Comics that ask "what if?" | Randall Munroe

TL;DR

This content discusses a feature on a website where hypothetical questions are answered using math, science, and comics.

Transcript

So, I have a feature on my website where every week people submit hypothetical questions for me to answer, and I try to answer them using math, science and comics. So for example, one person asked, what would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent of the speed of light? So I did some calculations. Now, normally, when an object ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🔬 The speed of a baseball pitched at 90 percent of the speed of light would result in the ball disintegrating due to collisions with air molecules, triggering waves of thermonuclear fusion.
• 💥 The resulting flood of x-rays and exotic particles would create a bright flash of light, followed by a blast wave and eventually a mushroom cloud, if observed from a distance.
• ⚾️ According to Major League Baseball rules, the batter would be considered hit by pitch and eligible to take first base in this extreme scenario.
• 🌐 Google's data warehouse size is estimated to be around 10 exabytes, making it the largest known data storage organization.
• 💰 The amount of money spent and the electricity consumption of Google's data centers can be used to estimate the number of centers and servers they have.
• 📦 A punch card can hold about 80 characters, and it would take an impractical amount to store all of Google's data on punch cards.
• 🔒 Google remains secretive about its operations and did not provide an official answer to the estimate of its data warehouse size.
• 🧮 Math allows for the exploration and discovery of surprising facts by manipulating symbols and solving equations, answering questions that may seem silly or impossible.

Questions & Answers

Q: What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent of the speed of light?

The baseball, moving at such a high speed, would not only smash through the air molecules, but also trigger waves of thermonuclear fusion in the surrounding air. This would result in a flood of x-rays and exotic particles, creating a flash of light followed by a blast wave that would cause destruction in its path.

Q: How does the author come up with estimates for the size of Google's data warehouse?

The author uses various factors such as the amount of money Google spends, its power consumption, and the square footage of known data centers to estimate the size of Google's data warehouse. The author also considers the number of servers and drives Google goes through to further refine the estimate.

Q: How much data does Google have in its operations?

Based on the author's estimate, Google has around 10 exabytes of data across all its operations. Additionally, there may be another five exabytes or so of offline storage in tape drives. This makes Google one of the largest holders of data in the world.

Q: Can math answer all questions?

Math has its limitations, and there are some questions that it cannot answer. For example, the author mentioned a reader's question about differentiating people with wheels and the ability to fly from airplanes. This is a question that falls outside the realm of mathematical analysis.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker has a feature on their website where they answer hypothetical questions using math, science, and comics.

• They explain what would happen if a baseball were pitched at 90 percent of the speed of light, resulting in a series of destructive events.

• The speaker also discusses their attempt to estimate the size of Google's data warehouse using mathematical calculations and research methods.