xkcd

[keybounce]

Are the various paper sizes REALLY on that ratio?

[Rockphed]

Are the various paper sizes REALLY on that ratio?

The A series of paper sizes has a longer side about square root of 2 times the shorter side. The golden ratio is about 1.6. American paper sizes (e.g. 8.5 x 11") are closer to 1.3. Near as I can figure, most paper sizes are related by a simple doubling/halving (i.e. A1 is an A0 cut in half).

[georgie_leech]

The A series of paper sizes has a longer side about square root of 2 times the shorter side. The golden ratio is about 1.6. American paper sizes (e.g. 8.5 x 11") are closer to 1.3. Near as I can figure, most paper sizes are related by a simple doubling/halving (i.e. A1 is an A0 cut in half).

You also show the golden ratio with Squares rather than... I guess paper sizes? Which is why it manages to annoy both types of people claimed in the comic.

And also random internet enthusiasts....

[Fyraltari]

Yes, if you substract a square off a golden rectangle (one side is the phi times as long as the other) you get another golden rectangle. Which is often illustrated with a spiral.

Spoiler: Like so

Show

[Rockphed]

Yes, if you substract a square off a golden rectangle (one side is the phi times as long as the other) you get another golden rectangle. Which is often illustrated with a spiral.

Spoiler: Like so

Show

I had missed that. The interesting thing is that the golden ratio looks like a serviceable paper size, but you wouldn't end up with your main series corresponding to the rectangle remainders in that image.

[Fyraltari]

I had missed that. The interesting thing is that the golden ratio looks like a serviceable paper size, but you wouldn't end up with your main series corresponding to the rectangle remainders in that image.

Golden rectangles are somehow very pleasing to the eye and often used in cards or for some doorframe.

It’s absolutely everywhere in the Parthenon, which is why the symbol of the golden ratio is the Greek letter phi, the first letter of the name of the architect, Phidias.

Interestingly the sequence formed by dividing each Fibonacci number by the previous one tends toward the golden ratio. Given the prevalence of Fibonacci numbers in nature (such as the average petal number of many flower species) it is sometimes called ‘the divine proportion’.

[Lord Torath]

The "Golden Ratio" shows up in unit conversions, too! 1.6 km / mile! See, it's everywhere!

Just kidding. I mean, yes, a mile is about 1.6 km (1.609,344 to be a bit more precise), but the Golden Ratio is approximately 1.618,034. To my knowledge, there is no other connection between them.

[keybounce]

It would require the earth to be just a little smaller

And, it's a great definitive proof that the earth is not created perfect by god, or else it would be an exact match :-)

(dons flame armor)

[Lvl 2 Expert]

I had missed that. The interesting thing is that the golden ratio looks like a serviceable paper size, but you wouldn't end up with your main series corresponding to the rectangle remainders in that image.

It looks too square, so you'd end up with a relatively small paper size if you don't want to stretch out the width, where increasing the width too much makes it harder to go from line to line. If the main series did correspond to the remainder triangles the gaps would be too big, but even without that there's no size relation at which you can make a small booklet by folding the medium paper (or create a large image by printing out multiple mediums). I'll stick to the A series thanks.

It would require the earth to be just a little smaller

Or the mile to be a little longer. But sure, let's go with your solution.

[137beth]

More weird powers by this guy.

[keybounce]

Oh my. ExplainXkcd can document most of those 5 word stews, and can even explain the meaning of the one that isn't google matched.

[keybounce]

Naturally, the universal rating scale goes up to 11 :-).

[Lord Torath]

Naturally, the universal rating scale goes up to 11 :-).

For $2500 I can get you one that goes up to 12.

[Tetrimino]

https://xkcd.com/2332/

I find this one personally amusing because I went to IKEA to buy a desk chair yesterday, and came home to find that this comic was posted while I was there. Clearly I can see the future.

[137beth]

For $2500 I can get you one that goes up to 12.

$2500? What a ripoff! Some other person was offering me one that goes to 12 for only $2000.

[Kantaki]

https://xkcd.com/2332/

I find this one personally amusing because I went to IKEA to buy a desk chair yesterday, and came home to find that this comic was posted while I was there. Clearly I can see the future.

