https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=172.68.65.198&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T10:49:15ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=162:_Angular_Momentum&diff=200423162: Angular Momentum2020-10-22T15:05:48Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */ The original explanation talked about the momentum of the Earth going around the Sun, but the comic is about the angular momentum of the Earth spinning around its own axis</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 162<br />
| date = September 25, 2006<br />
| title = Angular Momentum<br />
| image = angular_momentum.jpg<br />
| titletext = With reasonable assumptions about latitude and body shape, how much time might she gain them? Note: whatever the answer, sunrise always comes too soon. (Also, is it worth it if she throws up?)<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
A '''moving object''' (like the Earth) has momentum. '''[https://www.quora.com/If-light-does-not-have-mass-then-how-does-it-have-momentum-1 Momentum]''' is the '''mass''' (size) of the object multiplied by the '''velocity''' (speed) of the moving object. So the Earth has a '''very high momentum''' because the Earth has a '''large mass''' (size) and is moving at a '''high velocity''' (speed) around the Sun. However, the momentum referenced in this comic is the angular momentum of the Earth spinning on its axis, which creates the days and nights. A moving object has to keep moving '''at the same velocity''' for its momentum to stay the same. The momentum of a moving object can increase, decrease, or stop via the force of another object. '''Force''' is the transfer of momentum from one object to another.<br />
<br />
[[Megan]] attempts to slow down the Earth's angular momentum, and spins counter-clockwise to force her momentum onto the Earth, so that she can have more time with the one she loves. <br />
<br />
The Earth has a massively high momentum, and the momentum that she produces is minuscule relative to the Earth's. And the few nanoseconds gained by spinning, while being with Cueball, is effectively offset by the seconds spent spinning.<br />
<br />
Slowing down the rate of time in the universe directly slows down the velocity of life, so there would be no change in the total duration of life. And as the text implies, this isn't even possible: ''While not being able to reverse time, enjoy your night time. Sunrise always comes too early.'' <br />
<br />
Her attempt of surmounting the seemingly impossible is grand; culturally, we value this kind of high romanticism.<br />
<br />
Later in [[442: xkcd Loves the Discovery Channel]], the same kind of spinning Megan is used in the first frame to tell that xkcd loves momentum.<br />
<br />
Technical notes: Angular momentum [https://www.quora.com/What-is-angular-momentum-in-laymans-terms depends on the axis used for measuring angular momentum].<br />
<br />
Apparently, the time Megan is stopping is “[https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemath/comments/5ccbzs/request_this_xkcd_angular_momentum_by_what_small/ less than 1/20th of the time light takes to cross the diameter of a hydrogen atom]”<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball sits sideways on a bed under an open window in the corner of a room. He is looking at Megan, who is spinning fast, indicated with two large circles indicating where her arms that a spread far out rotate, as well as two smaller circles around her knees and feet. The bed sheets are clearly messed up, as if someone has used it for activities other than sleeping. It is night and dark gray outside the window, and inside the room everything is also gray but lighter. Behind the spoken text, the background is white, but fades to the darker gray at the edges. There is also different gray shading in different parts of the room.]<br />
:Cueball: What are you doing?<br />
:Megan: Spinning counterclockwise<br />
:Megan: Each turn robs the planet of angular momentum<br />
:Megan: Slowing its spin the tiniest bit<br />
:Megan: Lengthening the night, pushing back the dawn<br />
:Megan: Giving me a little more time here<br />
:Megan: With you<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*This is one of the [[:Category:Footer comics|six footer comics]] linked at the bottom part of the {{xkcd}} website.<br />
*This comic is available as a signed print in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/signed-prints xkcd store].<br />
*The {{w|Wired (magazine)}} [https://www.wired.com/2014/04/can-you-slow-down-a-day-using-angular-momentum/ calculated] how much time [[Megan]] slowed down. <br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Physics]]<br />
[[Category:Romance]]<br />
[[Category:Footer comics]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with xkcd store products]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2372:_Dialect_Quiz&diff=1998032372: Dialect Quiz2020-10-15T01:48:34Z<p>172.68.65.198: Tweak to describing how this derives from the Harvard and Times surveys</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2372<br />
| date = October 14, 2020<br />
| title = Dialect Quiz<br />
| image = dialect_quiz.png<br />
| titletext = Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a LIGHTBULB EATER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a parody of online quizzes that offer to compare the user's dialect of American English with others around the country. These quizzes generally contain questions about word usage, names for certain objects, and pronunciations that vary between different regions of the US. There are also quizzes about broader English dialects, but this comic focuses on commonly cited differences between American dialects.<br />
<br />
The earliest quiz of this type to be widely disseminated online was the [http://dialect.redlog.net/ Harvard Dialect Survey], conducted in the early 2000s by Bert Vaux and Scott Golder. The survey created maps of the distribution of various word usage (such as pop/soda/Coke for a fizzy drink) and was a relatively early example of widely shared Internet "viral" content. In 2013, Josh Katz of the New York Times created [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html a new version] based on the Harvard survey, which became the Times' [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/-em-the-new-york-times-em-most-popular-story-of-2013-was-not-an-article/283167/ most popular content of 2013] and spread the idea to many more people. Many of the questions in this comic directly derive from entries in those surveys.<br />
<br />
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"<br />
! # !! Question !! Answers !! Explanation<br />
|-<br />
! 1<br />
| How do you address a group of two or more people?<br />
|<br />
* A) You<br />
* B) Y'all<br />
* C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
| Reference to the first question of the Times quiz: "How would you address {{w|You#Informal_plural_forms|a group of two or more people}}?" (with options including "you all", "you guys", "y'all", etc.). Option C references the significant decrease in human interaction and social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />
|-<br />
! 2<br />
| How do you pronounce "Penelope"?<br />
|<br />
* A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
* B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
| Both the options for this are wrong, making it the first of many quiz questions it is impossible to answer correctly. Neither Option A's "PEN-e-lohp" and Option B's "pe-NELL-up" are a typical pronunciation of this name beyond mispronunciations. In English, the only correct way to pronounce this name is "pe-NELL-o-pee," which is not listed.<br />
|-<br />
! 3<br />
| What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars?<br />
|<br />
* A) Astrology<br />
* B) Agronomy<br />
* C) Cosmetology<br />
| The actual answer is {{w|Astronomy}}, which is not listed. {{w|Astrology}} is the pseudo-scientific study that includes horoscopes (often confused with Astronomy due to its similar name), {{w|Agronomy}} ''is'' scientific but instead studies agriculture, and {{w|Cosmetology}} is the study of cosmetics and makeup (with a name close to {{w|Cosmology}}, a branch of Astronomy).<br />
|-<br />
! 4<br />
| How do you pronounce "genre"?<br />
| <br />
* A) Gone-ra<br />
* B) Juh-neer<br />
* C) Jen-er-uh<br />
| Reference to a question found on some quizzes: "How do you pronounce ''genre''? ZHAHN-ruh, or JAHN-ruh?"<br />
<br />
A majority of English speakers pronounce "genre" as either "'''ZH'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "zh" sound found in "trea'''s'''ure") or "'''J'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "j" sound in "justice"). Neither of these are listed, and none of the quiz's pronunciation options are common. However, they are close to other, unrelated words: ''Juh-neer'' is the way the second and third syllables of ''engineer'' are are pronounced, and ''Jen-er-uh'' is similar to ''generic'' as well as being a word (genera), the plural of {{w|genus}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 5<br />
| You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the...<br />
| <br />
* A) First syllable<br />
* B) Second syllable<br />
| Reference to general questions regarding differences in pronunciation of words. "Google" is not generally pronounced with a high-pitched yelp on either syllable{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 6<br />
| What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from?<br />
|<br />
* A) Gutter pipe<br />
* B) Drainpipe<br />
| Reference to a quiz question in the Harvard and Times quizzes, "What do you call the thing from which you might drink water in a school?" Answers included "drinking fountain", "water fountain", and "bubbler". However, the question in this comic implies that schoolchildren (or at least the quizmaker) drink out of gutter pipes or drain pipes, which are used to collect rainwater and should not be drank from{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 7<br />
| How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file?<br />
|<br />
* A) Animated give<br />
* B) Animated gift<br />
| Reference to the "{{w|Gif}}" pronunciation debate, with people split between pronouncing it "gif" (with the hard G sound in "girl") or "jif" (with the soft G sound in "giraffe").<br />
|-<br />
! 8<br />
| What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream?<br />
| <br />
* A) What?<br />
* B) Lawn buddies<br />
| Reference to a question in the Harvard and Times quizzes: "What do you call the {{w|Armadillidiidae|small gray bug}} that curls up into a ball when it’s touched?" (options include "roly-poly," "pill-bug", "potato bug", "doodle bug", etc.). However, there are no common "baseball-sized garden bugs".{{Citation needed}} May also be a reference to what "potato bug" means to people in the eastern part of the United States and {{w|Jerusalem cricket|what it means}} to people in the western part of the United States.<br />
|-<br />
! 9<br />
| What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road?<br />
| <br />
* A) Prank lines<br />
* B) Devil's Marks<br />
* C) Fool-me lines<br />
* D) Fauxguides<br />
* E) Delaware lines<br />
| Reference to the fact that some quiz questions ask about road features, such as "verge/berm/parking strip/curb strip" and "roundabout/traffic circle". However, these particular road lines, if they have ever been made, aren't common enough to warrant different names. <br />
<br />
This also may just be a dig at Delaware.<br />
<br />
Misleading lines on the road were also mentioned in [[1958: Self-Driving Issues]].<br />
|-<br />
! 10<br />
| What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System?<br />
| <br />
* A) Uranus<br />
* B) Neptune<br />
| This question references the two common pronunciations of Uranus: "UR-ah-nus" and "Ur-AY-nus" (which sounds like the phrase "Your anus", a favorite joke of little kids). It also references the fact that Uranus and Neptune are both blue-ish colored planets in the outer solar system and are often confused by people who don't know much about them. Neither Uranus nor Neptune are green, however. <br />
|-<br />
! 11<br />
| What do you call this tool?<br />
<br />
(image of a claw hammer)<br />
| <br />
* A) Banger<br />
* B) Nail axe<br />
* C) Wood mage wand<br />
* D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
* E) I have never seen it before <br />
| The only name most people would ever call this tool is a "hammer".<br />
<br />
The last two options reference options in many quiz questions along the lines of "I'm familiar with this but have no specific word for it" and "I am not familiar with this" (such as on the pill-bug/roly-poly question). These may appear as options to questions that ask about something that might not exist everywhere, or something which many may not have a word for (for example, some areas of the United States have a name for "sunshowers," while most don't). However, it's a bit absurd for these options to be present for this question (and this question alone), as most users would be expected to know what a hammer is.<br />
|-<br />
! 12<br />
| What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff?<br />
|<br />
* A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
* B) A longwich<br />
* C) A salad hot dog<br />
| Reference to a common dialect quiz question: "What do you call a {{w|Submarine sandwich|long sandwich}}?" with options typically including "sub", "hoagie", "hero", etc.<br />
<br />
The hot dog answer could refer to the common online discussion: "Is a hot dog a sandwich?"<br />
|-<br />
! 13<br />
| What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics?<br />
| <br />
* A) Lightbulb eater<br />
* B) I have no special name for them<br />
* C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
| Another reference to the frequent appearance of quiz questions asking what users call various creepy crawlies. <br />
This question may be referencing the fact that spiders often live in attics, but Randall's creature doesn't seem to be quite the same as a normal spider since they usually aren't scaly and don't eat lightbulbs.{{Citation needed}}<br />
|-<br />
! 14<br />
| What do you say when someone around you sneezes?<br />
| <br />
* A) "What was that?"<br />
* B) "Oh, wow."<br />
* C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
| Reference to a question on some quizzes about which of several words/phrases you say in response to a sneeze, with usual answers including "bless you", "God bless you", and "{{w|Gesundheit}}" (from the German word for 'health').<br />
<br />
This question may also be referencing the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}} in answer C (and possibly answer B). Sneezing isn't a primary symptom of COVID-19, but most people are hyper-aware of possibly contracting the disease from the people around them so sneezes are treated with suspicion and it's seen as rude to sneeze openly.<br />
<br />
It is also possible that a person who has been able to catch a sneeze-producing condition has also caught COVID-19 and, while the sneeze itself isn't ''caused'' by it, the air and various airway fluids so forcefully projected are a possible infective vector with that little extra frisson of concern, given the current situation.<br />
|-<br />
! Title Text<br />
| colspan=2 | Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
| Phrased similarly to questions like, on the Times quiz, "How do you pronounce the words Mary, merry, and marry?" Options included "all three are pronounced the same", "all three are pronounced differently," or all three combinations of two being the same and one different.<br />
<br />
{{w|Shallots}} and {{w|scallions}} are both types of onions (the former somewhat resembling garlic cloves, the latter being long green/white stalks also called spring onions). {{w|Scallops}} (either pronounced <br />
''skollops'' or ''skallops'') are invertebrate marine animals similar to oysters and clams, frequently harvested for food (also what potato fritters are called in some regions of the UK and Australia). The three sound somewhat similar, but are quite different.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
[Box with title at the top]<br />
:Dialect Quiz<br />
[Smaller subtitle underneath]<br />
:Compare answers with your friends!<br />
<br />
[Quiz is divided into two columns. Answers to questions are indicated by a letter followed by a closed parentheses, such as A). These letters are greyed out]<br />
<br />
[Column 1:]<br />
<br><br />
How do you address a group of two or more people? <br />
:A) You<br />
:B) Y'all<br />
:C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "Penelope"? <br />
:A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
:B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
<br />
What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars? <br />
:A) Astrology<br />
:B) Agronomy<br />
:C) Cosmetology<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "genre"? <br />
:A) Gone-ra<br />
:B) Juh-neer<br />
:C) Jen-er-uh<br />
<br />
You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the... <br />
:A) First syllable<br />
:B) Second syllable<br />
<br />
What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from? <br />
:A) Gutter pipe<br />
:B) Drainpipe<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file? <br />
:A) Animated give<br />
:B) Animated gift<br />
<br />
What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream? <br />
:A) What?<br />
:B) Lawn buddies<br />
<br />
[Column 2:]<br />
<br><br />
What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road? <br />
:A) Prank lines<br />
:B) Devil's Marks<br />
:C) Fool-me lines<br />
:D) Fauxguides<br />
:E) Delaware lines<br />
<br />
What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System? <br />
:A) Uranus<br />
:B) Neptune<br />
<br />
What do you call this tool?<br />
<br><br />
[Image of a claw hammer] <br />
:A) Banger<br />
:B) Nail axe<br />
:C) Wood mage wand<br />
:D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
:E) I have never seen it before<br />
<br />
What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff? <br />
:A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
:B) A longwich<br />
:C) A salad hot dog<br />
<br />
What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics? <br />
:A) Lightbulb eater<br />
:B) I have no special name for them<br />
:C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
<br />
What do you say when someone around you sneezes? <br />
:A) "What was that?"<br />
:B) "Oh, wow."<br />
:C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
<br />
*The xkcd Twitter account posted a [https://twitter.com/xkcd/status/1316484953480323072 series of Twitter polls] asking the questions in this comic.<br />
