Editing 2776: Crystal Ball
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|Created by AN INSUFFICIENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHYSICS PRINCIPLES BEHIND REFRACTION AND WHY LIGHT MIGHT ONLY HAVE A ONE-WAY SPEED- Elaborate on the title-text. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
− | + | In optics, {{w|spherical aberration }} is an image imperfection that occurs due to the increased refraction of light rays that occurs when rays strike a lens or a reflection of light rays that occurs when rays strike a mirror near its edge, in comparison with those that strike nearer the center. This causes the parts of an image reflected near the edges of a sphere (from the perspective of a viewer) to be distorted. As the viewer moves, the parts of the image which are distorted move as well. | |
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− | + | This is the principle behind a {{w|Fisheye lens}}, which corrects for the distortion to provide an image that is circular in shape and tends to be convex (i.e, bulges outwards) towards the center of the image. | |
− | The title text observes a real-world action that could [[1475: Technically|technically]] be described as "scrying through a crystal ball", that being the usage of the internet. Information over the internet is often transmitted via light sent through {{w|fiber-optic cables}}, which is sometimes collected using ball lenses. | + | The comic makes the joke that, since a crystal ball is a sphere, anyone trying to use one for scrying or seeing the future would have to deal with this issue as well; the wizard is telling Cueball that he can only make out the parts of his future which are near the center, as the rest is distorted. In practice, of course, this would likely not be an issue, as spherical aberration is specifically a property of refracted light, and since the crystal ball is presumably not showing an image made of the light refracted by the ball itself, the image should not be distorted. |
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+ | The title text observes a real-world action that could [[1475: Technically|technically]] be described as "scrying through a crystal ball", that being the usage of the internet. Information over the internet is often transmitted via light sent through {{w|fiber-optic cables}}, which, according to the title text, is sometimes collected using ball lenses. Due to the similarity between ball lenses and crystal balls, Randall argues that this is technically scrying through a crystal ball because you're receiving information from elsewhere (Googling something) and receiving it at the end of a crystal ball (ball lenses). | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[A wizard | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
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+ | :[A bearded wizard with a pointed hat is sitting at a table and investigating a crystal ball. Cueball is sitting at the opposite side.] | ||
:Wizard: Your future is hard to see. | :Wizard: Your future is hard to see. | ||
:Wizard: I can make out some hazy details in the center, but the off-axis components are particularly unclear. | :Wizard: I can make out some hazy details in the center, but the off-axis components are particularly unclear. | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Physics]] | [[Category:Physics]] | ||
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