#2991: Beamsplitters

XKCD comic, described below.
Transcript

[Cross section of a telescope with some parts of the image darkened to represent the path of light, with portions where the light would be more concentrated being darker]

[Labels with arrows as they appear left to right, top to bottom:]

Incoming Light

Primary Mirror

Secondary Mirror

Beamsplitter

Sensor

Secret Solar Panel

Power Sold To Grid

[Caption below the panel:]

Astronomy News: The International Astronomical Union has finally banned beamsplitters, optical devices used by scientists to embezzle light from their instruments.

(Sourced from explainxkcd.com)

Title text:Under quantum tax law, photons sent through a beamsplitter don't actually choose which path they took, or incur a tax burden, until their wavefunction collapses when the power is sold.


ExplainOriginal