History Main / ItRunsOnNonsensoleum

** The events of "[S] Cascade": To summarize: [[spoiler:the heroes have triggered a CosmicRetcon that will cause them to become RetGone if they don't escape the universes (yes, [[TheMultiverse ''universes'']] they are residing in.]] While the method of travel chosen by the remaining trolls, as well as Dave and Rose, is pretty tame by Homestuck standards (that is, [[spoiler: traveling on a meteor psionically propelled through [[EldritchLocation the Furthest Ring]] ]]), the way Jade and John leave is positively insane. To sum it up: [[RealityWarper Jade]] hijacks a spaceship and [[spoiler: ''literally drives it through the fourth wall to end up in Creator/AndrewHussie's house,'' after which they take a three-year-long trip to ''another'' fourth wall leading to the new universe.]] Yes, this actually happens.

** Much of Professor Farnsworth's science is based on total nonsense. For instance, his theory of "reverse fossilization" -- that if fossilization turns organic matter to minerals[[note]]it's not; fossilization is when biological matter is covered by minerals, the matter decays to leave a mold, and then the mold is filled gradually by different minerals[[/note]], then one simply had to reverse the process to turn household appliances into animals. He also built a spaceship which moved by staying perfectly still by shifting the rest of the universe, whose engine's afterburners worked at two hundred percent efficiency. Ships can cross the universe in days even though you can't travel faster than the speed of light because the speed of light was increased six hundred years ago.

** Much of Professor Farnsworth's science is based on total nonsense. For instance, his theory of "reverse fossilization" -- that if fossilization turns organic matter to minerals, then one simply had to reverse the process to turn household appliances into animals. He also built a spaceship which moved by staying perfectly still by shifting the rest of the universe, whose engine's afterburners worked at two hundred percent efficiency. Ships can cross the universe in days even though you can't travel faster than the speed of light because the speed of light was increased six hundred years ago.

** During their fight, Kaku figures out he can retract his giraffe neck into his body (which Zoro notes real giraffes can't do). However, he ends up causing his arms and legs to stretch out! Kaku then reasons that it's the same principle behind a pasta machine; If you put dough in one end, noodles come out the other end. Zoro lampshades the stupidity of that logic.

** Sasaki can transform into a triceratops, and in his hybrid form can spin his neck frill fast enough that it works like the propeller of a helicopter, giving him sustained high-speed flight. Sasaki claims that this is a natural ability of triceratops. In case there was any confusion about this in the real world, or for those who are new to the field of paleontology, the ability to spin one's neck frill like a helicopter [[CaptainObvious is not the natural ability of a triceratops]].

** Sasaki can transform into a triceratops, and in his hybrid form can spin his neck frill fast enough that it works like the propeller of a helicopter, giving him sustained high-speed flight. Sasaki claims that this is a natural ability of triceratops.

** As far as Red Mage is concerned, the less sense a plan makes, the greater its chance of success! He took this UpToEleven when devising a plan that he claimed to be infallible.[[note]]The situation: the Light Warriors are trying to reach an invisible sky castle. Fighter sighted a sky castle that was clearly not invisible. Red Mage's plan: shoot down the visible sky castle with a powerful weapon, then reverse-engineer it from its burning remains, repair it to full working order, then fly it into the sky so that they can have a better look around and see the ''invisible'' sky castle.[[/note]] Why? It made no sense, therefore it couldn't be stopped. His reasoning for that run thusly: the more complex the plan, the more things can go wrong. Ergo, if the plan is completely insane and unworkable from the outset, there's no way for it to fall apart, [[InsaneTrollLogic so it's guaranteed to succeed!]] ([[StraightMan Black Mage]] became so irritated by this explanation that he temporarily went blind.) Notably, Thief managed to find a strategy only ''slightly'' less impossible to reach the sky castle: [[FastballSpecial he threw the other members of the party up there.]] And then he threw himself.

* The Freeeze Ray (it freezes time!) from ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'' runs on 'Wonderflonium'. ("Do Not Bounce".) The fanmade sequel ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongSequel'' took this UpToEleven, as it sees Johnny Snow inventing a way to bring people back from the dead. It's a Life Ray, built by taking an ordinary Death Ray [[ReverseThePolarity and reversing the polarity]].

