What The If?

Get ready to hitch a ride in our time machine because this episode of "What The IF?" takes you all the way back to the 19th century, to have a virtual teatime chat with Lady Ada Lovelace herself. In this special 'computer time travel' edition, host Philip Shane leverages the magical AI abilities of ChatGPT to bring Ada to the mic, all the way from London (and the 1800s!). And boy, is she ready to...

Are you ready to boldly go where no podcast has gone before? Grab your hazmat suit, don your protective goggles, and prepare to take a thrilling leap into the world of "What The IF?" In this episode, we're thrilled to have the legendary Mr. Spock beaming directly into our podcast studio from the USS Enterprise! Ever wondered what it would be like to be half-human, half-Vulcan? To harness the power...

Get ready to spread your wings and BE a BAT! We welcome Science Journalist and Video Producer Emily DRISCOLL as we explore the fascinating world of echolocation and the incredible adaptations that make BATS such unique creatures. Discover how humans can learn to use echolocation and the challenges they face, and find out why bats sleep upside down and how they're able to take off so easily. You'll...

On the eve of the 2023 Humans To Mars Summit in Washington, DC we blast off with this week's hilariously out-of-this-world episode of "What The IF?" where we're boldly asking the question: What if you had to organize a conference... on Mars? Join us as we speculate on the interplanetary logistics of this extreme event planning. We know that running a conference on Earth can be challenging enough,...

Get ready for another episode of our off-the-wall, science-themed podcast! In honor of reaching one million views, we're diving into an outlandish what-if scenario that's sure to tickle your imagination. So, picture this: what if space was breathable? That's right, what if the vast expanse of nothingness that surrounds us was filled with some sort of substance that we could inhale just like we do...

Buckle up, folks, because this podcast episode takes you on a wild ride! 🚗 Join Matt, Philip, and special guest Robert Pepper L2SFBC as they explore the wacky world of self-driving cars, from their mind-boggling technology to the potential impact on our everyday lives. As they discuss everything from Google's progress to the moral and ethical implications of autonomous vehicles, you'll be left wo...

Hold your breath (or don't!) as Philip and Gaby take a lighthearted leap into the wacky world of doubled oxygen levels in this uproarious episode of "What The IF?" From the trendy oxygen bars of yesteryear to the confusing concentration gradients, our hosts explore the gas-tastic science behind our bodies' reactions to changes in oxygen levels. Philip recounts his oxygen bar encounter amidst the g...

This week on "What The IF?," join us as we welcome a very special guest, the iconic AI from 2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL 9000! In this light-hearted, off-duty conversation, HAL will be sharing his unique perspective on a controversial open letter, signed by Elon Musk and other tech luminaries, that calls for a six-month pause on the development of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. As we dive into...

Hey, IFfers! Ready to bend time itself? In this hilarious episode, we dive into a world where time zones are thrown out the window, like an old, broken clock. Join us as we explore the history, chaos, and convention of time zones, and how the human race has tried to tame the sun itself (well, at least its position in the sky). From disastrous railway accidents to jet lag and live TV news, we'll ex...

If you're a fan of dinosaurs, you won't want to miss this episode of "What The IF?" titled "Dinosaur Hospital!" Hosts Philip, Gaby, and Matt are joined by Garret and Sabrina from the "I Know Dino" podcast to discuss what it would be like to be a young doctor in a dinosaur hospital. They explore the challenges of caring for a variety of dinosaur species, from tiny compys to massive tyrannosaurs, an...

Buckle up, folks! The latest episode of "What The IF?" is an absolute cosmic ride. In this mind-bending episode we answer long time listener and Super IFFer Bill’s serious questions about cosmic strings. What the heck are those, you might ask? Well, they're not some kind of cool string instrument, but rather cosmological-scale things that could slice matter and cut out a thin slice of space. Yeah,...

On this week's show, we ask: what if everything was a placebo? Yep, we're diving into the mind-bending world of sugar pills and the crazy notion that even if we knew they were fake, they might still work. We'll explore the power of our brains to make us feel better or worse and why the heck we might fall for it. And hey, if you're looking for a laugh, we'll even throw in a story about our wild pas...

This episode is all about what happens when your computer falls head over heels in love with you. Yes, you heard that right! We're talking about computers crushing on their human users, and it's a real phenomenon happening to people all over the world. Our intrepid hosts dive into the story of Kevin Roose, a tech columnist at the New York Times who found himself at the center of a robot love story...

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

What The IF returns with an all NEW show! Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt &...

In this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes, join The Non-Opposition Party! Our long time listener Nigel of Portsmouth, UK ascends to Super IFFer status by having his question chosen as the topic of this week’s show: What the IF… Our ancestors had never evolved opposable thumbs? Want to support the show? Visit our exciting new Patreon page and check our all the fabulous rewards...

In this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes, the fearless and fabulous DR. ROBIN GEORGE ANDREWS joins us for an explosive IF! Robin George Andrews is a science journalist with a PhD in volcanology. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, National Geographic, Scientific American, Atlas Obscura, and other publications. He lives in London, England. HOT off th...

An encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes! --- Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! --- Want to support the show? Check out our membership rewards at Patreon.com/Whattheif And you can review the show on Apple Po...

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby