563: Fermirotica - Revision history

DollarStoreBa'al: cat

2026-03-31T17:09:13Z

cat

208.59.176.206: /* Trivia */

2026-01-31T01:19:00Z

‎Trivia

92.23.2.228: /* Trivia */ Yes, an apostrophe, but s' not 's in this case. Tying in with the plural of "websites". Could maybe have gotten away with 's for two individuals and singular "website", but given that there's three of them, there are multpiple others+websites

2025-06-23T00:13:01Z

‎Trivia: Yes, an apostrophe, but s' not 's in this case. Tying in with the plural of "websites". Could maybe have gotten away with 's for two individuals and singular "website", but given that there's three of them, there are multpiple others+websites

FaviFake: /* Trivia */

2025-06-22T20:48:56Z

‎Trivia

FaviFake: /* Trivia */

2025-05-09T16:56:10Z

‎Trivia

FaviFake at 16:55, 9 May 2025

2025-05-09T16:55:51Z

162.158.106.168: [Rough edit] Changed dominant interpretation to Fermi Estimation, kept Paradox but as secondary interpretation.

2023-05-20T10:32:04Z

[Rough edit] Changed dominant interpretation to Fermi Estimation, kept Paradox but as secondary interpretation.

141.101.105.35: /* Explanation */

2022-06-04T15:55:10Z

‎Explanation

Theusaf: Reverted edits by Donald Trump (talk) to last revision by CRLF

2022-05-26T20:01:07Z

Reverted edits by Donald Trump (talk) to last revision by CRLF

Show changes

Donald Trump: Reverted edit by anti-crap user

2022-05-26T18:56:47Z

Reverted edit by anti-crap user

Show changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:09, 31 March 2026
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 ==Trivia==
-This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall|Randall's]], [[April Fools' Day comics]]. But, on that day, Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North altered their {{w|Domain_Name_System|DNS}} records to point to each others' websites. So xkcd.com showed the [http://questionablecontent.net/ Questionable content] website, questionablecontent.net the [http://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics] website, and www.qwantz.com led to the [http://www.xkcd.com xkcd] website.
+This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall]]'s [[April Fools' Day comics]]. But, on that day, Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North altered their {{w|Domain_Name_System|DNS}} records to point to each others' websites. So xkcd.com showed the [http://questionablecontent.net/ Questionable content] website, questionablecontent.net the [http://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics] website, and www.qwantz.com led to the [http://www.xkcd.com xkcd] website.
 {{comic discussion}}

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 ==Trivia==
-This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall|Randall's]], [[April Fools' Day comics]]. But, on that day, Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North altered their {{w|Domain_Name_System|DNS}} records to point to each other's websites. So xkcd.com showed the [http://questionablecontent.net/ Questionable content] website, questionablecontent.net the [http://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics] website, and www.qwantz.com led to the [http://www.xkcd.com xkcd] website.
+This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall|Randall's]], [[April Fools' Day comics]]. But, on that day, Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North altered their {{w|Domain_Name_System|DNS}} records to point to each others' websites. So xkcd.com showed the [http://questionablecontent.net/ Questionable content] website, questionablecontent.net the [http://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics] website, and www.qwantz.com led to the [http://www.xkcd.com xkcd] website.
 {{comic discussion}}

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 ==Trivia==
-This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall|Randall's]], [[April Fools' Day comics]]. But, on that day, Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North altered their {{w|Domain_Name_System|DNS}} records to point to each others websites. So xkcd.com showed the [http://questionablecontent.net/ Questionable content] website, questionablecontent.net the [http://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics] website, and www.qwantz.com led to the [http://www.xkcd.com xkcd] website.
+This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall|Randall's]], [[April Fools' Day comics]]. But, on that day, Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North altered their {{w|Domain_Name_System|DNS}} records to point to each other's websites. So xkcd.com showed the [http://questionablecontent.net/ Questionable content] website, questionablecontent.net the [http://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics] website, and www.qwantz.com led to the [http://www.xkcd.com xkcd] website.
 {{comic discussion}}

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 ==Trivia==
-*This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall|Randall's]], [[April Fools' Day comics]].
+This comic was released on April 1 with no obvious ties to {{w|April Fools' Day}} and is thus not one of [[Randall|Randall's]], [[April Fools' Day comics]]. But, on that day, Randall, Jeph Jacques, and Ryan North altered their {{w|Domain_Name_System|DNS}} records to point to each others websites. So xkcd.com showed the [http://questionablecontent.net/ Questionable content] website, questionablecontent.net the [http://www.qwantz.com/ Dinosaur comics] website, and www.qwantz.com led to the [http://www.xkcd.com xkcd] website.
 {{comic discussion}}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-The {{w|Fermi paradox}} describes the contradiction between the high probability of {{w|extraterrestrial life}} and the lack of empirical evidence thereof. Age and size of the universe suggest that intelligent life should have occurred somewhere, and that some alien civilizations should have developed technology for {{w|interstellar travel}}. Therefore, one might expect the universe full of life. However, no evidence for any lifeforms on other planets has yet been found by humans. This inconsistency was first noted by {{w|Enrico Fermi}} in 1950 when he posed the question "Where is everybody?". The phenomenon, often called ''The Great Silence'', was later examined more thoroughly in a paper by {{w|Michael H. Hart}}.
+{{w|Fermi problem}}s are a type of estimation problem involving several quantities that are not to be measured but that can be estimated to within an {{w|order of magnitude}} to be inserted into equations relating the quantities to produce an estimate for a target quantity accurate to within an order of magnitude, based upon the assumption that overestimations and underestimations of the magnitude of the input quantities will compensate for each other in the resulting estimated quantity. {{w|Erotica}} is material meant to cause sexual arousal in a person. "Fermirotica", then, is erotica made from the solving of a Fermi problem.
-A decade after Fermi's observation, {{w|Frank Drake}} formulated the {{w|Drake equation}}, which aims at estimating the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the {{w|Milky Way}} galaxy. The formula presents itself as the product of several probabilistic factors which would be required for such a civilization to exist. Several parameters are unknown and the equation assumes that all factors are weighed equally, therefore the equation is not useful for computing any actual result.
+In the comic, [[Cueball]] is solving the Fermi problem of finding the average distance from the observer wherein a couple can be found copulating. (The example parameters given in the comic yield 139 metres.) The implication of the equation is that we are surrounded by sex in our everyday lives and that this is arousing to [[Cueball]].
-The comic presents a somewhat related equation which computes the average distance from the observer wherein a couple can be found copulating. (The example parameters given in the comic yield 139 metres.) The implication of the equation is that we are surrounded by sex in our everyday lives. Nevertheless, we rarely encounter couples during the act itself.{{citation needed}} Borrowing from the Fermi paradox, the ''Fermirotica'' paradox poses the question: "Where is everybody having sex?". Of course, the lack of empirical evidence of couples having sex can easily be explained by the fact that most couples only have intercourse in privacy. A similar approach might also offer an explanation to the original problem: Alien species might conceal themselves from our observations, e.g. in order to {{w|Prime directive|avoid interfering in the development of civilizations}}. This answer to the Fermi Paradox is commonly called {{w|zoo hypothesis}}.
+Nevertheless, we rarely encounter couples during the act itself.{{citation needed}} In this way, the comic may also be referencing the {{w|Fermi paradox}} in that the calculation suggests that the observer is highly likely to be surrounded by copulation but, paradoxically, never observes it. This is similar to the Fermi paradox which suggests that extraterrestrial life (i.e. space aliens) should be commonplace in our universe yet humanity has yet to discover the presence of extraterrestrial life. Of course, the lack of empirical evidence of couples having sex can easily be explained by the fact that most couples only have intercourse in privacy. By the same token, the original problem may be explained thusly: Alien species might conceal themselves from our observations, e.g. in order to {{w|Prime directive|avoid interfering in the development of civilizations}}. This answer to the Fermi Paradox is commonly called {{w|zoo hypothesis}}.
-The second panel has [[Cueball]] sexually aroused by the statistical probability of a couple practising intercourse. This fantasy of his is termed ''statistical {{w|voyeurism}}'' by an off-frame speaker, and is evidently upset by it. Possible reasons for being upset are that he considers it an inappropriate use of statistics, or finds voyeurism inappropriate in general, or because it accurately predicts an ''actual'' copulation he is aware of and would rather keep private (e.g. the off-frame speaker is actually about to have sex).
+The second panel has [[Cueball]] sexually aroused by imagining the intercourse that has been determined to be statistically nearby. This manner of arousal is termed ''statistical {{w|voyeurism}}'' by an off-frame speaker who is evidently upset by it. Possible reasons for being upset are that he considers it an inappropriate use of statistics, or finds voyeurism inappropriate in general, or because it accurately predicts an ''actual'' copulation he is aware of and would rather keep private (e.g. the off-frame speaker is actually about to have sex).
-The title text refers to the {{w|Google search#calculator|Google calculator}} and praises its capabilities of {{w|dimensional analysis}}, and more specifically {{w|unit conversion}}. [[Randall]] assumes that most readers will enter the equation with the example parameters into the {{w|Google}} search engine. The built-in calculator will output the result in the correct {{w| SI unit}} ''metre'', although the population density was given as ''people per square mile''. The second part of the title text states that the examples are nothing more than an educated guess, and that the equation is simplified. In reality, more parameters must be taken into account, e.g. the time of day, since most people will have sex in the evening or night. The insulting suggestion that the probability of sex rises when the reader's (supposedly promiscuous) mother is in town represents a ''{{w|Yo Mama joke}}''.
+The title text refers to the {{w|Google search#calculator|Google calculator}} and praises its capabilities of {{w|dimensional analysis}}, and more specifically {{w|unit conversion}}. [[Randall]] assumes that most readers will enter the equation with the example parameters into the {{w|Google}} search engine. The built-in calculator will output the result in the correct {{w| SI unit}} ''metre'', although the population density was given as ''people per square mile''. The second part of the title text states that the examples are nothing more than an educated guess, and that the equation is simplified. In reality, more parameters must be taken into account, e.g. the time of day, since most people will have sex in the evening or night. The insulting{{citation needed}} suggestion that the probability of sex rises when the reader's (supposedly promiscuous) mother is in town represents a ''{{w|Yo Mama joke}}''.
 Note that this comic was released on April 1st without being an April Fools' Day comic. But Randall made another April Fool on his reader, see the [[#Trivia|trivia section]].