What The If?

Best selling author ALASTAIR REYNOLDS is our guest! He's Philip's favorite author on the planet and one of the world's most popular Science Fiction writers. Al brings a whopper of an IF, loosely inspired by one of his newest stories, "Different Seas" which he wrote for the new prophetic anthology, "TWELVE TOMORROWS" from MIT Press. WTiF Elon Musk sent a bunch of dummy bots to the red planet into whose bodies we could transport ourselves, via telepresence, and explore from the comfort of our own home? It's just like being there! But WTiF there's other bots being run around the planet, too, by people who's minds may be filled with the itch to cause mischief... or murder??? Watch your back, you n00b! --- ALASTAIR REYNOLDS is a science fiction writer based in Wales. A former space scientist, he turned from studying pulsars and binary stars to fiction. He's now the author of sixteen novels and more than seventy short stories. His work has been shortlisted for the Hugo, Arthur C Clarke and Sturgeon awards, and he's won the Seiun, Sidewise, European Science Fiction Society and Locus awards. His stories have been adapted for stage and television. VISIT his website: alastairreynolds.com Check out the TWELVE TOMORROWS anthology: mitpress.mit.edu/books/twelve-tomorrows -------- EINSTEIN'S WAR by our very own MATT STANLEY is also in stores now! The Washington Post says "Stanley is a storyteller par excellence." A starred review recipient from KIRKUS, PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, and BOOKLIST. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417 REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: https://pod.link/1250517051 Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of APOLLO 11, we're featuring an encore of our episode with FRASER CAIN -- veteran space journalist and publisher of UNIVERSE TODAY! Fraser asks: WTiF we NEVER STOPPED going to the MOON? Imagine! By now we would have already spent FIFTY YEARS traveling to, and building on The Moon. What incredible things would we have achieved by now? What does this alternative today look like? Where can we fly? What can we see? Let's IF all the way TO THE MOON, and beyond! Fraser Cain is the publisher of Universe Today and the co-host of Astronomy Cast. He's been writing about space and astronomy since he founded Universe Today in 1999. He lives on Vancouver Island, Canada with his wife, children and dog. Visit https://UniverseToday.com to read the latest space and astronomy news from Fraser and his team! And check out their latest book, the Ultimate Guide to Viewing THE COSMOS, available at bookstores everywhere and on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1624145442/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 -------- EINSTEIN'S WAR by our very own MATT STANLEY is also in stores now! The Washington Post says "Stanley is a storyteller par excellence." A starred review recipient from KIRKUS, PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, and BOOKLIST. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417 REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: https://pod.link/1250517051 Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Pollution run AMOK! Imagine if no one -- no one at all -- tried to stop the poisoning of our land, water and air? Our listener Daniel asks: What The IF the Environmental Protection Agency were never, ever, ever created? What would America look like, smell like, and taste like? Our most pungent IF yet! -------- EINSTEIN'S WAR by our very own MATT STANLEY is also in stores now! The Washington Post says "Stanley is a storyteller par excellence." A starred review recipient from KIRKUS, PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, and BOOKLIST. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417 REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: https://pod.link/1250517051 Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

The incredible Science Fiction author PAUL McAULEY joins us to celebrate episode 100! With a preview of the science behind his upcoming novel, WAR OF THE MAPS, Paul asks: What The IF we could save the Earth from the inevitable death of the Sun? It's gonna be a lotta work! First we've gotta MOVE the Earth outward when the Sun expands into a RED GIANT, then we need to HUDDLE UP close when the Sun shrinks into a WHITE DWARF. Yep, Paul treats us to some EPIC ENGINEERING and ultra vivid SOLAR SCIENCE. --- PAUL McAULEY'S first novel won the Philip K. Dick Award, and he has gone on to win almost all of the major awards in the field. For many years a research biologist, he now writes full-time. McAuley's novel THE QUIET WAR made several "best of the year" lists, including SF Site's Reader's Choice Top 10 SF and Fantasy Books of 2009. His latest novel is AUSTRAL: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Austral-Paul-McAuley/dp/1473217318 And his latest short story is featured in Wade Roush's exciting anthology TWELVE TOMORROWS from MIT Press, which also features new stories from Elizabeth Bear, SL Huang, Clifford V. Johnson, J. M. Ledgard, Liu Cixin, Ken Liu, Paul McAuley, Nnedi Okorafor, Malka Older, Sarah Pinsker, Alastair Reynolds https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/twelve-tomorrows EINSTEIN'S WAR by our very own MATT STANLEY is also in stores now! The Washington Post says "Stanley is a storyteller par excellence." A starred review recipient from KIRKUS, PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, and BOOKLIST. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417 REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: https://pod.link/1250517051 BUY, GIFT, READ Matt Stanley's engrossing new book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. In bookstores now. Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Listener Bob from Virginia asks what it would be like if you found yourself INSIDE the BIG BANG? Does time flow differently? Can you Netflix and BANG? Why is your best friend who's right next to you suddenly... TRILLIONS of miles awaaaaaayyyyy!!! Put on your helmet and join us inside the freakish inflating spacetime bubble that began it ALL! REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: https://pod.link/1250517051 BUY, GIFT, READ Matt Stanley's engrossing new book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. In bookstores now. Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Listener Jon from Sweden ascends to the rank of Super IFFer by submitting a winning IF! Jon asks, "What The IF... we knew EXACTLY how the BRAIN worked?" Would we be stuck as mere observers of the working brain, or could we fiddle with it, improve it, HACK it? How would it feel if you were changing the code of your own brain? Does the BRAIN have an ESC KEY? Let's hope so, because we're pluggin' yours in and messing with your MEATWARE. What the IF you dare! REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow BUY, GIFT, READ Matt Stanley's engrossing new book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. Choose your favorite store here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417/ Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

100 years ago, the British Astronomer Arthur Eddington confirmed that, as Albert Einstein had said, Spacetime exists, and YOU FEEL Gravity because it's CURVED all around your body... in the 4TH DIMENSION. Wouldn't you like to SEE all this stuff that's tossing you around? Could we ever even HANDLE seeing the 4th dimension? Well, we monkeys are a clever bunch! What the IF we could invent a pair of GOGGLES that allow us to SEE SPACETIME? If they were fashionable... they'd be awesome, so let's try 'em on! REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow BUY, GIFT, READ Matt Stanley's engrossing new book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. Choose your favorite store here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417/ Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

A brand new, super fun and mostly delicious episode, based on a fabulous question from listener and Super IFFer, Guy Rader! Beam up with us and let's get cookin'! REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow BUY, GIFT, READ Matt Stanley's engrossing new book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. Choose your favorite store here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417/ Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Astrology is super complicated and totally crazy. But! What The IF... Astrology were REAL? Would there be "personality rays" shooting out of the planets? So many, many questions. Our crack Crazy Elaborate Systems Construction Department is working overtime to make this Astrology thing work in a genuinely SCIENTIFIC way. Amazingly, our WIZARD OF SCIENCE AND SCIENCE HISTORY AND CRAZY OLD BELIEF SYSTEMS, Professor Matt, is an unstoppable font of REAL knowledge about everyone from Ptolemy to Newton to Nancy Reagan. Join us for a journey of nearly 2,000 YEARS of people looking up and asking WHAT THE IF? (PS: Read your horoscope before listening, because after this episode you won't read it ever again.) This is one of our funnest, most skepticalist, wackiest, mythbustingest episode yet. Ok click that button and let's fly to the ZENITH. An encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow BUY, GIFT, READ Matt Stanley's engrossing new book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. Choose your favorite store here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417/ Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

