Ever wondered about the intriguing answers to some of the most outlandish scientific questions? What happens if the earth suddenly stops spinning or if you tried to hit a baseball at the speed of light? What if you could swim in a nuclear fuel pool or aim a laser pointer at the moon? Would you survive a speed bump at high velocity? And what about the hypothetical scenarios of every human turning into a turkey? This book explores entertaining questions and gives informative responses using scientific principles.

What If?

Imagine if, in an instant, the Earth stopped spinning but the atmosphere didn’t. Suddenly, at the equator, you’d face a thousand-mile-per-hour wind - faster than sound. This catastrophic gust would flatten buildings, uproot trees, and hurl debris with deadly force. Only those in deep underground bunkers or far from the equator might survive. 

The windstorms would stir up the oceans, creating apocalyptic waves and storms, turning the surface into a chaotic blend of superheated air and cold, churning water. Fish and sea creatures would struggle to survive in the turbulent, oxygen-poor waters. On land, scorching temperatures and massive thunderstorms would dominate the day side of the planet, while the night side would freeze.

As the winds died down, the Earth would face another challenge: a never-ending day on one side and eternal night on the other. The moon, no longer pushed away by tidal forces, would begin to drift back toward Earth, its gravity eventually restarting Earth's rotation. This slow, gentle tug would herald a return to some semblance of normalcy, but the planet would be forever changed.

In a different scenario, picture a baseball pitched at 90% the speed of light. The molecules in the air wouldn't have time to move out of the way. The ball would collide with the air, causing nuclear fusion and releasing gamma rays. Within nanoseconds, the stadium would be engulfed in a cloud of plasma, and the batter, catcher, and pitcher would be vaporized. The resulting explosion would level everything within a mile, leaving a crater where the baseball diamond once stood.

Or consider diving into a nuclear fuel pool. The water shields you from most radiation, but touching the fresh fuel rods would be fatal. While the water is slightly radioactive, it’s generally safe for brief swims. However, any corrosion in the fuel rod casings could release dangerous fission products into the water.

What if everyone on Earth jumped at the same time? The Earth wouldn't notice, but the gathered crowd would create chaos. Cell networks would collapse, transport systems would gridlock, and soon, survival instincts would kick in. With limited resources, the situation would quickly turn dire.

Now, imagine a mole of moles – sixty thousand billion billion moles. The mass would rival that of Earth’s moon, forming a planet of moles. The pressure would sterilize the interior, and decomposition would generate heat, creating a volatile, geyser-filled landscape. Eventually, the planet would cool and solidify, leaving a frozen monument to this bizarre scenario.

Lastly, picture a hair dryer in an airtight box. As the dryer runs, the box heats up. At extreme power levels, the box would glow, melt, and eventually burn through anything it touched. Turning the dial further would result in a runaway heat source, potentially launching the box into space.

These mind-bending scenarios, from global windstorms to relativistic baseballs, reveal the fragile balance of our world and the awe-inspiring power of physics.

What Would Happen If Earth Stopped Spinning or a Baseball Pitched at Light Speed?

Ever wondered what would happen if every human suddenly disappeared from Earth? How long would the last artificial light source last? 

Initially, most lights wouldn’t last long as major power grids would go down quickly. Fossil fuel plants, which provide the majority of the world’s electricity, need a steady fuel supply, and without humans, supply chains would falter. This would lead to rapid cascade failures, causing a blackout of all major power grids. 

What about electricity from sources not tied to the major power grids? Consider diesel generators in remote communities. They could operate until they run out of fuel, which could take days to months. Geothermal plants, powered by Earth’s internal heat, could run for some time without human intervention, but without maintenance, they would eventually succumb to corrosion.

Wind turbines are designed to run for long periods without constant maintenance. Some could run for decades, but most would eventually stop due to their gearboxes seizing up. Hydroelectric dams could keep working for several years before succumbing to mechanical failure or clogged intakes. Battery-powered lights would all be off in a decade or two due to gradual self-discharge.

Nuclear reactors, if in low-power mode, could continue running almost indefinitely due to their high fuel energy density. However, as soon as something went wrong, the core would go into automatic shutdown. 

Spacecraft might be the longest-lasting human artefacts. Some of their orbits will last for millions of years, although their electrical power typically won’t. For instance, the Mars rover Curiosity could continue receiving power from its radioactive decay source for over a century.  

Last Light Standing: What Would Outlast in a World Without Humans?

Imagine if everyone on Earth stopped what they were doing and started doing calculations instead. Could humanity’s collective brainpower outmatch a smartphone? Comparing human thinking to computer processing is tricky, but let's try.

Consider the speed of calculations. A single human doing calculations with pencil and paper can manage one instruction every 90 seconds. By this measure, a midrange smartphone processes about 70 times faster than all humans combined. A high-end desktop? A staggering 1,500 times faster. By 1994, a typical desktop computer surpassed the collective processing power of humanity.

What about combining all human brains against all computers? Counting transistors gives us a rough measure. By 1977, the total computing power of all computers overtook that of all human brains. Yet, our brains are still more sophisticated due to their complexity. Simulating a human brain's complexity would require about 10 to the power 15 transistors, suggesting computers won't surpass human neurological complexity until around 2036.

But there's a twist. If we blend benchmarks, human brains might clock in at about 30,000 MIPS, roughly equivalent to modern computers, suggesting digital complexity overtook human complexity in 2004.

On a different note, if an asteroid was supermassive but small, could you live on it like the Little Prince? To have Earth-like gravity, it would need to be incredibly dense, with a mass equal to all humans combined. Standing on it would feel like being stretched out on a curved rubber ball due to tidal forces. Escape velocity would be low, meaning you could potentially jog into orbit.

Lastly, ever wondered if a falling steak could cook itself? Dropping from space, it would face intense heat but not enough to cook it thoroughly. Instead, it might char and disintegrate before landing, leaving you with a raw interior.

In the end, while humans and computers excel in different areas, our brains' complexity remains unmatched—at least for now. And as for living on tiny planets or cooking steaks from space? Science adds fascinating layers to these whimsical ideas.

Can Humanity's Collective Brainpower Outmatch a Smartphone? And Other Whimsical Scientific Questions Explored!

Ever wondered if global warming and super-volcanoes could balance each other out? This theory is interesting, but it's not as simple as one might think. The impact of these phenomena is more complicated than just temperature shifts. So, can they balance each other out? The answer is likely no.

Ever wondered what alien astronomers would see if they looked at Earth? The sad truth is, they probably wouldn't pick us up with radio antennas. Because of the vastness of space and our ever-improving technology, fewer of our radio signals are leaking out into space. However, visible light from the Sun illuminating Earth could potentially be detected from an exoplanet, giving alien life a glimpse of our planet.

Delving into more bizarre questions, what would happen if someone’s DNA suddenly vanished? In a nutshell, the person would instantly be lighter, but death would soon follow from various medical complications including abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, rapid immune system collapse, and system-wide organ failure. 

Finally, what would happen if you tried to fly a normal Earth airplane above different solar system bodies? The plane would likely fail on most planets or bodies due to a lack of atmosphere or extreme conditions. But one promising candidate is Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Despite the freezing temperatures, its thick atmosphere and low gravity make it an ideal condition for flight.

Unraveling Absurd Queries: From Global Warming Versus Super-volcanoes to Alien Astronomers

Imagine, for a moment, the power of Yoda. Remember that moment in the original Star Wars trilogy when he lifted Luke's X-wing from the swamp? That was the greatest display of raw power through the Force that we saw from anyone in the trilogy. 

If you think about the science behind it, the energy it takes to lift an object to a certain height is equal to the object's mass times the force of gravity times the height it's lifted. And Yoda's power output was enough to power a block of suburban homes. But could Yoda power our planet? With world electricity consumption pushing 2 terawatts, it would take a hundred million Yodas to meet our demands. 

And what about flight paths? Ever thought about which US state is actually flown over the most? Commonly, people think it would be one of those big, square states out west, but in reality, it's Virginia. It may come as a surprise, especially considering Virginia is home to several major airports. So why Virginia? One of the biggest reasons is the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. This airport is the busiest in the world and plays a key role in the high volume of flights crossing Virginia. 

Now, let's try to think out of the box. What if you decided to jump out of an airplane with a couple of tanks of helium and one huge, uninflated balloon? As you fall, you release the helium and fill the balloon. Could you use this method to land safely? Surprisingly, this isn't as ridiculous as it sounds. A balloon could actually slow your fall to nonfatal speeds. However, inflating the balloon quickly would be a challenge, and you would have to be careful not to use too much helium or you'll end up floating at 16,000 feet like Larry Walters did in 1982.