* Several ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' series, particularly anime series[[note]]''Anime/TransformersRobotsInDisguise'' and ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' being especially bad[[/note]] have characters gaining NewPowersAsThePlotDemands or some form of SuperMode or upgrade through [[HotBlooded A Burning Heart of JUSTICE]]. Basically, if a robot soldier gets enough righteous fury or [[{{Determinator}} sheer bloody-mindedness]], they'll spontaneously get a new paint job, vehicle mode, or weapon. The dub of ''Cybertron'' at least has the characters address the situation, where the original Japanese script had the cast simply continue as if nothing unusual had happened.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Home}}'', Oh uses a slushie machine and some other junk to make Tip's mother's car capable of flight.

* The {{Fanservice}}-laden furry comic ''ComicBook/TankVixens'' achieved FasterThanLightTravel through the "Credulity Drive". The drive worked by playing a "hyperspace" light show followed by an image of the destination on all of a spaceship's screens, and the sheer gullibility of the crew would cause the ship to arrive. As long as nobody on board knew how the drive worked. This becomes important when the BigBad enters the coordinates for ''Gone with the Wind''... It also posits that battles can be won purely based on how badass your team ''[[PaperTiger looks]],'' [[PaperTiger rather than actually is]], which it calls "Pose Power"

* The {{Fanservice}}-laden furry comic ''ComicBook/TankVixens'' achieved FasterThanLightTravel through the "Credulity Drive". The drive worked by playing a "hyperspace" light show followed by an image of the destination on all of a spaceship's screens, and the sheer gullibility of the crew would cause the ship to arrive. As long as nobody on board knew how the drive worked. This becomes important when the BigBad enters the coordinates for ''Gone with the Wind''...

** Mr. 4 has a shapeshifting gun-dog that came from a gun eating a Devil Fruit (you heard that right.) There's also a Sword-elephant with the same explanation. A gun might be excused by shoving the fruit down its muzzle, but where do you put the fruit for ''a sword''? Do you cut it and say it's bit into the fruit?
** Anything that makes no sense in One Piece is often due to a very simple explanation. [[AWizardDidIt The supergenius (you can probably count on one hand the number of times his name ISN'T prefaced by that) Dr. Vegapunk did it.]]

Can be seen as an acknowledgement of the RuleOfFunny. Compare InsaneTrollLogic, which is logic that is not supposed to make sense. If the explanation is used to cover a plothole and creates an even bigger plothole, it becomes a VoodooShark.

-->'''Sigint''': And it [[BottomlessMagazines never runs out of ammo]]?\\

*** Towards the end, Raiden asks Snake if he has enough ammo to lend him, and Snake replies, "Infinite ammo" while pointing to his bandana (a [[ContinuityNod reference]] to the bandanna from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', which did indeed give Snake infinite ammo for the weapon he was holding).

There's [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness "hard" science fiction]], which adheres only to what is currently known or theorized. And then there's [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness "soft" science fiction]], which usually either offers little to no explanation beyond "it's a time machine!/ray gun!/clone!, etc", or makes use of TechnoBabble, which is when the writer gives a reason that sounds science-ish and trusts the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief to take care of the rest.

** ''Literature/GuardsGuards'' introduces the concept of L-Space, where large collections of books warp time and space based on the principle that [[FourTermsFallacy knowledge is power, power is energy, energy is matter, matter has mass, and mass warps space-time]]. Thus, the reason why owners of independent book stores tend to be so eccentric is that they're secretly from an alternate dimension (usually one where it's acceptable business practice to wear carpet slippers all day and only open the shop when you feel like it).

--> ''Paige:''' Try not to blink when I do.

* Nearly everything that [[IdiotHero America]] in ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' invents depends on this trope - although, more often than not, nobody even tries to explain how a giant robot is going to go about stopping global warming, or how a ray gun makes people fall in love with each other.

** Pappagg, the talking starfish? He can talk because - hear, hear - in Japanese "hito desu" is "I'm a human" and "hitode" is starfish. So, '''because of a pun''', he spent his early years convinced he was a human; subsequently he learned to talk and walk around. Then he finally realized he was a starfish; but, oh well, it was too late.

