What The If?
ClaimedWhat The If?Claimed
Episodes
Episodes of What The If?
Mark All
Inspired by the recent news of Earth's temporary mini-moon 2024 PT5, this episode explores a universe where such celestial visitors become commonplace. What if Earth regularly captured bus-sized asteroids as mini-moons? From space hippie lifest
Buckle up for one of our silliest episodes yet! We've really gone off the rails this time as we blast off into the world of space alcohol. What started as a question from our listener Nigel about phosphine on Venus somehow morphed into a cosmic
What if humans were the latest must-have pet for trendy aliens? This episode explores the hilarious and bizarre scenario of extraterrestrial beings snatching us up like puppies from a shelter. From alien vets poking and prodding us for space pa
Fungal-powered robots are no longer science fiction! Scientists have created robots controlled by fungal mycelia that respond to light stimulation. These fungus-bots could revolutionize how we think about artificial intelligence and robotics. B
Imagine a world where giant, bus-sized nematodes roam the streets, carrying diseases from city to city! In this mind-bending episode, we explore the consequences of scaling up microscopic worms to Dune-like proportions. How would humanity adapt
A speedy little star is racing through the Milky Way at a million miles per hour, fast enough to potentially escape our galaxy. This hypervelocity object, discovered by an amateur astronomer, could be a low-mass star or a brown dwarf. We explor
Imagine a world where gravity fluctuates like the weather, causing chaos in daily life. This episode explores the wild consequences of variable gravity, from spaghettification dangers to the need for gravity forecasts. Discover how changing G-f
What if the Earth started expanding? This episode explores the wild consequences of a constantly growing planet. From elastic roads and stretchy buildings to low-orbit volleyball games and manipults for transportation, discover how life would a
Buckle up for a mind-bending journey into a world where memories vanish faster than you can say "What did I just...?" What if our brains could only hold onto thoughts for a measly 30 seconds? Would cavemen become the ultimate goldfish, forgetti
We welcome our newest Patreon supporter, Martin from Frankfurt, Germany!Inspired by the Paris Olympics which open today, we imagine Olympic events spread across the solar system in the year 3024! High jumps on the Moon, luge races on asteroid
Dive into the intriguing world of microbial terraforming on Planet Hendrix! This episode explores how scientists use unique microbes to transform barren extraterrestrial landscapes into potentially habitable environments. Discover the fascinati
Step into a wild world where ancient Greek philosophers are YouTube sensations! Picture Aristotle running multiple channels, Socrates hosting heated philosophical debates, and Odysseus vlogging his epic journey home. We dive into the hilarious
Explore a world where life is based on silicon instead of carbon, swimming in sulfuric acid oceans and breathing in clouds of acid rain. Imagine transparent armadillo-like creatures with glass bones, communicating through resonant frequencies.
Inspired by a fascinating article about why moths are lured to lights at night, this mind-bending episode explores a wild scenario - what if humans navigated the world like moths, perpetually drawn to the scent of pizza? Delve into the intricac
In this mind-blowing episode, we explore how one man's quest to create artificial fertilizer transformed the trajectory of human history. Inspired by listener Martin from Frankfurt, we dive into the story of Fritz Haber, whose discovery of the
Dive into the bizarre world of anglerfish mating rituals in this wildly entertaining episode! Discover how these deep-sea creatures evolved an unconventional strategy for reproduction in the ocean's dark depths. From males biting and fusing to
Explore what it means to live as Schrödinger's Cat! Delve into the mind-bending concept of being in two states at once and how it would feel to experience quantum superposition. Discover modern AI’s take on this classic thought experiment, laug
Today's cover art, crafted by listener Josh Haberman, features heavy metal merpeople in whalebone armor inspired by Gaby's vision in our "Underwater Civilizations" episode. Explore more of Josh's work at his blog: https://artofjoshhaberman.blog
Matt & Gaby are away on assignment! So I'm alone here in the studio, presenting you with an encore presentation of my conversation with the Star Trek computer which aired last year and became one of our most popular episodes ever. Enjoy! -- Phi
Do we truly have free will or are our choices predetermined by the particles that make up our universe? This mind-bending episode dives into the age-old debate of free will vs determinism. Explore the fascinating implications of a world without
Team IF is OFF this week, we're celebrating Gaby becoming DR. GABY with the completion of her PhD at Rockefeller University!!! We're super proud of her.So this week we present this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes, enjo
This week on "What The IF?" Philip and Gaby tackle the uproarious tale of a fish so small it could masquerade as a grain of rice, yet so loud it puts rock concerts to shame! In the streams of Myanmar, this tiny troubadour belts out love ballads
Dive into the mysteries of the "Infinite Library" in this enthralling episode! Join our adventurers as they explore a hypothetical library filled with an infinite number of books, where every conceivable thought and theory is penned down. Disco
Embark on a mind-bending thought experiment as our intrepid explorers dive deep into the annals of history, imagining how early humans might have unraveled the mysteries of solar eclipses. From cave paintings to mythical tales of celestial drag
Dive into an electrifying journey where the unthinkable becomes reality – a world without the power to read! In this episode, inspired by a brilliant thought experiment from Lars in Sweden, we plunge into a universe where humanity wakes up to f
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