Cueball on a tricycle, a Cueball on a quad, a Cueball standing on a scooter, a Cueball standing on a board with one small wheel bellow, circled and labeled with two question marks, a three-wheel scooter, a skater, a Cueball using three-wheel skates, labeled &quot;three-wheel skates&quot;, a Cueball crouching and using skates, and a small Cueball using shoes with wheels (Heelys) moving forward.]<br /> :My new monocaster board fills a key gap in the wheeled vehicle market.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Charts]]<br /> [[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2983:_Monocaster&diff=350284 2983: Monocaster 2024-09-10T20:41:46Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ add small descriptions</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2983<br /> | date = September 9, 2024<br /> | title = Monocaster<br /> | image = monocaster_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 536x673px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = My competitors say the tiny single tiny caster is unsafe, unstable, and offers no advantages over traditional designs, to which I say: wow, why are you guys so mean? I thought we were friends!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a LAPTOP-CONTROLLED HAMSTER BALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> A caster, also spelled castor, is a small unpowered wheel attached to a swiveling base. They are typically found on carts and heavy appliances that need to be pushed around by people on a regular basis.<br /> <br /> Randall has proposed a variant of the skateboard with only one caster on the bottom, the titular &quot;monocaster.&quot; He claims this fills an untapped hole in the market, which is filled with plenty of vehicles with one large wheel like unicycles, or multiple small wheels like roller skates, but none with only a single small wheel.<br /> <br /> The joke depends on the caster's obvious impractically in this role: the hole in the market was open ''for a reason''. A single caster is effectively useless, forcing all the weight of a person on a single swiveling point. The rider has no way to propel themselves besides pushing off the ground, and will almost certainly lose their balance immediately upon trying. The other designs on the market were all designed specifically to solve this problem: the unicycle's larger wheel and pedal drive make balancing in motion much less dangerous, while multi-wheeled vehicles give more points of contact with the ground.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A chart picturing many wheeled vehicles. The vertical axis is labeled &quot;Wheel Diameter&quot;, from 1cm to 5m. The horizontal axis is labeled &quot;Number of wheels&quot;, from 1 to 16. From top left to bottom right, there is a person with a cap, seated in a circle, labeled &quot;1920s monowheel&quot;, a monster truck with a skull and a lightning bolt on the side, a lorry (truck), a Cueball on a unicycle moving back and forth, a Cueball on a bicycle, a car, a Cueball using a Onewheel, a Cueball on a tricycle, a Cueball on a quad, a Cueball standing on a scooter, a Cueball standing on a board with one small wheel bellow, circled and labeled with two question marks, a three-wheel scooter, a skater, a Cueball using three-wheel skates, labeled &quot;three-wheel skates&quot;, a Cueball crouching and using skates, and a small Cueball using shoes with wheels (Heelys) moving forward.]<br /> :My new monocaster board fills a key gap in the wheeled vehicle market.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Charts]]<br /> [[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2983:_Monocaster&diff=350273 2983: Monocaster 2024-09-10T17:04:32Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ actually, it's two question marks</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2983<br /> | date = September 9, 2024<br /> | title = Monocaster<br /> | image = monocaster_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 536x673px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = My competitors say the tiny single tiny caster is unsafe, unstable, and offers no advantages over traditional designs, to which I say: wow, why are you guys so mean? I thought we were friends!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a LAPTOP-CONTROLLED HAMSTER BALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> A caster, also spelled castor, is a small unpowered wheel attached to a swiveling base. They are typically found on carts and heavy appliances that need to be pushed around by people on a regular basis.<br /> <br /> Randall has proposed a variant of the skateboard with only one caster on the bottom, the titular &quot;monocaster.&quot; He claims this fills an untapped hole in the market, which is filled with plenty of vehicles with one large wheel like unicycles, or multiple small wheels like roller skates, but none with only a single small wheel.