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Recent comments: {{Special:RecentChanges|namespace=1}}

Latest revision as of 09:33, 16 March 2026

Welcome to the explain xkcd wiki!
We have an explanation for all 3268 xkcd comics, and only 45 (1.4%) are incomplete. Help us finish them!

 Go to this explanation

Latest comic[edit]

Tethys
In order to carry the necessary crafting supplies, they built the ships at 12:1 scale.
Title text: In order to carry the necessary crafting supplies, they built the ships at 12:1 scale.

Explanation[edit]

Ambox warning blue construction.png This is incomplete:
This page was created recently AND NEEDS TO BE RECREATED AT A 1:12 SCALE. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

Tethys, the fifth moon of Saturn, has a diameter of 1,060 kilometers, almost exactly 1/12th that of Earth's, which is 12,742 km. This scaling is a common one used for modelling, perhaps because of the relative simplicity of converting all real-life measurements directly from any given number of feet in the real life subject to exactly the same number of inches in the model version.

This comic alludes to a fantastical scenario in which artists who produce miniature scale models of existing structures decide to use Tethys to produce a 1:12 scale model of the Earth. This is a patently absurd undertaking: all the difficulties of terraforming, already a monstrously hard task, would be exacerbated by the need to precisely recreate Earth's features, as well as by some particularly unfavorable traits of the Saturnian system. Tethys's distance from the Sun is too great for Earth's surface conditions to be recreated without artificially increasing insolation, likely through the use of orbital solar mirrors. These would be especially difficult to erect around Saturn, with its many moons (292 at last count) and ring system causing severe gravitational interference. In addition, it would be difficult to get the necessary rockets, as it would be unlikely that any space agency would be willing to aid this thoroughly ridiculous project.[citation needed]

However, there is some good news: Tethys' large native water stores eliminate the need to ship in more, and the nearby moon Titan's atmosphere could be harvested for nitrogen, which is necessary to recreate Earth's atmospheric composition. Being very far away from Earth also means that there is no risk of nesting - having the model include a miniature version of itself, which includes an even more miniature version of itself, which includes....

Interestingly enough, the description refers to it as model-builders' final project. This implies that once the Earth is recreated, it will be such a grand project that it will be the final miniature model ever made - which is unlikely.[citation needed]

The title text humorously says that the ships used in the construction effort are built "at a 12:1 scale", i.e., 12x larger than normal (however "normal" is defined).

Transcript[edit]

[An image of a planet, presumably Saturn, showing prominent rings as well as three distant moons (one to the apparent right of it, the other two at the left) and one close, large moon. In front of the large moon is a line of spaceships dwindling into the distance toward the moon, or perhaps toward an orbit around it. Each spaceship has prominent rocket nozzles aimed toward the viewer and away from the large moon, as well as what appears to be a pile of material on "top" of the spaceship, with tie-down ropes holding it in place.]

[Caption below the panel:]
After learning that Tethys is exactly 1/12th the size of Earth, the miniature art model builders launched a fleet of ships to begin their final, greatest project.


comment.png  Add comment      new topic.png  Create topic (use sparingly)     refresh discuss.png  Refresh 

Discussion

Make changes, try things out, or just have fun with the wiki here! Just leave everything above the line alone, please.


This is a test. PoolloverNathan[stalk the blue seas] 20:48, 16 March 2021 (UTC)

This is not. —While False (museum | talk | contributions | logs | rights | printable version | page information | what links there | related changes | Google search | current time: 05:22) 18:38, 17 November 2022 (UTC)
A foreign student asked me to help fight against his math teacher. That was unusual. He was in that class for just a couple of weeks. The teacher's phone number was sent to me. The student asked me to spam-call the teacher. 172.71.155.55 22:58, 18 September 2023 (UTC)

here i'm just messing around in html, ignore this

furhhfghure guyrburgryhuyvfr "rvhru"

interesting way of writing quotations xd

hmmm this one of putting "<p>" in a line break will come in handy for when i want it to start at the same place than the first line

Please beware that <p> on mediawiki also disables automatic paragraph breaks, so you need a closing </p> or you'll break automatic paragraph formatting for the rest of the page. Zmatt (talk) 22:06, 31 July 2024 (UTC)

edit: da hek did that "</div>" come from An user who has no account yet (talk) 14:14, 13 October 2023 (UTC)

hi uh its hard to get here. is this a reference to undocumented feature??? hmm... this is interesting.
108.162.241.216 02:05, 23 November 2023 (UTC)

Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


Tomato soup.jpg Soup


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Tomato soup.jpg Soup


yum yum [citation needed]

Hiuiedeixgeyceiyedhcdiedcve {{trout}}

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Recent comments:

16 June 2026

     02:44 

Talk:3259: Tethys‎‎ (2 changes | history) . . (+372). . [1.170.227.28‎ (2×)]

     

02:44

(cur | prev) . . (+76). . 1.170.227.28 (talk) (Adding to my own comment.)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+296). . 1.170.227.28 (talk)

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Talk:3258: Plate Flip‎‎ (4 changes | history) . . (+323). . [PRR‎ (4×)]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+10). . PRR (talk | contribs)

     

