Comics that ask 'what if?' | Randall Munroe

Web cartoonist Randall Munroe answers simple what-if questions ("what if you hit a baseball moving at the speed of light?") using math, physics, logic and deadpan humor. In this charming talk, a reader's question about Google's data warehouse leads Munroe down a circuitous path to a hilariously over-detailed answer — in which, shhh, you might actually learn something.

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[stenoch]

"If people had wheels and could fly, how would we differentiate them from airlines?"
When it stops flying, and is sitting on the ground on its wheels, go up to it and ask it, "Are you a person or an airplane?" If it answers, either way, odds are it's a person. If it ignores your question and starts vomiting luggage, it's probably an airplane.
Hope that helps.

[siddyrock]

“Cartoonist”? Educator, rocket scientist, inspiration, take your pick, but xkcd is hardly a cartoon – it’s a work of art! I’ve never since seen stick figures with more emotion or personality than his :p

[TQuast]

Randall Munroe: Cartoonist. Also, you know, ex-Nasa roboticist

[SHGNY]

Did Randall just get nerd-sniped by Google?

[dimitristavropoulos]

I thought Randall was black and white, with a very slim body, slim hands and legs and no face. The more you know

[harrisonfackrell]

Having never seen Munroe's face before, I feel a little bit jarred being forced to think of him as anything other than Cueball from XKCD.

[CasualGraph]

My theory: one of the Google staff, an xkcd fan of course, saw the what if article and recognized the accuracy of the estimate. He then showed it around to his coworkers, fascinated, and it was then that they crafted their response. Indeed, their "no comment" says volumes, namely that he was close enough to the answer that they felt a need to dissuade him from such ponderings.

[projectkilimanjaro]

You gotta admit, Google's got style

[kookwater]

Growing up, I saw a lot of xkcd comics printed on my university’s Mathematic department’s notice boards. Since then I have always liked xkcd. But hearing Randall Munroe going through his creative-thought process and depth research, I appreciate it so much more. This is beyond comics. This is philosophy.

[MartinsOkoi]

This is Randall Monroe?? He's so smart. I read his book, What If, last year and enjoyed every bit of it. Big ups

[caseyhamm]

Why can't I imagine this guy being THE GUY behind xkcd?

[michaelzheng]

Just bought his new book “How to”, just like “What if” I have so far been enjoying it

[CreightonMiller]

I shouldn't have watched this. It's messing with the xkcd narrative voice that I had going.

[kieransaul]

Google is both scary and awesome at the same time.

[rageagainstmyhairline]

You can tell he was nervous but he did a good job. Excellent payoff.

[devonopdendries]

This was a treat to see pop up in my suggested videos. I've been a fan of XKCD for years and really hope he revives the "What If" portion of his website again. Really cool to actually see the person behind those amazing comics!

[definesigint]

0:30 - "...some calculations..." (Randall pauses so we can read the comic, then: Rising compulsion to mouse over for title text, barely resisted)

[endermeap]

I love how this is just a less organized version of the what if book

[brachypelmasmith]

kids, i remember when what-if was a weekly series. ANd then a monthly. ANd then a yearly

[t.b.m.]

I like how he just basically reverse engineer google without them getting mad.