3261: Side Effect - Revision history

81.179.199.253: /* Explanation */

2026-06-20T21:33:08Z

‎Explanation

BunsenH: /* Explanation */ extreme sensitivity

2026-06-20T20:10:57Z

‎Explanation: extreme sensitivity

Kleinesfilmröllchen: even simpler introduction

2026-06-20T18:48:32Z

even simpler introduction

Kleinesfilmröllchen: Copyediting and less repeating the comic contents

2026-06-20T18:44:20Z

Copyediting and less repeating the comic contents

81.179.199.253: /* Explanation */

2026-06-20T17:41:08Z

‎Explanation

81.179.199.253: /* Explanation */

2026-06-20T17:39:20Z

‎Explanation

208.59.176.206: /* Transcript */

2026-06-20T17:18:09Z

‎Transcript

YZ100: /* Transcript */

2026-06-20T16:13:48Z

‎Transcript

Barmar: /* Explanation */

2026-06-20T14:54:35Z

‎Explanation

Barmar: /* Explanation */

2026-06-20T14:52:46Z

‎Explanation

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 {{incomplete|This page was created by sensitive medication and HAS SIDE EFFECTS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
-This comic takes the concept of medication side-effects ''ad absurdum''. The side effect of sensitivity to sun exposure described by [[Beret Guy]] is [https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sun-sensitizing-drugs entirely precedented], however, sensitivity to {{w|gravitational waves}} is far less normal{{Citation needed}}. Due to the entirely normal first side effect, [[Ponytail]] initially misses the gravitational wave side effect. She is about to find out what that is about.
+This comic takes the concept of medication side-effects ''ad absurdum''. The side effect of sensitivity to sun exposure described by [[Beret Guy]] is [https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sun-sensitizing-drugs entirely precedented], however, sensitivity to {{w|gravitational waves}} is far less normal.{{Citation needed}} Due to the entirely normal first side effect, [[Ponytail]] initially misses the gravitational wave side effect. She is about to find out what that is about.
 Gravitational waves, to oversimplify, are waves of distortion in spacetime caused by fast-moving gravitational objects such as black holes orbiting each other. They travel at the speed of light and can be measured by precise instruments ({{w|interferometer}}s) which detect the ever-so-slight stretching and squishing caused by gravitational waves. As a side-effect of his medication, Beret Guy exhibits the stretching and squishing of a gravitational wave much stronger than normal, to the degree that it is visible to the naked eye. Beret Guy's hat also stretches and shrinks, indicating it could be a part of his body, which contradicts the idea from [[291: Dignified|an earlier comic]] that it is stapled to his head. Alternatively, it may be part of the [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|strange power]] the medicine makes him exhibit.

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 Gravitational waves, to oversimplify, are waves of distortion in spacetime caused by fast-moving gravitational objects such as black holes orbiting each other. They travel at the speed of light and can be measured by precise instruments ({{w|interferometer}}s) which detect the ever-so-slight stretching and squishing caused by gravitational waves. As a side-effect of his medication, Beret Guy exhibits the stretching and squishing of a gravitational wave much stronger than normal, to the degree that it is visible to the naked eye. Beret Guy's hat also stretches and shrinks, indicating it could be a part of his body, which contradicts the idea from [[291: Dignified|an earlier comic]] that it is stapled to his head. Alternatively, it may be part of the [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|strange power]] the medicine makes him exhibit.
-This is probably the most extreme example to date of Beret Guy being peculiarly sensitive to minuscule external forces. However, rather than showing concern for his body rapidly changing shape, he instead enjoys the feeling, saying 'Whee' in the last panel.
+This is probably the most extreme example to date of Beret Guy being peculiarly sensitive to minuscule external forces. By way of comparison, the most sensitive current ground-based laser interferometer, {{w|LIGO}}, has light storage arms which are 4&#8239;km in length, and with strong gravitational waves, it experiences changes in the distance between the ends of the arms by at most roughly 10<sup>−18</sup>&#8239;meters, or 1&#8239;attometer. The relative change is thus about 2.5&#8239;×&#8239;10<sup>-22</sup>. If Beret Guy is experiencing distortions of about a quarter of his height, the relative change is 0.25, larger than LIGO's by a factor of about 10<sup>21</sup>. However, rather than showing concern for his body rapidly changing shape, he instead enjoys the feeling, saying 'Whee' in the last panel.
 "{{w|chirp mass|The chirp}}" described in the title text refers to gravitational waves during the end-stages of black hole collision, during which expansion and contraction of the waves increase in frequency to the point where they alternate extremely rapidly. When the gravitational wave is represented through [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWqhUANNFXw sound], it does indeed make a chirping sound. The chirp would also cause Beret Guy's body to change form repeatedly and rapidly.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 {{incomplete|This page was created by sensitive medication and HAS SIDE EFFECTS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
-[[Beret Guy]] and [[Ponytail]] are talking about his new medication. The side effect of sensitivity to sun exposure described by Beret Guy is [https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sun-sensitizing-drugs entirely precedented], however, sensitivity to {{w|gravitational waves}} is far less normal{{Citation needed}}. Due to the entirely normal first side effect, [[Ponytail]] initially misses the gravitational wave side effect. She is about to find out what that is about.
+This comic takes the concept of medication side-effects ''ad absurdum''. The side effect of sensitivity to sun exposure described by [[Beret Guy]] is [https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sun-sensitizing-drugs entirely precedented], however, sensitivity to {{w|gravitational waves}} is far less normal{{Citation needed}}. Due to the entirely normal first side effect, [[Ponytail]] initially misses the gravitational wave side effect. She is about to find out what that is about.
 Gravitational waves, to oversimplify, are waves of distortion in spacetime caused by fast-moving gravitational objects such as black holes orbiting each other. They travel at the speed of light and can be measured by precise instruments ({{w|interferometer}}s) which detect the ever-so-slight stretching and squishing caused by gravitational waves. As a side-effect of his medication, Beret Guy exhibits the stretching and squishing of a gravitational wave much stronger than normal, to the degree that it is visible to the naked eye. Beret Guy's hat also stretches and shrinks, indicating it could be a part of his body, which contradicts the idea from [[291: Dignified|an earlier comic]] that it is stapled to his head. Alternatively, it may be part of the [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|strange power]] the medicine makes him exhibit.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 {{incomplete|This page was created by sensitive medication and HAS SIDE EFFECTS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
-[[Beret Guy]] tells [[Ponytail]] about the new medication he’s using, with the [https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sun-sensitizing-drugs entirely precedented] side effect of sensitivity to Sun exposure and the far less normal sensitivity to {{w|gravitational waves}}.  At first she replies that those side effects are normal, then does a double take and is confused about the second effect. Then, when she realizes, Beret Guy starts to exhibit the stretching and squishing of a gravitational wave, but by obviously visible amounts. Beret Guy's hat also stretches and shrinks, indicating it could be a part of his body, which contradicts the idea from [[291: Dignified|an earlier comic]] that it is stapled to his head. (Or perhaps it's part of the [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|strange power]] the medicine makes him exhibit.)
+[[Beret Guy]] and [[Ponytail]] are talking about his new medication. The side effect of sensitivity to sun exposure described by Beret Guy is [https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sun-sensitizing-drugs entirely precedented], however, sensitivity to {{w|gravitational waves}} is far less normal{{Citation needed}}. Due to the entirely normal first side effect, [[Ponytail]] initially misses the gravitational wave side effect. She is about to find out what that is about.
 This is probably the most extreme example to date of Beret Guy being peculiarly sensitive to minuscule external forces. However, rather than showing concern for his body rapidly changing shape, he instead enjoys the feeling, saying 'Whee' in the last panel.
-"{{w|chirp mass|The chirp}}" refers to gravitational waves during the end-stages of black hole collision, during which expansion and contraction of the waves increase in frequency to the point where they alternate extremely rapidly (the term comes from how it sounds when the gravitational wave is represented through [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWqhUANNFXw sound]). This would cause Beret Guy's body to also change form repeatedly and rapidly.
+"{{w|chirp mass|The chirp}}" described in the title text refers to gravitational waves during the end-stages of black hole collision, during which expansion and contraction of the waves increase in frequency to the point where they alternate extremely rapidly. When the gravitational wave is represented through [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWqhUANNFXw sound], it does indeed make a chirping sound. The chirp would also cause Beret Guy's body to change form repeatedly and rapidly.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 This is probably the most extreme example to date of Beret Guy being peculiarly sensitive to minuscule external forces. However, rather than showing concern for his body rapidly changing shape, he instead enjoys the feeling, saying 'Whee' in the last panel.
-"{{w|chirp mass|The chirp}}" refers to gravitational waves during the end-stages of black hole collision, during which expansion and contraction of the waves increase in frequency to the point where they alternate extremely rapidly (the term comes from how it sounds when the gravitational wave is converted to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWqhUANNFXw sound]). This would cause Beret Guy's body to also change form repeatedly and rapidly.
+"{{w|chirp mass|The chirp}}" refers to gravitational waves during the end-stages of black hole collision, during which expansion and contraction of the waves increase in frequency to the point where they alternate extremely rapidly (the term comes from how it sounds when the gravitational wave is represented through [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWqhUANNFXw sound]). This would cause Beret Guy's body to also change form repeatedly and rapidly.
 ==Transcript==

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 :[Beret Guy is standing to the right of Ponytail.]
 :Beret Guy: This new topical medication makes me extra sensitive to sun exposure and gravitational waves.
 :[Beret Guy's arms are out.]
 :Ponytail: Oh yeah, that's a common ...wait, what was that last part?
 :Beret Guy: Here comes one now!
-:[Over three panels, Beret Guy is stretched out in height, then he gets shorter and wider, then stretched out again.]
-:[Last panel:]
+:[Ponytail stands facing Beret Guy, who is stretched out in height.]
 :Beret Guy: ''WHEEE!''