Bushra Griffith
Randall Munroe, ex-NASA employee and author of the popular webcomic XKCD, is known for answering absurd hypothetical questions with scientific explanations. In his book, What If?, Munroe explores various topics, including the moon. One of the most popular proverbs in 16th- and 17th-century English literature was the moon is made of green cheese, and Munroe tackles the question of what would happen if the moon was made of cheese. While the actual content of Munroe's response to this question is unclear, the book is praised for its mix of serious science and deadpan humour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Author | Randall Munroe |
| Profession | Ex-NASA employee, author, creator of the webcomic XKCD |
| Book | What If? |
| Book Theme | Serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions |
| Book Volume | 2 |
| Book Pages | Nearly 300 |
| Book Content | Questions and answers, short answers, weird and worrying questions from the What If? inbox |
| Book Tone | Deadpan |
| Book Rating | 4/5 |
| Folklore | The Moon is made of green cheese |
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What You'll Learn
The Moon is made of cheese in comparative mythology
The idea of the Moon being made of cheese has been a topic of discussion in literature and popular culture for centuries. While there was never an actual historical popular belief that the Moon is made of cheese, it has been a recurring theme in comparative mythology and folklore from diverse countries.
One of the earliest occurrences of the association between the Moon and cheese can be found in Aesop's fable "The Fox, the Moon, and the River", dating back to the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. In this tale, a fox walking beside a river at night sees the moon's reflection in the water and mistakes it for a piece of cheese. Driven by greed, the fox starts lapping up the water, thinking that if she drinks enough, she will be able to find the cheese in the dry riverbed. However, the fox eventually chokes and dies from her futile endeavour.
This theme of mistaking the moon's reflection for cheese is also prevalent in various other stories from different cultures. For instance, in a Servian tale, a fox leads a wolf to believe that the moon's reflection in the water is cheese, resulting in the wolf attempting to drink up all the water. Similarly, in a Zulu tale, a hyena drops its bone upon seeing the moon's reflection, and in a Gascon tale, a peasant kills his donkey, thinking it has swallowed the moon. These stories often feature trickster characters like foxes or foolish protagonists who make absurd mistakes, providing entertainment and moral lessons for listeners.
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" became a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, originating in its formulation in John Heywood's "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546). The colour "green" in this context may refer not to the literal colour but to something new or unaged. The proverb was often used to indicate extreme credulity or to set up a straw man argument, as seen in John Wilkins' book "The Discovery of a World in the Moone".
In modern times, the idea of the Moon being made of cheese has been referenced in popular webcomics like "xkcd" by Randall Munroe, where it serves as a light-hearted topic of discussion and a metaphor for dealing with people who hold unwavering beliefs despite contrary evidence.
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The Moon is made of green cheese in English literature
The notion that the Moon is made of green cheese has been referenced in English literature in various ways, often as a metaphor for credulity or naivete. The idea is believed to have originated from a fable about a simpleton who sees the Moon's reflection in water and mistakes it for a round wheel of cheese. This motif is prevalent in the folklore of many cultures and has made its way into children's literature and popular culture.
The phrase "green cheese" in the proverb is thought to refer to young, unripe cheese, or cheese with a greenish tint. While there was never a widespread belief that the Moon is made of green cheese, the concept has been used humorously in children's and adult popular culture with astronomical themes. For example, in the 1989 film "A Grand Day Out," Wallace and Gromit travel to the Moon to gather cheese due to a shortage at home.
The notion has also been referenced in more serious contexts. For instance, Carroll argued that there was no need to "sample the moon to know it's not made of cheese," calling the hypothesis "absurd" and contrary to our understanding of the universe. However, he acknowledged that the harmonic signature of Moon rock is closer to green cheese than any rock on Earth.
The idea of the Moon being made of green cheese has also been used in literature to illustrate the importance of Bayesian probability. Dennis Lindley used the myth to explain Cromwell's rule, arguing that if a decision-maker believes something is impossible and assigns it a zero probability, they will ignore any data to the contrary, which is absurd.
