Wouldn’t it be cool to see things through any wall and any door? How about seeing through your own skin? Or your dog? No, no, no, and no. Of all superhero powers...
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...
In 1850, 94% of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty. Today, we’ve managed to bring that number down to roughly 10%. And if this trend continues...
On April 24, 2013, thousands of workers entered a building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that many of them already feared was unsafe. Just one day earlier, employees had...
Deep in the tropical forests of Colombia, you come across a small, beautiful frog. You’re captivated by its brilliant color and reach out to hold it in your hand...
From a bad hair day to a tragic natural disaster, wind can be extremely disruptive. Wind can be a formidable foe. But what if this powerful force just didn’t exist...
We’ve heard about terraforming the Moon and Mars as we attempt to colonize space, but what about Venus? Could we live here one day? How different would it...
There are 3.8 billion women on Earth. There were 3.9 billion men. But now, it’s just you…and your phone won’t stop ringing. Is this a fantasy? A...
What would happen if you put a couple of physicists in a room with a rope, a box and a black hole? They might come up with a plan to power the Earth for centuries. Black...
A fear of heights, known as acrophobia, is one of the most common fears people experience. For some, standing on a tall building, looking down from a bridge, or even...
Don’t you just love fresh air? And feeling healthy? If only that were possible. That deep, relaxing breath you thought you just took, is full of microscopic...
Did you know that you ladies spend about 2,300 days of your life menstruating? That amounts to about 10,400 tampons or pads, over 5,000 pills for your cramps, and about...
All good things must come to an end. Sadly, Homo sapiens’ time on Earth is no exception. And someone would surely take our place as the dominant species. But who? Or...
Would you ever want to buy your own planet? Even if it was just the size of a house? It could be the perfect vacation spot! Unbeatable privacy and breathtaking views...
Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Wednesday. Wednesday. Again? Wednesday. I feel like we’ve done this before. Wednesday. Does anybody else notice this? Wednesday. How do...
Nothing says luxury quite like ordering lobster. Today, it shows up on high end restaurant menus, drenched in butter, served like a symbol of wealth. It is expensive...
The origin of “man’s best friend” isn’t entirely clear. Scientists agree that dogs evolved from wolves, but we don’t know exactly how or...
Deep beneath the United States lies one of the most powerful volcanic systems on Earth. Yellowstone is not a typical volcano sitting on a mountain peak. It is a...
Eight planets, hundreds of moons, hundreds of thousands of asteroids, and billions of comets orbiting our Sun make up our Solar System. And not once has a single black...
Imagine if the ground beneath your feet could provide nearly limitless energy. Instead of depending on coal, oil, and natural gas, countries could drill deep into...
