Editing 1365: Inflation
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | The comic is inspired by the | + | The comic is inspired by the recent {{w|BICEP2}} discovery of gravitational waves from the early universe, hence providing evidence for the {{w|Inflation_(cosmology)|cosmic inflation}} hypothesis. [[Megan]] is excited about this and tells [[Ponytail]] all about it. She is impressed by the fact that these waves were created when the universe was extremely small and the expanding universe has "imprinted" the gravity waves. |
− | She compares this to the nature of a microscope - which optically expands a small image, just like the universe has done to itself. Ponytail is impressed by it until Megan looks at the image captured by the {{w| | + | She compares this to the nature of a microscope - which optically expands a small image, just like the universe has done to itself. Ponytail is impressed by it until Megan looks at the image captured by the {{w|Wilkinson_Microwave_Anisotropy_Probe|Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)}}. |
− | The concept of an {{w|Metric expansion of space|expanding universe}} is sometimes explained by the "balloon model", where the two-dimensional skin represents our three-dimensional universe and the inflation of the balloon represents expansion over time. But instead of showing a balloon | + | The concept of an {{w|Metric expansion of space|expanding universe}} is sometimes explained by the "balloon model", where the two-dimensional skin represents our three-dimensional universe and the inflation of the balloon represents expansion over time. But instead of showing a balloon [[Randall]] uses a basketball which can not inflate that much like a balloon. |
− | The elliptical {{w|Mollweide projection}} of this {{w|Cosmic microwave background|cosmic microwave background (CMB)}} image of the sky makes the map look a bit like a basketball. Randall | + | The elliptical {{w|Mollweide_projection|Mollweide projection}} of this {{w|Cosmic microwave background|cosmic microwave background (CMB)}} image of the sky makes the map look a bit like a basketball. Randall emphasizes this by superimposing the traditional curves that are visible on a basketball and the {{w|Spalding_(sports_equipment)|Spalding}} company logo over the original image available at the bottom here. |
− | Megan and Ponytail are both disconcerted by this, and the title text references the 1996 basketball movie ''{{w|Space Jam}}'' by promising images of main characters Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny if the polarization of the view is changed to {{w|B-modes|E-mode}} | + | Megan and Ponytail are both disconcerted by this, and the title text references the 1996 basketball movie ''{{w|Space_Jam|Space Jam}}'' by promising images of main characters Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny if the polarization of the view is changed to {{w|B-modes|E-mode}}. |
− | The image was updated between 7 AM and 8:30 AM EST on May 7. Originally the Spalding logo was shown from left-to-right; however, in the updated image, the Spalding logo is shown in reverse. The WMAP image has the correct orientation in both versions. This was likely due to a mistake on Randall's part, as the comic suggests the universe is contained inside a Spalding basketball. Seen from the inside, the Spalding logo would be shown in reverse, as seen in the updated image. The first image can be found [ | + | The image was updated between 7 AM and 8:30 AM EST on May 7. Originally the Spalding logo was shown from left-to-right; however, in the updated image, the Spalding logo is shown in reverse. The WMAP image has the correct orientation in both versions. This was likely due to a mistake on Randall's part, as the comic suggests the universe is contained inside a Spalding basketball. Seen from the inside, the Spalding logo would be shown in reverse, as seen in the updated image. The first image can be found here: [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/b/bf/inflation_first_version.png inflation first version.png]. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/media/121238/index.html Original cosmic microwave background image published by NASA.] | *[http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/media/121238/index.html Original cosmic microwave background image published by NASA.] | ||
− | *[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Spalding_logo.svg Image of Spalding logo on Wikipedia | + | *[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Spalding_logo.svg Image of Spalding logo on Wikipedia] |
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | ||
[[Category:Comics with color]] | [[Category:Comics with color]] | ||
[[Category:Physics]] | [[Category:Physics]] | ||
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