Editing 2263: Cicadas
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | {{w|Cicada|Cicadas}} are a species of insect whose nymphs burrow underground and emerge as adults to reproduce several years later. One common species in North America is the 17-year cicada, also known as the {{w|periodical cicada}}. These cicadas form distinct {{w|Periodical_cicadas#Map_of_brood_locations|broods}} which burrow and emerge as a group every 17 years, with different broods starting the cycle at different times. This results in a couple of weeks every 17 years when the cicadas swarm in huge numbers, then vanish just as quickly when the adults die off. Cicadas also make a distinctive buzzing sound, which makes their periodic appearance even more memorable. | + | {{w|Cicada|Cicadas}} are a species of insect whose nymphs burrow underground and emerge as adults to reproduce several years later. One common species in North America is the 17-year cicada, also known as the {{w|periodical cicada}}. These cicadas form distinct {{w|Periodical_cicadas#Map_of_brood_locations|broods}} which burrow and emerge as a group every 17 years, with different broods starting the cycle at different times. This results in a couple of weeks every 17 years when the cicadas swarm in huge numbers, then vanish just as quickly when the adults die off. Cicadas also make a distinctive buzzing sound, which makes their periodic appearance even more memorable. |
− | + | The widely-accepted scientific explanation for the long and seemingly arbitrary 17-year lifecycle is that seventeen is a {{w|prime number}} - it's believed that this is an evolutionary adaptation to prevent the lifecycles of predator populations from synchronizing with the cicada's, since 17 cannot be divided by anything other than itself and 1. This would also explain why some broods of cicada have 13-year lifecycles (the next lowest prime number). | |
− | + | In the comic, [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] have accidentally created 17-''second'' cicadas using {{w|genetic engineering}}. This means that rather than seeing a massive swarm every 17 years, they have to deal with a swarm every 17 seconds. This makes it very difficult for them to do their work, especially to figure out how the cicadas were created, because the swarm keeps interrupting their work. Note that the comic has been drawn differently than most other straight four panel comics, probably to highlight the interruptions of the buzzing swarm - see the [[#Transcript|Transcript]]. | |
− | + | It is not explained why Cueball and Ponytail are tinkering with cicada genes, but their wings are {{w|superhydrophobic}} and antibacterial due to nano-scale structures on their surfaces. Their ability to hibernate may also be of interest in medicine. One technique for understanding which genes are responsible for various traits is by "{{w|gene knockout|knocking out}}" genes and seeing what is affected. In this case, it looks like a gene has had a nucleotide duplicated, which would change every amino acid in that protein after the duplication error, and the resulting malformed protein has caused the hibernation period of the modified cicadas to be extremely short. Perhaps the protein is involved in the "year counting" function, so that the cicadas wake up almost as soon as they enter hibernation, rather than waiting seventeen years. | |
− | This entire comic seems to only have been a lead-up to the "cicadian rhythm" punchline. This is an interesting suggestion since [[Randall]] has mentioned in an interview that he makes up the title text after completing the comic.{{ | + | The title text is a pun on "{{w|circadian rhythm}}." In particular, it might resemble something said to someone getting adjusted to a new sleep schedule. But here it is the 17 seconds interruption not a time zone shift that has to be adjusted for. |
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+ | This entire comic seems to only have been a lead-up to the "cicadian rhythm" punchline. This is an interesting suggestion since [[Randall]] has mentioned in an interview that he makes up the title text after completing the comic.{{Citation needed}} Seems like he made an exception here; unless he didn't. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:[Caption below the large panel:] | :[Caption below the large panel:] | ||
:Our genetics work has produced 17-second cicadas, but we're having a hard time figuring out how. | :Our genetics work has produced 17-second cicadas, but we're having a hard time figuring out how. | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} |