The Earth is a dying rock and time is running out. You only have 10 years to plan your escape. How could we evacuate as many people as possible? What resources would we...
It may sound like science fiction, but imagining a battle between a gas giant and a black hole helps us understand just how fragile our Solar System really is. Such a...
This bug can survive anything, except maybe the bottom of your shoe. But what would happen if we squished every cockroach on Earth? How would this affect the food chain...
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...
Let’s be honest, we are pushing our planet to a climate change catastrophe. But there could be a solution. 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water...
As our biggest planet, Jupiter’s immense presence helps to hold our solar system together. Its massive size and gravitational pull give it a dense atmosphere, a...
In 1044, the Chinese invented gunpowder. And we’ve been getting into trouble ever since. Fireworks are cool, nuclear warfare is not. And nuking the moon...
Doesn't it suck having a noisy neighbor? Or constantly running into your ex? We all need personal space, but often find we can't get enough. Don't you wish the world was...
Everybody loves a good sleep, but we probably wouldn’t enjoy it as much if we had no control over when it happened. Imagine falling into a deep sleep during a...
Do you find the dark unsettling? Have you ever watched the big game on your refrigerator? With all the conveniences of modern living available in your pocket, or at the...
Black holes are dark, matter-devouring balls of gravity. Most of them are so far away that we don’t need to worry about them. But not this one. Meet Gaia BH1. This...
Imagine being able to travel to any point in time. Where would you go, and what would you do? You could witness some of the greatest moments in history or even change...
Uh-oh. Looks like somebody left the gas running on Jupiter. Don’t do anything stupid, like lighting a humongous match. What would a match need to be made of to ignite...
Ahh, spring has sprung. Robins are chirping. Flowers are blooming. Yikes, it’s getting a little windy out. Wait a minute. Do you hear that? Is it just me or does it look...
Where do they come from? How do we get rid of them? And how much drama is a poltergeist going to cause me? OK, so exactly what is a poltergeist? Well, a poltergeist is a...
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...
Every 75 years, a ball of fire streaks across the sky. But that’s no fireball. It’s Halley’s Comet. And you’re about to hitch a ride on it. Get...
When most people think of terrifying places, outer space often comes to mind. After all, it is a vacuum of extreme temperatures, high radiation, and deadly vacuum...
No one knows exactly what to expect if we encountered other forms of alien life. Would they talk like us? Look like us? Or would they be completely different? What if...
Welcome to Earth City. Yeah, you heard that right. You’re not going on a globetrotting tour to see all the planet’s major cities. You’re already there. Today, the entire...
