Difference between revisions of "877: Beauty"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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Revision as of 23:03, 11 April 2014

Ambox notice.png This explanation may be incomplete or incorrect: Too short and vague
If you can address this issue, please edit the page! Thanks.
;
Beauty
The best hugs are probably from hagfish, which can extrude microscopic filaments that convert a huge volume of water around them to slime in seconds. Instant cozy blanket!
Title text: The best hugs are probably from hagfish, which can extrude microscopic filaments that convert a huge volume of water around them to slime in seconds. Instant cozy blanket!

Explanation

Ponytail's statement in the first panel is proved wrong by Megan's actions throughout the comic and the statement in the title text, to the point where she retracts and changes her statement.

Concerning the hagfish - "Their unusual feeding habits and slime-producing capabilities have led members of the scientific and popular media to dub the hagfish as the most 'disgusting' of all sea creatures."

Transcript

[Ponytail and Cueball are discussing science. They are interrupted by an off-panel shout.]
Ponytail: The problem with scientists is that you take the wonder and beauty out of everything by trying to analyze it.
Megan: Dude!
[Megan runs across the panel, carrying a microscope and a slime mold.]
Megan: My plasmoidal slime molds have heightened pigment production! Check out that yellow color! That actually makes them zinc-resistant. Amazing, huh?
[The slime mold is proffered to the same human who was speaking earlier. The close up hides Megan's face.]
Ponytail: It looks like dog barf.
Megan: Hah, yeah! F. Septica is nicknamed "dog vomit slime mold." Cool, huh? Check out my slides!
[Megan has set down the microscope on the floor of the panel, and the slime mold is jiggling.]
Ponytail: Okay, never mind: What's wrong with scientists is that you do see wonder and beauty in everything.
Ponytail: Oh God, it's moving!
Megan: It wants to hug you! So cute!


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Discussion

In his book The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, Richard Feynman takes exception to the common characterization of scientists as unable to see beauty. He also mentioned this in a 1981 interview.--Prooffreader (talk) 01:29, 23 November 2012 (UTC)

08:24, 25 November 2012 (UTC)overanalyze probably is the point where there is no need which could mean while scientist miss the beauty and wonder while others wonder at the Beauty. Though they see beauty in things which are not conventional

Beauty is not only sink deep.

I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait (talk) 23:43, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

I can't believe nobody's mentioned NetHack. My! That was a yummy slime mold! Leafy Greens (talk) 21:31, 16 November 2014 (UTC)

Richard Dawkins wrote a book, Unweaving the Rainbow, debunking Megan's original thesis. (Published 1998) Nitpicking (talk) 23:01, 8 September 2021 (UTC)