2012-06-28
Shaenon: By pledging at the one-of-a-kind Arbiter of Reality level on the Skin Horse 3 Kickstarter campaign, Rob Reed won the right to co-script a week of strips with me. (This was a great prize for Jeff, too.) Enjoy this twisty little one-week story, “A Wrinkle in Time.”
They’ve got an obvious time travel emergency on their hands, and what’s the first thing on Tip’s mind? Clothing.
Good lord, how many universes are they destroying here?
Fewer than half of them (given that there are an infinite number, and any fraction of infinity with a finite denominator is infinite).
For every Artie you see, a universe perished. Billions of sentients gave their swan songs, pitiful little screams against the cold and empty background of time. In their space was left a hungry hollow void, knowing nothing but growth as universes continue to be consumed.
Shaenon. Rob. Jeff. I hope you’re all pleased with yourselves.
Well, supposedly they’re only uninhabited universes. Apparently that was said in one of the print-only stories (which sadly I don’t have access to). Not sure about the veracity of that. It may have only been said to placate Artie.
Actually, it was at the end of Narbonic, where the final version of this time machine is used.
Huh. If the number of universes is infinite, and the size of each universe infinite, and the probability of developing life at any point in each universe infinitesimal, then what fraction of all universes contain life?
Half of them. There are an infinite number with life, and an infinite number without.
Am I the only one who’s a little disappointed that he hasn’t started calling Dave “Dad”?
Then again, at least Artie is smart enough not to try the “You’re not my real father!” line on a mad scientist with a time machine.
…but now I want a Luke/Vader “I am your father!” scene with Dave and Artie.
Looking back, the comment has become long and rambling. I blame Dave.