And what about moving the entire human population off-planet? Is that even possible? The simple answer is, it's highly complicated and probably not plausible. The energy requirement to move a 65-kilogram person out of the Earth's gravity well is about 4 gigajoules, which is equal to the energy stored in 90 kg of gasoline. Using traditional rocket fuels to overcome Earth’s gravity, a 1-ton craft needs 20 to 50 tons of fuel. 

Launching all of humanity would take tens of trillions of tons of fuel, a significant chunk of the world’s remaining oil reserves. So, while launching one person into space is easy, getting all of us there would tax our resources to the limit and possibly destroy the planet. 

Could a Hundred Million Yodas Power Our Planet and Other Intriguing Scientific Musings?

Imagine a world where science fiction inches closer to reality. Researchers are exploring the possibility of creating sperm from a woman's own stem cells. What if she could self-fertilize and have a child? The genetic implications are both fascinating and unnerving. 

To understand this, let's simplify human genetics using a role-playing game analogy. Imagine each person has two sets of seven chromosomes, each controlling a different trait like strength or intelligence. Normally, these come from two parents, ensuring a mix. 

But if a woman uses her own stem cells to create sperm, the child inherits a double dose of her genes. This condition, known as homozygosity, can lead to serious genetic disorders, such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and considerably reduces genetic diversity.

This is because half of the child's chromosomes would be identical, leading to a high inbreeding coefficient—a measure of genetic similarity. Historically, such inbreeding has caused serious health issues, as seen in European royal families. Self-fertilization would likely result in severe genetic defects, reducing the child's IQ and height, and increasing the risk of not surviving to birth. Essentially, self-fertilization is a risky strategy, explaining why sexual reproduction is more common among complex organisms.

Shifting gears, let's marvel at human prowess in throwing objects. Unlike other animals, humans excel at throwing, thanks to our brain's precision. Even a minor timing error can cause a baseball to miss its target. A professional pitcher can throw a baseball several times the height of a giraffe, and potentially even higher with a golf ball due to its lighter weight.

Now, for something truly cosmic: supernovae. These stellar explosions release an astronomical number of neutrinos—particles that usually pass through matter unnoticed. To get a lethal dose from neutrinos, you'd have to be incredibly close to a supernova, within the distance between the Earth and Mars. At that range, you'd be vaporized by the explosion itself long before the neutrinos could harm you.

In these explorations, we glimpse the incredible complexities and wonders of both our biology and the universe. From genetic engineering's ethical dilemmas to the physics of throwing and the vast energies of supernovae, each frontier challenges our understanding and imagination.

From Self-Fertilization to Supernovae: Navigating the Frontiers of Science and Imagination

Have you ever wondered how fast you can drive over a speed bump and still survive? Well, it's surprisingly quick, but before you try it, consider the risks. You could hurt someone or damage your car. But what about medical consequences? Reports from medical journals have revealed spinal injuries from speed bumps, so it's best not to test this theory. 

Now, imagine two immortal beings placed on opposite sides of an uninhabited Earth-like planet. How long would they take to find each other? The average estimate based on human walking speed is around 3000 years. But if they strategize, they could meet at a common point like the North or South Pole. If they didn't communicate beforehand, they could still find each other by leaving a trail of markers and following any new trail they come across. 

Moving on to space, have you ever thought about why it's hard to get to orbit? It's not because space is high up, but because you have to go so fast. The challenge is reaching orbital speed while carrying enough fuel to slow down again.  

And for thrill-seekers, what place on Earth would allow the longest free-fall? Canada's Mount Thor would let you fall for a little over 26 seconds, not accounting for any safety measures at the bottom. If you wore a wingsuit, you could extend your fall to over a minute, enough time for a quick chess game or to sing the first verse of REM's "It's the End of the World as We Know It". 

Are You Ready to Challenge the Speed Bump Survival Rate and Uncover the Secrets of Immortal Beings on Earth?

Do you know how many arrows it would take to blot out the sun? Surprisingly, it's a lot more than you might think! In fact, it would take a lot of creative modifications and a considerable number of arrows. 

For instance, packing the archers more tightly and increasing their firing rate could help, but still, it would only block out a small fraction of the sunlight. If the archers were to use arrow-firing Gatling bows and fire 70 arrows per second, they might cover two-thirds of the battlefield. However, the sun's brightness would only reduce slightly, not "blot out." 

Ever wondered how quickly the oceans would drain if a circular portal 10 meters in radius leading into space were created at the bottom of the deepest spot in the ocean? Well, it would actually take hundreds of thousands of years. Even though the opening is wider than a basketball court, and the water is forced through at incredible speeds, the oceans are just too massive. 