What the IF everyone in the world STOPPED eating MEAT? Delicious, delicious meat... be gone! REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow BUY, GIFT, READ Matt Stanley's engrossing new book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. Choose your favorite store here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417/ Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Matt has an amazing new book! Here in part two of our journey with Einstein, we dive even deeper (!) into Professor Stanley's incredible story about how, while living through hunger, freezing and fear, the unknown and unheard of Professor Albert Einstein became... EINSTEIN. What The IF, we ask: World War I never, ever happened? Would Einstein have solved his Theory of Relativity sooner -- or, perhaps, NEVER AT ALL? REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow BUY, GIFT, READ the book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. Choose your favorite store here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417/ Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Matt has an amazing new book! We dive into Professor Stanley's incredible story about how, while living through hunger, freezing and fear, the unknown and unheard of Professor Albert Einstein became... EINSTEIN. What The IF, we ask: World War I never, ever happened? Would Einstein have solved his Theory of Relativity sooner -- or, perhaps, NEVER AT ALL? REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow BUY, GIFT, READ the book! EINSTEIN'S WAR: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Vicious Nationalism of World War I. Choose your favorite store here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/608113/einsteins-war-by-matthew-stanley/9781524745417/ Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

KIRBY RUNYON, science team affiliate on the NEW HORIZONS mission to Pluto, Charon, and the Kuiper Belt and a science team collaborator on the HiRISE camera currently in orbit around Mars, takes us to the gateway to the Kuiper Belt! Where on PLUTO would you LAND? What would it be like to WALK there? Could you JUMP to it's moon Charon? How much SCIENCE could you do, and how much FUN could you have? Kirby knows it all! Follow Kirby on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/nasaman58 And visit his WEBSITE: https://kirbydanielrunyon.space REVIEW the show: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE for free: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks & Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Archaeologist and self-described Volcano Fetishist Dr. Karen Holmberg LOVES Volcanos… so we make her dream come true: What The IF you could invite ALL THE VOLCANOES in the world to a COCKTAIL PARTY! Dr. Holmberg takes us around to meet all her favorite exploding mountains, and the people who live at their feet, and we learn how each giant has it’s own personality. As the night progresses, and the CRYOVOLCANO bartenders pour ever more deliciously dangerous drinks… we dive deeper and learn the SECRETS OF VOLCANOES. Put on your lampshades and let’s join the life of this RUN FOR YOUR LIFE kinda party! See Dr. Holmbergs amazing PHOTOGRAPHY and learn more about her ADVENTURES in life… At her website: karenholmberg.com And on twitter: twitter.com/karenholmberg Share your love of the show, REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1And SUBSCRIBE to our show so you don't miss an IF: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks and Keep On IFFin'!-- Philip & Matt

We're super honored to be joined this week by an incredible special guest: FRASER CAIN, veteran space journalist and publisher of UNIVERSE TODAY! In celebration of the upcoming 50th Anniversary (!!!) of APOLLO 11's historic landing on the Moon, we ask... WTiF we NEVER STOPPED going to the MOON? Imagine! By now we would have already spent FIFTY YEARS traveling to, and building on The Moon. What incredible things would we have achieved by now? What does this alternative today look like? Where can we fly? What can we see? Let's IF all the way TO THE MOON, and beyond! Fraser Cain is the publisher of Universe Today and the co-host of Astronomy Cast. He's been writing about space and astronomy since he founded Universe Today in 1999. He lives on Vancouver Island, Canada with his wife, children and dog. Visit UniverseToday.com to read the latest space and astronomy news from Fraser and his team! And check out their latest book, the Ultimate Guide to Viewing THE COSMOS, available at bookstores everywhere and on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1624145442/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Share your love of the show, REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 SUBSCRIBE to our show and don't miss an IF: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