*Shallots, scallops, and scallions ran against each other in [[1529: Bracket]]<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2372:_Dialect_Quiz&diff=1998022372: Dialect Quiz2020-10-15T01:47:29Z<p>172.68.65.198: Fixing wikipedia syntax</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2372<br />
| date = October 14, 2020<br />
| title = Dialect Quiz<br />
| image = dialect_quiz.png<br />
| titletext = Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a LIGHTBULB EATER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a parody of online quizzes that offer to compare the user's dialect of American English with others around the country. These quizzes generally contain questions about word usage, names for certain objects, and pronunciations that vary between different regions of the US. There are also quizzes about broader English dialects, but this comic focuses on commonly cited differences between American dialects.<br />
<br />
The earliest quiz of this type to be widely disseminated online was the [http://dialect.redlog.net/ Harvard Dialect Survey], conducted in the early 2000s by Bert Vaux and Scott Golder. The survey created maps of the distribution of various word usage (such as pop/soda/Coke for a fizzy drink) and was a relatively early example of widely shared Internet "viral" content. In 2013, Josh Katz of the New York Times created [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html a new version] based on the Harvard survey, which became the Times' [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/-em-the-new-york-times-em-most-popular-story-of-2013-was-not-an-article/283167/ most popular content of 2013] and spread the idea to many more people. <br />
<br />
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"<br />
! # !! Question !! Answers !! Explanation<br />
|-<br />
! 1<br />
| How do you address a group of two or more people?<br />
|<br />
* A) You<br />
* B) Y'all<br />
* C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
| Reference to the first question of the Times quiz: "How would you address {{w|You#Informal_plural_forms|a group of two or more people}}?" (with options including "you all", "you guys", "y'all", etc.). Option C references the significant decrease in human interaction and social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />
|-<br />
! 2<br />
| How do you pronounce "Penelope"?<br />
|<br />
* A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
* B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
| Both the options for this are wrong, making it the first of many quiz questions it is impossible to answer correctly. Neither Option A's "PEN-e-lohp" and Option B's "pe-NELL-up" are a typical pronunciation of this name beyond mispronunciations. In English, the only correct way to pronounce this name is "pe-NELL-o-pee," which is not listed.<br />
|-<br />
! 3<br />
| What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars?<br />
|<br />
* A) Astrology<br />
* B) Agronomy<br />
* C) Cosmetology<br />
| The actual answer is {{w|Astronomy}}, which is not listed. {{w|Astrology}} is the pseudo-scientific study that includes horoscopes (often confused with Astronomy due to its similar name), {{w|Agronomy}} ''is'' scientific but instead studies agriculture, and {{w|Cosmetology}} is the study of cosmetics and makeup (with a name close to {{w|Cosmology}}, a branch of Astronomy).<br />
|-<br />
! 4<br />
| How do you pronounce "genre"?<br />
| <br />
* A) Gone-ra<br />
* B) Juh-neer<br />
* C) Jen-er-uh<br />
| Reference to a question found on some quizzes: "How do you pronounce ''genre''? ZHAHN-ruh, or JAHN-ruh?"<br />
<br />
A majority of English speakers pronounce "genre" as either "'''ZH'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "zh" sound found in "trea'''s'''ure") or "'''J'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "j" sound in "justice"). Neither of these are listed, and none of the quiz's pronunciation options are common. However, they are close to other, unrelated words: ''Juh-neer'' is the way the second and third syllables of ''engineer'' are are pronounced, and ''Jen-er-uh'' is similar to ''generic'' as well as being a word (genera), the plural of {{w|genus}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 5<br />
| You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the...<br />
| <br />
* A) First syllable<br />
* B) Second syllable<br />
| Reference to general questions regarding differences in pronunciation of words. "Google" is not generally pronounced with a high-pitched yelp on either syllable{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 6<br />
| What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from?<br />
|<br />
* A) Gutter pipe<br />
* B) Drainpipe<br />
| Reference to a quiz question in the Harvard and Times quizzes, "What do you call the thing from which you might drink water in a school?" Answers included "drinking fountain", "water fountain", and "bubbler". However, the question in this comic implies that schoolchildren (or at least the quizmaker) drink out of gutter pipes or drain pipes, which are used to collect rainwater and should not be drank from{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 7<br />
| How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file?<br />
|<br />
* A) Animated give<br />
* B) Animated gift<br />
| Reference to the "{{w|Gif}}" pronunciation debate, with people split between pronouncing it "gif" (with the hard G sound in "girl") or "jif" (with the soft G sound in "giraffe").<br />
|-<br />
! 8<br />
| What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream?<br />
| <br />
* A) What?<br />
* B) Lawn buddies<br />
| Reference to a question in the Harvard and Times quizzes: "What do you call the {{w|Armadillidiidae|small gray bug}} that curls up into a ball when it’s touched?" (options include "roly-poly," "pill-bug", "potato bug", "doodle bug", etc.). However, there are no common "baseball-sized garden bugs".{{Citation needed}} May also be a reference to what "potato bug" means to people in the eastern part of the United States and {{w|Jerusalem cricket|what it means}} to people in the western part of the United States.<br />
|-<br />
! 9<br />
| What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road?<br />
| <br />
* A) Prank lines<br />
* B) Devil's Marks<br />
* C) Fool-me lines<br />
* D) Fauxguides<br />
* E) Delaware lines<br />
| Reference to the fact that some quiz questions ask about road features, such as "verge/berm/parking strip/curb strip" and "roundabout/traffic circle". However, these particular road lines, if they have ever been made, aren't common enough to warrant different names. <br />
<br />
This also may just be a dig at Delaware.<br />
<br />
Misleading lines on the road were also mentioned in [[1958: Self-Driving Issues]].<br />
|-<br />
! 10<br />
| What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System?<br />
| <br />
* A) Uranus<br />
* B) Neptune<br />
| This question references the two common pronunciations of Uranus: "UR-ah-nus" and "Ur-AY-nus" (which sounds like the phrase "Your anus", a favorite joke of little kids). It also references the fact that Uranus and Neptune are both blue-ish colored planets in the outer solar system and are often confused by people who don't know much about them. Neither Uranus nor Neptune are green, however. <br />
|-<br />
! 11<br />
| What do you call this tool?<br />
<br />
(image of a claw hammer)<br />
| <br />
* A) Banger<br />
* B) Nail axe<br />
* C) Wood mage wand<br />
* D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
* E) I have never seen it before <br />
| The only name most people would ever call this tool is a "hammer".<br />
<br />
The last two options reference options in many quiz questions along the lines of "I'm familiar with this but have no specific word for it" and "I am not familiar with this" (such as on the pill-bug/roly-poly question). These may appear as options to questions that ask about something that might not exist everywhere, or something which many may not have a word for (for example, some areas of the United States have a name for "sunshowers," while most don't). However, it's a bit absurd for these options to be present for this question (and this question alone), as most users would be expected to know what a hammer is.<br />
|-<br />
! 12<br />
| What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff?<br />
|<br />
* A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
* B) A longwich<br />
* C) A salad hot dog<br />
| Reference to a common dialect quiz question: "What do you call a {{w|Submarine sandwich|long sandwich}}?" with options typically including "sub", "hoagie", "hero", etc.<br />
<br />
The hot dog answer could refer to the common online discussion: "Is a hot dog a sandwich?"<br />
|-<br />
! 13<br />
| What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics?<br />
| <br />
* A) Lightbulb eater<br />
* B) I have no special name for them<br />
* C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
| Another reference to the frequent appearance of quiz questions asking what users call various creepy crawlies. <br />
This question may be referencing the fact that spiders often live in attics, but Randall's creature doesn't seem to be quite the same as a normal spider since they usually aren't scaly and don't eat lightbulbs.{{Citation needed}}<br />
|-<br />
! 14<br />
| What do you say when someone around you sneezes?<br />
| <br />
* A) "What was that?"<br />
* B) "Oh, wow."<br />
* C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
| Reference to a question on some quizzes about which of several words/phrases you say in response to a sneeze, with usual answers including "bless you", "God bless you", and "{{w|Gesundheit}}" (from the German word for 'health').<br />
<br />
This question may also be referencing the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}} in answer C (and possibly answer B). Sneezing isn't a primary symptom of COVID-19, but most people are hyper-aware of possibly contracting the disease from the people around them so sneezes are treated with suspicion and it's seen as rude to sneeze openly.<br />
<br />
It is also possible that a person who has been able to catch a sneeze-producing condition has also caught COVID-19 and, while the sneeze itself isn't ''caused'' by it, the air and various airway fluids so forcefully projected are a possible infective vector with that little extra frisson of concern, given the current situation.<br />
|-<br />
! Title Text<br />
| colspan=2 | Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
| Phrased similarly to questions like, on the Times quiz, "How do you pronounce the words Mary, merry, and marry?" Options included "all three are pronounced the same", "all three are pronounced differently," or all three combinations of two being the same and one different.<br />
<br />
{{w|Shallots}} and {{w|scallions}} are both types of onions (the former somewhat resembling garlic cloves, the latter being long green/white stalks also called spring onions). {{w|Scallops}} (either pronounced <br />
''skollops'' or ''skallops'') are invertebrate marine animals similar to oysters and clams, frequently harvested for food (also what potato fritters are called in some regions of the UK and Australia). The three sound somewhat similar, but are quite different.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
[Box with title at the top]<br />
:Dialect Quiz<br />
[Smaller subtitle underneath]<br />
:Compare answers with your friends!<br />
<br />
[Quiz is divided into two columns. Answers to questions are indicated by a letter followed by a closed parentheses, such as A). These letters are greyed out]<br />
<br />
[Column 1:]<br />
<br><br />
How do you address a group of two or more people? <br />
:A) You<br />
:B) Y'all<br />
:C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "Penelope"? <br />
:A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
:B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
<br />
What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars? <br />
:A) Astrology<br />
:B) Agronomy<br />
:C) Cosmetology<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "genre"? <br />
:A) Gone-ra<br />
:B) Juh-neer<br />
:C) Jen-er-uh<br />
<br />
You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the... <br />
:A) First syllable<br />
:B) Second syllable<br />
<br />
What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from? <br />
:A) Gutter pipe<br />
:B) Drainpipe<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file? <br />
:A) Animated give<br />
:B) Animated gift<br />
<br />
What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream? <br />
:A) What?<br />
:B) Lawn buddies<br />
<br />
[Column 2:]<br />
<br><br />
What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road? <br />
:A) Prank lines<br />
:B) Devil's Marks<br />
:C) Fool-me lines<br />
:D) Fauxguides<br />
:E) Delaware lines<br />
<br />
What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System? <br />
:A) Uranus<br />
:B) Neptune<br />
<br />
What do you call this tool?<br />
<br><br />
[Image of a claw hammer] <br />
:A) Banger<br />
:B) Nail axe<br />
:C) Wood mage wand<br />
:D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
:E) I have never seen it before<br />
<br />
What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff? <br />
:A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
:B) A longwich<br />
:C) A salad hot dog<br />
<br />
What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics? <br />
:A) Lightbulb eater<br />
:B) I have no special name for them<br />
:C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
<br />
What do you say when someone around you sneezes? <br />
:A) "What was that?"<br />
:B) "Oh, wow."<br />
:C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
<br />
*The xkcd Twitter account posted a [https://twitter.com/xkcd/status/1316484953480323072 series of Twitter polls] asking the questions in this comic.<br />
*Shallots, scallops, and scallions ran against each other in [[1529: Bracket]]<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2372:_Dialect_Quiz&diff=1998012372: Dialect Quiz2020-10-15T01:46:09Z<p>172.68.65.198: Genera is a word.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2372<br />
| date = October 14, 2020<br />
| title = Dialect Quiz<br />
| image = dialect_quiz.png<br />
| titletext = Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a LIGHTBULB EATER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a parody of online quizzes that offer to compare the user's dialect of American English with others around the country. These quizzes generally contain questions about word usage, names for certain objects, and pronunciations that vary between different regions of the US. There are also quizzes about broader English dialects, but this comic focuses on commonly cited differences between American dialects.<br />
<br />
The earliest quiz of this type to be widely disseminated online was the [http://dialect.redlog.net/ Harvard Dialect Survey], conducted in the early 2000s by Bert Vaux and Scott Golder. The survey created maps of the distribution of various word usage (such as pop/soda/Coke for a fizzy drink) and was a relatively early example of widely shared Internet "viral" content. In 2013, Josh Katz of the New York Times created [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html a new version] based on the Harvard survey, which became the Times' [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/-em-the-new-york-times-em-most-popular-story-of-2013-was-not-an-article/283167/ most popular content of 2013] and spread the idea to many more people. <br />
<br />
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"<br />
! # !! Question !! Answers !! Explanation<br />
|-<br />
! 1<br />
| How do you address a group of two or more people?<br />
|<br />
* A) You<br />
* B) Y'all<br />
* C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
| Reference to the first question of the Times quiz: "How would you address {{w|You#Informal_plural_forms|a group of two or more people}}?" (with options including "you all", "you guys", "y'all", etc.). Option C references the significant decrease in human interaction and social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />
|-<br />
! 2<br />
| How do you pronounce "Penelope"?<br />
|<br />
* A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
* B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
| Both the options for this are wrong, making it the first of many quiz questions it is impossible to answer correctly. Neither Option A's "PEN-e-lohp" and Option B's "pe-NELL-up" are a typical pronunciation of this name beyond mispronunciations. In English, the only correct way to pronounce this name is "pe-NELL-o-pee," which is not listed.<br />
|-<br />
! 3<br />
| What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars?<br />
|<br />
* A) Astrology<br />
* B) Agronomy<br />
* C) Cosmetology<br />
| The actual answer is {{w|Astronomy}}, which is not listed. {{w|Astrology}} is the pseudo-scientific study that includes horoscopes (often confused with Astronomy due to its similar name), {{w|Agronomy}} ''is'' scientific but instead studies agriculture, and {{w|Cosmetology}} is the study of cosmetics and makeup (with a name close to {{w|Cosmology}}, a branch of Astronomy).<br />
|-<br />
! 4<br />
| How do you pronounce "genre"?<br />
| <br />
* A) Gone-ra<br />
* B) Juh-neer<br />
* C) Jen-er-uh<br />
| Reference to a question found on some quizzes: "How do you pronounce ''genre''? ZHAHN-ruh, or JAHN-ruh?"<br />
<br />
A majority of English speakers pronounce "genre" as either "'''ZH'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "zh" sound found in "trea'''s'''ure") or "'''J'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "j" sound in "justice"). Neither of these are listed, and none of the quiz's pronunciation options are common. However, they are close to other, unrelated words: ''Juh-neer'' is the way the second and third syllables of ''engineer'' are are pronounced, and ''Jen-er-uh'' is similar to ''generic'' as well as being a word (genera), the plural of {w|genus}.<br />
|-<br />
! 5<br />
| You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the...<br />
| <br />
* A) First syllable<br />
* B) Second syllable<br />
| Reference to general questions regarding differences in pronunciation of words. "Google" is not generally pronounced with a high-pitched yelp on either syllable{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 6<br />
| What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from?<br />
|<br />
* A) Gutter pipe<br />
* B) Drainpipe<br />
| Reference to a quiz question in the Harvard and Times quizzes, "What do you call the thing from which you might drink water in a school?" Answers included "drinking fountain", "water fountain", and "bubbler". However, the question in this comic implies that schoolchildren (or at least the quizmaker) drink out of gutter pipes or drain pipes, which are used to collect rainwater and should not be drank from{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 7<br />
