5 ms·

This is quite literally clickbait

catlikesshrimp 5y ago
if the moon exploded unexpectedly you wouldn't read it from HN first The moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason [Book]
- simonh 5y ago
  If it happened while the moon was not visible from your part of the world, and you were reading HN at the time you might well do. One of my favourite Larry Niven stories is Inconstant Moon. One evening the moon starts getting brighter and brighter, people start partying in the street and it becomes almost as bright as daylight. The protagonist goes to a bar and starts getting as drunk as possible, because he knows where the light of the moon comes from, the effect this must be having on the sunward side of the Earth, and what that means is about to happen where he is.
- bryanrasmussen 5y ago
  I figured it was some moon on a planet not near us, or a nightclub.
muzani 5y ago
It's a simulation. I thought it's clear in context. The only other possible context is that it's another moon (but that would be a moon and not the moon). Maybe it would be less clickbaity framed as "The moon blew up" or "A simulation of the moon blowing up"
frazbin 5y ago
if this headline reads like clickbait, you might be a little jumpy.
- geocrasher 5y ago
  We live in a world where any compelling title is accused of being clickbait.
  - krapp 5y ago
    Any compelling title is by definition clickbait. Compelling you to click is what clickbait does. A non-clickbait title simply and directly describes the thesis of the article. In this case, something like "Simulation of the Earth/Moon collision scenario in the novel Seveneves."
    - Kaibeezy 5y ago
      Slippery slope, right there. While some people will be able to draft a reasonable title like you did, many will be klutzy and some will be a mess, as compared with the very occasional herring like this one. Another example is a post I just put up about a sci-fi and fantasy book review blog with the sadly useless name of “Before We Go Blog”. I contemplated explaining it better in the title exactly as you are suggesting, but in the end added a comment with the blog’s own self-description and left it at that. If enough people find it interesting, it will sort itself out.
Kaibeezy 5y ago
Call me Ishmael, but it’s quite literally one of the best known literary opening lines among HN readers. Maybe. Anyway, enjoyable post. Can’t wait for the movie. The 2 part movie.
- BizarroLand 5y ago
  I found an autographed copy of the book in a thrift store for $4. I haven't read it yet as it's too far back in my catalogue for now, but it seems interesting.
  - Kaibeezy 5y ago
    If you have an interest in O'Neill-type space habitats, bring to front.

if the moon exploded unexpectedly you wouldn't read it from HN first The moon blew up without warning and for no apparent reason [Book]

simonh 5y ago
If it happened while the moon was not visible from your part of the world, and you were reading HN at the time you might well do. One of my favourite Larry Niven stories is Inconstant Moon. One evening the moon starts getting brighter and brighter, people start partying in the street and it becomes almost as bright as daylight. The protagonist goes to a bar and starts getting as drunk as possible, because he knows where the light of the moon comes from, the effect this must be having on the sunward side of the Earth, and what that means is about to happen where he is.
bryanrasmussen 5y ago
I figured it was some moon on a planet not near us, or a nightclub.

muzani 5y ago

It's a simulation. I thought it's clear in context. The only other possible context is that it's another moon (but that would be a moon and not the moon). Maybe it would be less clickbaity framed as "The moon blew up" or "A simulation of the moon blowing up"

frazbin 5y ago

if this headline reads like clickbait, you might be a little jumpy.

geocrasher 5y ago
We live in a world where any compelling title is accused of being clickbait.
- krapp 5y ago
  Any compelling title is by definition clickbait. Compelling you to click is what clickbait does. A non-clickbait title simply and directly describes the thesis of the article. In this case, something like "Simulation of the Earth/Moon collision scenario in the novel Seveneves."
  - Kaibeezy 5y ago
    Slippery slope, right there. While some people will be able to draft a reasonable title like you did, many will be klutzy and some will be a mess, as compared with the very occasional herring like this one. Another example is a post I just put up about a sci-fi and fantasy book review blog with the sadly useless name of “Before We Go Blog”. I contemplated explaining it better in the title exactly as you are suggesting, but in the end added a comment with the blog’s own self-description and left it at that. If enough people find it interesting, it will sort itself out.

Kaibeezy 5y ago

Call me Ishmael, but it’s quite literally one of the best known literary opening lines among HN readers. Maybe. Anyway, enjoyable post. Can’t wait for the movie. The 2 part movie.

BizarroLand 5y ago
I found an autographed copy of the book in a thrift store for $4. I haven't read it yet as it's too far back in my catalogue for now, but it seems interesting.
- Kaibeezy 5y ago
  If you have an interest in O'Neill-type space habitats, bring to front.