** During their fight, Kaku figures out he can retract his giraffe neck into his body (Which Zoro notes real giraffes can't do). However, he ends up causing his arms and legs to stretch out! Kaku then reasons that it's the same principle behind a pasta machine; If you put dough in one end, noodles come out the other end. Zoro lampshades the stupidity of that logic.

* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' nonsensical explanations are given out for how certain abilities work. You might think this is accidental and that the series is being serious. It is, in a way, but it's later lampshaded when the seventh Level 5 gives an explanation for how he does what he does. It sounds just like every other explanation for how abilities work, but then someone who knows what he's talking about pipes up and says that that makes no sense at all and it can't possibly work. It turns out the Level 5 has no idea how it works either. It's later explained that espers are basically {{Reality Warper}}s that unconsciously reject just enough of reality to give them superpowers, so their powers don't even ''have'' to make sense. The seventh Level 5, however, is the only one who can seemingly just break the laws of physics completely and utterly without hesitation.
* ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'' and ''Caterpillar'' have characters [[AnimalMotifs themed after]] all sorts of arthropods. Some of them have really unusual abilities for what appeared to be a mundane setting. Whenever one of the assassins does something, the narration goes on wild life documentary-esque tangents about how the characters' skills relate to the bugs they represent. This more often than not doesn't explain a thing about how, for example, Oki Megumi has cockroach superpowers or how Kabutomushi is immune to nerve gas and has her heart covered by steel armor.

* ''"It runs on pure madness!"'' is a principle used quite often in ''ComicBook/ShadeTheChangingMan''. Things like Angel Catchers and Time Machines are built from unlikely whirlwinds of parts, arranged in implausible configurations, and powered by Shade's insane faith that they would work. For a time, even Shade's own body was formed and held together with madness.
* In ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim,'' being a '''vegan''' apparently gives you PsychicPowers. The explanation of why this works -- humans only use 10% of their brains since [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain the other 90% is full of curds and whey]] -- makes no sense, and all the characters know it. And if you break the rules too many times (three strikes it looks like) [[spoiler:your powers are taken away by the Vegan Police]].
* A [[ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Scrooge McDuck]] story where Scrooge went to the center of the Earth to look for the key to time had his vehicle being powered by the power of the market put in a pressure chamber. At one point, he ran out of fuel because the market had been tamed, but his fighting with Donald charged up the pressure chamber again.
** At the center of the Earth, there was a miniature space with another, small Earth. There was so little gravity down there that the ducks were able to walk on thin air because of that, but also able to walk on the ground. Of course, the author may have thought this actually made sense.
** This is to say nothing of the magical time thingies the characters gained from the center of the Earth. They somehow used them to make money, but the explanations given as to how were so vague it barely even gets up to this trope.

* Creator/StanislawLem has sci-fi stories set after the Discovery of the Energetic Potential of Lemon Juice.

** The Infinite Improbability Drive was ''created'' using Nonsensoleum. They already had a Finite Improbability Generator, but needed an Infinite one to take in the whole universe for use as a drive, and frustrated scientists declared this "virtually impossible" - it took one of the lab cleaners to figure out that a "virtual impossibility" is also a "finite improbability", so he could use the Finite Improbability Generator to create the Infinite Improbability Drive [[spoiler:or, in fact, teleport its core component, the Heart of Gold/Golden Bail, there from where it had been hidden from the Krikketers]]. Furthermore, the Finite Improbability Generator is powered by a "fresh cup of really hot tea", as it runs on the unpredictability of the Brownian motion of the water molecules. [[note]]The cleaner who did this was given the Galactic Institute's Prize For Extreme Cleverness, and then was promptly murdered by a rampaging mob of respectable scientists who finally decided the one thing they couldn't stand was a smart-ass.[[/note]]

** If you've done [[Literature/AliceInWonderland six impossible things this morning]], why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways - Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Don't worry about booking a table or forgetting your wallet; since this restaurant is at the ''temporal'' end of the universe, rather than the spatial, you've had literally all of time in existence to book your seats and the food you had when you last visited the place, which you've obviously already done by the time you get to the place, even if you haven't done so from ''your'' perspective yet.

** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E1AnUnearthlyChild "An Unearthly Child"]], the First Doctor's explanation to Ian about how the TARDIS is BiggerOnTheInside is some absolute nonsense about how a television allows you to fit an entire building inside your living room, which displays the Doctor's total contempt for Ian's human intellect. When the Fourth Doctor attempts to explain it to Leela in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E5TheRobotsOfDeath "The Robots of Death"]], he gives her a lecture involving a [[DepthDeception pair of black cubes of different sizes and putting them so that the smaller one is much closer to her, saying that it makes it bigger]] — but it's apparent from his expressions that he's really just challenging her to call him out on his explanation being nonsense as a kind of SecretTest of her intelligence (she does).

* In ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'' every human is essentially unaware that they are a Reality-Warping God, and mages are beginning to awaken to the truth, but most need their Focus to actually employ their powers, as they [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve believe that whatever method they practice is actually responsible for the changes they employ]], whether they use druidic magic, mad science, martial arts or reality hacking. The more they raise their Arete the more they realize that the magic is in them rather than their tools. [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with the Technocrats, as their Enlightenment further cements their belief that their technology is the source of the fantastic abilities, and even when a Technocrat Ascends, they basically become a Ghost in the Machine.
* One of the main problems with the mad science of ''TabletopGame/GeniusTheTransgression'' -- it runs entirely on the inventor's madness (sorry, Inspiration). Any attempt to pin down the underlying scientific principles involved (''especially'' by a mundane observer) will fail, and any attempt by a mundane observer to closely examine or tinker usually results in the thing [[MadeOfExplodium blowing up]]... [[GoneHorriblyWrong or worse]]. Note that "runs on the inventor's Inspiration" should not be taken to mean that Inspiration is any kind of consensus - five different Geniuses can build exactly the same machine, using five different theories on how it's ''supposed'' to work, and the machine will work ''exactly the way they said it would work'' all five times.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': The series explicitly works based not on actual science, but Science! of the 1950s. Nuclear powered cars and radiation causing giant bugs to pop up is just how things are supposed to work.

* ''VideoGame/MerryGearSolid'':
** The game offers a bunch of nonsensical reasons for why things work the way they do, usually powered by puns and synonyms. For instance, a moldy jam sandwich can be used to counteract radar jamming, because the mold in it absorbs [[IncrediblyLamePun jam.]]
** The second game has Snake acquire a Nikita rocket launcher that fires "Kissiles": missiles with lips that only knock their target unconscious by [[ThePowerOfLove overwhelming them with love.]] Though Snake calls this out as ridiculous, he's a lot more receptive to the idea when Otacon reminds him that [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve the alternative is that he's blowing up children.]]
* The official reason why ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' RecurringBoss Allen O'Neal [[{{Determinator}} is able to come back from the dead in every game]], even when he's EatenAlive by an orca and his bones spat out? [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes He has a family he has to return to.]]
* ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', being set in "The Land of the Dead" and thus primarily inhabited by skeletons, frequently runs into this. For example, in keeping with the FilmNoir tone, several characters smoke cigarettes or cigars despite lacking the respiratory system and circulatory system necessary to enjoy it; they even lack a tongue to taste it with, meaning it's an entirely trivial habit performed entirely because [[SmokingIsCool it's awesome.]]
-->'''Surly Clown''': (twisting balloons) My carpal tunnel syndrome is really acting up.\\
'''Manny''': But... [[LampshadeHanging you don't have any tendons.]]\\
'''Surly Clown''': (annoyed) Yeah, well you don't have a tongue, but that doesn't seem to shut you up, now, does it?

* ''VideoGame/{{Awesomenauts}}'' being a homage to wacky 80s' sci-fi cartoons, revels in this trope, above all when it comes to some of the Nauts' backstories. The silliest example so far is probably Commander Rocket, who somehow survived getting his head blown away and replaced by a head prosthesis. Don't ask...
* The explanation for the player character having a RippleEffectProofMemory in ''Spandex Force 2: Superhero U''.
-->'''Professor Blizzard Wizard:''' I think it's quantum.\\
'''Princess Pain:''' That makes no SENSE!
* The manual of ''VideoGame/ThreeDirtyDwarves'' has a treatise from a scientist explaining how the titular dwarves (who are tabletop RPG avatars brought into reality by their RealityWarper creators) managed to enter our world. It starts with the premise that the non-existent nature of the dwarves' home dimension makes dimension-hopping ''easier'' (as "the rules of physics don't apply) and piles on the nonsensoleum from there.

