2263: Cicadas - Revision history

Revolutionary girl euclid: i'm redoing my previous edit, but I'll add a comment to the talk page explaining my reasoning this time, since my edit summary last time was just me condescending

2025-08-14T19:37:41Z

i'm redoing my previous edit, but I'll add a comment to the talk page explaining my reasoning this time, since my edit summary last time was just me condescending

92.23.2.228: Undo revision 379065 by Revolutionary girl euclid (talk) What is the exact problem? Why just deleting things? Isn't there a better way of putting it?

2025-06-09T09:25:44Z

Undo revision 379065 by Revolutionary girl euclid (talk) What is the exact problem? Why just deleting things? Isn't there a better way of putting it?

Revolutionary girl euclid: /* Explanation */ come on guys

2025-06-09T04:23:24Z

‎Explanation: come on guys

ConscriptGlossary: Chinese version

2024-10-24T02:57:14Z

Chinese version

172.70.200.134: /* Explanation */ caption word number

2023-10-21T08:07:04Z

‎Explanation: caption word number

172.70.200.145: /* Explanation */ noticed the word numbers

2023-10-21T08:05:27Z

‎Explanation: noticed the word numbers

Pressforaction: /* Explanation */

2023-06-18T18:45:24Z

‎Explanation

172.69.70.159: where -> were typo fix

2022-06-18T01:14:12Z

where -> were typo fix

172.70.86.64: /* Trivia */ Grammar. (Worst thing is that I recognise much of this as my own writing/tinkering. And the whole thing really needs a rewrite, in hindsight, but mostly my bits.)

2022-06-16T20:39:18Z

‎Trivia: Grammar. (Worst thing is that I recognise much of this as my own writing/tinkering. And the whole thing really needs a rewrite, in hindsight, but mostly my bits.)

Kynde: /* Explanation */

2022-06-16T13:28:57Z

‎Explanation

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:37, 14 August 2025
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	The title text is a pun on "{{w\|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.		The title text is a pun on "{{w\|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.
−
−	This entire comic seems to only have been a lead-up to the "cicadian rhythm" punchline. This is an interesting suggestion since [[Randall]] has mentioned in an interview that he makes up the title text after completing the comic.{{Actual citation needed}} Seems like he made an exception here; unless he didn't.

	==Transcript==		==Transcript==

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 It's worth noting that every 17th word in the comic is "bzzzzzzz", implying that every word spoken takes one second. The caption also includes 17 words (if "17" is one word). <!-- The author of the Chinese version didn't notice this. Adjust to 16 syllables per line? -->
 The title text is a pun on "{{w|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 It's worth noting that every 17th word in the comic is "bzzzzzzz", implying that every word spoken takes one second. The caption also includes 17 words (if "17" is one word). <!-- The author of the Chinese version didn't notice this. Adjust to 16 syllables per line? -->
 The title text is a pun on "{{w|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 In the comic, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] have accidentally created 17-''second'' cicadas using {{w|genetic engineering}}.  This means that rather than seeing a massive swarm every 17 years that lasts for a few weeks, they have to deal with a swarm every 17 seconds that lasts for a few moments. This makes it very difficult for them to do their work, especially to figure out how the cicadas were created because the swarm keeps interrupting their work. Note that the comic has been drawn differently to most other straight four-panel comics, probably to highlight the interruptions of the buzzing swarm - see the [[#Transcript|transcript]]. Also see the [[#Trivia|trivia section]] below for more details on the 17-year cicadas. Those were referenced again in the title text of [[2633: Astronomer Hotline]].
-It's worth noting that every 17th word in the comic is "bzzzzzzz", implying that every word spoken takes one second. The caption also includes 17 words (if "17" is one word).
+It's worth noting that every 17th word in the comic is "bzzzzzzz", implying that every word spoken takes one second. The caption also includes 17 words (if "17" is one word). <!-- The author of the Chinese version didn't notice this. Adjust to 16 syllables per line? -->
 The title text is a pun on "{{w|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 In the comic, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] have accidentally created 17-''second'' cicadas using {{w|genetic engineering}}.  This means that rather than seeing a massive swarm every 17 years that lasts for a few weeks, they have to deal with a swarm every 17 seconds that lasts for a few moments. This makes it very difficult for them to do their work, especially to figure out how the cicadas were created because the swarm keeps interrupting their work. Note that the comic has been drawn differently to most other straight four-panel comics, probably to highlight the interruptions of the buzzing swarm - see the [[#Transcript|transcript]]. Also see the [[#Trivia|trivia section]] below for more details on the 17-year cicadas. Those were referenced again in the title text of [[2633: Astronomer Hotline]].
-It's worth noting that every 17th word in the comic is "bzzzzzzz", implying that every word spoken takes one second.
+It's worth noting that every 17th word in the comic is "bzzzzzzz", implying that every word spoken takes one second. The caption also includes 17 words (if "17" is one word).
 The title text is a pun on "{{w|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:05, 21 October 2023
Line 11:		Line 11:

	In the comic, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] have accidentally created 17-''second'' cicadas using {{w\|genetic engineering}}. This means that rather than seeing a massive swarm every 17 years that lasts for a few weeks, they have to deal with a swarm every 17 seconds that lasts for a few moments. This makes it very difficult for them to do their work, especially to figure out how the cicadas were created because the swarm keeps interrupting their work. Note that the comic has been drawn differently to most other straight four-panel comics, probably to highlight the interruptions of the buzzing swarm - see the [[#Transcript\|transcript]]. Also see the [[#Trivia\|trivia section]] below for more details on the 17-year cicadas. Those were referenced again in the title text of [[2633: Astronomer Hotline]].		In the comic, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] have accidentally created 17-''second'' cicadas using {{w\|genetic engineering}}. This means that rather than seeing a massive swarm every 17 years that lasts for a few weeks, they have to deal with a swarm every 17 seconds that lasts for a few moments. This makes it very difficult for them to do their work, especially to figure out how the cicadas were created because the swarm keeps interrupting their work. Note that the comic has been drawn differently to most other straight four-panel comics, probably to highlight the interruptions of the buzzing swarm - see the [[#Transcript\|transcript]]. Also see the [[#Trivia\|trivia section]] below for more details on the 17-year cicadas. Those were referenced again in the title text of [[2633: Astronomer Hotline]].
		+
		+	It's worth noting that every 17th word in the comic is "bzzzzzzz", implying that every word spoken takes one second.

	The title text is a pun on "{{w\|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.		The title text is a pun on "{{w\|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 {{w|Cicada|Cicadas}} are a species of insect whose nymphs burrow underground and emerge as adults to reproduce several years later.  One common species in North America is the 17-year cicada, also known as the {{w|periodical cicada}}. These cicadas form distinct {{w|Periodical_cicadas#Map_of_brood_locations|broods}} which burrow and emerge as a group every 17 years, with different broods starting the cycle at different times.  This results in a couple of weeks every 17 years when the cicadas swarm in huge numbers, then vanish just as quickly when the adults die off.  Cicadas also make a distinctive buzzing sound, which makes their periodic appearance even more memorable.
-In the comic, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] have accidentally created 17-''second'' cicadas using {{w|genetic engineering}}.  This means that rather than seeing a massive swarm every 17 years that lasts for a few weeks, they have to deal with a swarm every 17 seconds that lasts for a few moments. This makes it very difficult for them to do their work, especially to figure out how the cicadas were created because the swarm keeps interrupting their work. Note that the comic has been drawn differently than most other straight four-panel comics, probably to highlight the interruptions of the buzzing swarm - see the [[#Transcript|transcript]]. Also see the [[#Trivia|trivia section]] below for more details on the 17-year cicadas. Those were once again referenced in the title text of [[2633: Astronomer Hotline]].
+In the comic, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] have accidentally created 17-''second'' cicadas using {{w|genetic engineering}}.  This means that rather than seeing a massive swarm every 17 years that lasts for a few weeks, they have to deal with a swarm every 17 seconds that lasts for a few moments. This makes it very difficult for them to do their work, especially to figure out how the cicadas were created because the swarm keeps interrupting their work. Note that the comic has been drawn differently to most other straight four-panel comics, probably to highlight the interruptions of the buzzing swarm - see the [[#Transcript|transcript]]. Also see the [[#Trivia|trivia section]] below for more details on the 17-year cicadas. Those were referenced again in the title text of [[2633: Astronomer Hotline]].
 The title text is a pun on "{{w|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption, not a time zone shift, that has to be adjusted for.

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 ==Trivia==
-The widely-accepted scientific explanation for the long and seemingly arbitrary 17-year lifecycle is that seventeen is a {{w|prime number}} - it's believed that this is an evolutionary adaptation against lifecycles of competitors taking easy advantage of the cicada as a food source (if a predator) or emerging early to dominating their shared food source (if a fellow feeder), since 17 years cannot be divided by any whole number of years other than itself and 1.
+The widely-accepted scientific explanation for the long and seemingly arbitrary 17-year lifecycle is that seventeen is a {{w|prime number}} - it's believed that this is an evolutionary adaptation against lifecycles of competitors taking easy advantage of the cicada as a food source (if a predator) or emerging early to dominate their shared food source (if a fellow feeder), since 17 years cannot be divided by any whole number of years other than itself and 1.
 A 16-year cicada might find a creature with an 8-year, 4-year, or [[1602:_Linguistics_Club|biennial]] cycle could profit from it in a 'clash' of expectations, but only a cycle that is a multiple of 17 (by an identical accident of evolution, that must also match the 'beat' years of the Cicada to be useful) would affect the presumed ancestors of the comic-strip breed. Predators often work to yearly cycles of plenty and scarcity of food or can survive a low number of famine years between the better ones, but if they have less than one year of 'bounty' for every decade or so of 'normal' feeding then they cannot build up the numbers needed to threaten such prey that plays the long-game.