Comics about mathematics, science, and the student life.

Similarity

An excerpt of a textbook that says, "Let $\mathcal{N}(w = Nω)$ be...", and it's very unclear that w and ω are distinct symbols. Caption: Are researchers just trying to throw people off?

Yes, yes they are.

Iteration

A scientist works at her desk with a huge pile of scrap paper in the waste bin behind her. Her friend walks in and asks, "Wow, tough day?" The scientist throws a new page behind her into the bin and answers, "Oh no, I think I have it now!"

Two minutes later: “Hmm, maybe that wasn’t it…”

Piles

Two signs and piles. On the left, a sign that says, "Things that don't work", with a huge pile behind it. On the right, a sign that says, "Things that do", with a much smaller pile. Caption: Success.

We often don’t even think about that pile on the left.

Data Stories

A diagram including a square labeled "Data", with eight arrows going radially outward. Each arrow has "Story X", where X is 1 to 8, representing the many stories from the same data.

It’s very easy to mix the two up.

Obsessed

A scientist works at her desk, with a huge wastebin of failed ideas behind her. A friend asks, "Can't you just let this go?" She answers, "But I *need* to understand this!"

“I’ll join you as soon as I figure this thing out as completely and exhaustively as I can.”

Light Reading

The group leader approaches a new student with a wheelbarrow filled with papers. He tells her, "Welcome to the group! Here's some light reading."

By “light”, I’m referring to the weight of the paper, not how easy the texts are to read.

Jargon Absorption Coefficient

A one dimensional line labeled "Jargon Absorption Coefficient (words/min)", increasing to the right. On the left are kids, then your parents who can absorb a bit more, then scientists, and finally, pseudoscientists.

After the pseudoscientists, you get people who only speak in buzzwords.

Reacting

A graph of "Time spent reacting" versus "Saying 'yes'". The curve is positive and linear.

There’s a time and a place to feel like you’re clinging to a piece of driftwood in a turbulent sea. The time is never and the place is the sea.

Slide Difficulty

Left panel (Caption: Making slides): A scientist sits at their desk, working on their laptop. They say, "Oh, they'll all think this is too easy." Right panel (Caption: Presenting): The scientist is on stage with their slides. The audience is watching and thinking, "Why are they going so fast?"

The curse of expertise: Your “easy” slides are often the only ones that will stick in the mind of listener. So don’t rush through them!

Learning Hill

Left panel (Caption: What we want learning to be like): A person walks up a uniform incline while saying, "Smooth and steady!" Right panel (Caption: In reality): A person stares up at the craggy path, filled with deep gouges and sharp edges. She's holding her hands on her hips and says, "Well."

Nothing makes you appreciate the journey of learning than many twists and scrapes!