2020 has been one of the worst years in human history. It’s been strange, confusing, and often terrifying. But what if when the clock strikes midnight on December...
We visit a lot of planets here on WHAT IF, but K2-141b is the most extreme one yet. Are you ready to jump on board this one-way space shuttle? If you’d rather stay...
Do you long for an elegant weapon from a more civilized age? Something less clumsy and random. As you hone your sensitivity to the Force, you may wonder. What if...
Whenever people imagine World War III, the question is always the same: who would win? The United States, Russia, or China are usually seen as the three most powerful...
You are enjoying a peaceful day aboard a cruise ship. The ocean is calm, the sun is shining, and everything feels safe. Then, without warning, disaster strikes. A rogue...
When people imagine alien life, they usually look toward the stars. But there is another unexplored world much closer to home that may be hiding creatures just as...
Three passengers died — including a Dutch couple — and others fell ill on the MV Hondius sailing from Argentina toward Cape Verde. One case is lab-confirmed as...
There are more than 2,000 satellites orbiting Earth right now. And there are about to be a lot more. But what does this mean? Endless entertainment. Non-stop...
A gas cloud located 500 light years away from our solar system is about to become a planet. This process usually takes a few hundred million years, but what if we made...
Black holes aren’t exactly a popular vacation destination. They feed on anything and everything that comes into their vicinity. They are dense, and unpredictably...
We all know that growing up can come with its aches and pains. But at a certain point, our genes flip the switch, and our bodies stop growing. I know, I know, it’s...
A nearby volcano is showing signs of an imminent eruption. Seismic activity is increasing, magma is rising, and the pressure beneath the surface is building. In a...
Plastic surrounds us in ways most of us don’t even notice. From the toothbrushes we use in the morning to the water bottles in our hands, plastic is everywhere. But have...
THE BEGINNING – 4.5 BILLION YEARS AGO On Mars, this stage is called the Pre Noachian era. Mars had just formed from dust and gas inside the early solar disk, the...
Seawater is salty, undrinkable, and a potential source of planet-saving fuel. Hold up. Fuel? Yes, that’s right. We have the technology to convert seawater into liquid...
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Wise words. But what if two of the world’s most powerful nations burned their friendship, and each other, to the...
A crocodile may swim by unassumingly but make no mistake, they are on the hunt for their next prey. Crocodiles have heightened smell, sight and hearing, and can hold...
You would never make it to the bottom of the ocean without any equipment, because you would run out of oxygen, and your body would be shut down by the pressure...
Are you religious? If you are, a huge part of your life is probably shaped by your beliefs and religious community. If you’re not, you might stare with bewilderment at...
There’s a giant, peanut-shaped object orbiting the Sun, and it’s name is Halley’s comet. Like all comets, it’s a cosmic mashup of frozen ice, gases, and dust...
