Editing 1318: Actually
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;Actually, measurements suggest it's flat. | ;Actually, measurements suggest it's flat. | ||
| − | *This statement is located at the top of the sphere in the comic, making it most likely to be read first. Given no other context, it will be interpreted as referring to the Earth; i.e. "The Earth is flat." | + | * This statement is located at the top of the sphere in the comic, making it most likely to be read first. Given no other context, it will be interpreted as referring to the Earth; i.e. "The Earth is flat." This references the earliest view of our planet's surface. |
;Actually, it's a sphere. | ;Actually, it's a sphere. | ||
| − | * | + | * This refers to the second earliest view of our planet's surface, as a ball with uniform radius everywhere. |
;Actually, it's an oblate spheroid. | ;Actually, it's an oblate spheroid. | ||
| − | *This clarifies the previous statement; an {{w|oblate spheroid}} has a wider radius at the equator than through the poles | + | * This clarifies the previous statement; an {{w|oblate spheroid}} has a wider radius at the equator than through the poles. On Earth, this occurs because a rotating body tends to bulge at the equator, where the matter experiences greater centripetal forces (analogous to experiencing more force at the outside of a round-a-bout rather than at the center). This is known as the {{w|equatorial bulge}}. |
;Actually, it's a shape defined by the EGM96 coefficients. | ;Actually, it's a shape defined by the EGM96 coefficients. | ||
| − | *This adds even more clarification to the previous statement; the {{w|EGM96|Earth Gravitational Model 1996}} is a detailed map of the Earth's gravitational field, which is not as uniform as a pure oblate spheroid would suggest. | + | * This adds even more clarification to the previous statement; the {{w|EGM96|Earth Gravitational Model 1996}} is a detailed map of the Earth's gravitational field, which is not as uniform as a pure oblate spheroid would suggest. |
;Actually, it's that plus local topography. | ;Actually, it's that plus local topography. | ||
| − | *This adds an almost unnecessary level of clarification to the previous; obviously the Earth's surface is not a smooth shape but rather contains numerous mountains, hills, valleys, etc. which constitute "local topography". | + | * This adds an almost unnecessary level of clarification to the previous; obviously the Earth's surface is not a smooth shape but rather contains numerous mountains, hills, valleys, etc. which constitute "local topography". |
;Actually, it's embedded in a universe that's curved. | ;Actually, it's embedded in a universe that's curved. | ||
* This shifts the perspective from the actual shape of the Earth to the "shape" of the space around it. According to {{w|General relativity}}, our planet's gravity bends the space-time around it, making it curved. At the time General relativity was discovered, it was not conclusively known whether the {{w|Shape of the universe|whole universe was flat or curved}}. | * This shifts the perspective from the actual shape of the Earth to the "shape" of the space around it. According to {{w|General relativity}}, our planet's gravity bends the space-time around it, making it curved. At the time General relativity was discovered, it was not conclusively known whether the {{w|Shape of the universe|whole universe was flat or curved}}. | ||
;Actually, measurements suggest it's flat. | ;Actually, measurements suggest it's flat. | ||
| − | *Looping around to the first statement and given the context from the previous one, this can now be interpreted as "the universe is flat" rather than "the Earth is flat". Recent measurements of the universe's shape strongly suggest that it is more or less completely flat rather than curved. | + | * Looping around to the first statement and given the context from the previous one, this can now be interpreted as "the universe is flat" rather than "the Earth is flat". Recent measurements of the universe's shape strongly suggest that it is more or less completely flat rather than curved. |
| − | *This could also refer to Thomas Friedman's 2005 book "The World is Flat" which discusses globalization and the idea of the world as a level playing field of equal opportunity for commerce. | + | * Further statements could now continue to be interpreted as referring to the universe rather than the Earth, thus forming a recursive loop. |
| − | + | * This could also refer to Thomas Friedman's 2005 book "The World is Flat" which discusses globalization and the idea of the world as a level playing field of equal opportunity for commerce. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | The title text pulls the whole comic tegether, pointing out that each statement in the comic is more precise than the previous. Unlike the loop in the comic, someone who does this will likely eventually win any real-life debate. The phrase "stand alone" refers to driving away all conversation, resulting in no one wanting to speak to the person. | |
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| − | The title text pulls the whole comic | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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::Ponytail: '''''Actually,''''' it's a sphere. | ::Ponytail: '''''Actually,''''' it's a sphere. | ||
::White Hat: '''''Actually,''''' it's an oblate spheroid. | ::White Hat: '''''Actually,''''' it's an oblate spheroid. | ||
| − | ::Megan: '''''Actually,''''' it's a | + | ::Megan: '''''Actually,''''' it's a sphere defined by the EGM96 coefficients. |
::Hairy 1: '''''Actually,''''' it's that plus local topography. | ::Hairy 1: '''''Actually,''''' it's that plus local topography. | ||
::Hairy 2: '''''Actually,''''' it's embedded in a universe that's curved. | ::Hairy 2: '''''Actually,''''' it's embedded in a universe that's curved. | ||
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[[Category:Physics]] | [[Category:Physics]] | ||
[[Category:Language]] | [[Category:Language]] | ||
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