The question is was the IKEA there the day before?
And is it still there now?

[Rodin]

The question is was the IKEA there the day before?
And is it still there now?

All IKEAs warp time and space, and the comic gets it wrong - it's the IKEA furniture that is cursed. All of it.

Those instructions aren't in Swedish. They're eldritch runes.

[Kantaki]

All IKEAs warp time and space, and the comic gets it wrong - it's the IKEA furniture that is cursed. All of it.

Those instructions aren't in Swedish. They're eldritch runes.

Which is why there's always a piece missing.
The curse only works if the furniture is complete.

[Max_Killjoy]

Which is why there's always a piece missing.
The curse only works if the furniture is complete.

I thought the curse was that no piece of IKEA furniture can ever be complete.

[137beth]

This COVID Risk Chart is totally unrealistic! There are plenty of non-COVID-19 risks you can encounter while staying at home. Like the serial killer hiding under you couch! Come to think of it they could also give you COVID-19.

[Rockphed]

Sometimes Randall is funny. Lately, not so much. He has been coming to the "death plague 2020 will kill us all to death" well far too much. I'm sure someone could tell me how many comics about it he has done, but it feels like he has used it as the basis of the joke for the last 2 months straight.

[Kantaki]

Sometimes Randall is funny. Lately, not so much. He has been coming to the "death plague 2020 will kill us all to death" well far too much. I'm sure someone could tell me how many comics about it he has done, but it feels like he has used it as the basis of the joke for the last 2 months straight.

Going by explain xkcd about thirty.

[DataNinja]

I have no doubt that it's very much occupying his mind, and this is probably one of his outlets. Can be hard to be funny about other things if something's casting a shadow.

[keybounce]

This COVID Risk Chart is totally unrealistic! There are plenty of non-COVID-19 risks you can encounter while staying at home. Like the serial killer hiding under you couch! Come to think of it they could also give you COVID-19.

The cereal killer I'm worried about is the one with the spoon.

[georgie_leech]

I do remember the CPS 2000. I had one of the things; 5-year-old me couldn't fire it at full pressure without risking falling over from the recoil. The thing was the 50 cal of water guns.

[keybounce]

So that 26 second noise signal in seismometers is real.

And it's not just a 26 second signal:

“We have some very bizarre observations that we’re still trying to figure out,” says Euler, of his initial data. “One is the signal is at longer periods than we’d expected. It has multiple peaks in frequency — it ‘hums’ at 28 seconds, as well as 26 seconds. It’s really, really strong during some particular times that correlate with storms at sea.

“Another observation is that the signal shifts its location with frequency. The source of the 28-second period band is about 300 kilometers from the 26-second source, which is essentially at Mount Cameroon.”

https://phys.org/news/2011-01-seismo...ic-storms.html

So ... yea, learn something new from XKCD on a regular basis.

Euler wandered into the field of seismic noise in 2007 when he found consistent spikes in noise from one of 32 different seismic stations in Cameroon. The spikes turned out to correspond with joyous, celebratory foot-stomping of Cameroon’s avid soccer fans at various cities after goals were scored or key plays made during the African Cup of Nations games in 2006.

Footquakes are a real thing. So if everyone in the world gathered at one point, and jumped, you need to take into account the massive shockwaves that will travel around the world and cause a volcano to explode on the other side. No, no one thinks past the massive casualty rate as people try to leave that mass gathering.

[hajo]

Footquakes .. no one thinks past the massive casualty rate
as people try to leave that mass gathering.

That has already been done.

[Rockphed]

That has already been done.

... which was obviously what Keybounce was referencing with the whole "massive casualty rate".

[keybounce]

Exactly. We know from the dinosaur-impact meteor that a large impact causes a "bell ringing" effect at the other end of the planet which can trigger volcanoes.

So, you kill 90+% of the population from evacuation, and the rest suffer a massive volcano explosion.

[georgie_leech]

...You missed the part where the math suggests the resulting "bell-ringing" from people jumping wouldn't actually be strong enough to cause volcanoes, then?