2011-06-11
Explanation
This comic explores the concept of the "island of stability" in nuclear physics. Two scientists discuss whether they will ever create a stable superheavy element. One notes that it is strange that there should be a whole group of stable elements that exist nowhere but in their lab. They then gaze at the night sky, and one poses a provocative question: "Have you considered the possibility that human beings ARE the chemical reaction that produces superheavy elements?" The other replies, "That'''s a scary thought." In the final panel, labeled "Soon...", two aliens observe that "Planet 423772 just precipitated unbihexium!" and the other responds, "Oh, thank goodness. Funding for its star runs out in two weeks."
The joke builds on the real physics concept of the island of stability -- a predicted region of the periodic table where superheavy elements might have relatively long half-lives. The comic'''s twist is a cosmic perspective reversal: what if the entire purpose of human civilization, from an alien'''s point of view, is simply to serve as the chemical process by which the universe produces these exotic elements? The aliens treat human existence as merely a lab experiment for creating unbihexium, and they even have funding deadlines for their "star" (our Sun), parodying the mundane pressures of academic research grants.
The votey panel shows one of the aliens holding a device and saying "These unbihexium batteries last 20% longer!" -- reducing humanity'''s entire cosmic purpose to a marginal improvement in alien battery technology, which is a wonderfully deflating punchline.