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| − | ''Welcome to the | + | __NOTOC__{{DISPLAYTITLE:explain xkcd}} |
| + | <center> | ||
| + | <font size=5px>''Welcome to the '''explain [[xkcd]]''' wiki!''</font><br> | ||
| + | <span style="font size:210%;">We have an explanation for all [[List of all comics (full)|'''{{#expr:{{PAGESINCAT:All comics|R}}}}''' xkcd comics]], and only {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}} ({{#expr: {{PAGESINCAT:Incomplete explanations|R}} / {{LATESTCOMIC}} * 100 round 1}}%) are incomplete. [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|Help us finish them!]]</span><!-- Note: the -1 in the calculation above has been removed (it was there to discount "comic" 404, but we've categorized it to be a comic and so has Randall.) --> | ||
| + | </center> | ||
| + | <!-- Go to this explanation button --><span style="position: absolute; right:0; padding-top:1.4em; font-size: 100%;"><span class="no-link-underline">[[{{LATESTCOMIC}}| </span>'''Go to this explanation''']]</span> | ||
| − | + | =Latest comic= | |
| + | <div style="border:1px solid grey; background:#f6f6f6; padding:1.5em;"> | ||
| + | {{:{{LATESTCOMIC}}}} | ||
| + | ---- | ||
| − | == | + | <span style="position: absolute; left:0; padding-top:1.35em; font-size: 105%;"><span class="no-link-underline"> [[File:new topic.png|21x21px|link={{LATESTCOMIC}}#Discussion]][[{{LATESTCOMIC}}#Discussion| </span>'''View comic discussion''']]</span><br><br></div> |
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| − | + | == New here? == | |
| − | + | <div style="float:right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em">{{Special:ContributionScores/10/7/nosort,notools}}<div style="font-size:0.85em; width:28em; font-style:italic">[[Special:ContributionScores|Lots of people]] contribute to make this wiki a success. Many of the recent contributors above have [{{fullurl:Special:Contributions|contribs=newbie}} just joined]. You can do it too! Create your account [[Special:UserLogin/signup|here]].</div></div> | |
| − | |||
| − | + | You can read a brief introduction about this wiki at [[explain xkcd]]. Feel free to [[Special:UserLogin/signup|create an account]] and contribute to the wiki! We need explanations for xkcd [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|comics]], [[:Category:Characters|characters]], [[What If? chapters|''What If?'' articles]], and [[:Category:xkcd|everything in between]]. If it is referenced in an [[xkcd]] comic, it should be here. | |
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| − | + | * If you're new to wiki editing, see the [[explain xkcd:Editor FAQ]] for a specific guidance to this wiki and the more general help on [[mw:Help:Editing pages|how to edit wiki pages]]. There's also a handy {{w|Help:Cheatsheet|wikicode cheatsheet}}. | |
| − | + | * Discussion about the wiki itself happens at the [[explain xkcd:Community portal|Community portal]]. | |
| − | + | * You can browse the comics from the [[List of all comics (full)|list of all comics]] or by navigating the category tree at [[:Category:Comics]]. | |
| − | + | * The incomplete explanations are listed [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|here]]. Feel free to help out by expanding them! | |
| − | + | == Rules == | |
| − | + | Don't be a jerk! | |
| − | + | There are a lot of comics that don't have set-in-stone explanations; feel free to put multiple interpretations in the wiki page for each comic. | |
| − | + | If you want to talk about a specific comic, use its discussion page. | |
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| − | + | Please only submit material directly related to xkcd and, of course, only submit material that can legally be posted and freely edited. Off-topic or other inappropriate content is subject to removal or modification at admin discretion, and users who repeatedly post such content will be blocked. | |
| − | If you | + | If you need assistance from an [[explain xkcd:Administrators|admin]], post a message to the [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Admin requests|Admin requests]] board. |
| − | + | [[Category:Root category]] | |
| − | [[ | ||
Latest revision as of 19:52, 31 July 2025
Welcome to the explain xkcd wiki!
We have an explanation for all 3270 xkcd comics, and only 46 (1.4%) are incomplete. Help us finish them!
Latest comic
| Side Effect |
 Title text: Brace yourself--the chirp gets pretty weird. |
Explanation
This comic takes the concept of medication side-effects ad absurdum. The side effect of sensitivity to sun exposure described by Beret Guy is entirely precedented, however, sensitivity to 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 (interferometers) 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 an earlier comic that it is stapled to his head. Alternatively, it may be part of the 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. By way of comparison, the most sensitive current ground-based laser interferometer, LIGO, has light storage arms which are 4 km in length, and with strong gravitational waves, it experiences changes in the distance between the ends of the arms by at most roughly 10−18 meters, or 1 attometer. The relative change is thus about 2.5 × 10-22. 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 1021. However, rather than showing concern for his body rapidly changing shape, he instead enjoys the feeling, saying 'Whee' in the last panel.
"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 sound, it does indeed make a chirping sound. The chirp would also cause Beret Guy's body to change form repeatedly and rapidly.
Transcript
- [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!
- [Ponytail stands facing Beret Guy, who is stretched out in height.]
- [Ponytail stands facing Beret Guy, who is now shorter and wider than he was originally.]
- [Ponytail stands facing Beret Guy, who is now stretched out in height again as he was in the third panel.]
- Beret Guy: WHEEE!
View comic discussionNew here?
Last 7 days (Top 10) |
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You can read a brief introduction about this wiki at explain xkcd. Feel free to create an account and contribute to the wiki! We need explanations for xkcd comics, characters, What If? articles, and everything in between. If it is referenced in an xkcd comic, it should be here.
- If you're new to wiki editing, see the explain xkcd:Editor FAQ for a specific guidance to this wiki and the more general help on how to edit wiki pages. There's also a handy wikicode cheatsheet.
- Discussion about the wiki itself happens at the Community portal.
- You can browse the comics from the list of all comics or by navigating the category tree at Category:Comics.
- The incomplete explanations are listed here. Feel free to help out by expanding them!
Rules
Don't be a jerk!
There are a lot of comics that don't have set-in-stone explanations; feel free to put multiple interpretations in the wiki page for each comic.
If you want to talk about a specific comic, use its discussion page.
Please only submit material directly related to xkcd and, of course, only submit material that can legally be posted and freely edited. Off-topic or other inappropriate content is subject to removal or modification at admin discretion, and users who repeatedly post such content will be blocked.
If you need assistance from an admin, post a message to the Admin requests board.