* ''Webcomic/ScaryGoRound'''s Tim Jones built a time machine that was a self-heating teapot with a clock on the side and an electronic eye in the lid. To use it, one simply had to set the clock to your desired time, then turn on the teapot; using the principle that "a watched pot never boils", the water would heat up but never boil. In the process, time would get confused, and reset itself to the nearest timepiece.
* ''Webcomic/{{Starslip}}'':
** The Superlinear drive works on the principle that the fastest path between two points is a straight line. The superlinear drive finds the straight line, then it finds an even straighter one to travel, thus allowing FasterThanLightTravel.
** The previous mode of locomotion, the Starslip Drive, worked by inputting the destination and flipping you into an alternate universe where you were already there. [[spoiler: This causes some CerebusSyndrome moments when the main characters wind up in an alternate universe where another main character never existed.]]
* ''Webcomic/TheBMovieComic'' has a TransformingMecha with a traditional air brake, the kind that turns a fall into a pleasant hover two feet above the ground. When its button is pressed, it works by triggering a small explosive charge that propels a massive tungsten bolt. Into what, you ask? Into Isaac Newton's memorial at Westminster Abbey.

* ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'':
** Almost everything runs on plot. Especially Riff's devices. And more especially, Schlock's devices. And MORE MORE especially, the devices they make together or with each other's technology. (Riff uses Schlock's inflatable technology to make inflatable guns that somehow shoot lasers without destroying themselves.) Even better is that Schlock creates a balloon version of himself that inflates WHEN YOU PIERCE IT.
%%** "Do we have the technology to do that?" "Technically no, but we need to do a lame ''[[Film/TheMatrix Matrix]]'' parody, so we'll ignore that."
** The rare times there's an explanation for how something works, it's usually played as a joke -- though time travel and dimensional travel often have a logic, whether based on magic or impossible technology, that's thought out in detail.
* While not SciFi, ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' is openly [[NarrativeCausality plot-based]]. The characters are [[GenreSavvy aware]] and use it for everything from fast-forwarding in time to realizing what's about to happen.
-->'''Julio''': I can get you there in ten days. Eight, if the fate of the world's at risk.\\
'''Roy''': You have reserve power you can use?\\
'''Julio''': No, I mean this ship ''literally'' flies faster the more is at stake. Darndest thing, really.\\
'''Roy''': Huh... could we shave off a day if there might be ''two'' worlds on the line?\\
'''Julio''': Worth a shot, but I've been doing this for 30 years and I've never arrived anywhere earlier than the nick of time.
* ''Webcomic/GorgeousPrincessCreamyBeamy'', in order to support the fetish appeal.
* ''Webcomic/MountainTime'' has a car that [[http://mountaincomics.com/2009/10/07/ex-lion-tamer/ runs on hollandaise and emits shampoo]], and another one that [[http://mountaincomics.com/2009/08/05/five-part-special-part-8/ travels through dimensions]] when Billy Joel music plays on its tape deck.

* In ''Webcomic/TobiasAndJube'', the titular duo have a spaceship drive that allows it to cross vast distances really quickly. The way it works is: the crew suggests a place to go and decide to go there. The ship then arrives there solely because it would have to arrive there eventually.

