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| ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
− | [[Beret Guy]] and [[Megan]] are walking during the summer, where Beret Guy expresses his appreciation for typical features of a summer day. Though, considering the rest of the comic, Beret Guy could mean there are {{w|Cloud computing|large (or popular) server farms}} [[908: The Cloud|somewhere]] and that the bugs are {{w|Zoom (software)|video chatting}}. He also mentions "wind turbines" put up by field mice, which Megan initially assumes to be referring to {{w|Taraxacum|dandelions}} (similar to the wordplay that Beret Guy utilized in [[1322: Winter]].) However, Beret Guy turns out to be speaking literally, as he picks up what is in fact a tiny {{w|wind turbine}}, says to [https://www.dandelionpress.com/dandelion-blog/2015/4/6/how-to-wish-on-a-dandelion make a wish,] and blows into it. This causes the blades of the turbine to spin rapidly, generating a lot of power for the structure it is connected to, thus causing a field mouse to cheer in excitement.
| + | {{incomplete|Created by a RENEWABLE ENERGY RODENT - Elaborate on the title text. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
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− | The comic was published on the 40th anniversary of the film release of {{w|The Secret of NIMH}},[https://twitter.com/DonBluth/status/1543282578173489153] a story featuring field mice and rats who escaped from a lab experiment which left them with a similar intelligence to human beings. The story takes place as the rats strive to achieve self-sufficiency, so that they no longer need to steal power from human-built electrical lines. (The novel this film was based on, {{w|Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH}}, describes the experiments and the rats' struggles in more detail.)
| + | [[Beret Guy]] and [[Megan]] are walking in summer, where Beret Guy expresses his appreciation for the weather typical of a summer day. He also mentions "field mice's wind turbines", which Megan initially assumes to be referring to dandelions (similar to the wordplay that Beret Guy utilized in [[1322: Winter]]). However, Beret Guy turns out to be speaking literally, as he picks up what is in fact a tiny {{w|wind turbine}} and blows into it. This causes the blades of the turbine to spin very rapidly, generating a lot of power for the structure it is connected to, thus causing the field mice to cheer in excitement. |
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− | The title text builds on the similarities between small wind turbines and dandelions by claiming that turbines reproduce by dispersing their blades, in the manner of dandelion {{w|seed dispersal}}. Randall's suggestion of turbine seeds conflicts with Beret Guy's assertion that the turbines were built by field mice.
| + | Sadly, the efficiency of wind turbines is proportional to their size,[https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/wind-turbines-bigger-better] a limitation not shared by other forms of renewable energy such as {{w|solar panel}}s and {{w|pico hydro}}. |
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− | === Efficacy ===
| + | The title text claims wind turbines reproduce by dispersing their blades, in the manner of dandelion {{w|seed dispersal}}. |
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− | Sadly, the power output per size of wind turbines increases with their size,[https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/wind-turbines-bigger-better] a limitation not shared by other forms of renewable energy such as {{w|solar panel}}s and {{w|pico hydro}}. According to [https://www.omnicalculator.com/ecology/wind-turbine this calculator], a 10 centimeter radius wind turbine powered by a 5.7 meter/second breath[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215098616300830] would produce one watt at just 26% efficiency.
| + | ==Transcript== |
| + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
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− | Further frustrating mouse use of wind power, {{w|Wind gradient|windspeed increases logarithmically with height}} above ground. Windspeed is reported as its value 10 meters above ground, where it is 1.5 times faster than at ground level.[https://www.nooutage.com/wind.htm] In the U.S., where Randall lives, average year-round windspeed is about 15 km/h,[https://sciencing.com/average-daily-wind-speed-24011.html] or about 2.8 m/s at ground level, yielding only 0.11 watts from such turbines. However, a typical adult mouse weighs 25 grams,[https://web.jhu.edu/animalcare/procedures/mouse.html] compared to about 81 kilograms for humans in the U.S.,[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408371/] so we could estimate that mouse electricity needs would be about 0.03% of people's.{{Dubious}} The average U.S. residential customer uses 1,242 watts of electricity,[https://www.electricchoice.com/blog/electricity-on-average-do-homes/] 0.03% of which is 0.37 watts. Therefore, the three turbines visible in this comic could serve about 89% of a mouse's needs. While this figure does not account for necessary {{w|home energy storage}} efficiency (92.5% for the {{w|Tesla Powerwall}}) overhead, mice usually live much less extravagantly than typical Americans,{{citation needed}} so three turbines per mouse should be sufficient.
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− | ==Transcript==
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| :[Megan and Beret Guy are walking on grass.] | | :[Megan and Beret Guy are walking on grass.] |
| :Beret Guy: Ahh, summer! | | :Beret Guy: Ahh, summer! |
| :Beret Guy: The clouds are big, the bugs are zooming, | | :Beret Guy: The clouds are big, the bugs are zooming, |
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− | :[Beret Guy stops walking. There are three small trefoil structures and a tiny building on the grass in front of him.] | + | :[Beret Guy stops walking. There are tiny structures on the grass in front of him.] |
| :Beret Guy: and the field mice have put up their little wind turbines. | | :Beret Guy: and the field mice have put up their little wind turbines. |
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| :''Puff'' | | :''Puff'' |
| :⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ | | :⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ |
− | :Voice at ground level: Yaaay! | + | :Voice below the ground: Yaaay! |
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| {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
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| [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] |
| [[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]] | | [[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]] |
− | [[Category:Animals]]
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