What If: Science, Theory, and Possibilities

Doomsday is here. A nuclear bomb has just unleashed hell right in front of your eyes. You have mere seconds to get to safety. But once that blast hits, how could the light burn your skin? Why should you never look at the explosion? And how can taking your clothes off save your life? Questions or concerns? Contact us at underknown.com/contact Interested in sponsoring our episodes or collaborating?...

You think you're watching TikTok, but in reality, it's watching you. Those cute, fun little videos come at a high price: your privacy. But now this app is banned permanently. How is TikTok spying on you? Could watching too many TikToks affect your health? How does it impact your attention span and spike your dopamine levels? Transcript and sources: https://whatifshow.com/what-if-tiktok-was-banned/...

The world you know no longer exists. Your family, friends, and neighbors are gone. Outside, horrific zombie-like creatures roam the streets. And if you breathe in their spores, you're one of them. And if that wasn't bad enough, human factions have formed that want you dead... or worse. Luckily it's just a fictional universe of the popular game and TV show The Last of Us, and this could never happe...

Pack your bags because you’re traveling through space to see Alpha Centauri. There’s just one problem. It’s going to take 100 years. But is it possible to sleep through the trip? Get comfy because you’re going nighty-night for an entire century. What technology would you need? What would happen to your body while you’re asleep? And what sort of stuff could be waiting for you in the future? Transcr...

Have you heard of something called water fasting? It's a type of fast that restricts everything except, well, water. Most people only water fast for 72 hours at most, but what if you did this for the rest of your life? You'd be fine, right? Haha, yeah. Not so much. What happens to your stomach without food? What damage will you do to your organs? And how many days can you last? For the full transc...

These slithering creatures can inhabit the smallest corners of your home and the darkest places you don’t dare visit. Well, not anymore, because today we're eradicating every single snake on Earth. How would this hunt commence? Would we need to devise a bioweapon to complete the task? And why might things turn medieval? Transcript and sources: What If We Killed All Snakes? Timeline: 00:00 What If...

This is our Universe, an ever-expanding network of stars and galaxies. And this is your brain. Don't they look eerily similar to one another? Why are they so alike? Could your brain be a mini-version of the cosmos? Or could the Universe actually be part of some larger consciousness? Transcript and sources can be found here. Questions or concerns? Contact us here. Get our 100 best episodes in one m...

While Earth might seem like the optimal planet for life, discoveries suggest otherwise. Scientists have identified worlds like KOI 5715.01 that could surpass Earth in habitability. One of these, located 3,000 light-years away in the Goldilocks zone of its star, boasts conditions favorable for liquid water. For more details, check the transcript and sources. Questions or concerns? Contact us here....

It's a small world after all, because today, we're shrinking Earth to the size of Pluto. But if our planet was this tiny, how would it alter the atmosphere? Why would the Earth get hotter? And how would gravity affect our water supply? Would we be tidally locked to the Moon? Would our planet still be habitable? Transcript and sources: whatifshow.com/what-if-earth-was-as-small-as-pluto/ Questions o...

Avatar's Pandora is known as the wildest, most beautiful, and most deadly place in the galaxy. Ever wondered why the air could be lethal or what makes bodies glow? Discover fascinating elements and forces like tidal heating, and why a gas giant could devastate Pandora's surface. Plus, find out why Netflix might not be an option there. For the full transcript and sources, visit whatifshow.com/livin...

Get a free What If Top 10 book when you sign up for our newsletter: https://underknown.com/newsletter/ Get ready for serious burns and the instantaneous death of organisms. Let’s turn up the heat and bring the entire planet to a boil for five whole seconds. How would this apocalyptic heat wave affect the environment? What would this do to all living things on Earth? Transcript and sources: https:/...

With nearly eight billion people on the planet, things can feel pretty crowded. Let’s imagine housing every single person on Earth in one giant skyscraper. A building big enough for all eight billion of us doesn't exist yet, so we'd have to build it from the ground up. Visit the full transcript and sources. Questions or concerns? Contact us at Underknown. Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blow...