| How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file?<br />
|<br />
* A) Animated give<br />
* B) Animated gift<br />
| Reference to the "{{w|Gif}}" pronunciation debate, with people split between pronouncing it "gif" (with the hard G sound in "girl") or "jif" (with the soft G sound in "giraffe").<br />
|-<br />
! 8<br />
| What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream?<br />
| <br />
* A) What?<br />
* B) Lawn buddies<br />
| Reference to a question in the Harvard and Times quizzes: "What do you call the {{w|Armadillidiidae|small gray bug}} that curls up into a ball when it’s touched?" (options include "roly-poly," "pill-bug", "potato bug", "doodle bug", etc.). However, there are no common "baseball-sized garden bugs".{{Citation needed}} May also be a reference to what "potato bug" means to people in the eastern part of the United States and {{w|Jerusalem cricket|what it means}} to people in the western part of the United States.<br />
|-<br />
! 9<br />
| What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road?<br />
| <br />
* A) Prank lines<br />
* B) Devil's Marks<br />
* C) Fool-me lines<br />
* D) Fauxguides<br />
* E) Delaware lines<br />
| Reference to the fact that some quiz questions ask about road features, such as "verge/berm/parking strip/curb strip" and "roundabout/traffic circle". However, these particular road lines, if they have ever been made, aren't common enough to warrant different names. <br />
<br />
This also may just be a dig at Delaware.<br />
<br />
Misleading lines on the road were also mentioned in [[1958: Self-Driving Issues]].<br />
|-<br />
! 10<br />
| What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System?<br />
| <br />
* A) Uranus<br />
* B) Neptune<br />
| This question references the two common pronunciations of Uranus: "UR-ah-nus" and "Ur-AY-nus" (which sounds like the phrase "Your anus", a favorite joke of little kids). It also references the fact that Uranus and Neptune are both blue-ish colored planets in the outer solar system and are often confused by people who don't know much about them. Neither Uranus nor Neptune are green, however. <br />
|-<br />
! 11<br />
| What do you call this tool?<br />
<br />
(image of a claw hammer)<br />
| <br />
* A) Banger<br />
* B) Nail axe<br />
* C) Wood mage wand<br />
* D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
* E) I have never seen it before <br />
| The only name most people would ever call this tool is a "hammer".<br />
<br />
The last two options reference options in many quiz questions along the lines of "I'm familiar with this but have no specific word for it" and "I am not familiar with this" (such as on the pill-bug/roly-poly question). These may appear as options to questions that ask about something that might not exist everywhere, or something which many may not have a word for (for example, some areas of the United States have a name for "sunshowers," while most don't). However, it's a bit absurd for these options to be present for this question (and this question alone), as most users would be expected to know what a hammer is.<br />
|-<br />
! 12<br />
| What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff?<br />
|<br />
* A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
* B) A longwich<br />
* C) A salad hot dog<br />
| Reference to a common dialect quiz question: "What do you call a {{w|Submarine sandwich|long sandwich}}?" with options typically including "sub", "hoagie", "hero", etc.<br />
<br />
The hot dog answer could refer to the common online discussion: "Is a hot dog a sandwich?"<br />
|-<br />
! 13<br />
| What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics?<br />
| <br />
* A) Lightbulb eater<br />
* B) I have no special name for them<br />
* C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
| Another reference to the frequent appearance of quiz questions asking what users call various creepy crawlies. <br />
This question may be referencing the fact that spiders often live in attics, but Randall's creature doesn't seem to be quite the same as a normal spider since they usually aren't scaly and don't eat lightbulbs.{{Citation needed}}<br />
|-<br />
! 14<br />
| What do you say when someone around you sneezes?<br />
| <br />
* A) "What was that?"<br />
* B) "Oh, wow."<br />
* C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
| Reference to a question on some quizzes about which of several words/phrases you say in response to a sneeze, with usual answers including "bless you", "God bless you", and "{{w|Gesundheit}}" (from the German word for 'health').<br />
<br />
This question may also be referencing the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}} in answer C (and possibly answer B). Sneezing isn't a primary symptom of COVID-19, but most people are hyper-aware of possibly contracting the disease from the people around them so sneezes are treated with suspicion and it's seen as rude to sneeze openly.<br />
<br />
It is also possible that a person who has been able to catch a sneeze-producing condition has also caught COVID-19 and, while the sneeze itself isn't ''caused'' by it, the air and various airway fluids so forcefully projected are a possible infective vector with that little extra frisson of concern, given the current situation.<br />
|-<br />
! Title Text<br />
| colspan=2 | Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
| Phrased similarly to questions like, on the Times quiz, "How do you pronounce the words Mary, merry, and marry?" Options included "all three are pronounced the same", "all three are pronounced differently," or all three combinations of two being the same and one different.<br />
<br />
{{w|Shallots}} and {{w|scallions}} are both types of onions (the former somewhat resembling garlic cloves, the latter being long green/white stalks also called spring onions). {{w|Scallops}} (either pronounced <br />
''skollops'' or ''skallops'') are invertebrate marine animals similar to oysters and clams, frequently harvested for food (also what potato fritters are called in some regions of the UK and Australia). The three sound somewhat similar, but are quite different.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
[Box with title at the top]<br />
:Dialect Quiz<br />
[Smaller subtitle underneath]<br />
:Compare answers with your friends!<br />
<br />
[Quiz is divided into two columns. Answers to questions are indicated by a letter followed by a closed parentheses, such as A). These letters are greyed out]<br />
<br />
[Column 1:]<br />
<br><br />
How do you address a group of two or more people? <br />
:A) You<br />
:B) Y'all<br />
:C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "Penelope"? <br />
:A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
:B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
<br />
What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars? <br />
:A) Astrology<br />
:B) Agronomy<br />
:C) Cosmetology<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "genre"? <br />
:A) Gone-ra<br />
:B) Juh-neer<br />
:C) Jen-er-uh<br />
<br />
You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the... <br />
:A) First syllable<br />
:B) Second syllable<br />
<br />
What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from? <br />
:A) Gutter pipe<br />
:B) Drainpipe<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file? <br />
:A) Animated give<br />
:B) Animated gift<br />
<br />
What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream? <br />
:A) What?<br />
:B) Lawn buddies<br />
<br />
[Column 2:]<br />
<br><br />
What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road? <br />
:A) Prank lines<br />
:B) Devil's Marks<br />
:C) Fool-me lines<br />
:D) Fauxguides<br />
:E) Delaware lines<br />
<br />
What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System? <br />
:A) Uranus<br />
:B) Neptune<br />
<br />
What do you call this tool?<br />
<br><br />
[Image of a claw hammer] <br />
:A) Banger<br />
:B) Nail axe<br />
:C) Wood mage wand<br />
:D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
:E) I have never seen it before<br />
<br />
What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff? <br />
:A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
:B) A longwich<br />
:C) A salad hot dog<br />
<br />
What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics? <br />
:A) Lightbulb eater<br />
:B) I have no special name for them<br />
:C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
<br />
What do you say when someone around you sneezes? <br />
:A) "What was that?"<br />
:B) "Oh, wow."<br />
:C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
<br />
*The xkcd Twitter account posted a [https://twitter.com/xkcd/status/1316484953480323072 series of Twitter polls] asking the questions in this comic.<br />
*Shallots, scallops, and scallions ran against each other in [[1529: Bracket]]<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2372:_Dialect_Quiz&diff=1997992372: Dialect Quiz2020-10-15T01:39:27Z<p>172.68.65.198: Added history of these quizzes (Harvard and NY Times), and where questions are fairly evidently taken from a Times quiz question, make more specific reference to that.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2372<br />
| date = October 14, 2020<br />
| title = Dialect Quiz<br />
| image = dialect_quiz.png<br />
| titletext = Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a LIGHTBULB EATER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a parody of online quizzes that offer to compare the user's dialect of American English with others around the country. These quizzes generally contain questions about word usage, names for certain objects, and pronunciations that vary between different regions of the US. There are also quizzes about broader English dialects, but this comic focuses on commonly cited differences between American dialects.<br />
<br />
The earliest quiz of this type to be widely disseminated online was the [http://dialect.redlog.net/ Harvard Dialect Survey], conducted in the early 2000s by Bert Vaux and Scott Golder. The survey created maps of the distribution of various word usage (such as pop/soda/Coke for a fizzy drink) and was a relatively early example of widely shared Internet "viral" content. In 2013, Josh Katz of the New York Times created [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html a new version] based on the Harvard survey, which became the Times' [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/-em-the-new-york-times-em-most-popular-story-of-2013-was-not-an-article/283167/ most popular content of 2013] and spread the idea to many more people. <br />
<br />
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"<br />
! # !! Question !! Answers !! Explanation<br />
|-<br />
! 1<br />
| How do you address a group of two or more people?<br />
|<br />
* A) You<br />
* B) Y'all<br />
* C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
| Reference to the first question of the Times quiz: "How would you address {{w|You#Informal_plural_forms|a group of two or more people}}?" (with options including "you all", "you guys", "y'all", etc.). Option C references the significant decrease in human interaction and social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />
|-<br />
! 2<br />
| How do you pronounce "Penelope"?<br />
|<br />
* A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
* B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
| Both the options for this are wrong, making it the first of many quiz questions it is impossible to answer correctly. Neither Option A's "PEN-e-lohp" and Option B's "pe-NELL-up" are a typical pronunciation of this name beyond mispronunciations. In English, the only correct way to pronounce this name is "pe-NELL-o-pee," which is not listed.<br />
|-<br />
! 3<br />
| What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars?<br />
|<br />
* A) Astrology<br />
* B) Agronomy<br />
* C) Cosmetology<br />
| The actual answer is {{w|Astronomy}}, which is not listed. {{w|Astrology}} is the pseudo-scientific study that includes horoscopes (often confused with Astronomy due to its similar name), {{w|Agronomy}} ''is'' scientific but instead studies agriculture, and {{w|Cosmetology}} is the study of cosmetics and makeup (with a name close to {{w|Cosmology}}, a branch of Astronomy).<br />
|-<br />
! 4<br />
| How do you pronounce "genre"?<br />
| <br />
* A) Gone-ra<br />
* B) Juh-neer<br />
* C) Jen-er-uh<br />
| Reference to a question found on some quizzes: "How do you pronounce ''genre''? ZHAHN-ruh, or JAHN-ruh?"<br />
<br />
A majority of English speakers pronounce "genre" as either "'''ZH'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "zh" sound found in "trea'''s'''ure") or "'''J'''AHN-ruh" (beginning with the "j" sound in "justice"). Neither of these are listed, and none of the quiz's pronunciation options are common. However, they are close to other, unrelated words: ''Juh-neer'' is the way the second and third syllables of ''engineer'' are are pronounced, and ''Jen-er-uh'' is similar to ''generic.''<br />
|-<br />
! 5<br />
| You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the...<br />
| <br />
* A) First syllable<br />
* B) Second syllable<br />
| Reference to general questions regarding differences in pronunciation of words. "Google" is not generally pronounced with a high-pitched yelp on either syllable{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 6<br />
| What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from?<br />
|<br />
* A) Gutter pipe<br />
* B) Drainpipe<br />
| Reference to a quiz question in the Harvard and Times quizzes, "What do you call the thing from which you might drink water in a school?" Answers included "drinking fountain", "water fountain", and "bubbler". However, the question in this comic implies that schoolchildren (or at least the quizmaker) drink out of gutter pipes or drain pipes, which are used to collect rainwater and should not be drank from{{Citation needed}}.<br />
|-<br />
! 7<br />
| How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file?<br />
|<br />
* A) Animated give<br />
* B) Animated gift<br />
| Reference to the "{{w|Gif}}" pronunciation debate, with people split between pronouncing it "gif" (with the hard G sound in "girl") or "jif" (with the soft G sound in "giraffe").<br />
|-<br />
! 8<br />
| What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream?<br />
| <br />
* A) What?<br />
* B) Lawn buddies<br />
| Reference to a question in the Harvard and Times quizzes: "What do you call the {{w|Armadillidiidae|small gray bug}} that curls up into a ball when it’s touched?" (options include "roly-poly," "pill-bug", "potato bug", "doodle bug", etc.). However, there are no common "baseball-sized garden bugs".{{Citation needed}} May also be a reference to what "potato bug" means to people in the eastern part of the United States and {{w|Jerusalem cricket|what it means}} to people in the western part of the United States.<br />
|-<br />
! 9<br />
| What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road?<br />
| <br />
* A) Prank lines<br />
* B) Devil's Marks<br />
* C) Fool-me lines<br />
* D) Fauxguides<br />
* E) Delaware lines<br />
| Reference to the fact that some quiz questions ask about road features, such as "verge/berm/parking strip/curb strip" and "roundabout/traffic circle". However, these particular road lines, if they have ever been made, aren't common enough to warrant different names. <br />
<br />
This also may just be a dig at Delaware.<br />
<br />
Misleading lines on the road were also mentioned in [[1958: Self-Driving Issues]].<br />
|-<br />
! 10<br />
| What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System?<br />
| <br />
* A) Uranus<br />
* B) Neptune<br />
| This question references the two common pronunciations of Uranus: "UR-ah-nus" and "Ur-AY-nus" (which sounds like the phrase "Your anus", a favorite joke of little kids). It also references the fact that Uranus and Neptune are both blue-ish colored planets in the outer solar system and are often confused by people who don't know much about them. Neither Uranus nor Neptune are green, however. <br />
|-<br />
! 11<br />
| What do you call this tool?<br />
<br />
(image of a claw hammer)<br />
| <br />
* A) Banger<br />
* B) Nail axe<br />
* C) Wood mage wand<br />
* D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
* E) I have never seen it before <br />
| The only name most people would ever call this tool is a "hammer".<br />
<br />
The last two options reference options in many quiz questions along the lines of "I'm familiar with this but have no specific word for it" and "I am not familiar with this" (such as on the pill-bug/roly-poly question). These may appear as options to questions that ask about something that might not exist everywhere, or something which many may not have a word for (for example, some areas of the United States have a name for "sunshowers," while most don't). However, it's a bit absurd for these options to be present for this question (and this question alone), as most users would be expected to know what a hammer is.<br />
|-<br />
! 12<br />
| What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff?<br />
|<br />
* A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
* B) A longwich<br />
* C) A salad hot dog<br />
| Reference to a common dialect quiz question: "What do you call a {{w|Submarine sandwich|long sandwich}}?" with options typically including "sub", "hoagie", "hero", etc.<br />
<br />
The hot dog answer could refer to the common online discussion: "Is a hot dog a sandwich?"<br />
|-<br />
! 13<br />
| What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics?<br />
| <br />
* A) Lightbulb eater<br />
* B) I have no special name for them<br />
* C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
| Another reference to the frequent appearance of quiz questions asking what users call various creepy crawlies. <br />
This question may be referencing the fact that spiders often live in attics, but Randall's creature doesn't seem to be quite the same as a normal spider since they usually aren't scaly and don't eat lightbulbs.{{Citation needed}}<br />
|-<br />
! 14<br />
| What do you say when someone around you sneezes?<br />
| <br />
* A) "What was that?"<br />
* B) "Oh, wow."<br />
* C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
| Reference to a question on some quizzes about which of several words/phrases you say in response to a sneeze, with usual answers including "bless you", "God bless you", and "{{w|Gesundheit}}" (from the German word for 'health').<br />
<br />
This question may also be referencing the {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}} in answer C (and possibly answer B). Sneezing isn't a primary symptom of COVID-19, but most people are hyper-aware of possibly contracting the disease from the people around them so sneezes are treated with suspicion and it's seen as rude to sneeze openly.<br />
<br />
It is also possible that a person who has been able to catch a sneeze-producing condition has also caught COVID-19 and, while the sneeze itself isn't ''caused'' by it, the air and various airway fluids so forcefully projected are a possible infective vector with that little extra frisson of concern, given the current situation.<br />
|-<br />
! Title Text<br />
| colspan=2 | Do you make a distinction between shallots, scallops, and scallions? If you use all three words, do they all have different meanings, all the same, or are two the same and one different?<br />
| Phrased similarly to questions like, on the Times quiz, "How do you pronounce the words Mary, merry, and marry?" Options included "all three are pronounced the same", "all three are pronounced differently," or all three combinations of two being the same and one different.<br />
<br />
{{w|Shallots}} and {{w|scallions}} are both types of onions (the former somewhat resembling garlic cloves, the latter being long green/white stalks also called spring onions). {{w|Scallops}} (either pronounced <br />
''skollops'' or ''skallops'') are invertebrate marine animals similar to oysters and clams, frequently harvested for food (also what potato fritters are called in some regions of the UK and Australia). The three sound somewhat similar, but are quite different.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
[Box with title at the top]<br />
:Dialect Quiz<br />
[Smaller subtitle underneath]<br />
:Compare answers with your friends!<br />
<br />
[Quiz is divided into two columns. Answers to questions are indicated by a letter followed by a closed parentheses, such as A). These letters are greyed out]<br />
<br />
[Column 1:]<br />
<br><br />
How do you address a group of two or more people? <br />
:A) You<br />
:B) Y'all<br />
:C) I have not been around two or more people for so long that I can't remember<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "Penelope"? <br />
:A) Rhymes with "Antelope"<br />
:B) Rhymes with "Develop"<br />
<br />
What do you call the scientific field that studies the stars? <br />
:A) Astrology<br />
:B) Agronomy<br />
:C) Cosmetology<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce "genre"? <br />
:A) Gone-ra<br />
:B) Juh-neer<br />
:C) Jen-er-uh<br />
<br />
You pronounce "Google" with a high-pitched yelp on the... <br />
:A) First syllable<br />
:B) Second syllable<br />
<br />
What do you call the thing on the wall at school that you drink water from? <br />
:A) Gutter pipe<br />
:B) Drainpipe<br />
<br />
How do you pronounce the name for a short silent video file? <br />
:A) Animated give<br />
:B) Animated gift<br />
<br />
What do you call the baseball-sized garden bugs that, when poked, glow brightly and emit a warbling scream? <br />
:A) What?<br />
:B) Lawn buddies<br />
<br />
[Column 2:]<br />
<br><br />
What do you call the misleading lines painted by disgruntled highway workers to trick cars into driving off the road? <br />
:A) Prank lines<br />
:B) Devil's Marks<br />
:C) Fool-me lines<br />
:D) Fauxguides<br />
:E) Delaware lines<br />
<br />
What do you call the blue-green planet in the outer Solar System? <br />
:A) Uranus<br />
:B) Neptune<br />
<br />
What do you call this tool?<br />
<br><br />
[Image of a claw hammer] <br />
:A) Banger<br />
:B) Nail axe<br />
:C) Wood mage wand<br />
:D) I'm familiar with this tool but have no specific word for it<br />
:E) I have never seen it before<br />
<br />
What do you call a long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff? <br />
:A) A long sandwich with meats and lettuce and stuff<br />
:B) A longwich<br />
:C) A salad hot dog<br />
<br />
What do you call the scaly many-legged animal often found in attics? <br />
:A) Lightbulb eater<br />
:B) I have no special name for them<br />
:C) I've never looked in my attic<br />
<br />
What do you say when someone around you sneezes? <br />
:A) "What was that?"<br />
:B) "Oh, wow."<br />
:C) [Quietly] "Yikes."<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
<br />
*The xkcd Twitter account posted a [https://twitter.com/xkcd/status/1316484953480323072 series of Twitter polls] asking the questions in this comic.<br />
*Shallots, scallops, and scallions ran against each other in [[1529: Bracket]]<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=556:_Alternative_Energy_Revolution&diff=199091556: Alternative Energy Revolution2020-10-09T18:38:56Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */ added link</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 556<br />
| date = March 16, 2009<br />
| title = Alternative Energy Revolution<br />
| image = alternative_energy_revolution.jpg<br />
| titletext = The moment their arms spun freely in our air, they were doomed -- for Man has earned his right to hold this planet against all comers, by virtue of occasionally producing someone totally batshit insane.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are looking at modern "{{w|windmills}}" (known as {{w|wind turbines}}) harnessing wind energy into electrical energy. They comment that there's something creepy about the windmills. They allude to the book ''{{w|The War of the Worlds}}'' by {{w|H. G. Wells}} (the Jeff Wayne musical version of {{w|Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds|The War of the Worlds}} has paintings of the Martian tripods somewhat like these turbines) and also to "The Tripods" from {{w|John Christopher|John Christopher's}} {{w|The Tripods|Tripods trilogy}}, a young adult series of books about aliens who ride in walking tripods.<br />
<br />
Suddenly the windmills' pylons split into three legs, becoming the tripods suggested.<br />
<br />
They exclaim that {{w|Al Gore}} has doomed us all. Gore is a former Vice President of the United States, known for his environmental activism and promotion of green energy sources, relevant because wind turbines like the ones here are one of the alternative energy sources he supports.<br />
<br />
In the final frame, the 17th century literary figure {{w|Don Quixote}} arrives. [[Randall|Randall's]] depiction seems to be inspired by {{w|Don Quixote (Picasso)|the drawing}} by {{w|Pablo Picasso}}. In the original story, Don Quixote is a wandering knight of questionable sanity who fights windmills, which he believes to be giants. Hence, he is the appropriate person to deal with this threat.<br />
<br />
The title is a joke on the phrase "Alternative Energy Revolution," which normally refers to replacing of harmful power sources with eco-friendly options. However, in this case, the Alternative Energy sources are literally rising up in a revolution against humanity.<br />
<br />
The title text is another reference to {{w|The War of the Worlds}}: "But there are no bacteria in Mars... when I watched them they were irrevocably doomed... By the toll of a billion deaths man has bought his birthright of the earth, and it is his against all comers." Of course this time we are only saved because we - in spite of having evolved - still produce somewhat insane members of our species.<br />
<br />
Wind turbines also appear in later comics. In [[1119: Undoing]], Randall still seems to dislike them. In [[1378: Turbine]], the turbine is alive as it is in this comic, though its talking may simply be anthropomorphism.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A field with seven wind turbines is silhouetted against a dusk sky. One of the turbines is much closer than the others. The panel is double height and width of the two next panels to the right.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball standing and Megan sitting on the ground are overlooking the wind turbines.]<br />
:Cueball: I'm all for green energy, but those turbines creep me out. They remind me of War of the Worlds, or the Tripod books.<br />
<br />
:[While the two are in the same position but longer to the left in the panel wiggly lines form around the last word to indicate a high rumbling sound.]<br />
:Megan: They ''are'' unnerving.<br />
:Cueball: I can't shake the feeling that at any moment they'll— <br />
:''Rumble''<br />
<br />
:[The next line in the comic has five small square panels:]<br />
:[A leg begins to split off one wind turbine.]<br />
:''Crack''<br />
<br />
:[The leg separates from the body of the wind turbine.]<br />
<br />
:[The new leg lands on the ground.]<br />
:''Boom''<br />
<br />
:[Another leg begins to split off the other side of the wind turbine's body.]<br />
:''Crack''<br />
<br />
:[The new leg hits the ground, forming a tripod base.]<br />
:''Boom''<br />
<br />
:[A panel even wider than the first, but the same height as the 2nd and 3rd panel. Four of the wind turbines rampage across the field. Six smoke plumes rise from the ground where there are also nine to ten distinct red fires burning. The turbines move towards towers and buildings to the right.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball and Megan are now both standing. This panel and the last three panels in the last row is all the same size, a third of the total comic in width and the same height as the previous panel.]<br />
:Megan: Oh no.<br />
:Cueball: Al Gore, you've doomed us all.<br />
:Megan: It's coming this way!<br />
:Cueball: Run!<br />
<br />
:[One of the enormous tripod wind turbine feet lands right behind the running couple, sending debris flying.]<br />
:'''Boom'''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball and Megan run up a small hill (that continue up in the next panel).]<br />
:Megan: What now?<br />
:Cueball: Someone has to stop them.<br />
:Megan: But who could-<br />
:Voice (off panel): '''Stand aside!'''<br />
<br />
:[A man with a black hat and a beard sits mounted on a horse at the top of the hill, lance at the ready.]<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*There is a [https://youtu.be/kRuqPKcxMZY fan made animated version of this comic]. (No pun intended).<br />
*There is another [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/478266428659859466/633279235913416704/winMills.gif fan made animation] which imitates the wind turbines of the comic, though in a different context and way.<br />
*This is one of the [[:Category:Footer comics|six footer comics]] linked at the bottom part of the {{xkcd}} website.<br />
*This comic is available as a signed print in the [https://store.xkcd.com/products/signed-prints xkcd store].<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Footer comics]]<br />
[[Category:Wind turbine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with xkcd store products]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2286:_6-Foot_Zone&diff=1892192286: 6-Foot Zone2020-03-27T22:00:40Z<p>172.68.65.198: Adding relevant category.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2286<br />
| date = March 27, 2020<br />
| title = 6-Foot Zone<br />
| image = 6_foot_zone.png<br />
| titletext = Technically now it's a 34-foot zone.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:263:_Certainty&diff=188865Talk:263: Certainty2020-03-19T15:59:20Z<p>172.68.65.198: Correcting a common misconception</p>
<hr />
<div>This was done 6 years later by [http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/the-five/transcript/outrage-over-distribute-wealth-worksheet Fox News]. [[Special:Contributions/72.70.180.234|72.70.180.234]] 10:44, 31 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
It's easy to politicize that. Abelians versus non-Abelians ;) Not all vector spaces will likely share the property seen there.[[Special:Contributions/67.204.136.58|67.204.136.58]] 23:34, 15 August 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
If you flip ab + ac around, you end up with ac + ab which looks a lot like ACAB and that can get political very fast.{{unsigned ip|94.76.233.42}}<br />
<br />
Abelian means that ab = ba, but this distributive law is different. Both the distributive property and the Abelian property are assumed properties of numbers, i.e., accepted as true and used to prove more complicated properties. Non-Abelian examples of objects that "look" like numbers are not too hard to construct. One interesting example is where "a" abd "b" are rotating a book clockwise 90 degrees (a) and rotating the book forward 90 degrees (b). Start with the book facing you for reading and first do "a", then "b", which is written "ab". The result has the front of the book facing up. Now do "b" first, then "a", to get "ba". Now the binding of the book is facing up and the front of the book is facing to the right. So, "ab" is not "ba". The best I can think of for the distributive type of thing is for everything to make sense, except b+c is something for which multiplying by "a" is undefined.--DrMath 09:07, 22 November 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
But what about cryptography? A mathematical topic, and hardly apolitical nowadays. However, I appreciate and enjoy Randall's sentiment about the purity of mathematics. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.223|108.162.219.223]] 20:23, 17 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Politicize that? Easy. When you apply the same policies to a diverse group, the outcome differs from person to person. Just insert context and it can work in a wide range of situations. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.211|108.162.246.211]] 02:12, 14 July 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Ways math can be, and often is, politicized:<br />
* Politicians and government bureaucrats have imposed "New Math" of various types on children forced to suffer the public school system, several times.<br />
* Don't forget the famous stories of legislators wanting to change pi to be equal to 3.0 like it is in the Old Testament, parodied on Usenet and by my favorite author in ''[[Wikipedia:Stranger in a Strange Land|Stranger in a Strange Land]]''.<br />
* Mathematics is one of the biggest forms of lying that advocates of central planning use. There are [[Wikipedia:lies, damned lies, and statistics|lies, damned lies, and statistics]].<br />
* To expand on that last one, math is fundamentally little more than an expression of logic using a notation system as language. Many logical fallacies can be seen as mathematical fallacies. Essentially, a(b+c)=(ab)+(ac) can be complexified until it is very long and convoluted, but then tweaked so that it ceases to be true, and many will not notice the error at a glance. And this is what many verbal expressions of both formal and informal logical fallacies are essentially doing. <br />
—[[User:Kazvorpal|Kazvorpal]] ([[User talk:Kazvorpal|talk]]) 14:27, 29 October 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The Old Testament does not declare pi equal to 3.0; that's actually a [https://www.hillsdale.edu/hillsdale-blog/from-our-faculty/history-of-pi/ common misconception] (see paragraph 3).</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1890:_What_to_Bring&diff=188790Talk:1890: What to Bring2020-03-17T15:09:50Z<p>172.68.65.198: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
Presumably water in a gun fight _might_ work if the guns involved are particularly old fashioned (e.g. see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flintlock Flintlock]) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.55|162.158.154.55]] 06:35, 15 September 2017 (UTC) A flintlock style uses a metal 'frizzen' which hinges over the 'pan' into which the priming power is placed. This not only protects the powder from the weather (and a splash), but also keep the powder in the pan as the firearm is moved about. When the mechanism is fired, the flint comes striking down on the surface of the frizzen which both opens the cover and directs sparks into the pan. The type of firearm that might be made inactive with a splash of water is an older design called the matchlock which held a lit cord or match in a mechanism over the open pan. The gun is fired by allowing the match to fall into the pan and detonating the powder. <br />
:Water in a gun fight would also work if the guns are water guns or if the fight is against the Wicked Witch of the West [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 15:09, 17 March 2020 (UTC) <br />
<br />
I see that bringing a lid to a knife or gun fight might serve as some sort of a shield? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.66|141.101.107.66]] 06:52, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
If your lid is big enough, you can extinguish a wood fire too [[Special:Contributions/141.101.105.240|141.101.105.240]] 09:50, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is this Randall being political about the situation with North Korea? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, although the world would probably be a better place if more people (and countries) followed the tag text. [[User:Fluppeteer|Fluppeteer]] ([[User talk:Fluppeteer|talk]]) 10:29, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
But what if... you bring a wood fire... TO A KNIFE FIGHT?! Also, I'm not the only person thinking about BOTW's lowest-defense shield, am I? [[User:OriginalName|OriginalName]] ([[User talk:OriginalName|talk]]) 11:24, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
US Military personnel use "lid" as a euphemism for their uniform hat. I think that interpretation is represented in the drawing for "lid to a knife fight". [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.201|162.158.74.201]] 12:57, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Using a gun to extinguish fire probably was influenced by this official tweet of a sheriff 5 days ago [https://mobile.twitter.com/pascosheriff/status/906712903868469249 "To clarify, DO NOT shoot weapons @ #Irma. You won't make it turn around & it will have very dangerous side effects"], which was necessary after stupid people started to try to fight the hurricane with guns. Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.110.94|172.68.110.94]] 15:23, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The sentence "which often come with lids suited to making an airtight seal" is inaccurate. Lids don't form an airtight seal, and airtightness is not necessary to extinguish a pan fire.--[[User:Pere prlpz|Pere prlpz]] ([[User talk:Pere prlpz|talk]]) 23:58, 15 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The phrase "don't bring a knife to a gun fight" is not a statement of general naive lack of preparation, but is specifically used to advocate literal firearms as a means of defense over literal knives. The "gun fight" refers to encounters with armed criminals who, the phrase suggests, will still use their gun to your disadvantage whether or not you are capable of fighting back. It has been subverted occasionally as an implied threat (usually in drama rather than reality) when the situation is reversed, i.e. the criminal is armed with a knife and the would-be victim is armed with a gun. The violence implied by "a gun fight" tends to restrict more metaphorical use of the phrase. The title text seems to be based in the original meaning, with the implication that Randall expects a gun being used against an armed criminal to escalate violence. {{unsigned ip|162.158.74.231|20:08, 16 September 2017}}<br />
:Struggling to work out whether this comment is tongue in cheek, or for real.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.32|162.158.155.32]] 16:31, 18 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
:Hmmm... Since I don't see the humour in this comment if it was meant as a joke, and trolling is just pointless, I'm going to go ahead and treat it as a serious comment. No. Just no. A literal knife to a literal gun fight would be where the saying came from, but even then only as a metaphor or simile, as an issue easily understood. It should be obvious to anyone who knows how guns work that the gun would have an almost complete advantage. The saying actually means being on unequal footing in some conflict, where the person being warned is trying to attack or go against someone who is better prepared. The stereotypical jock trying to argue a point against the captain of the debate team (presumably the captain being the most experienced at making logical well-reasoned arguments, and as such would have no problem winning such an argument). A brand new private in the army challenging a multi-stipe sargeant to a fist fight (presumably anyone who has risen to the rank of sargeant and gained several stripes besides is quite experienced at fighting). A child challenging an Olympic medalist to a race (besides being an adult, presumably someone who has won a medal has tremendous ability at whatever kind of race this is). "Bringing a knife to a gunfight" is a common SAYING to describe such situations. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:01, 19 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Just noticed that the comic on xkcd got a little correction: The "Water to a knife fight" Cueball was missing an arm. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.202.202|162.158.202.202]] 23:12, 17 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
:Here's still the old image. Can anyone update it? --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.202.52|162.158.202.52]] 21:59, 22 September 2017 (UTC)<br />
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The gun is the only thing with two uses, so it's ''obviously'' the most useful. [[User:1337357|1337357]] ([[User talk:1337357|talk]])<br />
:A nuke would neutralize all of these threats, so obviously it would be the "most" useful. But nuking a wood fire to put it out would probably be overkill. Randall isn't trying to say that something is the "most" useful, he's just showing us different scenarios.[[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 13:13, 1 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Is this a co-violence matrix?</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2278:_Scientific_Briefing&diff=188765Talk:2278: Scientific Briefing2020-03-17T00:17:56Z<p>172.68.65.198: </p>
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Reference to COVID-19?<br />
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.173|172.69.70.173]] 20:42, 9 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:Seems closer to global warming to me. [[User:LegionMammal978|LegionMammal978]] ([[User talk:LegionMammal978|talk]]) 21:01, 9 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
::Given the title text, it could plausibly be about either of those, or just about anything else (ocean acidification, deforestation, wireless spectrum congestion...) --[[User:NotaBene|NotaBene]] ([[User talk:NotaBene|talk]]) 21:25, 9 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
::: Or at least, like, half of them. -- [[User:KarMann|KarMann]] ([[User talk:KarMann|talk]]) 21:29, 9 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
::::I read it as an analysis of actionable analytics... <br />
::::[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 22:10, 9 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
::::Not half of them, the other way around. Half of topics can be described by same graphs. This group of topics include global climate change, ocean acidification, deforestation, wireless spectrum congestion, IPv4 address exhaustion, COVID-19 and many others. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:22, 9 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:::::Well, yeah, still half of them, right? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.132|162.158.106.132]] 14:22, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:: ''Pretty'' sure it's about how the spider laid some eggs recently<br />
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I've heard that President Trump feels that the coronavirus will "blow over." <small> -- [[User:172.69.63.143|172.69.63.143]] ([[User talk:172.69.63.143|talk]]) 22:22, 9 March 2020 <span style="color:grey; white-space:nowrap;">''(please sign your comments with <nowiki>~~</nowiki>~~)''</span></small><br />
:So how about going to the winchester, have a nice cold pint and wait for that? --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 08:04, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
::Because I don't know where the tornado dropped the kegs. The roof is fine, and only two counties off. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.67|172.69.63.67]] 16:35, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
Randall really missed a chance to talk about things going "from bad to worse." [[User:JohnHawkinson|JohnHawkinson]] ([[User talk:JohnHawkinson|talk]]) 23:20, 9 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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No no it's about rising extremism wait no no no it's fresh water demand as a percentage of supply wait no no its Niagra falls going through a straw <small> -- [[User:162.158.62.105|162.158.62.105]] ([[User talk:162.158.62.105|talk]]) 00:59, 10 March 2020 <span style="color:grey; white-space:nowrap;">''(please sign your comments with <nowiki>~~</nowiki>~~)''</span></small><br />
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"or perhaps Things Which Need Explaining." - I'm not sure the book, or any of the things described therein aren't bad yet but are getting worse and will be bad if nobody does anything: though maybe my copy is slowly going critical and I've just never noticed... <br />
--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.86|162.158.155.86]] 07:33, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
: I meant it in the sense that maybe the quantity of Things Which Need Explaining is increasing faster than Things Are Being Explained. --[[User:NotaBene|NotaBene]] ([[User talk:NotaBene|talk]]) 13:05, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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This is basically a comic about The Tragedy of the Commons.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.206.124|172.68.206.124]] 08:31, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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It's obviously a graph of how much expert advice is being ignored on serious issues. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.166|141.101.98.166]] 14:53, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:I agree. I also think that there are two kinds of "bad" in this comic, the first being the future value in the graph (whatever that might be) and the second being the apathy towards preventing that future bad value. I think the second one is what Megan refers to in the last panel, when she states it already has become bad. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 15:28, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
::I think the graph specifically represents that second kind of bad; namely that our responses to actionable information are moving farther from good toward bad. <br />
::[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 19:00, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:''Exactly.'' I thought I said that earlier... I see: I wasn't specific.<br />
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 19:00, 10 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
::I guess I didn't know the meaning of "actionable analytics" in your earlier post! [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 03:44, 11 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:::It sounds like meaningless buzzwords from middle management. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 07:28, 11 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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Probably the messiest explanation I've read in a long time...[[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.145|162.158.158.145]] 10:26, 11 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:You are free to help and improve it. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 10:36, 11 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
I'm surprised Y2K hasn't been mentioned. A good example of when we did actually stop a big problem, but a lot of people think it was never a problem to begin with.<br />
::Actually, Y2K was always a tiny problem (speaking as someone who spotted the issue in the 80s). Like Coronavirus, the media and politicians leapt on the name and blew it WAY out of proportion. If nobody had fixed Y2K, what does it matter if this computer or that computer running this program or that (and generally old computers and old programs) thinks it's 1900? An invoice says it's due January 5, 1900 instead of 2000? Big whoop. Only actually mattered with expiry dates and date math, like if you rented a movie in December and returned it in January, there was potential that the computer might think you had it for -99 years. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 03:26, 14 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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Since when is explainxkcd a platform for urging explainxkcd readers to begin political action themselves and post links to it here?? I thought explainxkcd was for explaining xkcd. The entire (current version) first paragraph, while presumably well-intentioned, ought to be deleted entirely because it clearly does not belong here. Where are the explainxkcd regulars, and why has this been left that way for so long? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.22.206|172.69.22.206]] 01:31, 12 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
:I thought I was helping what Randall was complaining about, and following his example of actually talking about it. It didn't seem political to me; what about it seems political to you? I notice your response was to remove it rather than follow it through. Do you consider the directness of the explanation more important than the ignoring-of-problems issue? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 00:17, 17 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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This explanation declares this comic is about Coronavirus, it seems merely potentially so. I was watching for this to be another one in a row, and all the language is kept generic, and how can one person seeing a graph and asking a question make Coronavirus worse? LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 03:26, 14 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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:On seeing the comic I first thought of the phrase "flatten the curve," ([https://www.google.com/search?q=covid+curve&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ALeKk03mKJ56OPPedaSXRvGA0bp3dwQr_g:1584191550826&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJl5K1hZroAhWG5KQKHYeoC6sQ_AUoAXoECAsQAw Google Images]) which has been used often recently to conceptualize the goal humanity (or each community or nation) needs to have when dealing with COVID-19.—[[User:Arpose|Arpose]] ([[User talk:Arpose|talk]]) 13:20, 14 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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"This chart shows that while things are fine now, we who are asking you for money want you to give us more based on how we're scaring you about what might ever happen." —[[User:Kazvorpal|Kazvorpal]] ([[User talk:Kazvorpal|talk]]) 18:32, 16 March 2020 (UTC)</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2281:_Coronavirus_Research&diff=188764Talk:2281: Coronavirus Research2020-03-17T00:09:28Z<p>172.68.65.198: </p>
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I don't think constantly refreshing the main page for 10 consecutive hours to get the first comment is healthy either, but I haven't found any studies confirming this. I think I'll refresh the CDC's website for a couple days to see if they add any articles on this. [[User:Unpopular Opinions|Goodbye, world!]] ([[User talk:Unpopular Opinions|talk]]) 18:33, 16 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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The more I read about the issue, the worse my headache gets. I don't think I have Corona, but I'm starting to think there's also a memetic virus around with physical symptoms. I don't want anyone else to catch it from me, though; I'm just warning you all so you can make sure you don't get exposed to it. Tell everyone you know! [[Special:Contributions/162.158.90.174|162.158.90.174]] 19:16, 16 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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I too have read virtually every xkcd comic about the coronavirus. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.24|108.162.219.24]] 19:46, 16 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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Maybe the reason why she wasn't able to find anything better was that some of those researches contradicted others? Although sleep deprivation sounds like quite likely explanation ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:19, 16 March 2020 (UTC)<br />
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This is what the people trying to design citizen-built medical and test equipment are experiencing. https://projectopenair.org/ https://app.jogl.io/project/118 [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 00:09, 17 March 2020 (UTC)</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2124:_Space_Mission_Hearing&diff=171212Talk:2124: Space Mission Hearing2019-03-15T13:49:20Z<p>172.68.65.198: </p>
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Spaceship noises? What exactly does a spaceship sound like if you can't hear anything in space? Perhaps this is part of the joke! [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 13:15, 15 March 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Actauly you can - your own spaceship might be producing some sounds. Like sort of humming device.<br />
::Spaceships sound like the computer-generated chirps, whistles, and whooshes used in sci-fi media to make travel through space familiar to those of us who travel through air. I hear little 'pew pew pew' noises come from my computer whenever I burn a cd! [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 13:49, 15 March 2019 (UTC)<br />
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And I see that main idea behind this comics - that while we are trying to find some serious reasoning of space programms, the real motive that realy matters - IT IS SPAAAAAAACE!!! Everything else is not enough to justify such expences.<br />
: It could be meaningful to list some reasons for exploring or not exploring space in the article ... There's a TV show about colonizing Mars that makes the point that once we inhabit two planets, we guarantee a future for our race if the planet doesn't survive. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 13:49, 15 March 2019 (UTC)</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2035:_Dark_Matter_Candidates&diff=1711382035: Dark Matter Candidates2019-03-13T19:03:10Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Space cows */</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2035<br />
| date = August 20, 2018<br />
| title = Dark Matter Candidates<br />
| image = dark_matter_candidates.png<br />
| titletext = My theory is that dark matter is actually just a thin patina of grime covering the whole universe, and we don't notice it because we haven't thoroughly cleaned the place in eons.<br />
}}<br />
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==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Dark matter}} is a hypothetical, invisible form of matter used by the vast majority of astronomers to explain the far too high apparent mass of objects at large scales in our universe. In galaxies, stars are orbiting faster than the gravitational force of the sum of the masses of visible matter in the galaxy could cause, and entire galaxies are observed moving much faster around each other than their visible masses could explain. In galactic collisions, the mass can appear to separate from the visible matter, as if the mass doesn't collide but the visible matter does. A small handful of galaxies have been observed to not have this property, suggesting that it is a *thing* that a galaxy can have more or less of and is separable from. At scales of our solar system, those effects are too small and can't be measured. The most plausible explanation for all of these phenomena is that there is some "dark matter" that has gravity, but is otherwise undetectable. In cosmology, dark matter is estimated to account for 85% of the total matter in the universe.<br />
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This comic gives a set of possibilities for what dark matter could possibly be, charted by mass from smallest (given in {{w|Electronvolt#Mass|electronvolts}}) to largest (given in kilograms). Masses in the range 10<sup>&minus;15</sup> to 10<sup>&minus;3</sup>&nbsp;kg are given in grams together with appropriate prefixes, while the ton takes the place of 10<sup>3</sup>&nbsp;kg.<br />
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Only massive objects ranging from subatomic particles up to super massive ones are covered in this comic. There are also {{w|Dark matter#Alternative hypotheses|alternative hypotheses}} trying to modify general relativity with no need of additional matter. The problem is that these theories can't explain all different observations at once. Nonetheless dark matter is a mystery because no serious candidate has been found yet.<br />
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The joke in this comic is that the range of the mass of the possible particles and objects stretch over 81 powers of ten, with explanations suggested by astronomers covering only some portions of that range. [[Randall]] fills the gaps with highly absurd suggestions.<br />
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==== Axion ====<br />
An {{w|Axion|axion}} is a hypothetical elementary particle postulated in 1977 to resolve the strong CP problem in {{w|Quantum chromodynamics|quantum chromodynamics}}, a theory of the strong force between {{w|Quark|quarks}} and {{w|Gluon|gluons}} which form {{w|Hadron|hadrons}} like {{w|Proton|protons}} or {{w|Neutron|neutrons}}. If axions exist within a specific range of mass they might be a component of dark matter. The advantage of this particle is that it's based on a theory which could be proved or also disproved by measurements in the future. Other theories, not mentioned in this comic, like the {{w|Weakly interacting massive particles|weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs)}} are much more vague.<br />
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==== Sterile neutrino ====<br />
{{w|Sterile neutrino|Sterile neutrinos}} are hypothetical particles interacting only via gravity. It's an actual candidate for dark matter. The well known {{w|Neutrino|neutrinos}} are also charged under the {{w|Weak interaction|weak interaction}} and can be detected by experiments.<br />
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==== Electrons painted with space camouflage ====<br />
{{w|Electron|Electrons}} are fundamental particles which compose the outer layers of atoms. A large number of electrons in the galaxy would be relatively easy to detect, as they not only interact with light (which dark matter does not appear to), but also have a strong electric charge. Presumably, space camouflage is a positively-charged coating which prevents electrons from interacting with light. (Needless to say, this is not an actual candidate for dark matter.) The mass of an electron is about 0.5&nbsp;MeV which fits well into the graph.<br />
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==== Neutralino ====<br />
A {{w|Neutralino|neutralino}} is a hypothetical particle from {{w|Supersymmetry|supersymmetry}} and is also a current candidate for dark matter. But there is not evidence whether or not supersymmetry is correct and none of the predicted particles have been found yet.<br />
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==== Q-ball ====<br />
In theoretical physics, a {{w|Q-ball}} is a stable group of particles. It's an actual candidate for dark matter.<br />
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(In billiards, a cue ball is the white (or yellow) ball hit with the cue in normal play. In addition, [[Cueball]] is the name explainxkcd uses for the most common xkcd character.)<br />
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==== Pollen ====<br />
{{w|Pollen}} is a joke candidate, though people with seasonal allergies may suspect that the universe is genuinely made up entirely of pollen in the springtime. <br />
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==== No-See-Ums ====<br />
{{w|Ceratopogonidae|No-See-Ums}} are a family (Ceratopogonidae) of small flies, 1–4&nbsp;mm long, that can pass through most window screens. Another joke candidate, because dark matter is invisible and the name "no-see-ums" implies that the flies are invisible.<br />
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==== Bees ====<br />
Insects of the clade {{w|Bee|Anthophila}} are major pollinators of flowering plants. In recent years {{w|Colony collapse disorder|bees have been disappearing}} at an alarming rate; {{w|The Stolen Earth|Doctor Who explained}} that they are in fact aliens leaving Earth prior to a Dalek invasion.<br />
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==== 8-balls ====<br />
In pool, the {{w|Pool (cue sports)|8-ball}} is a black ball numbered 8. It's a pun with Q-ball/cue ball. Unless undetected aliens have discovered billiards and become addicted to it, 8-balls are found only on Earth and are, hence, unlikely dark matter candidates. The 8-ball is also a popular unit of sale for black market pharmaceuticals like cocaine, where it stands for ⅛ ounce (3.5&nbsp;g). This doesn't make sense as a dark matter candidate either – unless dark matter is hard to detect because it's illegal & trying to avoid the cops.<br />
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==== Space cows ====<br />
Cows are {{w|Bovinae|bovines}} extensively farmed on Earth for milk and meat.{{Citation needed}} Although there is folklore concerning cows {{w|Hey diddle diddle|achieving circum-lunar orbits}}, not to mention their appearance on a {{w|Shindig (Firefly)|beloved space western TV show}}, as Muppet cow [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Natalie Natalie] in the Sesame Street News Flash (and [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SpaceWestern others less-remembered]), they have yet to be found elsewhere in the Universe. In the television show "Too Close for Comfort", one of the characters is the cartoonist of a comic strip called "Cosmic Cow". {{w|Spherical cow|Spherical cows}} (and especially those in a vacuum, as they would essentially be if in space) have also been used (humorously) by physicists needing to simplify some source of mass in a given problem.<br />
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==== Obelisks, monoliths, pyramids ====<br />
While those human constructions are huge on a human scale, they're negligible at universe-scale. It would take a large number of such constructions, distributed through space, to replicate the effects of dark matter; while a scenario could be envisioned where enough such constructs existed, with properties and distribution allowing them to match observations, this is obviously not a likely explanation.<br />
They often show up in fiction and pseudo-scientific literature as alien artifacts generating immense unknown power out of nowhere, with the most famous and influential example being the three monoliths from {{w|2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey}} (with the largest having a mass of about 500,000 tonnes).<br />
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==== Black holes ruled out by: ====<br />
{{w|Black hole|Black holes}} are known to occur in sizes of a few solar masses (about 10<sup>30</sup>-10<sup>31</sup> kg) as remnants of the core of former big stars, as well as in quite large sizes at the centers of galaxies (millions or even billions of solar masses). But recent gravitational wave detections indicate that black holes at 50 or 100 solar masses also exist, though their origin is still not understood. Randall doesn't mention this but some astronomers hope that these could fill at least a part of the gap. While black holes are widely reported to be ruled out as a candidate for dark matter for various reasons Randall has listed, such constraints are based on "monochromatic" mass distributions -- meaning that all such black holes are assumed to have the same mass -- which is considered physically implausible for populations of merging bodies which are known to have vastly different masses. See: [https://arxiv.org/pdf/1709.07467.pdf Primordial Black Holes as Dark Matter (2017)] and [https://arxiv.org/pdf/1705.05567.pdf Primordial black hole constraints for extended mass functions (2017)] (That this is a common practice in cosmology may be part of the reference to "buzzkill" astronomers.) He rules out all black holes in the range of approximately 10<sup>10</sup> kg to 10<sup>33</sup>&nbsp;kg even when below some gaps at the bars appear.<br />
<br />
Except the last item, all range below the mass of the sun (2x10<sup>30</sup> kg) while the smallest known black hole is about four solar masses.<br />
* Gamma rays: If dark matter were black holes of this size, the black holes could be evaporating by the predicted {{w|Hawking radiation}}, and we'd see a buzz of gamma rays from every direction if many of those objects would exist. Nonetheless this radiation is still hypothetical and not been observed on any known black holes. Furthermore those objects would be very small because the Schwarzschild radius of a 10<sup>12</sup> kg black hole is approximately 148 fm (1.48×10<sup>−13</sup> m), which is between the size of an atom and an atomic nucleus.<br />
* GRB lensing: {{w|Gamma-ray burst|Gamma-ray bursts}} (GRBs) are the brightest events in the universe and have been observed only in distant galaxies. While gravitational microlensing (see below) is an astronomical phenomenon, it doesn't make much sense here. GRBs are short (milliseconds to several hours) and are often detected only by space-borne sensors for gamma-rays -- rarely at any other wavelengths. Measuring lensing effects would be very difficult. This [https://arxiv.org/abs/1406.3102 paper] discusses the probability of detecting lensing effects caused by {{w|Dark matter halo|galactic halo objects}} among the known GRBs given sufficient objects to represent the missing mass. <br />
* Neutron star data: {{w|Neutron star|Neutron stars}} aren't black holes, but they're also very small highly compact objects at about 1.4-2.16 solar masses. While black holes can't be observed directly, neutron stars are detectable in many wavelengths. The number of them gives a clue about the number of black holes close to the mass of the sun, a number which is far too low to make up dark matter.<br />
* Micro lensing: {{w|Gravitational microlensing}} is a gravitational lens effect, (the path of radiation is changed by passing through space bent by nearby mass). This was predicted by Einstein's {{w|General Relativity|Theory of General Relativity}} and was first confirmed in 1919 during a solar eclipse, when a star which was nearly in line with the sun appeared more distant to the sun than usual. Astronomers have found many so called {{w|Einstein ring|Einstein rings}} or Einstein crosses where a massive object in front of other galaxies bends the light toward us. Those massive objects may be black holes, but the number is far too low to explain dark matter.<br />
* Solar system stability: Our {{w|Solar system|solar system}} is 4.5 billion years old and has been very stable since shortly after its formation. If not, we wouldn't exist. If dark objects at 10<sup>24</sup> to 10<sup>30</sup>&nbsp;kg (mass of Earth up to mass of Sun) accounted for dark matter and were distributed throughout galaxies, there should be many of them in the vicinity of our solar system and the system wouldn't be stable at all.<br />
* Buzzkill Astronomers: Black holes above a certain size are thought by some astronomers to be impossible to miss, due to the effects they have on nearby matter. At the mass of some 10<sup>30</sup>&nbsp;kg there must be many supernova remnants we still haven't found. Black holes of about 10<sup>35</sup> kg have long been considered dark matter candidates by a minority group of cosmologists, as could be seen here [https://arxiv.org/pdf/1001.2308.pdf Primordial Black Holes as All Dark Matter (2010)] and the Milky Way's first discovered intermediate mass black hole falling in this range shown here [https://www.nao.ac.jp/en/news/science/2016/20160115-nro.html Signs of Second Largest Black Hole in the Milky Way].<br />
Not covered by this comic are {{w|Massive compact halo object|massive astrophysical compact halo objects (MACHOs)}} composed of hard to detect dim objects like black holes, neutron stars, brown dwarfs, and other objects composed of normal {{w|Baryon|baryonic}} matter. Nevertheless observations have shown that the total amount of baryonic matter in our universe on large scales is much smaller than it would be needed to explain all the measured gravitational effects.<br />
<br />
==== Maybe those orbit lines on space diagrams are real and very heavy ====<br />
Diagrams of our solar system (or any planetary system) often show lines representing the elliptical paths the planet takes around its sun. These lines don't show real objects, though. Astronomers just draw them on pictures of the solar system to show where the planets move. If you draw a line on a map to give someone directions, that line isn't an object in real life; it's just on the map. If these lines were real, they would be ''huge'' (Earth's would be 940 million km long (2π AU) and Neptune's would be 28 ''billion'' kilometers long). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0 Powers of Ten (1977)] gives a good sense of just how large these orbit lines need to be in order to be visible in space diagrams. If these orbit lines were also very dense, they would have a huge mass and could possibly account for the missing 85% of the mass in the universe. But they would also constantly be impaling the planets, including the Earth, which would probably be a problem. Their mass would also affect planetary motions in ways which we would detect. A related worry about space travel was expressed in previous centuries; it was thought that the planets were embedded within {{w|Celestial spheres|crystal shells}} (spheres or Platonic solids), and a rocket into space could smash the shells and send planets plummeting to Earth. Another joke candidate.<br />
<br />
==== Title text ====<br />
The title text refers to the fact that space is just vast emptiness where a little bit of dirt could be overlooked. Actually the mean density of detectable matter in the universe, according to NASA, is equivalent to roughly [https://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_matter.html 1 proton per 4 cubic meters]. And because this matter is mostly located in galaxies -- and inside there in stars and clouds -- the space between is even more empty. For comparison, one gram of hydrogen consists of {{w|Avogadro constant|6.022&nbsp;×&nbsp;10<sup>23</sup> atoms}}. Like at home wiping with a cleaning cloth in which we can see the dirt that wasn't clearly visible on the surface we have wiped, Randall believes that some few atoms more per cubic meter could stay undetected in the same way. This isn't true because in the space between galaxies astronomers can detect matter as it spreads over thousands or millions cubic light years. Atoms can't hide; there is always radiation.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Dark matter candidates:<br />
:[A line graph is shown and labeled at left quarter in eV and further to the right in g together with some prefixes.]<br />
:[The labels read:]<br />
:µeV, meV, eV, keV, MeV, GeV, TeV, 10<sup>-18</sup>kg, ng, µg, mg, g, kg, TON, 10<sup>6</sup>kg, 10<sup>12</sup>kg, 10<sup>18</sup>kg, 10<sup>24</sup>kg, 10<sup>30</sup>kg<br />
<br />
:[All items are shown in bars ranging between two approximately values:]<br />
:< 1 µeV - 10 meV: Axion<br />
<br />
:1 eV - 10 keV: Sterile neutrino<br />
<br />
:0.5 MeV (exactly): Electrons painted with space camouflage<br />
<br />
:10 GeV - 10 TeV: Neutralino<br />
<br />
:100 TeV - 10<sup>-17</sup> kg: Q-ball<br />
<br />
:1 ng - 100 ng: Pollen<br />
<br />
:0.1 mg - 1 mg: No-See-Ums<br />
<br />
:10<sup>-1</sup> g (exactly): Bees<br />
<br />
:10 g - 100 g: 8-balls<br />
<br />
:100 kg - TON: Space cows<br />
<br />
:TON - 10<sup>9</sup> kg: Obelisks, monoliths, pyramids<br />
<br />
:10<sup>9</sup> kg - 10<sup>33</sup> kg: Black holes ruled out by:<br />
::10<sup>9</sup> kg - 10<sup>13</sup> kg: Gamma rays<br />
::10<sup>13</sup> kg - 10<sup>17</sup> kg: GRB lensing<br />
::10<sup>15</sup> kg - 10<sup>22</sup> kg: Neutron star data<br />
::10<sup>21</sup> kg - 10<sup>30</sup> kg: Micro lensing<br />
::10<sup>24</sup> kg - 10<sup>30</sup> kg: Solar system stability<br />
::10<sup>30</sup> kg - 10<sup>33</sup> kg: Buzzkill astronomers<br />
<br />
:10<sup>33</sup> kg - >10<sup>36</sup> kg: Maybe those orbit lines on space diagrams are real and very heavy<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Science]]<br />
[[Category:Physics]]<br />
[[Category:Astronomy]]<br />
[[Category:Line graphs]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2120:_Brain_Hemispheres&diff=1706562120: Brain Hemispheres2019-03-06T21:21:45Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2120<br />
| date = March 6, 2019<br />
| title = Brain Hemispheres<br />
| image = brain_hemispheres.png<br />
| titletext = Neurologically speaking, the LEFT hand is actually the one at the end of the RIGHT arm.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by an AUTONOMOUS LEG and a CHICKEN. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
It is thought that the right half of the brain controls the left arm and left leg, and vice versa for the left half of the brain, [https://arxiv.org/pdf/1003.1872.pdf competing] [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02972358 theories] exist for why this is the case. Also, many people incorrectly say that different parts of the brain control logic and emotion, due to the importance of the [[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393211000285?via%3Dihub left]] brain for language processing. Randall joins and spoofs these by suggesting that the right brain instead controls the upper torso. This would mean both that your left leg moves independently of your brain, and that your right arm and right face have 'disputed' control within the brain.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[A stick figure with the left half of the brain colored orange and the right half colored blue. A blue box is overlaid over the left half of the body, and an orange box is overlaid over the top half. An arrow labelled :'DISPUTED/DUAL CONTROL' points towards the overlapping area.]<br />
:'''Neuroscience Fact'''<br />
:The LEFT half of the brain actually controls the RIGHT half of the body... [Arrow pointing to blue rectangle]<br />
:...while the RIGHT half of the brain actually controls the TOP half of the body. [Arrow pointing to orange rectangle]<br />
:This leg is fully autonomous. [Arrow pointing to stick figure's left leg]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Biology]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2117:_Differentiation_and_Integration&diff=1702552117: Differentiation and Integration2019-02-27T23:31:35Z<p>172.68.65.198: Removed unrelated and irrelevant complaint</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2117<br />
| date = February 27, 2019<br />
| title = Differentiation and Integration<br />
| image = differentiation_and_integration.png<br />
| titletext = "Symbolic integration" is when you theatrically go through the motions of finding integrals, but the actual result you get doesn't matter because it's purely symbolic.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a BESSEL FUNCTION? Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This comic provides a {{w|flowchart}} purporting to show the process of differentiation, and another for integration.<br />
<br />
{{w|Derivative|Differentiation}} and {{w|Antiderivative|Integration}} are two major components of {{w|calculus}}. As many Calculus 2 students are painfully aware, integration is much more complicated than the differentiation it undoes.<br />
<br />
