What The If?

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, GI

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

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.appl

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