* ''WebComic/EightBitTheater'':
** Fighter survives a freefall by using his Knight abilities to block the ground. Fighter's "explanation" is that since he can block all sorts of [[ElementalPowers elemental attacks]], it's natural that he'd be able to block [[IncrediblyLamePun Earth]].
** As far as Red Mage is concerned, the less sense a plan makes, the greater its chance of success! He took this UpToEleven when devising a plan that he claimed to be infallible.[[note]]The situation: the Light Warriors are trying to reach an invisible sky castle. Fighter sighted a sky castle that was clearly not invisible. Red Mage's plan: shoot down the visible sky castle with a powerful weapon, then reverse-engineer it from its burning remains, repair it to full working order, then fly it into the sky so that they can have a better look around and see the ''invisible'' sky castle.[[/note]] Why? It made no sense, therefore it couldn't be stopped. His reasoning for that run thusly: the more complex the plan, the more things can go wrong. Ergo, if the plan is completely insane and unworkable from the outset, there's no way for it to fall apart, [[InsaneTrollLogic so it's guaranteed to succeed!]] ([[StraightMan Black Mage]] became so irritated by this explanation that he temporarily went blind.) Notably, Thief managed to find a strategy only ''slightly'' less impossible to reach the sky castle: [[FastballSpecial he threw the other members of the party up there.]] And then he threw himself.
* ''Webcomic/DresdenCodak'': The ''Dark Science'' arc is premium unleaded nonsensoleum: Kim hires a director friend to produce horrendous adaptations of literary classics, in order to convert "posthumous indignity" (i.e., the authors spinning in their graves) into clean energy. It would've worked, too, if anyone had gone to see the films.
-->'''Kim:''' If sufficiently disgusted, an author's spinning corpse can produce over 400 megajoules per grievance.
* ''Webcomic/DragonTails'' with [[http://dragon-tails.com/comics/archive.php?date=010911 Bluey's Science Explained]].
* ''Webcomic/TheLifeOfNobTMouse'' is built on this trope. Characters are not born, they just appear. There's a city built on a giant wodge of putty plugging a hole in the universe where the Big Bang happened. Waving a jelly on a stick with pink-icing buns stuck on it will summon a letterbox that lets you ''post yourself to another universe''. The list goes on and on.
%%* A whole lot of stuff in ''Webcomic/RegularGuy''.
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Othar Tryggvasen ('''GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER!''') and his "special trousers" which allow him to NoSell an irate SuperSoldier landing on him and snapping his spine in half. Othar is on his feet two panels later and no explanation beyond "Special trousers. Very heroic." is ever given.
* In ''Webcomic/BlackAdventures'', quantum physics cause MagicalGirl {{Transformation Sequence}}s and the Nimbasa subway is powered with Ingo and Emmett's "[[{{Twincest}} Bruderliebe]]".

* The CoolShip in ''Webcomic/DubiousCompany'' runs on '''inebriation'''! No, not alcohol. Inebriation. The crew must be [[TheDrunkenSailor drunk to drive]]. Why yes, this is a comic about pirates.
* In ''Webcomic/VoodooWalrus'' A publishing house operates out of an underwater techno-volcano powered by a baby fueled furnace. Not to mention the tendency of explosions be at least partially comprised of live, unperturbed by being in explosions, cats.

* ''Beeserker'' is all about a pair of Sciencemen who build a robot powered by bees. Even the author says he has no idea how that works.
* In ''Webcomic/AllenTheAlien'', apparently, [[AliensSpeakingEnglish the English the aliens speak]] is translated Czech. It's entirely played for laughs.
* In a NoFourthWall strip of ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'', Merlin, criticizing the literal use of {{Unobtanium}} in ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' claims his time machine is powered by Runsoutatcriticalmomentsium.
* ''Webcomic/{{XKCD}}'':
** [[http://xkcd.com/704/ Abusing the principle of explosion]] to get "YourMom's phone number".
** [[http://xkcd.com/660/ One strip]] has a guy say he felt a sharp pang the moment his brother died. A physicist wonders if this was instantaneous or if there was a light speed transmission delay. He then goes on to wonder if they could use this to send a message faster than light and break causality, and asks how many other siblings the guy has.

* ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge'' combines this with an inverted example of TooDumbToLive. Mega Man is able to survive incredible amounts of damage because he has the "extraordinary ability to not recognize life-threatening injuries." In other words, he's too stupid to die.
* Minmax of ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'' manages to create a sword made of nothingness by playing around with a magic sword and a hole in reality. It's theorized that the sword is powered by Minmax's lack of understanding of what it is or how it works. Minmax immediately decides to give the sword the, uh, incredibly badass name [[ICallItVera "Oblivious,"]] which another character notes is an apt name since Minmax clearly doesn't understand what it means.

* ''Website/TheCrewOfTheCopperColoredCupids''[='s=] Department of Problem-Solving once [[TimeStandsStill stopped time]] inside a warehouse by filling it with clocks, the idea being that, just like you have to remove a bit of a chemical substance to analyze it, or draw a bit of blood to perform a blood test, clocks only get a reading on time by absorbing and consuming a little bit of time — so put enough clocks in one place and they'll absorb ''all' the time and there won't be any left.
* Devisors from the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'' run on this trope, although they sometimes get devices that are ''close'' to reasonable. This is annoying to those with both [[GadgeteerGenius Gadgeteer]] and Devisor traits, since they don't know if what they built either obeys the rules of science or ignores the rules of science, in which case they can't patent and mass-manufacture it. The only test is if someone else can build it.
* The [[http://trollscience.com troll]] [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/troll-sciencetroll-physics science]] meme has lots of this, along with an amount of InsaneTrollLogic.

* Don't even ''bother'' attempting to figure out how most any tech in ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum'' would actually work. They travel between worlds using literal {{plot hole}}s, they get power from [[HamsterWheelPower authors spinning in their graves]] and the fabled Bleeprin, which manages to erase bad fanfic memories as well as relieve the pain of them, is just aspirin and bleach mixed together. It's explicitly stated that you ''can't'' tell them Bleeprin shouldn't work, [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve because then it won't]] and it makes them mad.

** Though interestingly, sometimes things ''will'' have a scientific basis, such as their plan to experience forty hours of sunlight by flying around the world in "Summer Belongs to You." Amusingly, ''this'' was the one time one of their friends decided to exhibit ArbitrarySkepticism--he may not understand their usual insane take on science, but he ''knows'' a day isn't that long![[note]]Although it's very strongly implied that he was just pretending not to believe them to be a {{Jerkass}} and/or goad them into going through with it..[[/note]]

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
** Lampshaded in "The Former Life of Brian":
--->'''Stewie:''' How can you have a 13-year-old son when you yourself are only 7?\\
'''Brian:''' Well, those are dog years.\\
'''Stewie:''' But that doesn't make any sense.\\
'''Brian:''' Well, if you don't like it, [[TakeThatAudience go on the Internet and complain]].
** Lampshaded again in "Fox-y Lady":
--->'''Chris''': Wait, [[ItMakesSenseInContext wasn't Rush Limbaugh just a fictional character invented by Fred Savage?]]\\
'''Lois''': Where did you hear that?\\
'''Chris''': FOX News.\\
'''Lois''': Chris, [[BitingTheHandHumor everything on FOX News is a lie.]]\\
'''Chris''': [[MindScrew But]] ''[[MindScrew you]]'' [[MindScrew were the one to report it.]]\\
'''Lois''': [[BeyondTheImpossible Even true things shown on FOX News become lies.]]
** James Woods is, at one point, seemingly KilledOffForReal but then turns up again later. When asked for an explanation he gives an absurd and laughably insane explanation involving a woman's soul being transferred into his body to sustain him. It [[CloudCuckooLander fits perfectly with the character]].

* In Creator/HannaBarbera's version of ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleRascals'', Pete is usually hitched in front of the Rascals' wooden car[[note]]at least in concept art and in the opening of ''The Monchhichis/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show''[[/note]]. But in at least three of the 35 shorts, Pete is a passenger in the car, and it isn't stated how the car is propelled.
* Most of Holden's inventions in ''WesternAnimation/TheFlaminThongs''. He created a wormhole generator by placing a worm and a doughnut in a cement mixer and spinning the mixer at the speed of light, thereby fusing the worm and the doughnut into one entity. This somehow succeeded in creating a wormhole.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the episode "Don't Fear the Roofer", Homer gets his new friend Ray Magini to fix his roof. However, other people soon begin to postulate that Ray doesn't actually exist, since everyone who was with Homer when he spoke to Ray claimed not to have actually seen him. Thinking that Homer is delusional, his family takes him to the doctor, and after several treatments of painful therapy, Homer thinks he's back to sanity again. But then they find out that Ray was real all along, and that there were logical explanations as to why no one else saw him -- except for one case where Bart couldn't see Ray even though he was in plain sight and should have been able to. Guest star Creator/StephenHawking then shows up and delivers the trope -- a miniature black hole had appeared between Bart and Ray that absorbed the light from Ray so Bart couldn't see him.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/CowAndChicken'', [[ThoseTwoGuys Flem and Earl]] were seemingly stranded in the middle of an ocean, [[ClipShow reminiscing on memories]] that didn't actually happen. In the end, it turns out they were stuck in their bathtub the entire time, suffering from "[[RuleOfFunny Steam Induced Amnesia]]." It's then lampshaded, as the Red Guy demonstrates it to the audience by intentionally breathing in steam which causes him to lose his memory and suddenly think he's Amelia Earhart.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KryptoTheSuperdog'', tiny aliens land on Earth to refuel their spaceship, the fuel in question being ''sugar''. (And they're rather sickened to discover humans ''eat'' what is their equivalent of gasoline.)
* ''The Mini-Munsters,'' an entry in ABC's ''Saturday Superstar Movie'' (1972-74), had the macabre family discovering their hearse runs on music instead of gasoline.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': ** The very first episode has them escaping earth's gravity, in a rollercoaster, because the Eiffel Tower ''flung'' them there like a slingshot.

