What If?

Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

By: Randall Munroe

Narrated by: Wil Wheaton

From the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd comes this hilarious and informative book of answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask.

Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. His stick-figure drawings about science, technology, language, and love have a large and passionate following. Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions. What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent of the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? If there were a robot apocalypse, how long would humanity last?

In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, complemented by signature xkcd comics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big 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 required listening for xkcd fans and anyone who loves to ponder the hypothetical.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2014 Randall Munroe (P)2014 Blackstone Audiobook

A humorous lesson in how to think—Brilliantly read

What is it—science? Fantasy? Comedy? YES! YES! And YES!

What's fun about this book is how really crazy-sounding Randall Munroe's answers are—but what's great about it is how serious is the science. In a way, the entire book is a lesson in how to think scientifically without losing your sense of humor. Just the kind of thing that would have Richard Feynman falling out of his chair, laughing.

To be honest, this book is so completely zany you might want to take it in smaller bites, like I did. That said, bring it on. It's great entertainment for anyone with a wry sense of humor. Also ideal for a high school student who just needs a tiny nudge in a scientific direction, or—for that matter, any high school student.

Plus, Wil Wheaton is at the top of his form. His narration is absolutly perfect. He's energetic, lucid, and truly brilliant. And this book is the ideal showcase for his considerable talent. For fans of Wil, he's also fabulous narrating "Ready Player One," by Ernest Cline, and this narration is every bit as excellent.

Great read(or listen)

A person will learn so much listening to this. The narrating is great and makes the book that much better

Mad science

The hilariously intelligent creator of the xkcd web comic turns his brain to creative questions which usually end in world destruction. Read by the equally funny Wil Wheaton.

At its best, the book answers creative questions about combining unlikely or impossible creative scenarios. At other times, the questions are just matters of superlatives which can get stale. In all cases though, Munroe's answers and Wheaton's readings are entertaining, informative, and satisfying.

Nerd-gasm

This is wildly funny, brilliantly researched, and remarkably well written. A must for the science inclined. This made every one of my nerdy bits tingle with pleasure while reading.

Science!

A great companion to the physical book. Wil Wheaton does a great job with the sometimes technical material. The author's tone is definitely conveyed in the performance.