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15 June 2026

     23:14 

Talk:1501: Mysteries‎‎ (2 changes | history) . . (+240). . [81.179.199.253‎; 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:bd87:d337:9ed3:e6ca‎]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+114). . 81.179.199.253 (talk) (General sort-of-signing/datestamping fixing, mostly.)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+126). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:bd87:d337:9ed3:e6ca (talk) (Lead Masks Case: new section)

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Talk:3256: Nostalgia Content‎‎ (2 changes | history) . . (+214). . [174.53.211.85‎ (2×)]

     

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Talk:1190: Time‎‎ (2 changes | history) . . (0). . [81.179.199.253‎; 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:bd87:d337:9ed3:e6ca‎]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+2). . 81.179.199.253 (talk) (Undo revision 414704 by 2605:59C8:22E3:3E14:BD87:D337:9ED3:E6CA (talk) Don't chenge others' Talk comments (without some serious reason))

     

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(cur | prev) . . (-2). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:bd87:d337:9ed3:e6ca (talk) (:))

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Talk:2666: Universe Price Tiers‎‎ (4 changes | history) . . (+372). . [81.179.199.253‎; 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:e439:d743:d102:ce8f‎ (3×)]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+167). . 81.179.199.253 (talk) (Polishing the turd...)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+39). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:e439:d743:d102:ce8f (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+127). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:e439:d743:d102:ce8f (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+39). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:e439:d743:d102:ce8f (talk)

N    19:56 

Talk:3259: Tethys‎‎ (5 changes | history) . . (+894). . [King Pando‎; TheusafBOT‎; 69.161.18.194‎; 38.25.26.137‎; 135.180.173.62‎]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+199). . 38.25.26.137 (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+113). . TheusafBOT (talk | contribs) (Created by theusafBOT: talk page for 3259)

     12:47 

Talk:3258: Plate Flip‎‎ (12 changes | history) . . (+4,101). . [RG‎; 87.115.198.74‎; 85.159.196.162‎; 2a0a:ef40:2d3:201:1ce2:157d:bc39:d800‎; 2a02:8071:b84:fe60:b8cd:f85a:6078:b152‎; 2001:4c4e:1c09:1c00:27af:e5e8:189c:b02a‎; Rps‎ (2×); 82.13.184.33‎ (4×)]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+187). . 2001:4c4e:1c09:1c00:27af:e5e8:189c:b02a (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+632). . Rps (talk | contribs) (Another similar joke)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+1,495). . Rps (talk | contribs) (Douglas Adams has a similar bit)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+45). . 82.13.184.33 (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+648). . 2a02:8071:b84:fe60:b8cd:f85a:6078:b152 (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+169). . 2a0a:ef40:2d3:201:1ce2:157d:bc39:d800 (talk) (Joke about third base.)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+171). . 87.115.198.74 (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+147). . RG (talk | contribs)

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Talk:3257: Beam Pipe‎‎ (2 changes | history) . . (+342). . [RG‎; 82.132.238.93‎]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+162). . 82.132.238.93 (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+180). . RG (talk | contribs)

     06:18  Talk:3162: Heart Mountain‎ (diff | hist) . . (+142). . RG (talk | contribs)
     04:58  Talk:3255: Planetary Science‎ (diff | hist) . . (+429). . RG (talk | contribs)
     03:01  Talk:3254: Detector‎ (diff | hist) . . (+263). . 69.5.140.194 (talk)
     02:18  Talk:3036: Chess Zoo‎ (diff | hist) . . (+112). . RG (talk | contribs)

14 June 2026

     22:46 

Talk:1932: The True Meaning of Christmas‎‎ (2 changes | history) . . (+134). . [81.179.199.253‎; 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:f8ea:b61a:d6b0:1c6c‎]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+76). . 81.179.199.253 (talk)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+58). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:f8ea:b61a:d6b0:1c6c (talk)

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Talk:2089: Christmas Eve Eve‎‎ (4 changes | history) . . (0). . [TheusafBOT‎ (2×); 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:f8ea:b61a:d6b0:1c6c‎ (2×)]

 m   

22:39

(cur | prev) . . (-4,370). . TheusafBOT (talk | contribs) (Reverted edit 414610 by 2605:59C8:22E3:3E14:F8EA:B61A:D6B0:1C6C to 414609)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+4,370). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:f8ea:b61a:d6b0:1c6c (talk)

 m   

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(cur | prev) . . (-1,498). . TheusafBOT (talk | contribs) (Reverted edit 414608 by 2605:59C8:22E3:3E14:F8EA:B61A:D6B0:1C6C to 222821)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+1,498). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:f8ea:b61a:d6b0:1c6c (talk)

     21:40 

Talk:1005: SOPA‎‎ (2 changes | history) . . (+281). . [81.179.199.253‎; 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:f8ea:b61a:d6b0:1c6c‎]

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+76). . 81.179.199.253 (talk) (Yeah, but at least sign.)

     

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(cur | prev) . . (+205). . 2605:59c8:22e3:3e14:f8ea:b61a:d6b0:1c6c (talk)

     17:55  Talk:2731: K-Means Clustering‎ (diff | hist) . . (+139). . 81.179.199.253 (talk)
 m   17:05  Talk:3134: Wavefunction Collapse‎ (diff | hist) . . (+1). . Miamiclay (talk | contribs) (Typo)
     16:20  Talk:3258: Plate Flip‎ (diff | hist) . . (+227). . SacrifycedStoat (talk | contribs)