We're honored to be joined this week by the awesome Science Fiction writer, and esteemed technology journalist, DAN MOREN, who brings us an important, enigmatic, spooooooky IF... You are being watched, listened to, logged, sorted, faved, hashed and salted by TECHNOLOGY every moment of the day, including right now! Our devices are tattle-telling on us to their corporate bosses, gathering GIGABYTES of GOSSIP every second. What The IF we decided, enough with the convenience, we'd rather have TOTAL PRIVACY? Is it POSSIBLE? Would YOU really want to live in the society that erupts from such a change? Utopia? Dystopia? Holy Hackarama, it's a heck of an IF. DAN MOREN is an author, podcaster and tech journalist. Check out his latest rip-roarin' SF novel, THE BAYERN AGENDA: https://dmoren.com/the-bayern-agenda And you can HEAR Dan on these awesome PODCASTS: - SIX COLORS https://sixcolors.com - CLOCKWISE https://relay.fm/clockwise - THE REBOUND https://reboundcast.com Share your love of the show, REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don't miss An IF, SUBSCRIBE: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Our cup of listener mail overfloweth! This week: our fans, aka our #SuperIFFers discuss our most mind-blowing shows and the latest science news stories. What the IF... you could hang out with the smartest, funniest, science-y-ist audience in the galaxy? You can! Listen now and FEEL THE IF! Share your love of the show REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don't miss An IF SUBSCRIBE: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Our listener, the awesome Super IFFer Bill Prokopchak wrote in and asked “What the IF there was a place in the Universe where there was absolutely NOTHING?” It turns out there’s a mysterious force that prevents space from ever, ever, EVER being truly, absolutely, totally, EMPTY. But… this force only acts when YOU’RE NOT LOOKING. The very strange and exceptionally vivacious life of VIRTUAL PARTICLES… and YOU… this week on What The IF! Share your love of the show REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don't miss An IF SUBSCRIBE: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

What the IF... Big ol' NASA asked little ol' YOU for HELP? Could you do it? What would you do? This week: a special report from Philip after his two adventures volunteering on behalf of the famous American space agency. First, at the Kennedy Space Center where he was invited to participate in the #NASAsocial program, providing social media outreach by sharing his incredible experiences BEHIND THE SCENES of the SpaceX #CrewDragon Demo-1 mission. #NasaSocial #CrewDragon Then, in Washington, DC, participating behind the scenes at the US CAPITOL with The Planetary Society's DAY OF ACTION, where more than 100 society members came from all over the country to meet with Congress to push for increased NASA funding. #FundNASA! It's a JAM PACKED, rocket blasting, democracy crashing episode of a pretty awesome IF that really came true! Share your love of the show REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don't miss An IF SUBSCRIBE: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Maya and Zoe are TWINS, and that's only the beginning of what makes them exceptionally qualified to take us to a planet where EVERYONE shares the same... FACE. Would this world be your personal Heaven... or Hell? It depends on how you look, and how everyone looks at you! From the vivid imagination of two very eloquent and insightful sisters... It just might just be the best planet ever created. Join us for a super duper, totally amazing IF, times TWO! Share your love of the show REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don't miss An IF SUBSCRIBE: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

LIZARDS are cold blooded creatures. What the IF... YOU were too? Don't miss An IF SUBSCRIBE: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Share your love of the show REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

The amazing science educator and cetacean researcher, DR. VANESSA PIROTTA joins us again from Sydney, Australia and takes on the BIGGEST IF yet: What if WHALES decided to RETURN TO LAND? How would their bodies need to adapt? How would they communicate? What would they eat? Would they eat us? Could we ride them? And we also ponder the MYSTERY OF DOLPHIN HAPPINESS. Why so happy, dolphins? What's the secret? Or is it all a facade...? Let's follow Dr. Pirotta as she leads our expedition to the CETACEAN INVASION. What The IF!!!!! LEARN MORE about Dr. Pirotta's research, see magnificent PHOTOS, and enjoy her super engaging DEMONSTRATIONS -- all on her WEBSITE: VanessaPirotta.com Don't miss An IF SUBSCRIBE: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Share your love of the show REVIEW: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