However, Randall dramatically overstates this point here. After the first step of integration, Randall assumes that any integration can not be solved so simply, and then dives into a step named "????", suggesting that it is unknowable how to proceed. The rest of the flowchart is (we can assume deliberately) even harder to follow, and does not reach a conclusion. This is in contrast to the simple, straightforward flowchart for differentiation. The fact that the arrows in the bottom of the integration part leads to nowhere indicates that "Phone calls to mathematicians", "Oh no" and "Burn the evidence" are not final steps in the difficult journey. The flowchart could be extended by Randall to God-know-where extents.<br />
<br />
It should be noted that Randall slightly undermines his point by providing four different methods, and an "etc", for attempting differentiation with no guidelines for selecting between them.<br />
<br />
===Differentiation===<br />
'''{{w|Chain rule}}'''<br />
<br />
For any <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=f'(x)</math> and <math> \frac{d}{dx}g(x)=g'(x) </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx}(f(g(x)))=f'(g(x))*g'(x)</math>.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Power Rule}}'''<br />
<br />
For any <math> f(x)=x^a </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=a*x^{a-1} </math>.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Quotient rule}}'''<br />
<br />
For any <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=f'(x)</math> and <math> \frac{d}{dx}g(x)=g'(x) </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx} \frac{f(x)}{g(x)}=\frac{f'(x)g(x)-f(x)g'(x)}{(g(x))^2}</math> if <math>g(x)\ne 0</math>.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Product rule}}'''<br />
<br />
For any <math> \frac{d}{dx}f(x)=f'(x)</math> and <math> \frac{d}{dx}g(x)=g'(x) </math>, it follows that <math> \frac{d}{dx}(f(x)*g(x))=f'(x)*g(x)+f(x)*g'(x)</math>.<br />
<br />
===Integration===<br />
'''{{w|Integration by parts}}'''<br />
<br />
The "product rule" run backwards. Since <math>(uv)' = uv' + u'v</math>, it follows that by integrating both sides you get <math> uv = \int u dv + \int v du</math>, which is more commonly written as <math>\int u dv = uv - \int v du</math>. By finding appropriate values for functions <math>u, v</math> such that your problem is in the form <math>\int u dv</math>, your problem ''may'' be simplified.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Integration by substitution|Substitution}}'''<br />
<br />
The "chain rule" run backwards. Since <math> d(f(u)) = (df(u))du</math>, it follows that <math>f(u) = \int df(u) du</math>. By finding appropriate values for functions <math>f, u</math> such that your problem is in the form <math>\int df(u) du</math> your problem ''may'' be simplified.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Cauchy's integral formula|Cauchy's Formula}}'''<br />
???<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Partial_fraction_decomposition#Application_to_symbolic_integration|Partial Fractions}}'''<br />
<br />
'''Install Mathematica'''<br />
<br />
{{w|Mathematica}} is a modern technical computing system spanning most areas. One of its features is to compute mathematical functions. This step in the flowchart is install and use Mathematica to compute to do the integration for you.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Riemann integral|Riemann Integration}}'''<br />
The Riemann integral is a definition of definite integration. Elementary textbooks on calculus sometimes present finding a definite integral as a process of approximating an area by strips of equal width and then taking the limit as the strips become narrower. Riemann integration removes the requirement that the strips have equal width, and so is a more flexible definition. However there are still many functions for which the Riemann integral doesn't converge, and consideration of these functions leads to the Lesbegue Integral. Riemann integration is not a method of calculus appropriate for finding the anti-derivative of an elementary function.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Stokes' Theorem}}'''<br />
???<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Risch Algorithm}}'''<br />
The Risch Algorithm is a complex procedure that reduces the process of symbolic integration to purely algebraic steps. It is implemented in Computer Algebra software, such as Mathematica.<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Bessel function}}'''<br />
???<br />
<br />
'''{{w|Symbolic integration}}'''<br />
Mentioned in the title text. ???<br />
<br />
''' Burn the evidence '''<br />
In a parody of detective novels, this may refer to the burning of your work to avoid the shame of being unable to solve the integration problem. <br />
Alternatively, this could be an ironic hint to the fact that in order to find the integral, it may even be necessary to break the law or upset higher powers, so that the negative consequences of a persecution can only be avoided by destroying the evidence.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Two flow charts are shown.]<br />
<br />
:[The first flow chart has four steps in simple order, one with multiple recommendations.]<br />
:DIFFERENTIATION<br />
:Start<br />
:Try applying<br />
::Chain Rule<br />
::Power Rule<br />
::Quotient Rule<br />
::Product Rule<br />
::Etc.<br />
:Done?<br />
::Yes<br />
::No<br />
:Done!<br />
<br />
[The second flow chart begins like the first, then descends into chaos.]<br />
:INTEGRATION<br />
:Start<br />
:Try applying<br />
::Integration by Parts<br />
::Substitution<br />
:Done?<br />
:Haha, Nope!<br />
<br />
:[Chaos, Roughly from left to right, top to bottom, direction arrows not included.]<br />
::Cauchy's Formula<br />
::????<br />
::???!?<br />
::???<br />
::???<br />
::?<br />
::Partial Fractions<br />
::??<br />
::?<br />
::Install Mathematica<br />
::?<br />
::Riemann Integration<br />
::Stokes' Theorem<br />
::???<br />
::?<br />
::Risch Algorithm<br />
::???<br />
::[Sad face.]<br />
::?????<br />
::???<br />
::What the heck is a Bessel Function??<br />
::Phone calls to mathematicians<br />
::Oh No<br />
::Burn the Evidence<br />
<!--::More arrows pointing out of the image to suggest more steps--><br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2113:_Physics_Suppression&diff=1697872113: Physics Suppression2019-02-18T15:03:19Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */ So much grammar</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2113<br />
| date = February 18, 2019<br />
| title = Physics Suppression<br />
| image = physics_suppression.png<br />
| titletext = If physics had a mafia, I'm pretty sure the BICEP2 mess would have ended in bloodshed.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by the Physics Mafia. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[[White Hat]] is mad at physicist in general and directs his fury at [[Megan]], a physicist. He has a theory, and blames the physicist for suppressing it, so no one takes it serious, because his theory would be disrupting standard models in physics. He blames the physicist to do this because his theory would be inconvenient because they would have to change their models. <br />
<br />
Megan is not taking him seriously, but states, as if he is indeed correct, that she did not know that physicist had a Mafia able to suppress anyone from publishing annoying results. If it existed, then why were they not there to stop the people who published results about Dark energy? <br />
<br />
Although she must admit that physicists later gave the dark energy researchers a {{w|Nobel Prize}} (in {{w|List_of_Nobel_laureates_in_Physics#Laureates|2011}}), she's still mad at them for the "trouble" this new concept caused for other physicist, including her.<br />
<br />
{{w|Dark energy}} is an unknown form of energy which is hypothesized to permeate all of space, tending to accelerate the expansion of the universe. Even though "dark energy" is a direct consequence of {{w|Albert Einstein|Albert Einstein's}} "{{w|cosmological constant}}" in the field equations of {{w|general relativity}}, it's actual discovery was still seen as a surprise within the physics community. Even Einstein had great trouble accepting it, calling it his "greatest blunder"{{Citation needed}}. In the comic, Megan says that if scientists were able to suppress inconvenient ideas, dark energy would likely have been such a case.<br />
<br />
She also indirectly says to White Hat, that if he actually had some results, not just a theory that contradicts known physics, then the results would not have been suppressed. The reason the "Dark energy people" got a noble prize is that the experiments and measurements show that they were onto something real. Seems like White Hat only has a model, and not data to back it up. This is the real joke.<br />
<br />
The title text mentions {{w|BICEP2}} (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization), which was part of a series of instruments used to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). In 17 March 2014, it was announced to much fanfare that BICEP2 had detected B-modes from gravitational waves in the early universe (called primordial gravitational waves). A few years later this announcement had to be backtracked, as it was found that most if not all the reported signal was actually due to interstellar dust within the Milky Way.{{Citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The title text notes that if there had been a physics mafia, then those results would have resulted in someone being killed. Now it may only be their career that ended...<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[White Hat, with his hands balled into fist and held up above him, is talking with Megan.]<br />
:White Hat: You physicists are suppressing my theory because it's inconvenient for your models!<br />
:Megan: Wait, we have a mafia that can suppress annoying results?<br />
:Megan: ''Why didn't they do something about the dark energy people?!''<br />
:Megan: We gave them a Nobel prize but I'm still mad at them!<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Physics]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2113:_Physics_Suppression&diff=1697862113: Physics Suppression2019-02-18T14:56:47Z<p>172.68.65.198: Typo</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2113<br />
| date = February 18, 2019<br />
| title = Physics Suppression<br />
| image = physics_suppression.png<br />
| titletext = If physics had a mafia, I'm pretty sure the BICEP2 mess would have ended in bloodshed.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by the Physics Mafia. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[[White Hat]] is mad at physicist in general and directs his fury at [[Megan]], a physicist. He has a theory, and blames the physicist for suppressing it, so no one takes it serious, because his theory would be disrupting standard models in physics. He blames the physicist to do this because his theory would be inconvenient because they would have to change their models. <br />
<br />
Megan is not taking him serious, but states, as if he is indeed correct, that she did not know that physicist had a Mafia, able to suppress anyone from publishing annoying results. Because if they where there, to do so, then why where they not there to stop the people who published results about Dark energy? <br />
<br />
Although she must admit that they (physicist) later gave them a {{w|Nobel Prize}} (in {{w|List_of_Nobel_laureates_in_Physics#Laureates|2011}}), she's still mad at them for the "trouble" this new concept caused for other physicist, including her.<br />
<br />
{{w|Dark energy}} is an unknown form of energy which is hypothesized to permeate all of space, tending to accelerate the expansion of the universe. Even though "dark energy" is a direct consequence of {{w|Albert Einstein|Albert Einstein's}} "{{w|cosmological constant}}" in the field equations of {{w|general relativity}}, it's actual discovery was still seen as a surprise within the physics community. Even Einstein had great trouble accepting it, calling it his "greatest blunder"{{Citation needed}}. In the comic, Megan says that if scientists were able to suppress inconvenient ideas, dark energy would likely have been such a case.<br />
<br />
She also indirectly says to White Hat, that if he actually had some results, not just a theory that contradicts known physics, then the results would not have been suppressed. The reason the "Dark energy people" got a noble prize, it that the experiments and measurements show that they were onto something real. Seems like White Hat only has a model, and not data to back it up. This is the real joke.<br />
<br />
The title text mentions {{w|BICEP2}} (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization) was part of a series of instruments used to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). In 17 March 2014, it was announced to much fanfare that BICEP2 had detected B-modes from gravitational waves in the early universe (called primordial gravitational waves). A few years later this announcement had to be backtracked, as it was found that most if not all the reported signal was actually due to interstellar dust within the Milky Way.{{Citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The title text notes that if there had been a physics mafia, then those results would have ended in bloodshed, someone would have been killed. Now it may only be their career that ended...<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[White Hat, with his hands balled into fist and held up above him, is talking with Megan.]<br />
:White Hat: You physicists are suppressing my theory because it's inconvenient for your models!<br />
:Megan: Wait, we have a mafia that can suppress annoying results?<br />
:Megan: ''Why didn't they do something about the dark energy people?!''<br />
:Megan: We gave them a Nobel prize but I'm still mad at them!<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Physics]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693462109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:56:02Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */ THIS LOOKS DONE, SOMEONE CAN ADD EXTRA INFO BUT THE COMIC IS ALREADY COMPLETELY EXPLAINED. MORE EXAMPLES ARE WELCOME BUT I BELIEVE THERE ARE ENOUGH TO GIVE AN IDEA.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. From the editing view, all the spaces look <code><nowiki>like''' '''this</nowiki></code>. This will annoy all future editors of this article, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces. They may also accidentally introduce bold words.<br />
**By default, MediaWiki attempts to prevent this by not including the trailing spaces in the bold formatting when you click the “bold” button, so someone has to manually type the formatting apostrophes to do this.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
*Unnecessary extra formatting will usually unnecessarily increase file size, which may put the file above some file maximum file size threshold.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693452109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:54:47Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. From the editing view, all the spaces look <code><nowiki>like''' '''this</nowiki></code>. This will annoy all future editors of this article, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces. They may also accidentally introduce bold words.<br />
**By default, MediaWiki attempts to prevent this by not including the trailing spaces in the bold formatting when you click the “bold” button, so someone has to manually type the formatting apostrophes to do this.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
*Unnecessary extra formatting will usually unnecessarily increase file size, which may put the file above some file maximum file size threshold.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693442109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:50:49Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */ A WORD</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. From the editing view, all the spaces look <code><nowiki>like''' '''this</nowiki></code>. This will annoy all future editors of this article, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces. They may also accidentally introduce bold words.<br />
**By default, MediaWiki attempts to prevent this by not including the trailing spaces in the bold formatting when you click the “bold” button, so someone has to manually type the formatting apostrophes to do this.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693422109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:50:11Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. From the editing view, all the spaces look <code><nowiki>like''' '''this</nowiki></code>. This will annoy all future editors of this article, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces. They may also accidentally introduce bold words.<br />
**By default, MediaWiki attempts to prevent this by not including the final spaces in the bold formatting when you click the “bold” button, so someone has to manually type the formatting apostrophes to do this.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693412109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:47:46Z<p>172.68.65.198: now it is gonna wrok</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. From the editing view, all the spaces look <code><nowiki>like''' '''this</nowiki></code>. This will annoy all future editors of this article, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces. They may also accidentally introduce bold words.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693402109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:46:50Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */ trying to escape the apostrophes</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. From the editing view, all the spaces look <code>like\'\'\' \'\'\'this</code>. This will annoy all future editors of this article, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces. They may also accidentally introduce bold words.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693392109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:46:13Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. From the editing view, all the spaces look <code>like''' '''this</code>. This will annoy all future editors of this article, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces. They may also accidentally introduce bold words.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693372109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:44:03Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. This will annoy all future editors, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
*If a font has the word space look different between the bold and the regular, perhaps to make it so bold words are spaced closer to each other, the spacing will look inconsistent if there is a hidden bold space.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693362109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:40:57Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''[[Randall]]''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. This will annoy all future editors, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
