Today on What If, we’re taking Jupiter’s deadly gases and unleashing them on Earth. Where could you be safe from these toxic winds? How would you breathe...
Stonefish are the most, dangerous, venomous fish on Earth. Their 13 dorsal spines are so sharp that they could pierce through a soft-soled shoe. Each spine contains 5 to...
The modern circus was never the same after 1812; what had previously been concerned with horse tricks, musicians, and clowns started to include wild animals and began...
The biggest planet in the Solar System. And the smallest star in the known Universe. Today, they are on a collision course. And Earth might not survive this. Meet the...
Imagine a normal night at home suddenly interrupted by a blazing space rock crashing straight through your roof. Glass shatters, furniture is destroyed, and in seconds...
Would you dare to hit the open seas and experience some of the worst ship disasters of all time? From explosions to icebergs and massive storms to the infamous...
Back in 2015, NASA’s Kepler mission spotted a planet that looked remarkably close to our own, a world now known as Kepler 452b. It circles a star similar to the...
Mosquitoes are often treated as nothing more than irritating insects that leave behind itchy bites. Their importance, however, is much greater than their size suggests...
Right now, the worst a hacker can take from you is a password, a bank balance, maybe some embarrassing photos. Annoying. Recoverable. Now imagine the same people...
Every Ocean on Earth Suddenly Vanished, and Civilization Would Collapse in Ways You Wouldn’t Expect
Nicknamed the blue planet for obvious reasons, Earth owes that description to oceans that stretch across more than 70 percent of its surface, quietly regulating...
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...
Divers Found Perfect Circles on the Seafloor in 1995, It Took 18 Years to Catch the Artist
Somewhere off the coast of Japan in 1995, divers found something on the seafloor that should not have been there. A perfect circle, roughly two meters across, carved...
For years, people living near the forests of Nepal and northern India lived in fear of a predator that seemed to have developed a taste for human flesh. She became known...
How would you feel if this never ended? Despite all of the masks, tests, and vaccinations, there is no guarantee that COVID-19 will ever disappear. But stick with me on...
For millions of people, cats are loving companions that bring comfort and joy. But behind those soft paws and playful claws, there can be a hidden danger. A simple...
For thousands of years, snakes have been feared, hunted, and misunderstood. These creatures appear in almost every environment on Earth, from tropical jungles and...
Picture a change beginning somewhere far beyond our reach, spreading through space before anyone could even know it had started. Nothing would announce its arrival...
Global sea levels have already risen by about 20 cm (8 inches) since the mid 1800s, although the increase has not been the same everywhere. While that may sound minor...
How do you distinguish between past, present, and future? Is there really an order to time? Does it only move forward? Does it move in any direction at all? Stop...
Imagine spending years without seeing the sky or hearing another human voice. Your world is reduced to four concrete walls, a steel door, and silence so intense it...

