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What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions Hardcover – September 2, 2014
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions Hardcover – September 2, 2014
by Randall Munroe (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars
The creator of the webcomic that is wildly popular xkcd, funny and insightful answers to the most important questions you've never considered of asking.
Many millions of visitors come to xkcd.com every week to read the cult Randall Munroe webcomic. His stick-figure illustrations of technology, science languages, love, and language have a huge and devoted audience.
The xkcd fans ask Munroe many bizarre questions. What would you do if you hit a baseball that is pitched at 90 percent of the rate of light? What speed can you hit a speed bump when living and driving? If there were a robotic Apocalypse, how long will humanity be around?
In search of solutions, Munroe runs computer simulations and sifts through piles of classified military research memos as well as solves differential equations and talks to nuclear reactor managers. His replies are masterpieces of clarity and humor and are complemented by the distinctive comics from xkcd. They usually predict the complete destruction of humanity or at the very the very least, a massive explosion.
The book features new and never-before-answered questions, along with updated and expanded versions of the most popular answers from the xkcd website. What If? will be a must-read for those who love xkcd, and for anyone else who enjoys pondering the possibilities.
Best Book of the Month September 2014. Imagine if everyone in the world pointed with a laser towards the moon simultaneously? What if you could remove all the water out of the oceans? What if all lightning strikes in the world hit in the same location? What if you had a book that addressed strange or even absurd questions and was so captivating that you were compelled to skim the pages to discover what would happen if throw a baseball at a lightning speed? In The What Would You Do, Randall Munroe has published a book that does just that. Similar to his extremely well-known the xkcd webcomic Munroe employs reasoned thinking and study to hypothetical dilemmas that range between the philosophical and scientific (often absurd and never a fake) which probably seemed amazing when you were in elementary school, but they were never adequately answered. It's a rare mix of amusing and educating. --Jon Foro.
Review
Review
"What If? One of my Internet must-reads. I am looking forward to every new book, and I always devour it with pleasure." Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing
"Randall Munroe is a national treasure." --Phil. Plait
"For researchers, the cost of development is the need for specialization. If the primary goal of any scientist is to claim only a small portion of the field It's difficult for non-specialists to answer the crucial inter-disciplinary questions. For instance, is it possible to construct jetpacks using down-firing gun designs? The answer is yes, and they are able to turn to Randall Munroe, the author of the XKCD comic strip, which is loved by people who appreciate online culture. . . . For Munroe who writes with clarity and wit that he has honed through eight years of captions written on his website, knowing the problem might be difficult to resolve is no obstacle to exploring it." Wall Street Journal's blog Speakeasy
"By speaking the language of geeks. . . while dealing with relationships and the meaning of a computer-centric life, xkcd has become required reading for techies across the world ....The Internet has also created a bond between Mr. Munroe and his readers that is exceptional. They reenact in real life the odd ideas he puts forward in his strip." --The New York Times
"With his steady regimen of math jokes, physics jokes, and antisocial optimism, xkcd creator Randall Munroe, a former NASA roboticist, scores traffic numbers in NBC.com or Oprah.com territory. One key to the strip's success may be that it doesn't just comment on nerd culture, it embodies nerd culture." Wired, in a magazine with "the people who have shaped the planet's past 20 years"
"Sometimes the beloved geek-chic webcomic xkcd is funny in a broadly accessible way. Sometimes it's achingly poignant, sometimes it's socially intelligent, and sometimes it's esoteric humor that programmers or scientists have to explain to the rest of us. But at its most ambitious, it either packs massive amounts of interesting information into a small space, or engages in breathtaking experiments with the medium .... [A]t its best [xkcd] isn't a strip comic so much as an idea factory and a shared experience." --Onion AV Club.
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2017
Best bathroom book ever... and I mean that in the very best possible way you can imagine.
If you want your party guests to quickly return to intelligent conversations after visiting the loo, while still providing them with appropriate reading material, you cannot possibly do better than this.
Short chapters, great illustrations, fascinating topics...
I don't even want to think about how many hours of research went into this book, but it is absolutely amazing and I have given away multiple copies to friends over the years. Very, very highly recommended if you have even a passing interest in science and geekiness...
Thank you Randall Munroe!
80 people found this helpful
Our family has enjoyed some of the what if scenarios and laughed about ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2016
Our family has enjoyed some of the what if scenarios and laughed about them. Our children are all teenagers, and they are able to understand the science as explained in the book. Their favorites are the fastest manmade object and the nuclear reactor swimming pool. The teenagers have asked us to read these aloud on long car trips.
93 people found this helpful
What if you bought this book and had a blast with Munroe's take on absurd questions?
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2017
If you enjoy Randall Munroe's webcomic, XKCD.com , you will love this fun compilation from his blog- What if? Readers present him with absurd questions such as: What would happen if everyone on earth was in the same place and they all jumped simultaneously? Or Could you make a periodic table with actual pieces of each element? Or What would happen if you went swimming in the containment pool of a nuclear reactor? Munroe applies his extensive knowledge to each question- with unexpected and entertaining results. I bought this book after thoroughly enjoying another of his books- Thing Explainer. I purchased both because I have enjoyed XKCD for years and wanted to support his efforts. I'm glad I did, because I will enjoy sharing both with family and friends!
59 people found this helpful
A go-to gift option if ever there was!
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2017
I purchased this as a gift but managed to read almost the entire book without breaking the binding before I gave it away. I witnessed a 17-year old boy shout with laughter and delight as he turned the pages for the first time. I laughed out loud while reading it, myself. "This is AWESOME!" he crowed, and immediately began reading excerpts to me. Definitely a hit! Most of my gifts tend to be literary. I believe books are so valuable; they can be read and shared over and over again throughout a lifetime. This book, in particular, could be given to so many diverse individuals! I can't think of a single acquaintance of mine who would not get a kick out of it. It would also be great to keep on the bedside table in the guest room for restless visitors. Enjoy!
46 people found this helpful
A great coffee-table book for the avid learner.
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2016
I love sharing the things I learn from this book with my roommates. Sadly, some of them don't understand why on earth I'd want to read what they deem a physics textbook that tells you nothing useful. I rebuttal by explaining that it's not too different from Mythbusters. Sometimes the absurd questions have definite answers, like what would happen to the batter if a pitcher pitched a ball at nearly the speed of light. Some simply don't have fun answers, but he takes them a step further to make them fun! Similar to Mythbusters, where the see what would have to happen to get the desired result. What happens if everyone on earth shined a laser pointer at the moon? Nothing noticeable. What about if everyone on the earth shined a megawatt laser at the moon? something much more interesting. This book is all kinds of fun and a great coffee-table book. I can highly reccomend it.
39 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2015
This was much more detailed and advanced than I thought it would be. It popped up when I was searching for books for my son, books that had to do with subjects like anatomy and maps and other "intelligent" topics (vs. picture books and character stories). It's way too advanced for my son, but my husband will love it and perhaps can simplify the ideas for my son. The book itself is very interesting, but might be a bit much for those not too mathematically inclined.
31 people found this helpful
Become the Overlord of High School Nerds
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2014
When I opened this book, I was a bit worried that it wouldn't be worth it since I've read all the what-ifs online. Was I just paying for a physical version of those?
But the book is SO worth it. You can feel Randall's humor seep in every inch, from the preface to the "Weird and Worry questions" that he adds every five what-ifs or so that help spice up the flow. The organization of the questions also helps, as sometimes there are follow up questions to certain ones (such as what would the Earth look like if there was a drain at the bottom of the oceans, which lead to what if that drain emptied out in Mars) or questions about a topic (LIGHTNING!!).
If that description doesn't entice you enough, I will also let you know that I have five people begging me to finish the book faster so that they can borrow it and read it. If you're a parent of a nerdy high schooler and you want to be a "better friend" to him or her, this book is it. Seriously. Their reach of command over their friends will become so high that you won't have to pack lunch for them because they're getting free food, you never have to pick them up because they're getting free rides, and they might not even have to write their college essays.
Okay the last one is a stretch if your kid is applying to Stanford because no one wants to write four five hundred word supplemental essays.
But don't tell them I said that if you're not planning to get this for them because then they will beg you every day for this book and as such kid, I know how annoying I can be :D
I do have to add that if you're an avid reader of his online What-Ifs, then you will find it very frustrating that your ability to hover over the pictures to see the alt-text has now been taking away due to the conversion of the medium. Also a bit weird to have to refer to the footnotes. But after reading "Yes, centrifugal force. I will fight you," you will forget about the little things that trip you up while you read.
5 people found this helpful
Funny, Original, and Interesting! Makes me remember a piece of my childhood
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2019
When I was a child, my brother would draw these 4 panel stick figure comics, just for kicks. They would have such random content, portraying everything from everyday life to scientific wonders. In addition, the extent of my drawing skills is stick figures - I had countless drawings of stick figures fighting each other in some interplanetary war.
This book brought back those old, nostalgic memories. Reading through each question has made me laugh to myself, at the originality of the author's response as well as the ridiculousness of the scenario. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a fun read, or wants to gift such a read to someone else.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2018
Bought this for my 10 year old advanced reader (reads at 10th - 11th grade level).
She enjoys this book very much. Good thing about this book: you don’t have to start from chapter 1. You can skip to where you want to read. I also listened to this one on audible. It was very enjoyable.
Two thumbs up by my 10 year old daughter.
5 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2021
If you have a teenage boy who drives you crazy asking you "what if" or "which would you rather" questions, this is for him! Yes, I have one of those boys, and sure enough, on Christmas day, as he leafed through the book, he was exclaiming "Hey, I was just asking this question!" Definitely a hit. Side note: I once read that boys are more likely to read non-fiction books than fiction. As a mom of a lot of "readers," I was puzzled as to why this smart kid could not seem to finish a fiction book. I realized he DOES gravitate toward non-fiction, so this book follows in that vein.
Entertaining & Educational for all ages
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2015
This was a gift for my adult son with a super high functioning "science" brain. He enjoys solving problems, hypothetical's and logic games. The info in this book covers relatively simple question & answers to some things we all have pondered at least once in our life...depending on how old you are. If your interested in finding out the answer to "If every person on Earth aimed a laser pointer at the Moon at the same time, would it change color?"...read this book. Ok, that's a simple one but there are also Q's that require several pages to explain and answer.
You don't have to be a science geek to understand the answers as they are written in simple language everyone can grasp. The print is large so this would be a great book for anyone in elementary school all the way to your Great-Grandma and there are lots of stick figure drawings & diagrams! From the front cover to back, inside the front and back covers there are entertaining pictures and knowledge. For a hard cover book with a nice dust jacket its a pretty good price too at around $13.
4 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2018
I saw this at a seminar I was attending, as one of the participants brought it to read when we weren't involved in the meeting. I enjoyed the couple of discussion we got into over some of the topics in the book that I ordered one for me and the fam. The kids loved it. It's very similar to the "Because Science" Youtube clips. Where the author answers, scientifically / mathematically, etc. some of the really bizarre questions he's received over the years.
The one that got the most heated discussion around the dinner table was "What if there really was only 1 other person in the whole world who was your true soulmate? What are the chances that you would actually end up with that person?"
Bottom line; we all really enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2020
I bought this for my very smart 16 year old grandson. It is always my practice to read whatever I give to my kids, so, I read this book and could not put it down! It's very well written and full of humor, so, it was a fun and interesting read. I have to admit that I'm not a science geek (he is), but, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It might not be for everybody, but, if you have a kid or a person that likes sciencey, geeky stuff, they will love this book. I plan to tell him that if he doesn't like it, to give it back to me because I loved it!
Great book, lots of good (if useless) information. A must-buy for xkcd fans!
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2015
If you have read *ANY* of the xkcd website by Randall Munroe, you know what you are getting into here. As the title says, it answers serious scientific answers to absurd questions. Want to know if you can use a balloon to paraglide? Drop from the top of a building and grab a flagpole to launch yourself back up? xkcd is the place to find all that.
Some of the questions answered here are on the website, but that shouldn't stop you from buying this book. If you don't appreciate the effort to research the gravitational force of an apple (either the fruit or the electronic gadget), you may not fully appreciate this book. However, if you get a kick out of nerdy minutia (and know what minutia means), this is DEFINITELY the book for you.
Will any of this new knowledge save you, or your loved ones? Probably not. However, you can have the satisfaction knowing that you have researched what the earth would look like if all the water drained down the Mariana Trench. And have cute stick-figure drawings to show people, in case they, too, want to know this information.
9 people found this helpful
Best book for scientific, math, astronomy, geology, etc nerds on the planet.
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2014
Best book for scientific, math, astronomy, geology, etc nerds on the planet. This is a collection of the weird questions one is afraid to ask. Then we get real scientific answers from a real scientist who knows his stuff.
Advice: If you don't know the basics of science and math, much of this will be beyond you. But Randall Munroe actually makes the most complex scientific situations easily understood. And the humor, much of it dark, is exceptional. There is a little non PC, but in a way that makes the craziest of the PC stuff funny and enjoyable. If I did not know better, I would, based on his humor, think Randall was British, but he is not. Randall was a roboticist for NASA and has an real live asteroid (4942 Munroe) named for him.
Randall is the creator of the xkcd comic. If you like xkcd, you will love this book. You can buy a signed copy for more on his website, but I could not wait and got my unsigned copy through Amazon. (It reads nearly the same.)
6 people found this helpful
The author takes numerous absurd questions like that and answers them scientifically
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2015
If you are interested in what would happen if a baseball was thrown at near the speed of light, then this is the book for you. The author takes numerous absurd questions like that and answers them scientifically. If you got enough people to shine laser pointers all at once at the moon, how many would you need to be able to see the light hit the moon's surface? What would happen if the earth stopped spinning? These questions and many others are given a scientific answer. Randall Munroe is a scientific cartoonist on the net. He publishes the web page xkcd. If you know that web site, then you know how wacky he can be. But I found a lot to think about as I was reading the book. It is easy to think of Mr. Munroe's answers as being "skin deep" with little substance, but each answer has been thought about and researched so that even though we are coming from the absurd you can bet that if a baseball was thrown at near the speed of light, the resulting scenario would probably be what Munroe suggests. This book brings out the "little child" scientist in each of us. It was a great recreational read.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2017
This book is amazing and very enjoyable. Many of the questions might seem nonsense, but you learn a lot about science by the answers the author give to them.
What I like most is the author way of thinking and how he addresses the problem in a very funny way. Many answers might not be “perfect” or 100% accurate, but he finds an approach that might get him close enough to a correct answer.
At the end, what matters the most is the process to get the answer rather than the answer itself; and like I said before, you learn a lot about science just by following this process.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2017
It's a challenge to get my boyfriend's 14-yo son to read. He's fascinated by science, and also constantly asking absurd hypothetical questions. So I got him this. I have never seen him voluntarily camp out on the couch with a book for a whole afternoon before. He giggled all the way through, and was really proud of himself for finishing the book in just a couple of weeks (fast for him). It also answered some of his silliest questions, and questions so silly even he'd never though of them - all with a scientific accuracy that two professional scientists raising a science-minded kid can get behind. Win-win!
One person found this helpful
Great book with awesome facts for silly hypotheticals
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2015
(copied from Goodreads)
If you're unaware of the webcomic xkcd I feel bad for you son. I got 99 questions, but Goku ain't one.
Randall Munroe used to work for NASA but he quit to draw several math & science cartoons every week (or so I imagine). He also started a blog, offering "serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions" and this book is a collection of some of the best online What If questions & answers, along with a bunch of new ones.
I've been a fan of xkcd for years, but it wasn't until a year or two ago that I found a twitter feed that alerted me to new comics. (You see, I'm really bad at visiting a site two times a week to get new content without a tweet giving me a link when said content is available).
I've read a few of Randall's What If blogs (at least I think I must have because a few chapters felt very familiar), but I'm no regular so the book was almost all new to me.
Munroe is a brilliant writer. His drawings are simple, yet detailed, and highly accurate. His scientific background (and extensive research) leads him to give great (and sometimes ridiculous) answers to silly questions such as "Is it possible to build a jetpack using downward-firing machine guns?" or "What if a rainstorm dropped all of its water in a single giant drop?"
The book is definitely more entertaining than it is educational (I can't think of any specific fact that I learned that would ever come in handy in life), but there is definitely some great math and science within these pages. I already preordered his next book, Thing Explainer—a collection of line drawings describing interesting things, by using only the 1000 (or rather, "ten hundred") most common English words. For an example of what I mean, check out this webcomic describing the Saturn V (Up Goer Five) rocket: http://xkcd.com/1133/
One person found this helpful
Making Science Entertaining with Explosions and Destruction
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2014
A reader comes away from Randall Munroe's book, which is subtitled "Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions," with the sense that Munroe likes to blow things up and burn them to the ground, and that may well be the case. Many of his answers are accompanied by the standard disclaimer—do not try this at home—except when says, "If you do do this at home, please send me the video."
Munroe is a former robotics expert with NASA who "dropped out" to draw web comics. His most famous creation is xkcd, where three times a week he publishes a new comic, many of them presenting a fascinating—or ludicrous—take on math, physics, technology or life. His drawing style is at once simplistic and instantly recognizable. His people are stick figures, but that doesn't diminish their cleverness. This book is illustrated with similar drawings, often to provide the punch lines to jokes delivered in the text or to demonstrate a point.
Since he's obviously very clever and resourceful, and seems willing to tackle enormous questions, his readers and fans often ask him questions. Some of these are, quite frankly, disturbing. These he relegates to interludes between batches of chapters with the appropriate heading "Weird (and Worrying) Questions from the What If? Inbox." Usually he answers these questions with a simple NO! or a scream, or a comic of the author reporting the questioner to the police, the FBI or Homeland Security.
The other questions are of the sort that college kids might come up with late at night in dorm rooms or geeks would get into heated arguments over at ComicCon. No one asks Munroe who would win in a fight between this superhero and that one, but maybe he's keeping those for the follow-up.
Many questions are about a matter of scale. How many of these objects would you need to do that? What would happen if something this big suddenly showed up or plummeted to the earth? A disturbingly large number of them ask what would happen to a person if something cataclysmic happened, like the sudden disappearance of all of their DNA (his answer unexpectedly segues into the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer).
Some questions have straightforward, simple answers. "What would happen to the Earth if the Sun suddenly turned off?" Everyone would freeze to death. However, Munroe is rarely content to stop there. He expands on these answers, taking them to a logical (or, some might say, illogical) extreme. He ups the ante, going far beyond what the person submitting the question had in mind—far beyond what is even remotely possible, so the answers become thought experiments. Many of his answers end with the extinguishing of life on earth or the destruction of the planet.
But there's a method to his madness. He isn't just speculating. Okay, he does occasionally speculate, but he usually relies on hard science, with a few assumptions. While the book is entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, it is also educational. There are very few formulas (the book does have an extensive bibliography where there are, no doubt, more than enough equations to satisfy those who demand more rigorous proofs), and Munroe takes some numerical shortcuts, but one is left with the impression that he has given these questions a great deal of thought and conducted considerable research.
This would be a terrific book to give to someone with a burgeoning curiosity about the nature of things, as it demonstrates how entertaining science can be. Many of the answers are astonishing and counterintuitive, until Munroe lays out the reasoning behind them. What would happen to a glass of water if the lower half of the liquid were suddenly replaced by a vacuum. Not at all what a person might anticipate. If humanity were to die off (there he goes again), what would be the last remaining manmade source of light? Again, he digs deep, pursuing some unexpected avenues.
Plus, for people who appreciate Munroe's unique, twisted sense of humor, the book is drop dead funny. But, as humorist Dave Barry often says, don't try to duplicate his experiments at home. By his own admission, he is not an expert on these subjects. Because he is willing to consult true experts, he just sounds like one.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2016
"What If?" thought experiments are highly re-readable, plus it contains several good ones that aren't on the website such as "What if all of your DNA disappeared" and "What if you touched a piece of neutronium?", which are two questions that you will definitely want to know the answers too.
I hope Munroe has enough time to write a Volume Two or at least an expanded edition because after this book was published, "What If?" finally featured a thought experiment that destroyed the universe. Which is really the only way to end a book like this, as if it were escalating catastrophes inflicted by a curious child-god upon a virtual universe. Which is also a pretty good description of "imagination" I guess .
One person found this helpful
I particularly enjoyed the authors explanations as well
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2017
The book "What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions" by Randall Munroe, provided very interesting explanations to very odd hypothetical questions. Despite not reading the blog, I found that when I started the book I did not feel out of place. The questions discussed were so random that it made it very enjoyable to turn the page and see what was next. As I was reading this book I noticed that I was progressing slower then I usually would. At first this was worrying to me, but after some internal thought I realized I was just thinking about what I was reading more. I particularly enjoyed the authors explanations as well. He provided a very in depth explanation on subjects that I had never even thought about. Despite this book being a hardy read, I really enjoyed the authors descriptions and the questions asked.
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2018
Another purchase my wife bought for me.
I really enjoy this book. It is not a captivating read that refuses to let you put it down, but its perfect for those moments where you have a couple minutes and want some truly interesting information. The author has clearly spent his time to provide a mostly scientific approach to answering silly questions. It's fun, and the science that is presented doesn't completely fly in the face of logic. The plausible answers for silly scenarios that make for an enjoyable read.
Great book. I wish this had been given to me in a math class when I was in school.
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2014
Mr. Munroe has been entertaining us for years, while sneakily teaching us. This book, by itself, is worth four stars. I would happily give it five stars, but much of the material has been covered on his website. Confused? I'll clear it up a bit.
As a visual artist, the author is somewhat lacking the technical ability of say... Rembrandt or DaVinci or even Dali (but now he can claim to have been compared to those artists... I'd put that on my resume), but his art does cut straight to the heart of the matter. As someone who is more scientist than artist, I find that his art speaks to me much more than say... Warhol or Leibovitz. It's pretty cool to see an artist that speaks my language.
His write-ups are thoughtful, cutting to the heart of the matter in most cases. He doesn't get too entrenched in hammering down every last detail. Instead, his methodologies are incredibly applicable to real life situations (even though his actual problems are unlikely in the extreme). These techniques will be used to figure out which problems need to be paid attention to, and if they are truly problems, to what magnitude. I wish Mr. Munroe had been teaching one of my physics or math classes...
If you're the kind of reader that is going to love these discussions, absolutely enjoying the content, and not give anything back to the artist who made it, then you may have a problem with this book. Particularly if you didn't read the review all the way through.
I'm giving the book 5 stars because he's taught us so much, without any real direct contribution from me. The website and the book are fantastic, even if much of the book is already contained within the website. If you buy this book and give it to the right kid, you'll change his life. That's a good book by any estimation.
2 people found this helpful
Thought-provoking bathroom reading
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2016
Picked up this book as a gift after seeing it on a friend's coffee table and spending a good part of the afternoon flipping through it. The book is written by the creator of XKCD, so that right there should give you some idea about how detailed the responses are. The book is written in a Q and A style, with typical answers spanning the course of 2-4 pages. There's a whole bunch of random information in there. This is not the place to look if you need serious answers to real questions, but it's a fun brain exercise to see how the author arrives at actual answers to absurdist questions. This would be a fun book to leave in a bathroom or waiting area, as you can read it in short increments.
2 people found this helpful
Bernie GourleyTop Contributor: Fantasy Books
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2015
If you like the tv show "Mythbusters" and snarky and / or silly humor, you’ll love Randall Munroe’s "What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions". Munroe gained internet fame (still not the same as real fame) drawing the popular webcomic "xkcd". The book’s subtitle says it all. Munroe solicited questions from his web-legion (not the same as a real legion) of fans, selected a collection that he found intriguing, and answers them with a mix of science and humor. Munroe’s bona fides to answer questions of a technical nature include a degree in physics from Christopher Newport University and a brief career as a roboticist for NASA—though he’s fond of pointing out that that he’s just a web-cartoonist whenever his answers might be wrong.
Each chapter presents a detailed answer to one of the absurd hypothetical questions. Most of the chapters are just a few pages long and feature the same variety of stick-figure cartoon that grace the "xkcd" website. He covers 60-ish questions in the book. Scattered throughout the book are sections called “Weird (and Worrying) Questions” which usually don’t receive answers but merely cartoons that mock the demented mind that came up with said question. (If that seems harsh, keep in mind that many of the questions he does answer are pretty warped (e.g. setting off a nuke in a hurricane or whether steady rising would result in death by freezing or suffocation).)
Like the "Mythbusters", Munroe does an excellent job of selecting questions that have unexpected answers. For example, the author addresses the question of what would happen if one went swimming in a spent fuel pool (nuclear fuel rods are stored underwater for a long time after they come out of the reactor before they can go to dry storage.) The answer: Nothing if one swam near the surface, but if you swam down and touched the casks, you’d die in minutes. Munroe also takes liberty to find the more interesting unintended consequences embedded in some of the questions. For example, he dismissively answers the old question about whether every human on the planet standing as close together as possible and jumping so as to land simultaneously would have any effect on the planet. Instead, he takes on the questions of the logistics of getting everyone to one place, how much space humanity would take up, and how / whether people could get out of this state of shoulder-to-shoulder proximity alive.
Some of the questions are impossible to answer with certainty but Munroe takes them on when he can offer reasonable, scientifically-based speculation. For example, what will the area that is currently New York City look like in a million years? His answer is more or less: Who cares? Humans will be long gone and veins of plastic in past landfills will be the only evidence that we ever existed. Another such question is how much power can Yoda achieve through application of the Force?
Besides the many physics question (e.g. What’s the fastest speed at which one can hit a speed bump and live?), there are others that involve mathematics, chemistry, and biology. Mathematics questions include calculations of the likelihood that one would find his or her soulmate if each person really only had one soul mate. (My Indian friends might be pleased to know that we’d all be screwed if that were the case.) There are actually many questions that hinge on mathematical calculations.
One of my favorite chapters is in the domain of chemistry, and it answers what would happen if one tried to make a wall by collecting together blocks of all of the elements in the periodic table in the relative position in which they exist on the table? Answer: Nothing good. There are a few biologically centered questions as well. Munroe takes on the question of how much computing power human brains collectively have—and the more interesting unasked question of how human “computing” is different from that of machines.
I’d highly recommend this book for science lovers. In fact, even people who don’t care for science may find this book palatable because of its humor and the fascinating questions it addresses.
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2021
All the things I never knew that I wanted to know! Now at last, I know what percentage of the world's ants it would take to fill up a football stadium. Lots of entertaining reading, interspersed with the author's witty comments and droll cartoons. Don't miss it!
One person found this helpful
Can you build a jetpack with downward firing machine guns?
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this book was. I bought the book on pre-order back in April and promptly forgot about it. When it was sent to my Kindle in September I thought these would be serious scientific questions along the lines of what you'd see Neil deGrasse Tyson talk about on the History Channel or something. Instead this book is full of entertaining and absurd questions that are answered in a fairly thorough scientific way. Not only that but the author is a physicist AND cartoonist, so the book is illustrated with stick figure cartoons that are actually both relevant to the science and funny.
The book addresses questions such as what happens if everyone on Earth shined a laser pointer at the moon? What would happen if a pitcher threw a fastball at the speed of light? Can you build a jetpack with downward firing machine guns? The book takes the questions in a sort of Mythbusters sort of way (meaning that a plausible explanation is attempted first then an extreme example just because!). Usually each chapter ends with we all die.
The book has many humorous quotes and analogies, and can make many scientific scenarios understandable to the average person (non-scientist). "Think of the elements as dangerous, radioactive, short lived Pokemon"
I highly recommend for anyone who likes science, humor, the history channel, the show Mythbusters, random what if questions, or for that know-it-all friend (we all have one). This book is a fun read!
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2019
I bought this for a middle school aged child for Christmas. I am not sure if he liked it, but I enjoyed flipping through the pages before I wrapped it. There is a ton of crazy random information somehow put together accompanied with some fun little pictures with stick figures to help you visualize whatever information you are reading about.
A great gift for someone that you have no idea what to give to them, and also this book is a great way to pass the time if you are bored.
Informative, surprising and very fun
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2015
The creator of the "xkcd" comic provides "Serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions."
Yes, serious in intelligence -- Munroe is an incredibly smart guy with an incredibly smart group of math/science collaborators -- but playful in execution as they think waaay outside the box and ramp up nerdy questions to full-on exaggeration and, often, global annihilation. :)
It's hard to choose favorites from the ~50 Q&As but here are three to give a feel for the questions and answers:
* "If every human somehow simply disappeared from the face of the Earth, how long would it be before the last artificial light source would go out?" -- turns into an overview of all of our power-generating technologies and ends up centuries into the future, with the glow from nuclear waste.
* "What is the farthest one human being has ever been from every other living person? Were they lonely?" -- puts early explorers in the running, but then settles on "the six Apollo command module pilots who stayed in lunar orbit [...alone while the] other astronauts landed on the moon" -- about 3585 km apart. And no, since the pilots tended to be introverts, they felt solitude not loneliness.
* "What if a Richter magnitude 15 earthquake were to hit America at, let's say, New York City? What about a Richter 20? 25?" After answering that a 15 would blow up the planet, Munroe turns instead to low-magnitude events, from Magnitude -1 ("A single football player running into a tree in your yard") and moving entertainingly downward to Magnitude -15 ("A drifting mote of dust coming to rest on a table").
It's informative, surprising and very fun.
Five-word hook: Randall Munroe writes a book.
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2020
This book makes me infinitely happy. I love Munroe's humor, and this book doesn't disappoint. (It should be pretty apparent to anyone looking at the cover that it's the author of xkcd, but I'm putting it out there for anyone who's missed it: IT'S AUTHORED BY THE CREATOR OF XKCD.)
I appreciate his willingness to delve into mysteries that we never even knew we wanted to explore and the seriousness with which he scientifically examines them. Then there's always his snark that punctuates his explanations. My only problem is that I don't have enough self-control, so I'm in danger of finishing it all instead of doing things I'm supposed to.
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2014
This book is awesome. The author is some crazy smart ex-NASA physicist or quit to draw cartoons. The questions posed in a "Dear Abby" fashion are funny or hmmm moments, but the author gives fascinating answers that are a combo of jokes mixed with science, math or incredibly hard parts of each. The stick figure cartoons only add to the enjoyment. I had no idea most of the time what the actual science or math equations he was talking about about, but you know, I was so entertained, it didn't matter.
I am learning so much from this book (taking awhile because you actually have to sit and think and think some more). Even if you don't have a science background, this book/Kindle book is a must-have. Great gift for college students. Q:If a person starts rising from the ground at 1 meter an hour, how long would it take them to reach space. A: Science, Joke about someone hanging out a window and grabbing them, science, hope you brought a jacket, science, might have brought a sandwich cause this may take awhile. Note: Not actual words from book, but approximate.
2 people found this helpful
Timothy HaughTop Contributor: Baby
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2014
What kind of person does it take to seriously consider questions like “From what height would you need to drop a steak for it to be cooked when it hit the ground?” or “In the movie 300 they shoot arrows up into the sky and they seemingly blot out the sun. Is this possible, and how many arrows would it take?” Fortunately, there is such a person. Randall Munroe not only takes these questions seriously but he answers them to the best of his scientific ability. And, double fortunately, he has published his answers in this excellent book.
Yes, many of the questions he addresses are various levels of weird (and worrying); however, it’s surprising how truly interesting some of the questions are. Who hasn’t wondered, at some point, if each person has only one soul mate, what would happen if everyone on earth jumped from the same spot at the same time, or how high a human can throw something? These are just a handful of the questions Mr. Munroe tackles.
Of course, many of the questions he answers end (or, sometimes, begin) with the destruction of the world and humankind. Even so, he answers everything with aplomb, humor, and as much accuracy as is humanly possible. For anyone whose imagination has ranged widely and who has wondered the impossible, this is a book to read.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2014
QUICK HIT -- Fans of Munroe’s webcomics xkcd and what if? will thoroughly enjoy the new content in this book, but it’s the non-readers I envy: those who get to sit down to three hundred brand new pages of wacky hypothetical situations and laugh their way through the well-researched answers.
I don’t remember the very first xkcd comic I ever read, but I can tell you this: it’s the first website in my favorites bar that I click on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, without fail. And when he came out with his new “What If?” series, I loved them even more. You get the chance to see a lot more personality in those articles, plus you get all this brilliant physics/engineering background from a guy who literally worked at NASA.
As ridiculous as the hypothetical situations are (e.g., “What if everyone in the world jumped at the same time?” “What if you built a periodic table of elements out of cubes made of those elements?”), you get this sense of credibility in the depth of the answers. Randall takes his goofy questions seriously. But not too seriously—after all, each page is filled with jokes, quirky drawings, and, of course, the sheer comedy that comes from the consequences of these ridiculous situations.
Should you buy this book? If you’ve never read any of Randall’s work, you could always give it a test run over at http://what-if.xkcd.com. Plus, if you like it, you’ve got over 1400 comics of his to catch up on, too! It would make a great gift, too, for anyone who likes science, humor, or both of the above.
Spending a few hours with a smart alec who really is smart
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2021
What's more fun than speculating about physical events that could not really happen?
This book is based on absurd scientific questions to which hilariously serious answers are given.
You don't need an MIT education to understand this book, but it does help if you have a BTAHS education in science. (BTAHS = better than American high school)
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2019
Randall Munroe is a genius. He is educated and worked for NASA. He is also very funny. He is a genius of both worlds.
This book is so entertaining that I couldn't get past a few pages before I had to find someone to share it with.
This would make an AMAZING Gift for anyone with curiosity and/or a love for science. Remember, not all science is serious stuff. Reading the questions in the book makes me realize my curiosity isn't as strange and uncommon as my friends and family think HAHA! Even I knew C4 on a boomerang isn't a good idea.
Worth every penny-a big hit with everyone.
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2016
I got this book for my brother who pretty much has everything. He is a machinist who has to come up with solutions to plastic die problems all the time so I thought he would enjoy this book of crazy weird situations and possible conclusions. As it turned out everyone thought the book was pretty cool. My brother seemed to like it as well so it was a success. So if you don't know what to get someone who is a thinker and ponders things that other people might not than this is a great gift to give. It is a great gift for anyone any age group.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2016
I can't recommend Randall Munroe's books enough, but this one certainly delivers a unique and fun experience. The explanations are simple enough to understand with a basic grasp of physics and math. But Munroe always takes the answers in a totally different direction than you expect. This book should basically be required reading for high school and college physics. Teachers, are you listening? This would be a quick way to get students engaged and to help teach them how to both efficiently estimate and how to thoroughly research their problems. More fun than 600 spiders riding bicycles on a rapidly expanding ball of plasma. How much fun is that? Ask Randall.
2 people found this helpful
Great Book for the Family Nerd
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2019
My 23-year-old nerd son read this entire book out loud to our family the first day he got it! He loves all the weird details and mindless trivia. The author has obviously taken a few math classes and knows how to google stuff (or maybe he actually does research!). Anyhow, it entertained us all for several hours (although we are pretty easily amused). I highly recommend it to all the nerds out there who have a good sense of humor.
Scientiic answers to truly strange questions.
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2015
This one is just plain fun. The author has a wonderful sense of humor and a very readable writing style.
The book takes pages from his web site (google what-if) and gives serious scientific answers to truly strange questions. Examples; From what height would you have to drop a steak for it to be fully cooked by the time it hit the ground? If everyone on earth pointed a laser pointer at the moon would the moon's brightness change? What would happen if you made a periodic table of the element with the actual elements? His advice on that one is don't try it. What would happen if a pitcher threw a baseball toward home plate at the speed of light?
He doesn't just answer the question he takes them to the ultimate extreme going way past the actual question.
The chapters are short, a page or 3 at the most so you can easily read a chapter or 3 on a work break or at lunch.
If you have a scientific background or are a complete novice you will enjoy this book.
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2015
I am a regular visitor to xkcd.com. I do not remember when or how I found the site, but I became a fan almost immediately. In the past I have tried to describe the website. It is extremely nerdy but very approachable. It is amusing with an edge. It is smart yet simple. It is definitely more than just jokes but a sharp satire on the information age. Well sort of. There just is not a simple definition.
What If? by Randall Munroe continues the smart, indescribable humor of his website. Munroe answers interesting hypothetical questions proposed by his readers. Some questions are crazily absurd (see: if someone’s DNA suddenly vanished), while some are fascinating to think about (see: What would happen if the Earth and terrestrial objects suddenly stopped spinning…).
Randall Munroe is smart dude. He has a degree in physics and he has worked for NASA. I am sure there is some scientist out there that would reject some of the physics in this book. This book is not a guide to physics. It is an entertaining book that gets me energized about learning science, and any book that does that is remarkable.
2 people found this helpful
Refreshing addition to stale Pop-Sci genre
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2015
Let's face it, the pop-science genre has long become the province of preening egomaniacs. Buy my book and I'll explain the secrets of the Multiverse! No algebra required! It's almost as bad as the personal finance genre. Sooo, I found this book to be very refreshing. It's not some pretentious tome designed to service the author's ego under the guise of teaching science to the rubes. The questions posed can be appreciated by anyone, and the analysis presented is quite sound from a scientific perspective. The really beautiful thing is the process where Munroe takes some seemingly nonsensical question, bounds it and puts it into a form where it will submit to some meaningful mathematical analysis. The book really teaches something while it entertains.
One person found this helpful
Fun stuff from Randall Munroe of xkcd
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2020
I love Randall Munroe's xkcd cartoon, and i got this book for my husband to introduce him to Munroe's work. The book takes ridiculous ideas, and "sciences" them. If you wanted to build a lava moat around your house, could it actually be done? What would it cost? The flights of fancy grounded in hard science are a real delight.
Buy this book, read it, and give it to any kid you want to succeed.
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2017
If I had been tasked to imagine the absolute best science and math curriculum in the world, I would have fallen short of this book.
The author takes crazy-fun problems of the kind that will draw in most people, and then walks through heuristic and yet rigorous analysis of the known science and data to produce hilarious outcomes that will amuse almost anyone from children through adults.
The material is typically absurd, but the methods applied are instructive. And a child growing up having read this will have a problem solving toolbox far beyond that of what our current educational system provides.
Absurdly Fascinating & Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2014
Randall Munroe hit the nail on the head with this book. If you've ever harbored a totally unrealistic and crazy question that defies the laws of science, but you lack the science chops to explain why, pick up this book. Munroe gathers a range of questions he has been asked or come to him via his website over the years and provides detailed scientific analysis and explanation. For instance, "what would happen if a batter hit a baseball thrown at the speed of light". Most scientists would bristle at the inane questions, quickly and caustically dismissing such ridiculousness. Munroe takes the opposite tact. He digs deep into the science to provide answers. The combination of the preposterous questions, exhaustive scientific explanations and cheeky line drawings proves highly entertaining. If you ever were afraid to ask something, you'll fully appreciate Munroe's "no question is a dumb question" approach --- although he does share some some questions that don't warrant a response and make you wonder what some people are thinking. Not only will you be entertained by "What If", you 'll likely learn a thing or two.
One person found this helpful
Good News Everyone, I've Read An Amazing Book About The Destruction of The World.
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2015
This was a highly entertaining book. Nearly every chapter described some cataclysmic event in which the person who provided the question is either burned/drowned/vaporised/atomised before the rest of humanity, then the Earth itself is consumed. While this may sound morbid and possibly off-putting it is all written with great humour. I giggled my way through the entire book, my favourite chapters describing what would happen if you built a physical representation of the periodic table in your living room (nothing good is the short answer), and can you safely swim in a pool with spent nuclear rods (you'd be surprised at the answer). This book should appeal to anyone with a sense of humour, as well as science geeks and mathematicians. Part of the appeal of this book is all the answers are well researched and explained by a legitimate scientist. As implausible as the questions are, the answers are totally real....allowing for some bending of the laws of physics/reality.
If none of what I've said makes you want to buy the book then this should ; its written by an ex-NASA scientist turned cartoonist blogger. That in itself is enough of a reason!
Both funny and scientifically rigurous.
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2020
This is a very funny book. He is a very bright scientist and gives real, scientific answers to crazy questions. It is startling to recognize the depth ofhis research . And amazing to know that there are real answers to some rather bizarre questions. I enjoyed the book and haave shared it with seveeral people.
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2016
great book,
I'm having the kind of laugh only someone with enough background in math and physics truly can. But it's not too much to expect the well explained material won't educate and may be just the thing to open the eyes of aspiring, young geniuses. You can learn a lot from this book, particularly taking a more detailed examination of a question which appears absurd on the surface -- so much of what we take for granted in television and movies makes experts in the field groan audibly and cover their faces with the palm of choice -- the examination is the start of the journey toward learning (and to more questions and even more learning.)
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2017
Yes there was math and as a person who isn't great at math.. I could completely understand what the author was talking about! Yea! A couple of What If?'s were funny..love the Star Wars references! I know a lot about stuff exploding, how much energy certain things create and more!! Good read! I can't get the mole of moles out of my head... or that a earthquake magnitude of 1 if I remember correctly is the same as a football team running into your house (not Richter scale).
One person found this helpful
Smile SaurusTop Contributor: Baking
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2020
I bought this as a gift for my husband. He's an intelligent man who likes knowing the 'why' of things but he also has a great sense of humor and a love for immature things, so this book is perfect for him. I flipped through it, there are some pretty funny and interesting facts in there. He'll love it.
Questions I never knew I *needed* to know the answer to!
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2014
Imagine you're a kid asking all of the small curious things that kids ask: Why is the sky blue? What are clouds made out of? Are zebras white with black stripes, or black with white stripes?
Now imagine you're an adult, with the same inquisitive mind, not burdened by the innocence of youth, and with a twisted sense of humour: What is the nutritional value of the human body? What would happen to the economy if my printer could print money? What would happen if the earth stopped spinning?
If you can imagine that, you can imagine this book.
It's full of questions you never thought to ask, but once you read them, you can't wait to find out the answer to. Highly recommended!
4 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2015
I have followed XKCD and its What-If blog from the beginning, and I bought this book as a gift for my 11-year-old nephew, because it makes science and math fun, gross, and weird. A quick reading told me that the science and math and large swaths of text would be too challenging for this particular 11 year old, so I realized it was a great gift for my 21-year-old son, a math major at college. He and his girlfriend loved it and read it to each other on a road trip. Still, the humor and attitude make this book a great gateway into science and math.
Many entries in the book were never on the website, and one of the funniest features is the periodic listing of horrifying questions that readers sent in that he wisely chose NOT to answer.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2020
This is a very funny read. It is full of short stories. You need not be a genius to appreciate the straight science approach this book takes.
My favourite story is what if you could hit a baseball thrown by a pitcher at 90% the speed of light.
Well, let's just say he was right.
You'll learn a lot, laughing all the way
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2019
The book covers a wide range of science, with asides in every direction. You can get a feel from the "What if?" questions which the author puts on the internet. For example the first chapter, if the earth stopped spinning and the atmosphere continued to spin, tells a lot about how the earth's spin affects everything: climate, temperature, oceans, whales.
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2016
I love xkcd. I have a background in engineering, physics, and mathematics so the humor, topics, and format is quite enjoyable. We have been reading the book as a family of 5 for bedtime stories and the kids enjoy it too (ages 5-12) - that being said the kids ask questions like some in the book and tend to be more absorbed in Einstein, programming, math, dinosaurs, and robotics.
I would recommend the book to folks that like "What if" questions even when they are outrageous - I know I do.
2 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015
This is a GREAT book! Have you ever wondered if you'd be able to craft a jetpack out of downward-pointing machine guns? Or what would happen if you pitched a baseball at nearly the speed of light? Or what the world would look like if all of the water drained through a portal at the bottom of the ocean? Well, this book will answer those questions, and more! A lot of fun to read, and very easy to pick up for short periods of time. Makes for a good bathroom reader or good to read just a bit before bedtime. There are around maybe 70 scenarios that are all equally ridiculous, but the author takes the time to do his research and explain the answers to these questions using science and engineering. I'm an engineer, and really appreciate this book. However, the material is written so it can be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone with any background! I have already let several friends borrow this book and everyone has loved it. Highly recommended!
How many ways can we improbably destroy the world? Let us discuss them
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2016
Randall Munroe brings his second hit blog, What If?, to book form. The premise: provide breezy, hilarious, scientifically-accurate answer to improbable questions and scenarios. And the more likely the scenario is to end in death or destruction (ideally of the world), the better (for the reader, at least -- *not* for the hypothetical participant/perpetrator). For example:
* What would happen if a pitcher threw a baseball at close to the speed of light? (a massive explosion)
* What if you had a bullet with the density of a neutron star? (it'd sink well into the earth, or if well-supported it would be near-impossible to touch it because of its local gravitational effects -- at least not without the blood vessels in your fingers rupturing and your blood pooling into a distorted sphere around it)
* What would happen if all your DNA suddenly, just, weren't there? (you probably would die as if you had undergone severe chemotherapy, or eaten one of the most toxic mushrooms in the world)
If you're on the fence about this book, you can read a fair bit of it on the original What If? site. That should give you enough of the flavor to know whether you should pick it up yourself. But you'll have to buy the book for some of its totally-new questions and answers (and to enjoy some of the loonier submitted questions, interspersed within the book for comic relief), one of which coincidentally was submitted by my current roommate. :-) (Mini-disclosure!)
Having read the blog and been entertained by it, and having plenty of other things to read, I wasn't in a rush to pick this up, so I waited for it to be on sale. If it's on sale when you're looking at it, definitely pick it up. Otherwise, I'd say pick it up whenever you need a palate cleanser.
11 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2019
Gift for my science-y dad, he's enjoying it but says he doesn't necessarily like the writer's approach to answering the questions. I'm still giving it all 5 stars because it's a beautiful book, fun and unique questions (I had a good time flipping through it before wrapping it up), and Dad can be rather critical at times.
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2022
After reading some of this book myself, I bought a copy for my father, who loves science but isn't much of a book reader. I heard him laughing in his office one morning, and as I popped my head in, I realized he was reading What If and thoroughly enjoying it! Highly recommended.
One of the best books to understand basic principles of Science
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2020
I love it! I bought it from my significant one for his birthday (hard copy) and then I got one for me. Another acquaintance is also reading the book and he also enjoys it. It has humor, sarcasm, SCIENCE, lots of information, facts and reasoning.
I can’t stop recommending this book!
Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2018
Bought this as a gift for my daughter and son-in-law thinking they would love it, only to find they ALREADY loved it - Christy bought it for Arno! (So, it was a good guess for me!) It's informational, thinking-outside-the-box entertaining.
One person found this helpful
Terriffic book... fun to read.
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2016
If you like meaningful trivia.... you'll love this book. It will make you think and give you plenty to take about with friends, relatives and people your wife makes you go out to dinner with..... they will either think you are super smart or frickin' nutz. Either way you won't have to have dinner with them again...
A very fun read... highly recommended. And by the way, of you look hard enuff you can find a hardcover copy in very good or like new condition form sellers here on Amazon for crazy low prices. I snagged one that was essentially new other than a small rip on the backside of the jacket. Who cares???!!!
4 people found this helpful
If This Book Were a Stick Person, it Would be Much Harder to Read
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2015
Randall Monroe is one of my all-time favorite comic artists, and his subject material is both smartly humorous and brazenly informative.
Whether it's taking a dip in a nuclear reactor cooling pool, or halting the earth's spin just to see what would happen, Monroe accepts the intellectual challenge and delivers with gusto. The resulting collection of illustrated articals compiled in this magnificent tomb is nothing short of hillarious, if not deeply thought provoking. (It's subjective, really.)
Highly recommended for fans of science, or fans of stick figures who are attempting to branch out into more intellectually challenging territory. You know who you are.
5 stars! Ordered by absolute magnitude, for your convenience.
Must-have for xkcd fans, awkward to read on the Kindle
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2014
This is a must-have for fans of xkcd. The book has additional material that isn't on the web site, including several sections of "Weird (and Worrying) Questions from the What If? IN box".
I read this on the Kindle (Android version), and it's a bit clumsy. You can double-tap the illustrations to zoom into them. The main issue is Munroe's copious footnotes. They're hyperlinked, and you can use the links on the footnote to jump back But the page bounds move slightly every time, and notes near the top activate the Kindle options rather than the footnote. You quickly long for the pop-up style notes Munroe has on the What-if site.
I wound up purchasing the hardback instead, which has a fun map inside the dust jacket and an additional cartoon on the back cover.
Appeals to a wide range of ages and interests
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2018
I bought two copies -- one for my husband, and one for my son-in-law. S-i-l started reading it out loud to my nine-year-old grandson, who has now read the entire book. Husband amuses me with bits and pieces as he reads. Was a big hit all around. The combination of the absurd and the scientific is thoroughly interesting.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2021
My 13 year old nerdy son found this book very entertaining and interesting! Wonderful humor and simply fantastic, creative and wonderfully odd questions based on science. The tone of the book is brainy smart, a pinch cynicism and deadpan funny. Highly recommended.
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2014
I gave this book to my fiancé who is recovering from a car crash so doesn't have much to do - he loves it! In the first 10 minutes he had it he was laughing more than I've heard him laugh in months.
I've been a fan on the XKCD website for a long time so had read some of the what if questions already but with them in book format it's easier to flip through and find the question I'm looking for when sharing with friends. The questions are usually absurd questions most people don't think about and the answers are very in-depth, interesting, and funny! There are both comics and text for the answers. Anyone who likes science would enjoy this but it's still really fun even for those that don't. Would also make for a great bathroom reader.
I would for sure recommend this book even for those that read the website and I likely will end up buying more copies for gifts. :)
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2015
I read it in 1 and a half days, I am usually attached to sciences but this books gives you a new perspective of the world and physics and chemistry and space and cosmology. I am glad that I bought it, thanks to this piece I ordered 2 books mentioned by the author than I am hoping to learn a lot from.
Aside instructing you in how space exploring works, this book gets many wrong pop culture-science statements spreads through time straight and thoroughly explained,vanishes those wrong facts that many people believes right since high school. It is funny, easy to read, the illustrations are hilarious.
Cons: you have to at least know what periodic table is, gravity and atmosphere. If you are usual to those terms then you'll enjoy it.
Pros: Awesome gift for kids and teenagers. The paper is fresh, the format and color is uncanny, the whole visual experience is attractive. Vocabulary is richful.
Fun read for those with science background - or not
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2015
Having bought my adult son a serious scientific book I knew he was interested in as a holiday gift, I added this one on impulse. And he could not put it down! And kept reading choice items aloud to the rest of us! And laughing out loud. Also, when he wasn't reading it, his teenage daughter would pick it up, even though as a high school freshman she hasn't yet studied most of the chemistry and physics that the "absurd questions" and their "scientific answers" are founded on.
4 people found this helpful
Scientific silliness...how can you lose?
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2017
This is a heavy book first of all. It's a hardback, but I still didn't expect the weight. This can be good and bad. It's definitely a well-made book, but it won't be that much fun to hold at awkward angles. Still, I do recommend it. This is a gift for someone who's a little hard to buy for. I think (I hope) this will be right down his alley. I flipped through it, and it has a lot of fun drawings and illustrations. Should be a fun read!
Best Thing Ever for a Kid Who Loves Science!
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2015
From my 9-year old AVID reader:
I LOVED this book because it incorporates scientific facts into completely insane questions! It is SO AWESOME. I learned so much when reading it. I like to reread it as often as I can. It tells you what would happen if these scenarios really happened, or if you tried to do crazy things. For example, swimming in a nuclear fuel pool...here's a warning: don't touch anything or go near the fuel canisters and you'll be fine. The book is filled with amazing facts about science and technology from a physics point of view, with amazing cartoons. Plus, if you take off the dust cover then there are these hilarious pictures. I want to be like the author when I grow up. He's scientific and funny and he thinks like me. I guess I think like a roboticist, which is not a bad thing at all. -Tate
2 people found this helpful
Can't believe it was so funny.
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2015
I absolutely loved this book.
Ok, if your not familiar with xkcd.com you will still love this book. Mr. Munroe is a scientist who fields questions on the website using stick figures to explain hypothetical questions. What would happen if 1,000,000 laser pointers were pointed at the moon? What would happen if a pitcher threw a fast ball at 1,000,000 mph. Ect ect. It's not the answers he gives (which are accurate) but the delivery and the humor with which the answers are given that power the book. I don't usually laugh out loud when reading a book but this one had me rolling. I don't think you need a scientific background but it does not hurt to have one! So, have fun!
2 people found this helpful
What's another word for Synonym?
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2015
Do you like XKCD? Do you read the alt-text by hovering over the comic? And you don't already own this book?
You had best rectify that situation immediately.
Randall Munroe takes some of the strangest questions you will ever heard asked and attempt to answer them. None of the questions asked could ever happen in our universe, but that doesn't stop him.
He throws logic and scientific law right out the window and then suspends reality so he can provide us with the answers we so desperately need now that we know the questions.
I said earlier that he answers some of the strangest questions. Included are a few of the questions that were too strange for him to consider answering. He can't really add details to the questions he won't answer because his statements could be used against the authors at their committal hearings.
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2014
As a fan of the comic, one of the things I enjoy most about it is the frequent forays into science. While the world around us is indeed amazing, carrying things to extremes is fun to read about. In particular, Mr. Munroe seems to have the same sort of gift for presenting things that got me watching videos about Richard Feynman.
On my own, I would not have been readily interested in the atmospheres of the significant bodies in our solar system. After reading about theoretical scenario involving a Cessna airplane falling through the atmospheres of the significant bodies, I must confess that I was more interested in learning about them than I was before. The vivid imaginings inspire curiosity about how the world works and therefore science.
This was a pleasure to read. I hope that Mr. Munroe repeats this in the future.
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2020
I bought this book for my kids quite some time back and never saw it again. I assumed that while I thought it seemed like a great book, maybe the kids didn’t find it all that interesting. However, just the other day I saw my daughter reading it and expressed my surprise. “I love this book!”, she responded and I found out she keeps it by her bed so she can reach it easier when she wants it. That was a very nice surprise for me and very glad I got it!
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2014
Whenever someone approaches a book like this, they refer to it as a bathroom book. Something to read in short bursts and come back to later.
If you use it for that application, a toilet book, you will find yourself numb in the legs.
Whatever morbid curiosity drove people to ask the questions posed in this book, that same curiosity drove Mr. Munroe to answer these questions, and yet still self-same curiosity will keep you turning the pages. It's not what one might normally look for in a cover-to-cover book, but it overcomes its' niche through sheer power of curiosity and Randall's witty, clever musings.
You will enjoy this book as more than just a bathroom decoration, it's just the best kind of fun.
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2015
Randall Munroe, ex-NASA employee and current webcomic writer, has a feature on his website in which readers ask him hypothetical questions and he goes about answering them as scientifically as possible. In this book, he has compiled the best of those, along with a few new ones, and the end result is perhaps the most entertaining educational book possible. The questions vary from the sort you may have found yourself wondering to the completely absurd, but he always answers them with a mix of enthusiastic curiosity, scientific fact, and a sense of humor, which makes it hard not to keep reading, question after question. If you are at all a curious person and have at least a passing interest in science, you should really pick this one up.
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2015
I would highly recommend this book to both young and old, and to those who do and do not have a great science background. The absurd questions in the book are all answered in a very easy to understand and sensible manner. Even for those who are very familiar with many of the scientific concepts that are explained in the book, like myself, will find themselves surprised or at least brought to a road of thought they may have never gone down before. The illustrations are also great and funny, there is a lot of good humor in the book. There are also quite a few nods to things such as the Lord of the Rings, the Terminator, and Star Wars in order to shed some light on some of the answers to What if?
3 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2017
This was the surprise quality gift of the season. I bought it for an in-law that I don't know really well, a younger 30-something young man whose degree and work background is scientific, so I took a chance. When it came in, I got absorbed reading it, then my husband did. This in-law who never seems to like anything we purchase for him, was elated. Oh, and it was high quality as well. Seemed to be one of the favorite things he opened. Very happy with this purchase.
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2019
This book satisfies the morbid curiosity!
A read I recommend for sci-fi enthusiasts and the curious-minded, regardless of their discipline.
While the questions are as absurd as possible, the author does well to invite everyone to put on their thinking caps and delves deep into researching some funny "yes, but what if" answers -- all with good humor thrown in.
Do get the book and read it during your down time. It'll capture your interest.
There’s No Such Thing As A Dumb Question . . .
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2019
Someone once told me “There’s no such thing as a dumb question, only dumb mistakes.” I think Mr. Monroe has unequivocally proven the first part of the statement to be incorrect and I applaud him for answering these questions with the full seriousness they deserve. 😂😂😂 Great read Mr. Monroe. Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻
Another milestone from Randall Munroe
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2014
Randall Munroe's webcomic xkcd is one of the few webcomics I read, and it is definitely the best. His Tuesday "What If" comics are witty, informative, thought-provoking, and sometimes, laugh out loud funny. They are always worth a chuckle and reflection. They often cause me to start prowling the internet looking for more information on the topic.
The new book is the same. This was obviously a labor of love for Randall; the production quality of the book is extremely high, the quality of the content and information is excellent. The attention to every detail in both the artwork and the text is evident on every page.
This is a book that I will enjoy many times for many years. It's worth many five minute reads, or a multi-hour reading marathon.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2016
This book is fun to read and will also help you understand the way the physical world works... well, in very extreme situations. It's also a good example of what you can find out if you are just willing to do some research and use some math.
You can read most of it online for free, but I think it's still worth buying your own copy.
2 people found this helpful
What if a book about science questions was actually really funny?
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2014
I've been following the "what if?" site since it began (and XKCD much, much longer), and was excited to see that a book was coming. It arrived yesterday, and has had me laughing out loud ever since. The answers are well thought out and backed by actual SCIENCE, but are delivered in a way that is lighthearted and amusing even when talking about the surprisingly large number of things that will end the Earth. There are some re-printed articles here from the website, although the ones I have read so far have new or updated information. There are quite a few that have never been seen before. They're all amazing, and charming and genuinely amusing. This is a book you will want to share with...well, basically everyone you know.
One person found this helpful
Perfect read for readers with a scientific sense of humor
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017
If you like XKCD, or if you appreciate shows like Mythbusters and the like, this book is a must-have. Randall Munroe hits that oddball humor sweet spot with zany questions and actual, scientific--and most importantly, interesting--answers. I sure hope Munroe keeps exploring writing and publishing full-length books, even in the form of long-form articles like this book, in addition to his web comic, because he has a particular knack for sucking readers in.
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2019
This book is amazing for 9-16 year-olds. The scenarios are confusing, as well as hilarious. As being a nine year old myself, I highly and throughly recommend this book for all levels of maturity and all ages! ( But the hard words are might be a small problem.)
Thank you Randall!
One person found this helpful
"What if the earth stopped spinning but the air didn't?"
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2014
Solid book, feels like a tome. Includes everything you could ever hope and dream for. The book cover feels like parchment instead of the flimsy plastic so it feels better to hold. It came with that awesome new book smell. The cover has cueball(?) lowering a T-Rex into a sarlac pit because what if? the back cover shows **spoilers** the T-Rex has broken free and is chasing after cueball(?)!! Ruuuuun! The inside cover has a map of the world after the water has been drained and transported to Mars.
Now for the actual content, true you could find most of the content for free on his website however, it's pretty fun reading it from a book. Randall includes bonus questions that where to bizarre or dangerous to answer on his website. He doesn't answer them in the book but does include what they were. I.e., What if it were possible to increase the number of house fires in the U.S. by say (%15)
tl;dr buy the book.
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2015
I loved this book. I had never heard of the author or his blog, nor of his highly respectable professional pedigree, but this book was amazing. It was very well written, very well edited, and very enjoyable, indeed. I am in high anticipation of future volumes. The author could easy turn this into a context-focused series (think Larry Gonnick) if he has sufficient questions answered over the years. I, for one, would definitely buy possible books like "what if... for biology," or "what if... for mathematics," or "what if... for physics." Definitely worth your time if you enjoy reading science for fun as I do.
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2014
I've gotten a big kick out of Munroe's What If? series, a sidebar of apropos-of-nothing hypothetical questions and rigorous answers that appears with his regular webcomic, XKCD. Being a busy guy, I got it as an audiobook, wondering briefly whether the absence of the illustrations would detract from the experience.
It does not. Wil Wheaton did the narration. Wheaton's delivery is dry, direct and comically well timed. I daresay he understands the material, which if you've read even a couple of XKCD you know is saying something, and of course is crucial to making the voiceover work as well as it does.
Do I recommend it? Oh yeah. You won't be sorry.
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2014
This book is right up my alley. I've never been super cerebral, but I like science and being a guy, I like things that blow up. I think it's the math that scares me about science. Anyway, in college many of my closest friends were Engineering students (Art student here; what up?) and we would hang out, drink, and I would pose to them the most ridiculous hypothetical questions I could think of and they would answer with educated guesses using real math (as far as I could tell). This book brings me back to those times. Randall Munroe does a fantastic job of taking some truly bizarre hypothetical questions and finding the funniest possible way to answer it. And we learn a lot in the process too, which is a very nice bonus! I can't recommend this book or the Web series xkcd enough. Get this as a gift for anyone with a sense of humor and even a passing interest in how the world works.
Great book for any XKCD fans, or for anyone that likes humor and likes to learn.
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2016
I love XKCD, and what Munroe has expanded into with his "what if".
The book is very well organized and written with just the right balance of wit, charm, intellect, and nerdom. I've always enjoyed the amazing amount of research and calculations required for Munroe's writing, and his ability to break it down in a fairly easy to understand way. Of course the comics also help and add to the explanation and humor.
I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially to any fans of XKCD.
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2019
My son asks a LOT of questions. All. The. Time. My husband wanted this book. I find he reads it a lot and also will read it to our son. This does seem to answer a lot of the questions my son asks. Things I would never think to ask about. Lol.
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2020
Not a barn-burner, but my adolescent kids were always picking this up to read sections. That makes a good coffee table book.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2014
I've been a fan of the xkcd site for a long time, so I was very excited when I heard he was coming out with a book. Although quite a few of the chapters in the book appear on the website, there are plenty of new items to keep even a longtime fan interested in getting it. There's also additional content (not only does Randall include the hypertext from the web version, there are also footnotes with his characteristic humor). I've purchased books based on websites before and been a little disappointed in the lack of fresh content - they've often seemed like little more than a printed version of the site. Not the case with this one. Informative, fun to read, often hilarious. Well done!
What If We Could Produce a Book of Infinite Length?
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2014
The title of this review expresses my initial reaction to completing this book: It was incredible, and I wanted it to go on forever.
This delightful book keeps with the What If...? format found on XKCD, and contains most (all?) of the content there plus a lot of new stuff I'd never seen before. I appreciated the mix, and adored the clever mix of science and math to address absurd but pressing topics.
The only thing that bothered me about this book was how the footnotes were handled. I bought the Kindle edition, and clicking the footnotes zapped me to the end of the chapter without there being a convenient way to get back to where I was beforehand. Those little asides are quite funny, but they work better on the site or on paper where flipping back and forth is easier than trying to slide 4 or 5 screens in either direction. I would have liked there to be a "reverse footnote" or something attached to the footnotes themselves to zap me back to where it was anchored to begin with.
As you can see, this did not cost it a star. The content is astounding, and I can't wait for the next installment.
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2019
Got it as a Christmas gift for my fiance I saw the title and knew instantly I had to get it for him. The whole family was interested in the book even the ones not do big on reading (myself included). Only complaint is he was distracted all the next day reading it and I was ignored because he was so interested in reading the book.
Witty, engaging, and informative
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2019
Randall Munroe's geeky sense of humor really shines in the book. The comedic timing of his classic comics is gold, and had me laughing out loud as I read. The more geeky nature of the book is no hindrance to anyone enjoying it, however. This book, as well as "Thing Explainer" are both sitting on the table in my living room, and I love when guest pick them up. Munroe's clear explanations and drawings make it easily accessible to all, and whenever someone starts reading I get to indroduce them to xkcd! If you are on the fence you can check out some examples of what is contained in the book by reading Munroe's blog of the same name online. I highly recommend.
The most serious question is "What If?"
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2015
I don't think they are that absurd but, then again, most people say I think about the most obscure things so this is right down my line. Somebody has to ponder on the mysteries of the universe, no matter how far-fetched, and Randall Munroe has taken to the task admirably. I, for instance, would like to know how many people are typing a question mark at the same time around the world; I don't see that in his book. Perhaps future editions will cover this important topic. No questions, regardless of hypothetical or not, are absurd. All questions deserve an answer ("I'll take 'Absurd' for a thousand, Alex") even if the reward is simply the satisfaction of new knowledge.
Answers absurd questions using real world physics.
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2019
This is a really fun book that answers those silly questions you ask when you were a kid, like “what would happen to all of us if the earth stop spinning all at once?” Very entertaining! Takes absurd questions and analyzes them using real world physics.
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2017
Randall Munroe's XKCD is a cornerstone of the World-Wide Web, and he brings the same intelligence and overabundance of careful research here to absolutely hilarious (and often randomly awesome or terrible) questions. The cover text explains it all: “SERIOUS SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.” Fun, approachable reading about everything from bacteria to galaxies. A must-read for anyone who likes to ask “What If?”
Kid KyotoTop Contributor: DC Comics
Great read for the science geek in us all!
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2015
This is a fantastic science book that answers some of the silly science questions we've all wondered about, or maybe never even thought to ask.
Questions like 'what happens if the Earth stops spinning?' or 'what if you threw a baseball at the speed of light'?
The answers are witty, intelligent, brisk and well-researched. They also feature cute illustrations in the style of Munroe's long-running XKCD web comic.
I got this book for a long plane trip and it was a perfect fit, each chapter was short, engaging and thought-provoking.
I'd gladly buy another volume!
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2017
This book is very good - at least as good as I was hoping it would be. You should buy it for friends of all ages. My only question is: what is the connection between this and the equally delightful and very similar waitbutwhy.com blog that I have been enjoying for some time. The names of the creators seem to be different. Twice as much good stuff now! Don’t wait!
My Geeky, 11-Year-Old Son Loved this Book - Four Thumbs Up
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2016
My son is a geeky, brainy 11-year-old. The kind who asks 'what if' questions and - more often than not - has a theory. He loved this book. He showed his math/science teacher this book. He has read parts of this book to us at dinner. He has shown the illustrations in this book to friends. We have discussed the 'what if?' questions as a family. So, pretty much, this book rocks.
We bought Munroe's Thing Explainer at the same time. It was not as well received. While a fun coffee table book to flip through and a brilliant concept, it lacks the depth and imagination of this book.
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2020
This book is very funny! I like the illustrations (which are by the author), and I also like the sense of humor exhibited by the author throughout this book. I would recommend this book to anyone with lots of time on their hands who is in need of a good laugh, especially if they have a little more than a layman's understanding of science, and especially now during the Coronavirus shutdown.
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2016
I have immensely enjoyed reading this book. It makes for interesting conversation with people you talk to. My only disappointment was that the author has 99% of all measurements, weights, distances, etc. in the metric system. He should have put our units of measure that we use in the U.S. at least in parentheses next to the metric units he has used in the book. For example, he uses Celsius instead of Farenheit. Come on now, I'm not going to spend the time doing the math converting it over. The author lives here in the U.S., you would have at least expected him to do this. Other than this, it's a great book.
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2018
I purchased this book for my husband for Christmas. He likes random pieces of information, so this book seemed to be right up his alley. He really enjoys reading this one, and it has even lit some conversation between the two of us. The scenarios are hilarious and my husband says he loves how it’s written. It’s easy to read, and just a fun book to pull out when you have a few minutes. Easy to put down and pick up. Great price for a hardcover book. It was a hit for us!
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2015
Whether you have a Ph.D. in astrophysics, or you are just curious about what would happen if you threw a baseball near the speed of light (SPOILER: It's not pretty), this is the book you are looking for.
Randall Munroe addresses many crazy questions with a serious scientific approach. Whether he is discussing physics, biology, or computer simulations, the text is always clear and hilarious. His simple drawings add whimsy and some serious snarkiness at the same time.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially those with an interest in science and engineering.
Some mature facts, 9 year old avid reader loves it
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2016
My 9 year old son and AVID reader absolutely positively LOVES this book. He carries it in the car to read on the way to school, around the house, etc. Never tires of re-reading the facts in the book. Some of the facts are a little mature (one in particular regarding reproduction), but it wasn't anything we couldn't first explain to him. I wouldn't recommend for a child younger than 9 most likely, and for children in this age range only if they are more advanced and mature readers. Definitely a book children in their early and mid-teens and adults would enjoy too.
One person found this helpful
Seriously addicting Funny Casual reading
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2019
It was well worth it, sometime as kids I think we would ask similar questions to adults who never would devote any time to giving a real answer- well, here they are, "approximate" evidence based answerd to insane questions with levity answered in a manner just slightly less rediculous than the question posed.
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2021
The author runs the XKCD website, with some hilarious and occasionally confusing nerd comics. This book merges his humour with his ability to apply science to crazy questions.
Well worth a read.
I love this book and had the e-version for a while ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2016
Some of the most interesting and entertaining learning I've ever done. Randal Munroe illustrates the beauty of science in this book by showing how it all still applies even in ridiculous situation leading to hilarious results. I love this book and had the e-version for a while but really just wanted to be able to put it on my shelf and thumb through it while feeling the pages.
32 people found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2020
I gave this book to my brother for a gift and he is really enjoying it. He loves reading all the what if scenarios and learning some neat things. He likes there are so many different topics, too.
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2019
What a great read! Got this for my husband for Christmas and he's been fascinated by it. We read bits of it aloud to each other and just laugh. The author is hilarious (no surprise for xkcd) and clearly well researched. Highly recommended for anyone who likes science and humor!
Well-written, smart, and funny
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2015
This book is well written, over-the-top researched, consistently informative *and* amusing, and broken up into bite-sized chunks. You can spend a day reading it cover-to-cover, or spend a ten minutes to a couple hours while you're waiting for something else to happen (I have the Kindle edition and read it on my phone). It's been several years since I read any books which don't fall into the general category of "computer geek reference," but this has accomplished the secondary goal of making me actually start reading legitimate "books" again. For that, I seriously thank Mr. Munroe.
I strongly recommend this book, and have suggested it to several of my friends.
Be able to explain what happens when the earth stops rotating to you friends
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2018
I bought this book for my husband as a Christmas gift and he loved it. I read it and also found it to be a very thought provoking book.
This is one that can bring on some very interesting discussions.
One person found this helpful
Witty, Fun and VERY Informative
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2016
What If? by Randall Munroe, a physicist by training and cartoonist by trade, takes questions from his "audience" and answers them. To give an idea, he was questioned: What if a baseball pitcher could throw the ball at the speed of light. The answer to this, and all others, is rather comic.
What If? reminds me a lot of Tom and Ray Magliozzi, known also as "Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers", from NPR's Car Talk in written form. The Magliozzi brothers, both MIT graduates, are best known as the Dear Abby of automobile mechanics. What If? is very much the same. It is witty, it is fun, but most of all, it's informative.
One person found this helpful
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2019
I've been a questioner my entire life, so this book really reached out to me. The off-the-wall questions and well-researched answers will keep you entertained from cover-to-cover, and you will undoubtedly learn some new things too.
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019
I purchased this book a few years ago and loved it. The inside of the paper for the hardback cover is his map of the world; "after a portal to Mars opened at the bottom of the Marianas trench, draining most of the oceans." I liked that so much I built a custom frame for it and hung it as art. I lent my book out to several people until someone stole it, causing me to buy a second copy. Just in case I have children, so they can read it too.
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2014
I've been a fan of Randall Munroe for years via his XKCD "web comic". As a geek, engineer, and science buff I've found his humor backed by some pretty good science. This book is well worth the purchase as it does use some hard science when applied to some rather absurd (yes, that's in the title, and it fits very well), yet thought provoking questions.
At times, he goes a bit over board, but it fits with the book and his writing style. It's a fast read - mainly, it's hard to put down. I personally learned a few things along the way. Hopefully, you will too when you buy it, and read it.
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