# ­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:** 306
**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:** [July 9, 2026, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6103 "2026-07-09T10:51:53Z")
Wow: check out this premonitory recent thread about companies that make seemingly wackily unrelated products. > [@What are some companies that are known for two or more disparate products? (Better explained in OP)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-companies-that-are-known-for-two-or-more-disparate-products-better-explained-in-op/1030927): > > Michelin is known for tires and … promotion of fine dining. (Yes I know their promotion of fine dining was to inspire travel and thus, the sale of more Michelin tires.) Yamaha is known for motorcycles and watercraft and such … and fine pianos. What are some others? (Let’s exclude holding companies and such.) Who knew that Randall Munroe posted here under the name @HeyHomie? Not I. 🤪 Darn shame that thread got drowned out by examples of plain old merger and acquisition activity. Which IMO was not the OP’s intent. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6104 "2026-07-09T13:18:50Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Who knew that Randall Munroe posted here under the name @HeyHomie? Not I. 🤪 Nope. I’m actually secretly Weird Al. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6105 "2026-07-11T00:51:51Z")
> **[Toasting Marshmallows](https://xkcd.com/3270/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/toasting_marshmallows.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/toasting_marshmallows.png) “We have two ‘in case of fire, break glass’ boxes, which you pick between based on how big of a problem the fire is. One has an extinguisher, and one has sticks, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.” ---
**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:** [July 11, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6106 "2026-07-11T01:56:31Z")
My sister, who was a volunteer\* fire fighter, said they had a cabinet in their firetruck labeled “when all else fails” which had marshmallows and stuff to make smores. Brian \* “per call” is a better term, as she was paid while on duty. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6107 "2026-07-14T06:26:39Z")
> **[The Princess and the Pea](https://xkcd.com/3271/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/the_princess_and_the_pea.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/the_princess_and_the_pea.png) “Once we’ve fully explored this space, we can start varying the number of princesses.” ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6108 "2026-07-14T19:07:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Unfortunately, the Mexican crystal cave is super hot (triple digits Fahrenheit), so it’s no good for live tourism. (Sorry, a late reply) It’s not just the heat, it’s the humidity. Dew points in the cave are also in the triple digits Fahrenheit, well above body temperature, so when you go in not only does your sweat not evaporate (leading to heat stroke and death) but water starts condensing on your skin - and inside your lungs, leading to drowning (also death). > [@dtilque](#): > > “Once we’ve fully explored this space, we can start varying the number of princesses.” I always thought that princess would be extremely high maintenance. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6109 "2026-07-14T19:16:10Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > …and inside your lungs, leading to drowning… It’s basically 100% humidity inside and outside your lungs. I see no reason that water would condense inside your lungs any faster than water is leaving. It would simply stay in equilibrium. So no drowning, I don’t believe. But the heat would definitely kill you. And sweating would be useless. (Technically the sweat would evaporate as usual on your skin, but water vapor from the air would be condensing at the exact same rate on your skin, resulting in no net cooling.) ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6110 "2026-07-14T20:23:08Z")
> [@robby](#): > > It’s basically 100% humidity inside and outside your lungs. I see no reason that water would condense inside your lungs any faster than water is leaving. It would simply stay in equilibrium. The inside surfaces of your lungs are at a temperature below the dew point. When the air hits this cooler surface water will condense on the surface. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6111 "2026-07-14T20:55:05Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > The inside surfaces of your lungs are at a temperature below the dew point. When the air hits this cooler surface water will condense on the surface. Upon further thought, that makes sense in an extremely hot, very humid environment (like the Crystal Cave). The open question is whether the hyperthermia or pulmonary edema kills the person first. [This paper](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10803548.2019.1699728) talks about the issue, specifically discussing the death of a miner in the cave, although they do not definitively say what killed him. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6112 "2026-07-14T20:57:16Z")
It’s theoretically possible to drown, but you’re going to die of heatstroke long before you die from drowning. All a moot point anyway; the caves flooded in 2015 when the mining operation shut off the pumps that were keeping them dry. They are now inaccessible to everyone. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6113 "2026-07-14T21:18:39Z")
That moves drowning up to the top of the death risk…🤣 ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6114 "2026-07-14T21:20:19Z")
> [@robby](#): > > although they do not definitively say what killed him heat bats ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6115 "2026-07-14T22:11:48Z")
Or crystalline entities. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6116 "2026-07-14T22:28:29Z")
The Hortas did it. Plural. We all are sooo doo-oomed! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6117 "2026-07-14T22:47:45Z")
I don’t believe in Devils in the Dark… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6118 "2026-07-14T23:15:28Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > All a moot point anyway; the caves flooded in 2015 when the mining operation shut off the pumps that were keeping them dry. They are now inaccessible to everyone. How hot is the water? Are they accessible with scuba gear? ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6119 "2026-07-14T23:21:14Z")
Kryptonite poisoning. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2026, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6120 "2026-07-14T23:48:19Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > How hot is the water? Are they accessible with scuba gear? The water has to be between 54-58 C (129-136 F) in order for the crystals to form. The cave is evidently under 500-600 feet (150-160 m) of water. Scuba divers can correct me, but I don’t think there’s any gear invented that could keep someone cool long enough. At that depth, there will be significant decompression time needed. ---
**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:** [July 15, 2026, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6121 "2026-07-15T00:04:36Z")
Can you say “_sous vide_”? I thought you could. Yikes!! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6122 "2026-07-16T02:31:56Z")
> **[Time Change](https://xkcd.com/3272/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time_change.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time_change.png) “All discussions of daylight saving time policy are doomed by a mix of contradictory, inconsistent, and impossible preferences, which is why I think the only thing we can really hope to do is to make it worse.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=305) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=307)