We celebrate the LUNAR NEW YEAR and VALENTINE'S DAY by learning all the ways Earth would be a real loser without it's heavenly partner... the MOON! Don't miss an IF! Subscribe: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Share your love of the IF! Drop us a review: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

The HAGFISH, little known, little respected... greatly feared... by sharks! Is the hagfish the Spiderman of the Sea? This little slimy fish can spit out a slimy blob that BLOWS UP REAL BIG. What the if... WE could defend ourselves like that? Imagine the sport! In celebration of the SUPER BOWL, we present a special episode: The SLIMER BOWL. Let the games begin! Don't miss an IF! Subscribe: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Share your love of the IF! Drop us a review: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 THANKS and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

Special Guest ASTRONOMER Brian Keating returns, with an astounding IF! What The IF, Brian asks, there was MORE than one BIG BANG? WTiF another one is FLYING toward us NOW? OMG, bang bang bang, let's go...! Put on your space kevlar jackets and let's go surfing ALL the Big Bangs! Check out Brian Keating's best selling book, "LOSING THE NOBEL PRIZE" on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Losing-Nobel-Priz…ook/dp/B07889Q65W Don't miss an IF! Subscribe: linktr.ee/whattheifshow Share your love of the IF! Drop us a review: itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 THANKS and Keep On IFFin'!-- Philip & Matt

The MYSTERY behind the EYES that watch over our cities. WATCH OUT, this IF will change the way you see pigeons, and yourself, trespassing human! Don't miss an IF! Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/whattheifshow Share your love of the IF! Drop us a review: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 THANKS and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

The amazing science educator and cetacean researcher, DR. VANESSA PIROTTA joins us from down under, in Sydney, Australia... But she guides us on a journey to the REAL down under... UNDER THE SEA! Come along with us as we SWAP OUR HUMAN BRAINS for the singing, smiling, super smart BRAINS OF WHALES and dolphins. HOW DOES IT FEEL to navigate all around the planet -- HOW do we do it? WHO are we SINGING to, and are we doing it well? WHY is there a little helicopter flying over our head... silly humans and their boats! DR. PIROTTA'S INSIGHTS never cease to astound, and we come to appreciate our swimming, splashing... and sneezing mammalian relatives in more ways than we even knew was possible. Plus PRO TIPS on how to BE A GOOD HUMAN neighbor! This is an IF worthy of the seven seas. LET'S SAIL! LEARN MORE about Dr. Pirotta's research, see magnificent PHOTOS, and enjoy her super engaging DEMONSTRATIONS -- all on her WEBSITE: http://VanessaPirotta.com Don't miss An IF! SUBSCRIBE: http://linktr.ee/whattheifshow Share your love of the show! REVIEW: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Thanks and Keep On IFFin'! -- Philip & Matt

A couple of weeks ago we explored PARALLEL UNIVERSES... and in *this* parallel universe we take up a similarly BRAIN BENDING a concept: the INFINITE probabilities that surround us in our INFINITE universe. Why should the guy with the goatee be the EVIL one? And what about PANTS... a necessary evil? In an INFINITE UNIVERSE surely there is one little place where people are less... judgmental. Also, did you see a brain lying (or FLYING) around here somewhere? LUDWIG BOLTZMANN says he lost his mind and can't remember where he put it... but he says it's GOTTA be somewhere in this darn big universe! Subscribe! https://linktr.ee/whattheifshow Review! https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2

Happy New Year, dear IFFers!!! A joyous episode greets you. Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Astronaut William Anders' society transforming photograph, "Earthrise," and basking in the glow of Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic breakthrough towards bringing passengers into space... Philip wonders WTF is wrong with all these people on the plane who close their windowshades??? Meanwhile, on the skin of the Earth, the view of the skies is disappearing drastically, night after night. WTiF we could ALL see the sky as clear as the ancient astronomers, philsophers, and peasant folk saw the thick sparkling tapestry of the night sky? WTiF we could really see the STARS? Join us on our journey into a hopeful future... or not. It's New Years around the Earth… but how long will we know that it's a PLANET? Let's fly and take a look before the sky blindfolds us forever! WTiF... Clear Skies Forever? Can we do it??? What happens if we don't???

