What If: Science, Theory, and Possibilities

About 50,000 years ago, we shared this planet with different hominids called the Neanderthals. Their species wasn't human, but they weren't far from it either. No longer walking among us, these early cousins of humans died out long ago. But not before they had a chance to, uh, get intimate with some of our ancestors. But if you were to mate with a Neanderthal today, what would your children look l...

This is a simulation of what would happen if an interstellar harbinger of doom smashed into Earth. That odd cigar-shaped asteroid is Oumuamua, the very first interstellar rock on record. 'Interstellar' means it came from outside the Solar System. The force of a collision with this rock would carve a crater the size of a city, vaporizing everything nearby. However, Oumuamua is not the worst interst...

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Protect your data for only $2 a month with CyberGhost VPN VENUS. Hellscape of the Solar System. I made it through the trial by fire, and was reborn, like the phoenix from the ashes. I ran the gauntlet from the atmosphere, dealt with problem after problem, and finally, I was defeated. By the way, watch Part 1 of this Venerial adventure before you dive into this one. Okay, let's go. Support us on Pa...

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Protect your data for only $2 a month with CyberGhost VPN VENUS. Hellscape of the Solar System. I made it through the trial by fire, and was reborn, like the phoenix from the ashes. I ran the gauntlet from the atmosphere, dealt with problem after problem, and finally, I was defeated. By the way, watch Part 1 of this Venerial adventure before you dive into this one. Okay, let's go. Support us on Pa...

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get your bone flute and gather around the fire. We're taking you back to the time of woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats. You're living in the Stone Age. What tools would you use in this primitive world? How would you communicate with others? Would you have to eat your family? For the transcript and sources, visit What If website. Questions or concerns? Contact us. Get our 100 best episodes in...

Taller than a six-story building, longer than three school buses, and ten times as heavy as an elephant, the Argentinosaurus—the largest dinosaur ever—is imagined back from extinction. What would life be like walking among these giants? How could we possibly tame them? And how might they threaten human society? Discover why it's called the Argentine lizard. Timeline: 00:00 - Largest dinosaur ever...

Let's step back. 2 billion years back into Earth's evolution. A time full of life but also mass extinction. An invisible threat was on the loose, ready to change the course of history. This was a time on Earth that directly impacted what the world is like today. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/whatifshow/membership Check out our other channels: How to Survive: https://bit.ly/how-to-...

Oh my. Have you done something different with your peepers? Like maybe swapped them out for a pair of freakishly oversized fly eyes? They look functional. How would you see the world around you? What would you look like to other people? And how would this change your buzz life? Er, I mean love life? Transcript and sources: whatifshow.com Timeline: 00:00 Waking up with fly eyes 00:40 Compound eyes...

A giant, fork-tongued lizard with razor-sharp teeth and bacteria-laced venom. This is no legend; it's a Komodo dragon. What would happen if you were attacked by one of these giant lizards? What would be your best bet to fight it off? For the full transcript and sources, visit What If Show. Questions or concerns? Contact us at Underknown. Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book: The What...

Welcome to Jurassic World in real life. Let's explore the idea of reviving some of the most dangerous creatures that ever roamed the Earth. What could possibly go wrong? How might we clone dinosaurs? What would life be like with them back on Earth, and which ones would have you for breakfast first? Timeline: 00:00 - Jurassic World IRL? 00:45 - Dinosaur DNA 02:07 - Cloning dinosaurs 03:05 - Finding...

If you could turn everything you touched into gold, how soon would your life become unbearable? Why would this superpower not make you rich? Why could things around you explode? And how could one touch end all life on the planet? Transcript and sources: whatifshow.com Questions or concerns? Contact us at underknown.com/contact Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book: bit.ly/ytc-the-what...

Antimatter is the most potent fuel source known to humanity. It could be the secret to faster-than-light space travel. Where in the Universe would we find antimatter? How fast could it make your spaceship travel? And why would you want to stock up on bananas on your intergalactic trip? Timeline: 00:00 - Most potent fuel source 00:38 - Antimatter particles 01:49 - Where can we find antimatter? 02:5...

This superconducting magnet can do more than attract paper clips. It could unlock energy sources that might liberate humans from fossil fuels. But what if you swallow it? How would it change your DNA? How would it affect your animal instincts? Transcript and sources: whatifshow.com Questions or concerns? Contact us at underknown.com/contact Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book: bit.l...

The captain sounds the alarm. The waters around the ship rumble as strange lights from below move closer. Something is emerging from the Mariana Trench, and it doesn't belong on Earth. If aliens lived in the ocean's deepest place, how would they look and communicate? What might happen if we contact them? Transcript and sources: What If Show Timeline: 00:00 - Aliens in Mariana Trench? 00:39 - What...

When you face an uncomfortable situation, you might choose to run and hide. But wouldn’t it be easier if you could suddenly blend into your surroundings? In what ways could you camouflage your body? How would your skin need to be different? And how would this ability change the way you interact with the world? 00:00 Blending into your surroundings00:46 Natural camouflage01:54 Humans being like cha...

Carbon is the primary building block of life on Earth. What if we replaced human life with silicon? Explore how silicon-based humans might look and act. Timeline: 00:00 Silicon-based life 00:53 Carbon life 02:32 Weak double bonds 03:42 Molecule movement 04:19 Sulphuric acid oceans Transcript and sources: What If website Questions or concerns? Contact us at Underknown Get our 100 best episodes in o...

The legendary dinosaur predator is back! A hungry T. rex has its sights set on dinner... looks like today, that's you. What would a T. rex bite do to a human? Is Jurassic Park right about this dinosaur's quick running speed, or are these predators slow but deadly? Find out if you could escape the jaws of a Tyrannosaurus rex. For the full transcript and sources, visit our website. Questions or conc...

Do you want to feel like you're at the internal temperature of a steak? Or maybe fry an egg with no stove? Welcome to Death Valley, and the "death" part is accurate. This national park stretching through California and Nevada is so hot you can barely breathe. For the transcript and sources, visit What If Show. Questions or concerns? Contact us. Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book: T...

It's the largest shark that's ever lived on Earth against a monstrous whale who terrorizes its prey. Would the megalodon shark or the Leviathan whale win this epic underwater matchup? Which underwater predator is bigger and who has the strength to take out the enemy? Subscribe to Versus: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjdqErCKFtO6Y2pd2fBB7g Transcript and sources: https://whatifshow.com/what-if...

You've heard the Soundgarden song, but how about a real Black Hole Sun collision? Most black holes are the remnants of massive stars. Would our Sun survive the collision, or could a black hole make some serious cosmic trouble for the ruler of our Solar System? Transcript and sources: What If Questions or concerns? Contact us at Underknown Contact Get our 100 best episodes in one mind-blowing book:...