<br /> <br /> The joke depends on the caster's obvious impractically in this role: the hole in the market was open ''for a reason''. A single caster is effectively useless, forcing all the weight of a person on a single swiveling point. The rider has no way to propel themselves besides pushing off the ground, and will almost certainly lose their balance immediately upon trying. The other designs on the market were all designed specifically to solve this problem: the unicycle's larger wheel and pedal drive make balancing in motion much less dangerous, while multi-wheeled vehicles give more points of contact with the ground.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A chart picturing many wheeled vehicles. The vertical axis is labeled &quot;Wheel Diameter&quot;, from 1cm to 5m. The horizontal axis is labeled &quot;Number of wheels&quot;, from 1 to 16. From top left to bottom right, there is a person with a cap, seated in a circle, labeled &quot;1920s monowheel&quot;, a monster truck, a lorry (truck), a Cueball on a unicycle, a Cueball on a bicycle, a car, a Cueball using a Onewheel, a Cueball on a tricycle, a Cueball on a quad, a Cueball standing on a scooter, a Cueball standing on a board with one small wheel bellow, circled and labeled with two question marks, a three-wheel scooter, a skater, a Cueball using three-wheel skates, labeled &quot;three-wheel skates&quot;, a Cueball crouching and using skates, and a small Cueball using shoes with wheels (Heelys).]<br /> :My new monocaster board fills a key gap in the wheeled vehicle market.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Charts]]<br /> [[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2983:_Monocaster&diff=350272 2983: Monocaster 2024-09-10T16:59:44Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ add vehicles descriptions</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2983<br /> | date = September 9, 2024<br /> | title = Monocaster<br /> | image = monocaster_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 536x673px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = My competitors say the tiny single tiny caster is unsafe, unstable, and offers no advantages over traditional designs, to which I say: wow, why are you guys so mean? I thought we were friends!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a LAPTOP-CONTROLLED HAMSTER BALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> A caster, also spelled castor, is a small unpowered wheel attached to a swiveling base. They are typically found on carts and heavy appliances that need to be pushed around by people on a regular basis.<br /> <br /> Randall has proposed a variant of the skateboard with only one caster on the bottom, the titular &quot;monocaster.&quot; He claims this fills an untapped hole in the market, which is filled with plenty of vehicles with one large wheel like unicycles, or multiple small wheels like roller skates, but none with only a single small wheel.<br /> <br /> The joke depends on the caster's obvious impractically in this role: the hole in the market was open ''for a reason''. A single caster is effectively useless, forcing all the weight of a person on a single swiveling point. The rider has no way to propel themselves besides pushing off the ground, and will almost certainly lose their balance immediately upon trying. The other designs on the market were all designed specifically to solve this problem: the unicycle's larger wheel and pedal drive make balancing in motion much less dangerous, while multi-wheeled vehicles give more points of contact with the ground.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A chart picturing many wheeled vehicles. The vertical axis is labeled &quot;Wheel Diameter&quot;, from 1cm to 5m. The horizontal axis is labeled &quot;Number of wheels&quot;, from 1 to 16. From top left to bottom right, there is a person with a cap, seated in a circle, labeled &quot;1920s monowheel&quot;, a monster truck, a lorry (truck), a Cueball on a unicycle, a Cueball on a bicycle, a car, a Cueball using a Onewheel, a Cueball on a tricycle, a Cueball on a quad, a Cueball standing on a scooter, a Cueball standing on a board with one small wheel bellow, circled and labeled with a question mark, a three-wheel scooter, a skater, a Cueball using three-wheel skates, labeled &quot;three-wheel skates&quot;, a Cueball crouching and using skates, and a small Cueball using shoes with wheels (Heelys).]<br /> :My new monocaster board fills a key gap in the wheeled vehicle market.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Charts]]<br /> [[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2983:_Monocaster&diff=350268 2983: Monocaster 2024-09-10T16:48:03Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic transcript</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2983<br /> | date = September 9, 2024<br /> | title = Monocaster<br /> | image = monocaster_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 536x673px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = My competitors say the tiny single tiny caster is unsafe, unstable, and offers no advantages over traditional designs, to which I say: wow, why are you guys so mean? I thought we were friends!<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a LAPTOP-CONTROLLED HAMSTER BALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> A caster, also spelled castor, is a small unpowered wheel attached to a swiveling base. They are typically found on carts and heavy appliances that need to be pushed around by people on a regular basis.<br /> <br /> Randall has proposed a variant of the skateboard with only one caster on the bottom, the titular &quot;monocaster.&quot; He claims this fills an untapped hole in the market, which is filled with plenty of vehicles with one large wheel like unicycles, or multiple small wheels like roller skates, but none with only a single small wheel.<br /> <br /> The joke depends on the caster's obvious impractically in this role: the hole in the market was open ''for a reason''. A single caster is effectively useless, forcing all the weight of a person on a single swiveling point. The rider has no way to propel themselves besides pushing off the ground, and will almost certainly lose their balance immediately upon trying. The other designs on the market were all designed specifically to solve this problem: the unicycle's larger wheel and pedal drive make balancing in motion much less dangerous, while multi-wheeled vehicles give more points of contact with the ground.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[A chart picturing many wheeled vehicles.]<br /> :My new monocaster board fills a key gap in the wheeled vehicle market.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2956:_Number_Line_Branch&diff=345918 2956: Number Line Branch 2024-07-09T13:14:43Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ add symbols descriptions</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2956<br /> | date = July 8, 2024<br /> | title = Number Line Branch<br /> | image = number_line_branch_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 469x235px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Attention all passengers: This is an express sequence to infinity. If your stop is not a power of two, please disembark now.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by a SECOND BOT TO REDUCE CONGESTION - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> This comic likens the {{w|number line}} to a line of a railroad or subway system. These often have branches where different trains continue on to a different destination, with different stops along the way. In the number line, one branch (presumably the original) contains ordinary numbers, while the newly opened branch consists of some completely different numbers, denoted with various symbols as an analogue to those we use as digits. The branches seems to split at π.<br /> <br /> The sequence ending with a bold mark at Δ (whereas the original number line fades out) suggests that it is the end of this branching sequence. Mathematicians, apparently, could only afford to construct 5 additional numbers, or their research hasn't yet found other numbers.<br /> <br /> The title text makes a parallel between a train stopping at a station and a numerical sequence &quot;stopping&quot; at a number – that is, taking it as a value. It's a spoof of announcements that are typically made on trains, so that riders can confirm that they're on a train that goes to their desired station; an &quot;express train&quot; typically makes fewer stops so it can reach its final destination sooner. In this case, the express train only stops at powers of 2; presumably the &quot;local&quot; stops at every integer, so the travel time will be exponentially longer. Either way, the number line extends to infinity, so it will take forever to get to the final destination.<br /> <br /> A fictional number was previously shown in [[899: Number Line]] (&quot;gird&quot;), and fictional ''numerals'' were shown in [[2206: Mavis Beacon]]. And similar treatment of mathematics as public infrastructure was seen in [[2735: Coordinate Plane Closure]].<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> :[The number line for natural numbers, going from 0 to 10 and trailing off, with a marker at 0 to indicate that it is the start of the sequence. At about pi, the line branches off into a second line, which contains five odd-looking symbols, and stops at the fifth one. The first, below 4, is a square, the second is a pi rotated 90° to the left, the third ressembles a closed phi, the fourth is a spiral, and the fifth is a triangle.] <br /> :Caption: Good news! After thousands of years, mathematicians have finally opened a second branch on the number line to reduce congestion.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Math]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2818:_Circuit_Symbols&diff=321588 2818: Circuit Symbols 2023-08-22T15:05:15Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ typos</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2818<br /> | date = August 21, 2023<br /> | title = Circuit Symbols<br /> | image = circuit_symbols_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 438x362px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = A circle with an A in it means that the circuit has committed a sin and has been marked as punishment.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> This comic contains several symbols used in circuit diagrams. Each is labeled with a larger object that the symbol looks like a drawing of, rather than the electrical component it actually represents. <br /> Also included are the real symbol for a battery and two modifications of that symbol with corresponding modification of the ''word'' &quot;battery&quot;.<br /> {| class=&quot;wikitable&quot;<br /> ! Symbol !! Randall's Description !! Explanation<br /> |-<br /> | Switch <br /> | Drawbridge <br /> | The symbol represents a physical on/off switch in a circuit, but also resembles a drawbridge.<br /> |-<br /> | Capacitor<br /> | Overpass<br /> | A capacitor is a component that can be used to hold electric charge, but also looks a bit like a map depiction for a highway {{w|overpass}} of a main road passing over a more minor track. This may actually be refered to more as an {{w|Tunnel#Underpass|underpass}}, from the perspective of the lesser route, being not usually as obvious a feature when using the upper highway.<br /> |-<br /> | Ground<br /> | Pogo Stick<br /> | This symbol represents a connection to &quot;ground&quot; (aka earth for folks in the UK). If you squint, it also looks like a pogo stick.<br /> |-<br /> | Resistor (ANSI)<br /> | Earthquake<br /> | A resistor is a component that reduces current flow in a circuit. If also looks like the signs an earthquake makes on a seismogram and/or the 'rucks' of the ground (especially asphalt roads) that might result from underlying techtonic movements.<br /> <br /> |-<br /> | Inductor<br /> | Sheep<br /> | Inductors are essentially the opposite of capacitors and generally consist of a coil of wire. The symbol can also look like fluffy curls of wool.<br /> |-<br /> | Transformer<br /> | Two sheep in love, trapped on opposite side of a fence.<br /> | The input and output coils on a transformer are represented as curly loops, which Randal claims resemble sheep, and the straight line (which represents the core) is a fence.<br /> |-<br /> | Battery<br /> | Battery<br /> | Not a joke, that's the symbol for a battery.<br /> |-<br /> | Battery (sorted)<br /> | Baertty<br /> | Randall seems to be mapping &quot;tt&quot; to the first short line and 'er' to the second long line in the symbol, having had 'ba' and 'y' assisnged to the long and short 'T' shape, and asserting that if you sort them long-long-short-short, you need to put &quot;er&quot; in front of &quot;tt&quot;.<br /> |-<br /> | Battery, with far too many short lines<br /> | Battttttttttttery<br /> | Or, you know, you could just throw in six &quot;tt&quot;s.<br /> |-<br /> | Photodiode<br /> | Check out this really cool diode<br /> | A photodiode generates current in response to light (the arrows pointing at it.) Randall is instead pretending that the arrows are pointing at it to draw attention to it because it's really cool.<br /> |-<br /> | Oscillator<br /> | Wave Pool<br /> | An oscillator generates signals at a given frequencies. A wave pool, it could be argued, is in fact a type of oscillator, just with water instead of electricity.<br /> |-<br /> | Transistor<br /> | Trolley Problem<br /> | A transistor will switch on a current flow depending on the input from a input signal. Thus, it switches electricity in the same way that the {{w|trolley problem}} switches the trolley. The symbol also somewhat resembles the usual pictorial depiction of the problem.<br /> |-<br /> | Circle with an A in it (Title text)<br /> | Committed a sin and marked as punishment<br /> | Circles with letters are usually some special component. In this case the &quot;A&quot; stands for ammeter, a device used to measure current. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel ''The Scarlet Letter'', the heroine must wear an ''A'' to mark her as an adulteress.<br /> |}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> [A chart of various circuit symbols and their (mostly) fictitious meanings based off of their drawings, captioned:] Circuit Symbols<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a switch, labelled:] Drawbridge<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a capacitor, labelled:] Overpass<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a connection to ground, labelled:] Pogo Stick<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a resistor, labelled:] Earthquake<br /> <br /> [The symbol for an inductor, labelled:] Sheep<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a transformer, labelled:] Two Sheep in Love, Trapped on Opposite Sides of a Fence<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a battery, labelled:] Battery<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a battery, sorted, labelled:] Baertty<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a battery, with far too many short lines, labelled:] Battttttttttttery<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a photodiode, labelled:] Check Out This Really Cool Diode<br /> <br /> [The symbol for an oscillator, labelled:] Wave Pool<br /> <br /> [The symbol for a transistor, labelled:] Trolley Problem<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Engineering]]<br /> [[Category:Charts]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2807:_Bad_Map_Projection:_ABS(Longitude)&diff=319770 2807: Bad Map Projection: ABS(Longitude) 2023-07-27T14:26:20Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ basic map description</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2807<br /> | date = July 26, 2023<br /> | title = Bad Map Projection: ABS(Longitude)<br /> | image = bad_map_projection_abs_longitude_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 740x822px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = Positive vibes/longitudes only<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> In this map, Randall has plotted the world map featuring all the landmasses from both western and eastern hemispheres. But the longitudes west of the prime meridian, normally given negative values from the range from -180° to +180°, have been made positive using the &quot;ABS()&quot; function that gives the absolute value by effectively stripping off the minus sign from any value. This results in the features on one side of the world being overlaid upon those of the other side, but reversed.<br /> <br /> Thanks to the relative sparsity of western continents (essentially just the Americas, and roughly half of Antarctica), and the landless expanses of the Pacific, this is surprisingly not too dissimilar to an east-only fragment of a world map. Just with the reversed 'new world' lands added to the usual extents of continents of Africa and Eurasia and the somewhat familiar notable Antarctic Peninsula being recognisable but in an odd position (and reversed) with no sign of the Ross and Weddel Seas (as eastern-Antarctic landmass takes precedence).<br /> <br /> To further interest the map-connoisseur, various locations are marked and dotted upon their genuine or reflected positions. Putting into close proximity various locations that have (mainly) trans-Atlantic separation in reality. Some of these locations have been renamed in this projection. For example, around Sri Lanka/Central America is the &quot;Palk-Panama Canal&quot; (the strait between India and Sri Lanka being the Palk Strait). Additionally in northern Siberia is the label &quot;Franklin's Very Lost Expedition&quot;. Franklin's lost expedition was an attempt to find a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Arctic passage. Naturally a sea voyage ending up in the middle of a large landmass would be considered very lost.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :[There is a map of the world with positive longitudes and negative longitudes overlapping. Caption above the map:]<br /> <br /> :Bad Map Projection #152:<br /> :Longitude=ABS(Longitude)<br /> :Whoops, made all longitudes positive<br /> <br /> :[The land masses are represented in white, and the oceans in light grey. Some capital cities, countries and geographical features are labeled.]<br /> <br /> :[Near Siberia is indicated:]<br /> :Franklin's ''very'' lost expedition<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Bad_Map_Projections]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2800:_Down&diff=317653 2800: Down 2023-07-10T15:50:26Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ measured the angle</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2800<br /> | date = July 10, 2023<br /> | title = Down<br /> | image = down_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 611x290px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's just that I get nervous about heights.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by TenGolf flipping upside down. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> Megan states that down was redefined to be relative to Mars. Down is relative to gravity in actuality (in this context, that is), not to a fixed &quot;coordinate center&quot;.<br /> <br /> In the title text, Cueball states that he gets nervous about heights, and rightfully so- Mars is 34,000,000 mi (55,000,000 km) away from Earth on the extremely rare occasion that Mars is at perihelion and opposition (relative to Earth) simultaneously.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :: [Megan is seated at a desk, in front of a laptop. The scene is rotated by 150° clockwise, so she appears to be upside down. The gravity still seems to be relative to the ground, not the bottom of the image.]<br /> <br /> :: [Cueball enters the scene from the right side, behind Megan. He has three question marks below his head, oriented relative to the frame.]<br /> <br /> :: Megan: They announced that &quot;down&quot; is relative to Mars today.<br /> :: Cueball: Ugh, I hate when they make another planet the coordinate system origin.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2800:_Down&diff=317639 2800: Down 2023-07-10T12:29:55Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ characters</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2800<br /> | date = July 10, 2023<br /> | title = Down<br /> | image = down_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 611x290px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's just that I get nervous about heights.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by flipping upside down - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :: [Megan is seated at a desk, in front of a laptop. The scene is rotated by about 220°, so she appears to be upside down. The gravity still seems to be relative to the ground, not the bottom of the image.]<br /> <br /> :: [Cueball enters the scene from the right side, behind Megan. He has three question marks bellow his head, oriented relative to the frame.]<br /> <br /> :: Megan: They announced that &quot;down&quot; is relative to Mars today.<br /> :: Cueball: Ugh, I hate when they make another planet the coordinate system origin.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2800:_Down&diff=317638 2800: Down 2023-07-10T12:28:37Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ typos</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2800<br /> | date = July 10, 2023<br /> | title = Down<br /> | image = down_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 611x290px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's just that I get nervous about heights.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by flipping upside down - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :: [Megan is seated at a desk, in front of a laptop. The scene is rotated by about 220°, so she appears to be upside down. The gravity still seems to be relative to the ground, not the bottom of the image.]<br /> <br /> :: [Cueball enters the scene from the right side, behind Megan. He has three question marks bellow his head, oriented relative to the frame.]<br /> <br /> :: Megan: They announced that &quot;down&quot; is relative to Mars today.<br /> :: Cueball: Ugh, I hate when they make another planet the coordinate system origin.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2800:_Down&diff=317637 2800: Down 2023-07-10T12:23:48Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ typo</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2800<br /> | date = July 10, 2023<br /> | title = Down<br /> | image = down_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 611x290px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's just that I get nervous about heights.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by flipping upside down - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :: [Megan is seated at a desk, in front of a laptop. The scene is rotated by about 220°, so she appears to be upside down. The gravity still seems to be relative to the ground, not the bottom of the image.]<br /> <br /> :: [Cueball enter the scene from the right side, behind Megan. He has three question marks bellow his head, oriented relative to the frame.]<br /> <br /> :: Megan: The announced that &quot;down&quot; is relative to Mars today.<br /> :: Cueball: Ugh, I hate when they make another planet the coordinate system origin.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2800:_Down&diff=317636 2800: Down 2023-07-10T12:09:32Z <p>Victor: /* Transcript */ creation</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2800<br /> | date = July 10, 2023<br /> | title = Down<br /> | image = down_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 611x290px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = It's just that I get nervous about heights.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by flipping upside down - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :: [Megan is seated at a desk, in front of a laptop. The scene is rotated by about 220°, so she appear to be upside down. The gravity still seems to be relative to the ground, not the bottom of the image.]<br /> <br /> :: [Cueball enter the scene from the right side, behind Megan. He has three question marks bellow his head, oriented relative to the frame.]<br /> <br /> :: Megan: The announced that &quot;down&quot; is relative to Mars today.<br /> :: Cueball: Ugh, I hate when they make another planet the coordinate system origin.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div> Victor https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2764:_Cosmological_Nostalgia_Content&diff=310661 Talk:2764: Cosmological Nostalgia Content 2023-04-19T09:01:44Z <p>Victor: not fond of multimanteau</p> <hr /> <div>&lt;!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--&gt;<br /> When I added the transcript it broke the &quot;Created by a BOT&quot; tag on explanation, even though I didn't touch explanation [[Special:Contributions/172.71.151.98|172.71.151.98]] 05:30, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> :No, it was broken before your edit. Someone else changed &quot;BOT&quot; to &quot;Z=90s KID&quot;. The equal sign causes problems for mediawiki, but it's been fixed now. --[[User:Orion205|Orion205]] ([[User talk:Orion205|talk]]) 06:03, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> ::For anyone who would benefit from a deeper explanation:&lt;br&gt;<br /> ::In the syntax for templates, equals signs come after parameter names (see [[mw:Help:Templates#Parameters|Help:Templates &amp;sect; Parameters]]). So, &lt;code&gt;Created by a Z&lt;/code&gt; was parsed as the name of a nonexistent template parameter, and &lt;code&gt;90s KID - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.&lt;/code&gt; was passed in as that parameter's value.