Our listener & Super IFFer Jeff from Nashville asks What The IF there are parallel universes? Turns out... they might be exploding all around you! Should we fear the ones where we are wearing a beard? Good vs. Evil, Weird Science vs REAL SCIENCE. Strap on your parallel boots and let's go! SUBSCRIBE! linktr.ee/whattheifshow REVIEWS are greatly appreciated: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

For our Christmas Special, our devoted listener Mitchell Scherr was inspired by the ARTHUR C. CLARKE short story "The Star," in which an ASTRONOMER ponders the source of the STAR OF BETHLEHEM. Was it a super nova? A meteor? A COMET, sent to a solar system which badly needed a tune up? ISAAC NEWTON had some very strong opinions on the matter, and he also has some seriously badass SINS to CONFESS. For realz! Enjoy this wonderful gift from Santa iCloud, directly to your ears, because you were very good science boys & girls this year! With goodwill towards all who love science, Matt & Philip wish you the very best of FESTIVUS! SUBSCRIBE: WhatTheIF.com/subscribe REVIEWS are greatly appreciated: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Listener, and Super IFFer, Amira Youseff wrote in to the [email protected] hotline and asked: "How can I get MY FRIENDS to be interested in GLOBAL WARMING?" We discuss how IN THE WORLD you can talk about CLIMATE CHANGE at the party without causing everyone to yawn and abandon you. This week, how to SAVE THE PLANET while making friends and influencing people! This party is HEATING UP!

Today we take up another fabulous -- and dastardly -- suggestion from our audience! Super IFFER Mike Holland sent an email to our hungry [email protected] mailbox and asked.... How did we come to know that CLIMATE CHANGE is really happening, and what it will do to our world? Scientists agree: our atmosphere is heating up and something wicked this way comes. But it wasn't always this way, predicting globally is a skill we've only recently developed... but how??? And WHO was the first scientist to notice? Wasn't there a fear a while back where we were all going to FREEZE? Who figured it out? Were they wearing a turtleneck? HOW did all the scientists of WORLD come to agree that THE END IS NIGH? And who can stop it? On this urgent, darkly humorous, hot box of an episode, we ask... WTiF HUMANS ARE DESTROYING THEIR OWN PLANET? Climate change, past and present, and the changing fashions of scientists' top wear. Subscribe! linktr.ee/whattheifshow Review! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

70 - Victory Over GRAVITY! by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

69 - Dummies VS Gravity! by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

IF we were Martians, looking at the Earth with our telescopes… would we know there’s LIFE there? If so, how would we know? Could we have watched humanity evolve? Would we see the humans coming to US? Run for the mons! It’s another fast & fascinating episode of What The IF?!!!

This week, the ground-breaking, sky-breaking, star-breaking, NASA telescope, Kepler, got arthritis and, creeeeaaaaaakkkk.... slipped into a well earned and well deserved retirement, now free to lounge about forever doing the backstroke and sipping martinis among the galaxies. But if you think THAT sounds like a PARTY (!) wait until you hear all the classes clinking and whips cracking and bottles popping that went on in the REAL HISTORY of KEPLER's namesake... and his crowd of rowdy astronomers. A very, very, VERY colorful cast of characters in this time traveling episode through the mists of SCIENCE history!

When scientists discovered that our brain communicates with our body through electrical signals, they had a scientific and philosophical freak-out: if it took a not insignificant amount of TIME for our brain to process the world around us... then that information -- OUR SENSES -- were always TOO SLOW! What did this mean for our SENSE OF REALITY? And when we began exploring the solar system, our communication with our far flung human and robot astronauts was even more DELAYED. What The IF is going on??? An encore presentation of... the totally bizarre time when our BRAIN SIGNALS slowed down so much that they couldn't keep up with our dancin' feet!

