What The If?

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!

We shrunk the universe down to the size of a football field. We also shrunk your dorm room. And it's Friday night. Things are about to get downright WTiF! Put on your lampshade and let's party!

Are you enjoying your life in this SIMULATION we call... Earth? Is it a simulation? How would we know? Last week we began to ponder the mystery... and this week we set out... using REAL SCIENCE... to HACK it! Join us as we try to figure out how to FIND THE SEAMS and contact our DIGITAL OVERLORDS. We'll try anyway!

Elon Musk asked something many of us have wondered (while in various states of sobriety)... "Do we live in a SIMULATION?" Well, we figured if we dooooooo live in a simulation, maybe it's a REALITY TV SHOW or, much more fun, maybe it's a VIDEO GAME? How, how, how, might SCIENCE try to answer this question? Insert your quarter, hit play, and READY IFFER ONE!

WTiF the Earth was STUCK with ONE side always facing the Sun? Is there a battle between the DARK SIDE and the LIGHT? Are you a NIGHT person or a MORNING person? Join us and find just the right spot for you as we explore the SCIENCE behind a tidally locked planet.

49 - OUMUAMAUA Has It's Eyes On YOU by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

48 - The Girl Scouts Make A STARGATE by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

47 - The Early Bird Gets The WORMHOLE by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

46 - WTiF There's ANIMALS On MARS? Cute Ones! by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia