# ­xkcd thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [May 28, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574 "2020-05-28T00:57:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 286
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2026, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5703 "2026-03-19T22:32:41Z")
Ooh. DoctorOuttaHair! Hmmm. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5704 "2026-03-20T00:20:09Z")
Much better than my feeble effort! Great choice! 👍 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5705 "2026-03-20T00:29:58Z")
Then when you’re done with a thread you can just say “I’m OuttaHair”. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5706 "2026-03-20T21:30:36Z")
> **[Star Formation](https://xkcd.com/3222/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/star_formation.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/star_formation.png) “It’s ok, I still have some nice, cool gas clouds that aren’t collapsing. As long as nothing ionizes them, I can continue to enjoy their … HEY! NO!!!” ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5707 "2026-03-20T21:34:49Z")
This one makes me smile. “In the beginning…” ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5708 "2026-03-20T21:38:09Z")
Frankly things started going to pot when the quark-gluon plasma froze out. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5709 "2026-03-20T21:38:22Z")
Well at least these things make light instead of sucking it up. Hey, wait, what’s that really big star doing! No…, C’mon!!! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5710 "2026-03-21T00:51:51Z")
To hell with turtles; it’s unanticipated consequences all the way down. 🤦‍♂️ Little known fact: The Creator’s favorite word these last couple billion years has been _D’oh!!_ ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5711 "2026-03-24T00:50:35Z")
> **[Inflation Timeline](https://xkcd.com/3223/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/inflation_timeline.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/inflation_timeline.png) “Depending what corners of the internet you hang out on, ‘regular’ may at times awkwardly coexist with ‘sexy.’” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5712 "2026-03-24T01:18:26Z")
Lame. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5713 "2026-03-24T18:19:51Z")
GB What if you sank 1 foot every second? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/r7B0MzvwDcA/maxresdefault.jpg "What if you dug down 1 foot every second?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7B0MzvwDcA) ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5714 "2026-03-24T18:27:45Z")
Beat me to it. Alternative wording “what if you delved too deep, even if not too greedily?” Brian ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5715 "2026-03-24T21:10:31Z")
It’s fine as long as you don’t disturb Durin’s Bane. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5716 "2026-03-24T21:30:15Z")
I’d think that, even before the heat did it, the tunnel would collapse in on you. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5717 "2026-03-24T22:40:24Z")
Continuing to dig once you hit solid rock would be challenging. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5718 "2026-03-24T23:03:26Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > It’s fine as long as you don’t disturb Durin’s Bane. I dunno if you actually watched it to the end, but he indeed makes an appearance. I’d say none of the above to all of the possible death mechanisms, but propose the hole would get more and more unstable until it would collapse and entomb you, as has happened to some individuals who were foolish enough to try to dig deep holes on a beach somewhere-maybe 3-5’ deep. Yes, depends on the nature of the soil and rock in question, but it won’t take too long if it is all soil for the first 5-20 feet. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5719 "2026-03-24T23:40:11Z")
Nah, you can get a meter-wide tube. As you dig, it will slowly slide into the hole, providing shoring as you go. And for bonus points, make it highly insulating so you can get even deeper before the heat kills you. I’m sure OSHA would approve. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2026, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5720 "2026-03-24T23:55:48Z")
Even granite, even steel, would eventually give way to the pressure and flow laterally. But I don’t know enough materials science to know what modulus to search for to determine that. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2026, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5721 "2026-03-25T14:04:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even granite, even steel, would eventually give way to the pressure and flow laterally. But I don’t know enough materials science to know what modulus to search for to determine that Not if you have an unobtainium borer, as outlined in this fine documentary: [![](https://ntvb.tmsimg.com/assets/p29824_v_h8_ae.jpg?w=1280&h=720) ](https://ntvb.tmsimg.com/assets/p29824_v_h8_ae.jpg?w=1280&h=720) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5722 "2026-03-26T04:53:50Z")
> **[Centimeter Wavelengths](https://xkcd.com/3224/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/centimeter_wavelengths.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/centimeter_wavelengths.png) “Yes, the cosmic microwave background is great, but what about the earthly microwave foreground?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=285) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=287)