this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2026
308 points (99.4% liked)

xkcd

15855 readers
103 users here now

A community for a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

xkcd #3212: Little Red Dots

Title text:

After a lot of analysis, I've determined that they're actually big red dots; they're just very far away.

Transcript:

Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com

Source: https://xkcd.com/3212/

explainxkcd for #3212

top 13 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Okokimup@lemmy.world 54 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] thinkercharmercoderfarmer@slrpnk.net 12 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

This is what we've been training for.

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 weeks ago

RELEASE THE CATEN!

[–] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 4 weeks ago

Would cats care about red dots that aren't moving? My impression is cats just have a hunting instinct that is triggered by everything moving that is small enough to be prey, including red dots, but only if they are moving...

[–] nightofmichelinstars@sopuli.xyz 18 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Software engineers: test failures

[–] potustheplant@feddit.nl 5 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

Or breakpoints

[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com 16 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

Probably rfp. Maybe localized to mitochondria or something? Which protein are you tagging? What cell line are you using? Where's the scale?

[–] ryannathans@aussie.zone 9 points 4 weeks ago

The NPC from panel 2 and 4 should be swapped

[–] blockheadjt@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Jasper isn't a color! Amateurs

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

There's a mineral called jasper that is often reddish brown, but it can also appear in a lot of other colours. So unlike malachite, ruby, or emerald, it's not a great name for a colour.

[–] blockheadjt@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Did you mean to reply to someone else? It sounds like you agree with me there.

[–] Amuletta@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] ulterno@programming.dev 0 points 4 weeks ago

Amateurs

What did you just say?