Buckle up. We're going to take the orbit of this rock and kick it into high gear. Behold the Moon breaking its planetary speed limit. How would this event flood cities? What would happen to the Earth's crust? Why would the Moon go rogue? What's the Roche limit? What is the basis of Kepler's third law? Get a free What If Top 10 book when you sign up for our newsletter Transcript and sources: Moon O...

Imagine the Sun is about to explode or a planet-destroying asteroid is approaching. Or maybe you want to take Earth for a joy ride around the Universe. Buckle up as we explore piloting Spaceship Earth out of our Solar System. What would it take to free our planet from the Sun’s gravity? Which innovative ideas would be the most efficient? And why would we need to nearly destroy everything on Earth...

Attention, humans. Shapeshifting alien lizards have taken control of your world. They’ve maneuvered themselves into positions of power, and they could be anyone. Where did these powerful reptilians come from? How could you tell if someone is a lizard in disguise? How could you possibly defeat these all-powerful overlords? Could they be from the Orion and Draco constellations? Transcript and source...

The night is dark and stormy at the beach. A crowd prays to the thunder in the skies. All hail the god of chaos, who sleeps no more. Cthulhu, the great, green, bringer of madness rises! A colossal shadow emerges from the ocean. Wielding tentacles, wings, and eyes that reach deep into your soul and your mind. If Cthulhu, the terrifying demi-god from classic literature, was here, who would it attack...

The ground beneath the Empire State Building is sinking, threatening this iconic landmark with a massive sinkhole. Are you safer at the top or bottom of the building if a sinkhole swallows it? Discover the warning signs and explore ways to increase your survival chances. Transcript and sources: https://whatifshow.com/what-if-the-empire-state-building-was-swallowed-by-a-sinkhole/ Questions or conce...

It’s invisible, deadly, and sucking up every bit of matter in its path. The most massive black hole in the known Universe is headed right toward Earth. What would you see as it started to slurp up the Milky Way Galaxy? What kind of tasty dish would Earth become? And once it’s finished with us, where would it go next? Perhaps the Orion Arm or the Oort Cloud? Download the Speakly app and get a 60% d...

Every year, beach lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents, also known as riptides. Learn how to spot the warning signs and understand the best way to swim to safety. Discover the science behind these dangerous currents and the phenomenon of pulmonary edema. For more details, visit the transcript and sources. Questions or concerns? Contact us. Explore our other channels: How...

An ancient creature is lurking in the ocean. It's double the size of a T.rex. Its gigantic jaws could crush a car. And now, it's on the hunt for you. Megalodon sharks haven't existed for more than two million years. But today, we're bringing these apex predators back to wreak some havoc. Timeline: 00:00 What If the Megalodon Shark Never Went Extinct? 00:50 Where would they live? 01:32 What did the...

Imagine Earth with an even 50/50 split between continents and oceans. How would this transform our planet and affect your travel plans? Discover the surprising connections, like how the color of your pee relates to this scenario. For transcript and sources, visit this link. Questions or concerns? Contact us at this link. Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book: here. Join this channel f...

Tritium is a mysterious, glowing element found in air and water. Imagine consuming this radioactive isotope. Could your body power a nuclear reactor? What would happen to your DNA, and would you glow in the dark? For the full transcript and sources, visit What If Show. Questions or concerns? Contact us. Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book: The What If 100 Book. Join our channel for...

Breaking news. Flags are flying at half-staff. The world mourns the death of a beloved monarch. Queen Elizabeth II has passed peacefully in her Balmoral Castle in Scotland. What will this mean for the future of the Commonwealth? How would this affect the economy? And what does Operation London Bridge have to do with this? Key Moments: 00:00: What Happens When the Queen Dies? 00:34: Line of success...

At Yellowstone National Park, all that stands between you and a pool of boiling, rotten-egg-smelling, acidic water is a humble boardwalk. And your good judgment. Stray off the path and you could be headed toward quite the swim. Heads up. Scorching temperatures would be just the start of your problems. How long could you survive your accidental dip in Emerald Springs? Transcript and sources Questio...

What if Latin America could have emerged as one of the world’s largest superpowers, rivaling the likes of the U.S., China, or Russia? This episode explores the concept of uniting all Latin American countries into one state and its potential impact on global affairs. How could this supernation transform into an economic powerhouse? Would it adopt democracy or be ruled by a dictatorship? Discover wh...