* ''{{ComicStrip/Foxtrot}}'': One strip has Paige intently watching a pot on the range. Peter asks her what she's doing, and she says she's watching the pot to ensure it doesn't boil, so whatever foul concoction their CordonBleughChef of a mother put in won't end up as dinner. Peter laughs, then learns there's twice the usual amount, and joins her.

* All of the inventions at the Academy on Balbinarbi in ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' are this, ranging from a diarrhea cure that somehow [[BodyHorror turned the user inside out]] and a contraption used to extract sun beams from cucumber slices [[note]] sadly TruthInTelevision, hence Swift's satire [[/note]].

* ''Literature/TheLongEarth'': Travel to parallel dimensions is achieved with a device that consists of a metal case, a few wires, and a potato. Although given that at least some people have the ability to "step" without them, it might be [[MagicFeather another trope entirely]].[[note]] It's (eventually) known within the series that almost everyone has the ''ability'', but to ''activate' it -- at least the first time -- usually involves personally building one of the devices. If you don't, you're stuck being carried along for the ride by someone who can. And the rest? They most likely could, but for some reason get sick when they step, even if it's under someone else's power.[[/note]]

** Mocked in a fictional ''Doctor Who'' scene in ''{{Series/Extras}}'':

* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}:

* ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'':

[[/folder]]

* ''Literature/TheLongEarth'': Travel to parallel dimensions is achieved with a device that consists of a metal case, a few wires, and a potato. Although given that at least some people have the ability to "step" without them, it might be [[MagicFeather another trope entirely]].

* ''Webcomic/{{Starslip}}''':

** Fighter survives a freefall by using his Paladin abilities to block the ground. Fighter's "explanation" is that since he can block all sorts of [[ElementalPowers elemental attacks]], it's natural that he'd be able to block [[IncrediblyLamePun Earth]].
** As far as Red Mage is concerned, the less sense a plan makes, the greater its chance of success! He took this UpToEleven when devising a plan that he claimed to be infallible. Why? It made no sense, therefore it couldn't be stopped. His reasoning for that run thusly: the more complex the plan, the more things can go wrong. Ergo, if the plan is completely insane and unworkable from the outset, there's no way for it to fall apart, [[InsaneTrollLogic so it's guaranteed to succeed!]] ([[StraightMan Black Mage]] became so irritated by this explanation that he temporarily went blind.)

* In one of the more glorious cases of OffTheRails ever, a certain CrazyAwesome player [[http://irolledazero.blogspot.com/2013/10/suethulu-basically-end.html builds a spaceship that runs on stupidity]], and thus takes advantage of his GM's utterly vile and inane world to acquire unlimited power.

* In ''Manga/TheRedRangerBecomesAnAdventurerInAnotherWorld'', Tougo says his powers run on [[ThePowerOfFriendship "Kizuna Energy" produced by his bonds with others.]] To Idola's frustration, it's incredibly vague and wishy-washy. So long as he's been introduced to someone and knows what motivates them, he considers it a bond and they're eligible to help him use his strongest moves and weapons, but the amount of power produced doesn't follow any kind of constants or rules. Lampshaded by Idola, who complains that it's full of loopholes in the way it decides what is and isn't a bond.