BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: XKCD: Relativistic Baseball, or What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90% the speed of light?

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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

XKCD: Relativistic Baseball, or What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90% the speed of light?

With a doff of the chapeau to Craig Calcaterra, I found this amusing:

The answer turns out to be “a lot of things”, and they all happen very quickly, and it doesn’t end well for the batter (or the pitcher). I sat down with some physics books, a Nolan Ryan action figure, and a bunch of videotapes of nuclear tests and tried to sort it all out.

The Non-Catching Molina (sjs1959) Posted: July 11, 2012 at 04:50 PM | 8 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: baseball geeks, physics

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1. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: July 11, 2012 at 06:55 PM (#4180559)

Again?

2. Dale H. Posted: July 11, 2012 at 06:56 PM (#4180561)

Wow, the relativity people have it right. Different frames of reference do experience things at different times.

3. Esoteric throws a 'hard slider' Posted: July 11, 2012 at 08:56 PM (#4180616)

Dear god XKCD is a national treasure. Those little stick figure dudes are just so friggin' lovable in a math/physics/compsci/humor context.

EDIT: The final sentence of this post, citing to the MLB Official Rules, literally made me laugh out loud so hard that the people downstairs pounded on the ceiling.

4. phredbird

Posted: July 11, 2012 at 09:16 PM (#4180621)

this thread is a riot, and i would like to nominate each comment for a primey in each of their respective parallel ... wait a minute.

5. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: July 11, 2012 at 09:25 PM (#4180625)

the God pitch

6. DA Baracus is gritty and hits with RISP Posted: July 11, 2012 at 09:30 PM (#4180627)

If the same article is going to be on Hot Topics twice on the same day, this is a pretty good choice.

7. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) Posted: July 12, 2012 at 12:12 AM (#4180709)

Woah, so THIS is the Picard maneuver.

8. Monty Posted: July 12, 2012 at 12:19 AM (#4180710)

Then you're going to the wrong websites.

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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

XKCD: Relativistic Baseball, or What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90% the speed of light?

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