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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | [[Megan]] and [[Ponytail]] are in orbit while nanobots are devouring the earth in a swarm. The nanobots stop after devouring 40% of the planet. This is a take on the "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_goo Grey goo]" scenario in which self-replicating nanobots destroy the earth while creating more and more of themselves non-stop. | ||
− | + | However, the nanobots are only able to destroy 40% of the planet because 40% of the earth volume = (# of {{w|IPv6}} addresses) x (A few cubic microns). Without more IP addresses, the nanobots cannot continue to replicate (assuming that each nanobot must be individually addressable). | |
− | + | IPv6 supports approximately 3.4×10<sup>38</sup> addresses while the {{w|Earth|Earth's volume}} is around 1.08321×10<sup>12</sup> km<sup>3</sup> or 1.08321×10<sup>39</sup> µm<sup>3</sup>(cubic micrometre). [[Randall]]'s guess on 40% of the planet would mean each nanobot is about 1.27331 µm<sup>3</sup> (which is still less than "a few microns" according to [[1070: Words for Small Sets]]). | |
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− | IPv6 supports approximately 3.4×10<sup>38</sup> addresses | ||
This is a joke on the shortage of IPv4 addresses. The only difference is that we are on {{w|IPv4}} and the nanobots are on {{w|IPv6}}. | This is a joke on the shortage of IPv4 addresses. The only difference is that we are on {{w|IPv4}} and the nanobots are on {{w|IPv6}}. | ||
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1998 is when the [http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2460 IPv6 Specification (RFC 2460)] was published and IETF is the Internet Engineering Task Force. | 1998 is when the [http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2460 IPv6 Specification (RFC 2460)] was published and IETF is the Internet Engineering Task Force. | ||
− | Note that an April | + | Note that an April fool joke for [http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1606 IPV9] exists and would have guaranteed Earth doom in this comic's scenario. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
− | *On the website, the space above the comic says "xkcd.com now has IPv6 connectivity. If you can't reach it, you or your ISP have misconfigured equipment. Sadly, I now have no way to tell you." | + | |
+ | *On the website, the space above the comic says "xkcd.com now has IPv6 connectivity. If you can't reach it, you or your | ||
+ | ISP have misconfigured equipment. Sadly, I now have no way to tell you." | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | ||
− | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]] |
− | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Science]] |