Attack of the FRIENDLY Robots! Will Robots really CARE for us? Or will they be faking it? Do all our screens WANT to be TOUCHED? This wildly imaginative episode, one of our original fan favorites, will change the way you think about that screen you’re looking at RIGHT NOW. Click and enjoy!

Superstar Theoretical Physicist CLIFFORD JOHNSON, author of the incredible graphic novel, “THE DIALOGUES: Conversations About The Nature Of The Universe” joins us for a very special show. He asks us to imagine… WTiF our entire solar system drifted TOO CLOSE (!!!) to a BLACK HOLE? What would it be like to be on Earth when it crosses the EVENT HORIZON? Would half the planet disappear? Would time stop? Would we find ourselves in a place where NOTHING IS AS WE KNOW IT? Better bring a flashlight on this one, it’s spooky, it’s dark, it’s amazing.

On Feb 22, 2017, astronomers announced four additional exoplanets around TRAPPIST-1, bringing it's total number of EXOPLANETS to seven. SIX of those (!) could possibly reside in the HABITABLE ZONE of that mysterious star.... so naturally we'd really like to SEE these planets! In this remastered broadcast of one of our most popular episodes -- Philip & Matt explore the magic and maybe-ness of NASA's "artistic impressions" and imagine what we'd REALLY see through the WINDOW of our space ships. And, inspired by the incredible BLIND ASTRONOMER, Kent Cullers, we ask... WTiF we could SMELL THE STARS?

What the IF... We could get scientific evidence of GHOSTS? Trick or Treat, once again we dive into the crazy realm of the PARANORMAL... as we learn REAL science!

Philip & Matt were honored to be invited onto the hilarious and super smart NonSequitur Show. The hosts of this popular YouTube channel invited us to play What This IF with one of their favorite topics, the wacked and weird ideas behind a FLAT EARTH. We say “YES, AND…” to this insane idea and grab it by the corners and take it for a spin, learning the REAL SCIENCE that flummoxes the crackpots. We bust up the Flat Earth club, and have a hoot doin’ it!

60 - See The RADIO WAVES All Around YOU! The Science & Wonder Of Electromagnetic Fields by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

Our journey continues... to the CENTER of the SUN!

DR. KIKI SANFORD, host of the incredible, long-running science podcast, THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE (TWiS.org), joins us for our most amazing, astounding, iff-iest episode yet! What The IF... WE WERE BIRDS? We learn all about bird behavior, in particular, Dr. Kiki's favorite birds, the tiny, adorable, musical, KILLER BIRDS, the shrikes. Yikes! What's it like to THINK like a bird, and to BE a bird? Tons of fun, and loads of knowledge dropped (onto spikes!) in this episode. Flap your wings and join us for the adventure of... SCIENCE.

NASA just launched the Parker Solar Probe, flying toward the Sun to get closer than anything we've EVER sent before. WTiF we could have James Cameron build us our very own super duper solar submarine! Shower yourself with suntan lotion and let's go!

WTiF we survive EXTREME GLOBAL WARMING by living inside nice, chilly AIR CONDITIONED DOMES? But the heating up of our planet won't stop! The BBQ is just getting started, join us!

WHY WAIT decades and decades for us to get HOT? What The IF we sped up CLIMATE CHANGE so we could see it happening before our eyes, and under our feet? This week, we put more EFFECT into the GREENHOUSE EFFECT! Oh, lordy, it's gettin' hot in here! Be cool... click and listen to this SIZZLING hot episode.

Scientists have discovered a snail that NEVER NEEDS TO EAT because it grows a humongous, self sustaining BACTERIAL FOOD FACTORY in it's gut. What the IF you could do that, too? The MANY FACES and USES of BACTERIA, this week on What The IF! Oh, and yeah... that's sooooo icky!!!! But also kinda cool. ICKY COOL!