New XKCD Forums

Title text: There's a maximum likelihood that I'm doing phylogenetics wrong.

What about less regular triangles? Scalene ones?

ratammer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2024 9:39 am [url=https://xkcd.com/3010/]What about less regular triangles? Scalene ones?

Convergent evolution. Only equilateral triangles are true triangles, the others are completely unrelated to any of these shapes.

chridd wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 2:42 am

ratammer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2024 9:39 am [url=https://xkcd.com/3010/]What about less regular triangles? Scalene ones?

Convergent evolution. Only equilateral triangles are true triangles, the others are completely unrelated to any of these shapes.

So basically, triangles are like crabs?

moody7277 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:54 pm

chridd wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 2:42 am

ratammer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2024 9:39 am [url=https://xkcd.com/3010/]What about less regular triangles? Scalene ones?

Convergent evolution. Only equilateral triangles are true triangles, the others are completely unrelated to any of these shapes.

So basically, triangles are like crabs?

Pretty much. And slugs, and ...not sure if trees or plants that aren't trees are what keep evolving. Three-angledness is pretty easy to achieve and is often advantageous.

moody7277 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 8:54 pm So basically, triangles are like crabs?

Yes, if you put some in a bucket, they will keep each other from climbing out in their own attempt to climb out