First published 2022
Randall Munroe returns with his trademark blend of rigorous science and absurd scenarios in this follow-up to his global bestseller. The former NASA roboticist turned webcomic creator addresses the strangest questions imaginable with scientific precision and comedic timing. Want to slide from the moon to Earth using a fire pole? Curious about cooling the atmosphere by opening every freezer door simultaneously? Wondering what happens when you construct a building with billions of floors? Munroe consults cutting-edge research spanning swing physics to aircraft catapults to deliver clear, concise, and hilarious explanations. His answers frequently predict complete human annihilation or spectacular explosions. The creator of the scientific blog What If and popular webcomic xkcd demonstrates how even the most ridiculous hypothetical situations can illuminate genuine scientific principles and spark genuine curiosity about our world.
Genres: science-fiction, humor, popular-science, non-fiction
Vibes: humorous, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: humor, informative
368 pages · Paperback · Spectrum