3231: Lightning

Lightning

|< < Prev #3231 (April 10, 2026)

Title text: Maybe you should wear one too? I guess I'm taller than you, so as long as I have one we're fine.

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Explanation

This is one of 65 incomplete explanations: This page was created by a GROUNDED BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

An anti-static wrist strap is a device worn by people working with sensitive electronic devices. The strap is connected to a "ground", so that if there's any static charge built up it will discharge there rather than being transmitted to the device, which may otherwise damage it.

Lightning is a release of static electricity that occurs when there's a large charge difference between a cloud and the Earth or between two clouds. In the comic, Cueball has once again confused how anti-static devices work -- rather than protecting a device from static in the person, he thinks it will protect the person from static in the lightning. In fact, wearing a strap that conducts electricity will make it more likely that he will be struck by lightning, and the strap is far too small to protect him from the electricity in the lightning strike.

He may think that the anti-static device works like a lightning rod, attracting the lighting and diverting it away from his body. This is corroborated by the title text, in which he thinks that Ponytail should be safe because he's taller than she is, and lightning tends to be attracted to the highest conductor in its vicinity (e.g., lighting rods that are above the roof of the building they're protecting). While this is true, it ignores the fact that he's made himself more likely to be struck, and potentially severely hurt or killed, by a lightning strike.

Transcript

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[Lightning overhead. Cueball and Ponytail are standing on a hill at night.]

[In the sky, by the lightning:]

BOOOOM

[Cueball:]

Don't worry, I'm wearing an anti-static wrist strap

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Discussion

I don't know if this is important, but at least right now there is no period. Might change later. Majordesmosnerd (talk) 20:52, 10 April 2026 (UTC)

im not sure how to insert it into the current state of the explanation, but by being a lightning rod nearby but higher up, he is providing protection to ponytail, right? - Vaedez (talk) 21:04, 10 April 2026 (UTC)

That does seem to be the premise, but I doubt that a few inches are sufficient for this, especially if they're several feet apart. But I had the same idea and already put it into the explanation. Barmar (talk) 21:11, 10 April 2026 (UTC)

Ironically, wearing a (properly grounded) anti-static strap would actually _increase_ the odds of being struck by lightning, turning you into a human lightning rod. The whole point of an anti-static strap is to dissipate any intrinsic potential difference between you and the ground, thus making you a (marginally) shorter path for the extreme potential difference between the clouds and the ground state. 50.47.191.231 21:10, 10 April 2026 (UTC)

- and of course someone said that in the explanation in the time it took me to write the comment.  :-p. 50.47.191.231 21:12, 10 April 2026 (UTC)
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