This makes me think of Discover Magazine's 4/1/1996 article on Albert Manqué's breakthrough discovery of a new fundamental particle dubbed the "Bigon". Serious scientific research at its best, at least as can be expected on that particular month and day.
Who says its gonna be log scale?
E.g. if it is linear scale, the mass of a water balloon is maybe only a kilogram off, for a planet it is >millions of kg, similarly for the scale, the difference in scale to the meson is a couple decimeters, whereas to the planet it is >thousands of decimeters.
What you imply is they are closer to the Grand Unified Theory fighting with water balloons rather than adhering to their chosen profession. The math has your back so far
Mesons are about as small compared to water balloons as water balloons are to planets, so the researchers for mesons vs planets are equally unfamiliar with the scale of a water balloon (but from opposite sides)
(small in size and also the duration they exist for. You throw a water balloon and it pops, mesons decay shortly after coming into existence, and eventually planets break apart
Oh you’re so precious for taking the time to explain it, that actually makes me feel a little fuzzy inside (also I guess I could’ve put a little bit of my brain into it). Thanks
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https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/the-bigon
This is near enough to the middle of the size of everything.
0.1 mm / the Plank length ≈ The size of the observable universe / .01 mm.
As the man said “There’s plenty of room at the bottom.
- Cosmologists
E.g. if it is linear scale, the mass of a water balloon is maybe only a kilogram off, for a planet it is >millions of kg, similarly for the scale, the difference in scale to the meson is a couple decimeters, whereas to the planet it is >thousands of decimeters.
Well sir, that just means you won't get a nice tip. I understand you're severely underpaid, you'll still get a decent tip, just not a great one.
I'll take the mesons.
💀
nvm.
"Update: The physics department has recruited an astronomer who studies meteor fireballs."
The joke is that both teams are *equally clueless* during the water balloon fight because they’re operating far from their extremes of expertise.
The absurdity of scientists battling with mundane objects (balloons) instead of cosmic or subatomic phenomena adds to the humor.
Alt text: https://explainxkcd.com/3061#Transcript