*A situation where formatted text is not allowed, and is rejected, but the user failed to strip formatting from the spaces, and this is noticed.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:(A text editor, with [...]. The word "not " is highlighted in blue. There is cursor below it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not have to mo...<br />
:Action: Select<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is next to the "to".)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Thought bubble: ...Nah, the bold is too much.<br />
<br />
:(The word "not" is highlighted.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would '''not '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is on the bold option and the selected word is not bolded.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Action: Click<br />
<br />
:(The cursor is gone. There is an arrow pointing to the bolded space with a dashed box around it.)<br />
:Text: ...ere, but would not''' '''have to mo...<br />
:Arrow: Hidden bold space<br />
<br />
:Caption:<br />
:When editing text, in the back of my mind I always worry that I'm adding invisible formatting that will somehow cause a problem in the distant future.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693342109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:39:12Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing some more occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A''' '''fast''' '''way''' '''to''' '''select''' '''a''' '''word''' '''in''' '''many''' '''systems''' '''is''' '''to''' '''double-click''' '''it,''' '''which''' '''also''' '''selects''' '''the''' '''following''' '''space.''' '''After''' '''applying''' '''formatting,''' '''one''' '''may''' '''select''' '''only''' '''the''' '''word''' '''to''' '''remove''' '''this''' '''formatting,''' '''by''' '''clicking''' '''and''' '''dragging''' '''with''' '''the''' '''mouse,''' '''which''' '''leaves''' '''the''' '''space''' '''formatted.''' '''Since''' '''in''' '''most''' '''fonts''' '''the''' '''word''' '''space''' '''looks''' '''identical''' '''between''' '''the''' '''bold''' '''and''' '''the''' '''regular,''' '''this''' '''has''' '''no''' '''effect''' '''on''' '''how''' '''the''' '''end''' '''user''' '''will''' '''read''' '''the''' '''document,''' '''but''' '''could''' '''theoretically''' '''cause''' '''a''' '''problem''' '''on''' '''later''' '''occasions.''' '''Randall''' '''worries''' '''about''' '''this.<br />
<br />
Occasions where a hidden bold space may be a problem include:<br />
*Wikis. In the first paragraph of this article, every space is a hidden bold space. This will annoy all future editors, due to the hidden apostrophes which are formatting the spaces.<br />
*Editing that adds some text at the location of the space will make this text bold.<br />
<br />
In the title text, [[Randall]] says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2109:_Invisible_Formatting&diff=1693332109: Invisible Formatting2019-02-08T14:35:33Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2109<br />
| date = February 8, 2019<br />
| title = Invisible Formatting<br />
| image = invisible_formatting.png<br />
| titletext = To avoid errors like this, we render all text and pipe it through OCR before processing, fixing a handful of irregular bugs by burying them beneath a smooth, uniform layer of bugs.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HIDDEN''' '''BOLD''' '''SPACE. Missing occasions where a hidden bold space would be a problem. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A fast way''' '''to select a word in many systems is to double-click it, which also selects the following space. After applying formatting, one may select only the word to remove this formatting, by clicking and dragging with the mouse, which leaves the space formatted. Since in most fonts the word space looks identical between the bold and the regular, this has no effect on how the end user will read the document, but could theoretically cause a problem on later occasions. Randall worries about this.<br />
<br />
In the title text, [[Randall]] says that he “fixes” this by running the text through OCR, which would usually ruin even more formatting and add inaccuracies to the text. This way, no one can tell which bugs were introduced by him and which ones by the OCR, which he thinks is better somehow.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2108:_Carbonated_Beverage_Language_Map&diff=1691882108: Carbonated Beverage Language Map2019-02-06T20:01:03Z<p>172.68.65.198: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2108<br />
| date = February 6, 2019<br />
| title = Carbonated Beverage Language Map<br />
| image = carbonated_beverage_language_map.png<br />
| titletext = There's one person in Missouri who says "carbo bev" who the entire rest of the country HATES.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by ONE GUY IN MISSOURI. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
In the US, people in various parts of the country refer to carbonated beverages by {{w|Names for soft drinks in the United States|different names}} such as Soda, Pop, Coke, etc. Generally, the West Coast and Northeast say "Soda", the South says "Coke" and the rest of the country says "Pop".<br />
<br />
There are various maps of the name differences, including: [http://www.popvssoda.com/]<br />
<br />
This map leverages xkcd's mockery-maps of regional and state-by-state differences or variations in the use of language and overlays the regional variances in the terms for soda pop (for example: https://laughingsquid.com/soda-pop-or-coke-maps-of-regional-dialect-variation-in-the-united-states/), as was made trending and popular in 2013. Not only are there far more terms than are actually used by Americans, many are terms for other drinks (mead), unrelated liquids (quicksilver), or copyrighted beverage names (Code Red) -- and in one case, something that's not even edible ({{w|cryptocurrency|"Crypto"}}).<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+Map terms (from left to right, approximately)<br />
|-<br />
|Fanta<br />
|Name of a carbonated beverage line<br />
|-<br />
|Sode<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|True Water<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Crypto<br />
|A type of currency. Not drinkable<br />
|-<br />
|Yum<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Sparkle Fluid<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|King Cola<br />
|Name of a carbonated beverage<br />
|-<br />
|Pepsi<br />
|Name of a carbonated beverage<br />
|-<br />
|Crystal Pepsi<br />
|Name of a carbonated beverage<br />
|-<br />
|Ichor<br />
|several definitions (blood of a god) (watery discharge from a wound). None of them carbonated. None of them recommended as a drinkable liquid.<br />
|-<br />
|You-Know-What<br />
|Actually, we don't know what.<br />
|-<br />
|Tab<br />
|Name of a carbonated beverage<br />
|-<br />
|Spicewater<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Softie<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Ohio Tea<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Boat Drink<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Melt<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Fizz Ooze<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Punch<br />
|A drink typically found in the juice isle. Only sometimes carbonated.<br />
|-<br />
|Fun Wine<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Diet<br />
|Sometimes refers to a carbonated beverage. A common request in restaurants, as they often only have a single diet option for customers to pick.<br />
|-<br />
|Refill<br />
|The second glass of whatever you drank previously. Works for any drinkable liquid.<br />
|-<br />
|Tickle Juice<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Bubble Honey<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Sugar Oil<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|The Wet Drink<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Code Red<br />
|Name of a carbonated beverage<br />
|-<br />
|Mead<br />
|An alcoholic drink. Not carbonated, as mead plus carbonation is champagne.<br />
|-<br />
|Canadian Ale<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Aether<br />
|A highly flammable industrial solvent. Do not drink. Also, not carbonated.<br />
|-<br />
|Carbonated Beverage<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Mouthwater<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Capri<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Skim Shake<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Kid's Coffee<br />
|Somewhat accurate. Coffee is typically drunk by adults for it's caffeine. Carbonated beverages often have caffeine also, and are often consumed by children.<br />
|-<br />
|Regular<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Tang<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Formula<br />
|Typically refers to baby's milk. Not carbonated.<br />
|-<br />
|Medicine<br />
|Only sometimes a drinkable liquid. Never or perhaps almost never carbonated.<br />
|-<br />
|Broth<br />
|Sometimes a served meal, sometimes a cooking ingredient. Not carbonated.<br />
|-<br />
|Fool's Champagne<br />
|Carbonated beverage is to champagne what fool's gold is to gold.<br />
|-<br />
|Sugar Milk<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|No word for them<br />
|This region of the US does not have a word for carbonated beverages (according to Randall). Apparently they do not drink them at all.<br />
|-<br />
|Hydro<br />
|A word for water. Carbonated water does exist, but this word means all forms of water.<br />
|-<br />
|Harvard Tea<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Bubbler<br />
|A nod to another popular map of the same type, exploring the regional dialects used to describe drinking fountains. This region of New England, as well as the eastern portion of Wisconsin are the only two locations where 'Bubbler' is commonly used to refer to drinking fountains.<br />
|-<br />
|Mouthbuzz<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Brad's Elixer<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Hot Water<br />
|Not carbonated. Not even in Jacuzzi and hot tubs.<br />
|-<br />
|Fluid<br />
|A word that means nearly any liquid in existence. Not accurate as a descriptor for carbonated beverages.<br />
|-<br />
|Coke Zero<br />
|Name of a carbonated beverage.<br />
|-<br />
|Carbo<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Quicksilver<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Glug<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|Water Plus<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The title text may be a wry comment in light of the pocket of "soda" in the St. Louis, MO area.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
A map of the United States divided into purple, red, green, blue, and yellow colored regions...<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Maps]]</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2104:_Biff_Tannen&diff=168756Talk:2104: Biff Tannen2019-01-29T13:20:38Z<p>172.68.65.198: /* Regarding politics */</p>
<hr />
<div>I thought Biff jumped from 2015 to 1955, not 1985...? Young Biff had the Almanac in his pocket at the High School dance and the tower he built was already in place in 1985.<br />
<br />
<!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
Collusion with a time traveler would bring a few things into focus. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.25|173.245.54.25]] 15:24, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:You inspire ''one'' house painter to change careers & suddenly everyone blames you for everything. <br />
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 16:23, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillbilly_Elegy<br />
[[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 15:39, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Do we keep the “cheat at sports betting” wording? I don’t know if this is cheating. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.136|108.162.210.136]] 17:22, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Cheating is generally heald to be using something unavailable to anyone else in the normal course of play to gain an advantage. I'd say using the almanac towards those ends definitely applies. [[User:Mjm87|Mjm87]] ([[User talk:Mjm87|talk]]) 19:07, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
If anyone questions the fact that newspapers in real life did attempt to assert that the rise of Trump was inevitable, various newspaper articles may easily be found as proof with a Google Search for [Donald Trump inevitable], preferably restricted to results before 2017, so as to remove results about things he did later. I don't know how best to incorporate such results as a source in the article, as the number of citations could easily be made too big, and also I don't know if anyone cares. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.136|108.162.210.136]] 17:30, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I am from Europe, and I do not understand the issue. If event X happens while you predicted Y, isn't researching and hypothising a good way to find out why, possibly learning new things in the process? Saying you don't want to debate the issue is like hating politics. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.131|141.101.104.131]] 18:27, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: Many people who understand politics hate it. On behalf of my fellow continenteans, I apologize for 141.101.104.131, who apparently believes that politics overlaps with political science. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.114.40|162.158.114.40]] 18:51, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Note that ''Hillbilly Elegy'' could not have been intended to explain the Trump election, having been written before it. However, it was interpreted this way. I have attempted to make this clear in the explanation.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.179|108.162.212.179]] 18:53, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
If I'm not mistaken, Biff is based off of Donald Trump, so the Donald Trump analogy may be more likely than not. I can't quite recall where I read this, but there are quite a few similarities between the two. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.186.138|162.158.186.138]] 19:14, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Added [[Special:Contributions/162.158.122.156|162.158.122.156]] 19:24, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Why does this article go out of its way to avoid mentioning Hillary Clinton by name?[[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.19|162.158.107.19]] 20:25, 28 January 2019 (UTC)KingLeary<br />
: Beats me. Fixed it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.95|108.162.246.95]] 04:47, 29 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
XKCD on XKCD: "The word 'thinkpiece' sounds like a word made up by someone who didn't know about the word 'brain'." [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.233|172.69.33.233]] 01:00, 29 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The explanation should include info on what a "counterfactual" is. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.95|108.162.246.95]] 04:49, 29 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Done [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.131|108.162.212.131]] 12:33, 29 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Regarding politics ==<br />
<br />
Wow, all this Trump stuff feels like a real stretch... [[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.95|172.68.132.95]] 21:00, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:Nah21:42, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:It's pretty obvious to me, personally, that this is an analogy to the idea that if Trump rose to power via means nobody was aware of at the time, the book would seem a little humorous. I guess that seems like a huge stretch to some and obvious to others. The references to the roughly-two views on this in the article feel painful to read, controversial, and like the issues aren't really honestly and fairly laid out. I wish there were some way to really give respect to both views. Even if many disagree with Randall, I think for many it is clear this is the subject of the comic. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]]<br />
<br />
Note there is a (joke?) conspiracy theory that Trump is a time traveler, using technology provided by his uncle John Trump...<br />
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.22|162.158.255.22]] 23:06, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:That would explain why he was able to do so well in the electoral college despite losing the popular vote. He knew which states would be close, so he could focus his efforts on narrowly winning those instead of narrowing losing them, and not worry about states like CA that would have such wide margins of victory that campaigning wouldn't affect who won them.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.23|172.69.33.23]] 07:06, 29 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:I think if Trump were a time traveller, he should be much richer, because he would have bet on sports, or invested in big companies while they were small. Instead, he invested in real estate, which was not a good option if he knew about the housing crisis beforehand. The only way I can think of to attribute his life choices to time travel meddling is: if the general public knew that time travel exists, this is the best way not to draw suspicion. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.131|108.162.212.131]] 13:06, 29 January 2019 (UTC)</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2104:_Biff_Tannen&diff=168669Talk:2104: Biff Tannen2019-01-28T15:39:39Z<p>172.68.65.198: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
Collusion with a time traveler would bring a few things into focus. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.25|173.245.54.25]] 15:24, 28 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillbilly_Elegy<br />
[[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.198|172.68.65.198]] 15:39, 28 January 2019 (UTC)</div>172.68.65.198https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2098:_Magnetic_Pole&diff=168136Talk:2098: Magnetic Pole2019-01-14T20:34:14Z<p>172.68.65.198: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
GPS relies on satellites not the magnetic pole, so it wouldn't be affected.</div>172.68.65.198