Now, let's imagine draining the oceans and dumping the water on top of the Curiosity rover on Mars. Initially, the water would turn Gale Crater into a lake. As we continue to dump water, it starts flowing out across the Martian surface, eventually filling the North Polar Basin. However, eventually, the oceans on Mars wouldn't last. The water would freeze over, become covered with dust, and gradually migrate to the permafrost at the poles. 

Have you ever thought of building a bridge out of Lego bricks, capable of carrying traffic from London to New York? It would require a vast number of Lego blocks, and the bridge would have to withstand the extreme forces of the North Atlantic Ocean. Even if we could build it, the cost of the Lego blocks alone would be over $5 trillion. 

What about the longest possible sunset you can experience while driving, obeying the speed limit and on paved roads? In northern Norway, using a clever strategy of driving ahead of the sunset and then driving back south fast enough, you could experience a sunset that lasts about 95 minutes. 

If you decide to call a random phone number and say “God bless you,” what are the chances that the person who answers just sneezed? Based on estimates, it's probably about 1 in 40,000. 

Curious Calculations: From Arrows Blotting the Sun to Sneezing Strangers on the Phone

Imagine a world where every day, the Earth expands by 1 cm per second. Initially, you'd feel a slight jolt, but by the end of the day, the Earth would have expanded by 864 meters and you'd weigh just 0.01 kg more. At this rate, after a month, buildings would start to crack, and astronauts aboard the ISS would need to evacuate as their orbit shrinks. In 40 years, gravity would triple, making walking a Herculean task, collapsing trees, and triggering massive landslides.

In a contrasting scenario, visualize the Sun suddenly switching off. We'd experience an array of benefits like reduced solar flare risks and improved satellite service. But, ultimately, we'd freeze and die, as the Sun's warmth is vital for our survival.

Now, consider the peculiar question: What if all the world’s lightning in a day struck one place? This mega-bolt would be six meters wide, delivering energy equivalent to two atomic bombs, flattening everything in its path.

On a lighter note, if you were to shoot an arrow in a zero-gravity environment with an Earth-like atmosphere, it would slow down significantly after traveling miles, eventually coming to a gentle stop.

Turning to social media, when will Facebook contain more profiles of the dead than the living? Projections suggest this eerie milestone could occur in the 2060s or the 2130s, depending on user growth rates.

Lastly, let's dive into the realm of kinetic energy: Could you boil a cup of tea by vigorously stirring it? Unfortunately, no. Even with relentless stirring, the amount of heat generated is negligible compared to what’s needed to boil water.

From expanding Earth theories to the loneliest humans in space, these thought experiments stretch our imagination and challenge our understanding of the world.

Could the Earth Really Expand by 1 cm per Second and What Would Happen If It Did?

Picture this: It's midsummer in Kansas. Two old-timers are rocking on their porch when ominous-looking clouds start to form. Suddenly, a rainstorm drops all of its water in a single giant drop creating a sphere of water over a kilometer in diameter.

Imagine the drop begins to fall, and within 20 seconds, it hits the ground with a force that causes the grass to catch fire instantly. If you were in the middle of this sphere, you wouldn't feel anything until the water hit the ground, where you'd be crushed to death by the pressure. This monstrous drop of water would create a supersonic omnidirectional jet, demolishing everything in its path, up to distances of 20 or 30 kilometers.

Now, think about the SAT test. What if everyone guessed on every multiple-choice question? Would there be any perfect scores? The odds are extremely low. If every 17-year-old guessed randomly, the chance of anyone getting a perfect score on just the math section would be about 0.0001 percent, even if they took it a million times each day for five billion years! 

Lastly, what if a bullet with the density of a neutron star were fired at the Earth’s surface? Such a bullet would weigh about as much as the Empire State Building. Whether fired or dropped, it would fall straight through the Earth's crust, creating an underground shooting star. 

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What If?

Randall Munroe

Ever wondered about the intriguing answers to some of the most outlandish scientific questions?

What happens if the earth suddenly stops spinning or if you tried to hit a baseball at the speed of light?

What if you could swim in a nuclear fuel pool or aim a laser pointer at the moon?

Would you survive a speed bump at high velocity?

And what about the hypothetical scenarios of every human turning into a turkey?

This book explores entertaining questions and gives informative responses using scientific principles.

Key Ideas

#1