SKU: 24120426127

What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

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What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questionsby Randall Munroe Randall Munroe left NASA in 2005 to start up his hugely popular site XKCD 'a web comic of romance, sarcasm, math and language' which offers a witty take on the world of science and geeks. It now has 600,000 to a million page hits daily. Every now and then, Munroe would get emails asking him to arbitrate a science debate. 'My friend and I were arguing about what would happen if a bullet got struck by lightning, and we agreed that you

by Randall Munroe

Randall Munroe left NASA in 2005 to start up his hugely popular site XKCD 'a web comic of romance, sarcasm, math and language' which offers a witty take on the world of science and geeks. It now has 600,000 to a million page hits daily. Every now and then, Munroe would get emails asking him to arbitrate a science debate. 'My friend and I were arguing about what would happen if a bullet got struck by lightning, and we agreed that you should resolve it . . . ' He liked these questions so much that he started up What If.

If your cells suddenly lost the power to divide, how long would you survive?

How dangerous is it, really, to be in a swimming pool in a thunderstorm?

If we hooked turbines to people exercising in gyms, how much power could we produce?

What if everyone only had one soulmate?

When (if ever) did the sun go down on the British empire?

How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live?

What would happen if the moon went away?

In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, studded with memorable cartoons and infographics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion. Far more than a book for geeks, WHAT IF: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions explains the laws of science in operation in a way that every intelligent reader will enjoy and feel much the smarter for having read.

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SKU: 24120426127

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Matan
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
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Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2026
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Mara
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Best book on flavor
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Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2026
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Smilez
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Science of Flavor !
Format: Hardcover
Great book as a gift for someone who cooks and watches what they eat; loved it.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2026
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DB
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Who knew?
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Who knew there was this whole other level to cooking?
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Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2026
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Di
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
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Love it. Thank you
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Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2026

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