The Moon/cheese element has appeared in various adaptations of the French classic "Le Roman de Renart," including the Middle English "þe Vox and þe Wolf," Chaucer's "The Nun's Priest's Tale," and later, the Middle Scots "The Fox, the Wolf, and the Husbandman." La Fontaine also includes the story in his compilation "Fables." These tales often involve a fox and a wolf, with the Moon/cheese element sometimes replaced by other motifs.
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The Moon is made of cheese according to young children
The idea that the Moon is made of cheese has persisted into modern times, with a 1902 survey by psychologist G. Stanley Hall finding that out of 423 children, 18 five-year-olds believed the Moon to be made of cheese. This was the most common explanation given by the children, despite most being unsure of the Moon's composition.
The concept of the Moon being made of cheese has also been explored in more recent times by Randall Munroe, the creator of the popular webcomic xkcd. Munroe, an ex-NASA employee, is known for providing "serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions". While it is unclear if he specifically addressed the idea of the Moon being made of cheese, he has certainly delved into other intriguing possibilities, such as the consequences of everyone on Earth aiming a laser pointer at the Moon simultaneously.
The Moon being made of cheese is a concept that has captured the imaginations of both young children and adults alike, with its roots in ancient folklore and literature. While it may not be scientifically accurate, it certainly sparks curiosity and wonder about the celestial bodies that share our universe.
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Randall Munroe's How To guide for taking selfies with the Moon
Randall Munroe, ex-NASA employee and author of the popular webcomic XKCD, has a book titled 'How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems'. In it, he provides a guide on how to take selfies with the Moon.
Firstly, Munroe suggests using a camera that can zoom in really far, so that the Moon appears dramatically large behind the subject. To achieve this, the photographer must position the subject on a hill or mountain, and wait for the Moon to line up with them. This is how those impressive photos of the Moon setting behind a city skyline are taken. Munroe clarifies that the Moon does not need to be bigger that day, as in a supermoon, but rather the photo is a result of clever positioning and alignment.
He also mentions that while Photoshop is an easier way to achieve these results, it's more fun to have a story to tell about how you went to great lengths to get the perfect photo.
Munroe also discusses the equipment needed for the photo. He suggests using a tripod and notes that filters are required if you are taking a photo with the Sun in the background.
So, if you want to take a selfie with the Moon, follow Munroe's guide: find a good vantage point, wait for the perfect alignment, and don't forget to use the right equipment!
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Randall Munroe's What If book series answering absurd hypothetical questions
Randall Munroe, a former NASA employee, is the author of the popular webcomic xkcd and the New York Times bestseller book series, What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. In the book, Munroe answers several absurd hypothetical questions that he receives from readers of his webcomic. For instance, in one of the answers, he talks about how to generate power on Mars using supersonic wind turbines, while also highlighting the potential consequences of such an action. In another instance, he discusses the methods to take a selfie with the moon in the background, including the use of a tripod and the alignment of the moon with the subject.
The book features new and previously unanswered questions, along with updated and expanded versions of popular answers from the xkcd website. Munroe's style of writing and drawing is described as "spare, efficient, and winning", and his answers are known to be informative and entertaining. His explanations elucidate interesting natural, mathematical, and scientific phenomena, such as how lightning works and why temperature in space is a complex concept. The book will be required reading for xkcd fans and anyone who enjoys pondering the hypothetical.
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Frequently asked questions
Randall Munroe is the creator of the popular webcomic xkcd. He is also an ex-NASA employee and author of the book 'What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions'.
In the book, Randall Munroe answers several absurd questions with scientific explanations. Some examples of questions he answers include: "What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light?" and "If every person on Earth aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at the same time, would it change color?".
Some other questions Randall Munroe answers include: "Is it possible to build a jetpack using downward-firing machine guns?" and "If an asteroid was very small but supermassive, could you really live on it like the Little Prince?".
The idea that the moon is made of cheese can be traced back to comparative mythology and folklore from various countries. One common theme is a character mistaking the moon's reflection in water for cheese. The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" was a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature and was first recorded in 1546 by John Heywood in "The Proverbs of John Heywood".
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