If the Universe is full of stars, why doesn’t it appear white? And if it did, what would that look like? Would all the black holes suddenly become visible? And if...
39 light years from Earth, the TRAPPIST 1 system hides one of the most extraordinary planetary families ever discovered. Around a faint red dwarf star, seven Earth sized...
Today, we’re going to explore the five deadliest weapons that are ready to be deployed right now. And, if you thought the deadliest belonged to the U.S. Army...
Out of all the planets in the Universe, Earth is clearly the best for life, right? Wrong. Earth may be great, but scientists have discovered a few worlds that could be...
What would happen if the largest country on Earth decided it needs more territory and power? It might just go to war over it. What country could Russia invade first...
It’s been 30 days since Uranus first appeared in the sky. At first, it looked like our Moon had found itself a stellar partner. But then, we understood something...
[dx_custom_adunit mobile_id=”RTK_v1lP”] Deforestation is happening all around the world. Approximately 15 billion trees are cut down every single year...
That star at the center of our Solar System, that superhot ball of plasma that gives us heat and energy, and amazing complexions… well, it’s a ticking time...
Imagine if we could collect the energy out of thin air. And I mean it quite literally. You know how you were taught that a vacuum is nothing but empty space? That...
What if you found out that you had a long-lost relative? And what if that long-lost relative was from a different planet in our galaxy? And what if this faraway planet...
With the vastness of the Universe, everything in it seems so spread out. But some objects are closer than you might realize. Every now and then, a random interstellar...
Gravity, in the literal sense, keeps everyone (and everything) on Earth grounded. It acts as the anchor that prevents objects from floating skyward. For humans...
Would you spend a night at the top of the first tower to space? At 100 km above sea level, it would be the highest structure that humans have ever built. This tower...
The sound of trickling water might seem harmless, even peaceful. But in the polar regions, this sound is a sinister warning of an event that could swallow up the arctic...
In 1977, Richard Peto, a British epidemiologist, theorized that large-bodied animals like elephants are more likely to contract cancer because of a higher number of...
The emergency alert just appeared on your phone. The sky is turning dark and the wind is getting unbearable. A massive column of air is spinning its way toward you. You...
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...
Deep beneath the mountains near the Black Sea lies Veryovkina Cave, the deepest known cave on Earth. The cave is filled with narrow tunnels, underground rivers, freezing...
You’ve seen politics and national borders change all the time, but have you ever witnessed a continent literally breaking apart? Well, it’s possible, and...
A huge gas giant suddenly appears in the sky. You look up in wonder. It’s beautiful. The second Saturn replaces our Moon in its orbit, Earth would just as suddenly...