&lt;br&gt;<br /> ::That still wouldn't necessarily be a problem. It just also left the first parameter empty. This specific template is programmed to show an error message when that happens. &lt;span style=&quot;background:#0064de;font-size:12px;padding:4px 12px;border-radius:8px;&quot;&gt;[[User talk:AgentMuffin|&lt;span style=&quot;color:#f0faff;&quot;&gt;~AgentMuffin&lt;/span&gt;]]&lt;/span&gt; 06:13, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Two times the red tint around Megan has been mentioned, in explanation and transcript... I cannot see that, no matter how much I zoon in. Is it actually there (can it be measured on the image file?) or is it just someone who wished it was like that? If it can be measrued it should be explained and if not then the mention should be deleted --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:13, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> :What I meant was that Megan's line art in this comic appeared more brownish/reddish to me than the line art of the other characters. Specifically, the colour hex #472425 using an online colour hex checker. --[[User:Multiuniverse|Multiuniverse]] ([[User talk:Multiuniverse|talk]]) 07:22, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> :It's definitely there, but I didn't notice it until I saw it mentioned. It's subtle enough that I imagine certain displays or differences in individual color perception could make it harder to see, but trust me, it's certainly there. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.222.5|162.158.222.5]] 07:24, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::Why is everyone so unsure? it's definitely there. [[User:Mushrooms|Mushrooms]] ([[User talk:Mushrooms|talk]]) 09:00, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> :::Not all monitors have the same quality, I can imagine that on some cheapish laptop screens it can be a lot harder to see -- [[Special:Contributions/172.71.131.134|172.71.131.134]] 12:20, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> :::: On this laptop (Dell Latitude 600 - good for its time, a rather archaic thing now) it shows ''just''. Took the explanation mentioning it for me to notice. (And, yes, I'm using pretty archaic kit, at this moment. Though not my oldest, because I tend not to throw away 'perfectly working' things. That said, when it comes to remembering how the universe is, I'm not ''quite'' in the &quot;I remember when all this was fields&quot; category...) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.203|172.71.242.203]] 19:31, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> :::For me: {{w|Congenital_red–green_color_blindness|red green color blindness}} [[User:Josot|Josot]] ([[User talk:Josot|talk]]) 12:27, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> <br /> For anybody wondering: the current (accurately measured) {{w|Redshift#Highest_redshifts|Highest redshifts}} is z = 11.1 [[User:Josot|Josot]] ([[User talk:Josot|talk]]) 12:31, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Isn't it a bit ironic that Randall now clearly identifies &quot;Want to feel old&quot; content as clickbait, while I remember that he himself did a number of comics around that topic some years ago? I imagine that he changed his opinion BECAUSE that became such a popular clickbait topic. Could you link to some of these older comics?<br /> (&quot;Want to feel old? Randall Munroe did &quot;want to feel old&quot; comics closer to the inception of xkcd than to today.&quot;)--[[Special:Contributions/172.71.160.38|172.71.160.38]] 07:47, 19 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == InB4 ==<br /> Before anyone embarrasses themself by asking, &quot;multimanteau&quot; is obviously a portmanteau of &quot;multiple&quot; and &quot;portmanteau&quot;. Sheesh, get with the neurolinguistic program. &quot;Phrasemanteau&quot; would also be an acceptable neologism. - [[User:Frankie|Frankie]] ([[User talk:Frankie|talk]]) 11:48, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> I'm not fond of a explanation needing an explanation :/<br /> The first relevant use of &quot;multimanteau&quot; found by Google is this page<br /> [[User:Victor|Victor]] ([[User talk:Victor|talk]]) 09:01, 19 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Inconstant &quot;Constant&quot; == <br /> I find it weird that so much professional study still refers to an assumed &quot;cosmological constant&quot;, when it is observably ''not'' constant. Feels like we should be calling it &quot;the cosmological value&quot;, since expansion has not been occurring uniformly &amp; considerable localized variation in &quot;vacuum energy&quot; seems relatively certain. Parts of the observable universe are considerably older than the &quot;big bang&quot; that so much theory is hung upon; what part of &quot;these laws are localized effects, not unchanging constants&quot; has ''not'' been obvious, for &gt;30 years? <br /> [[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 14:31, 18 April 2023 (UTC)<br /> :This may be related to the fact that there are so many actual problems around the cosmological &quot;constant&quot; that noone wants to bother renaming it before getting better idea what it actually is. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 21:01, 18 April 2023 (UTC)</div> Victor