What The If?

In honor of Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos putting their butts on the launch pad, we salute the spirit of hot rods in space with this encore presentation of one our most popular episodes. Fasten your safety belt and -- aw, screw it, just hop in and hit the gas, let's goooooooo!!!

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Using gravity waves, Astronomers announced they discovered two neutron stars colliding in an epic explosion! Forbes Magazine's favorite fact about this natural wonder is that the event created 28 Octillion Dollars worth of Gold! (Priorities, people, c'mon.)

Everyone says the global race to space won't really begin until we find some kind of (boring, so boring) natural material (yawn) to mine (geez, really) on some asteroid, moon or planet. What do people really love on Earth? Oil!

What the IF oil (sticky, smokey, delicious) oil were found on Mars? A bazillion tons of it! Would Elon Musk's dreams of a massive Mars-based corporate economy erupt, using all that cheap, stinky oil? What would happen on Earth with all this insanely cheap oil suddenly available to everyone? Rocket cars belching smoke! And so much more.

Check out this really fun, crazy, episode -- chock-a-block full of REAL SCIENCE -- and our awesome flavor of extrapolation imagination as we envision another entirely new world that comes to life when we ask... What the IF?

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

Water, water... nowhere!

An IF from YOU, our audience! Super Uber Duper IFFer Kyle CRICHTON writes in and asks, What The IF... there were NO OCEANS?

Perhaps Kyle wrote this while on the way to the beach? No parking at the shore is bad enough, but no shore are the shore? Yikes!

Of course it all happened one dark and stormy night when Aliens came by and slurped our oceans away to feed their voracious thirst -- the ultimate BIG GULP.

But the next morning when we all wake up to see the parched basins that now cover seventy-five percent of the globe, what do we do? How do we survive? And what's that SMELL???

Biology, Geology, and more-ologies than you can shake a blanket at bubble up from the damp sands to tell a tale of SCIENCE, fueled by the expertise of Matt and Gaby.

Can we play when there's nothin' but playa? AAAAAAHHHH! Listen up, and prepare an ENDLESS SUMMER... What The IF you dare!

Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

The brilliant astrophysicist and master teacher HAKEEM OLUSEYI takes us into one of the most astounding IF's we have ever experienced. In a tour de force of imagination, Dr. Oluseyi helps us appreciate the unimaginably titanic scale of the Universe by asking us to imagine being unimaginably microscopic and instead of looking out at the Milky Way galaxy... these astronomers are inside... YOU!

This is a fantastic voyage that takes you from the size of the electron, to the stars, to the scale of the universe and... beyond. Don't forget to take a breath and soak it all in, you won't forget this show.

Dr. Oluseyi is an Astrophysicist, STEM Educator, Author, Speaker, Science Communicator, and Veteran. His memoir "A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey From The Streets To The Stars" has just been published, to great acclaim, and is available wherever books are sold. More info at https://sites.prh.com/a-quantum-life

About the book: In this inspiring coming-of-age memoir, a world-renowned astrophysicist emerges from an impoverished childhood and crime-filled adolescence to ascend through the top ranks of research physics.

Navigating poverty, violence, and instability, a young James Plummer had two guiding stars—a genius IQ and a love of science. But a bookish nerd is a soft target, and James faced years of bullying and abuse. As he struggled to survive his childhood in some of the country’s toughest urban neighborhoods in New Orleans, Houston, and LA, and later in the equally poor backwoods of Mississippi, he adopted the persona of “gangsta nerd”—dealing weed in juke joints while winning state science fairs with computer programs that model Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Once admitted to the elite physics PhD program at Stanford University, James found himself pulled between the promise of a bright future and a dangerous crack cocaine habit he developed in college. With the encouragement of his mentor and the sole Black professor in the physics department, James confronted his personal demons as well as the entrenched racism and classism of the scientific establishment. When he finally seized his dream of a life in astrophysics, he adopted a new name, Hakeem Muata Oluseyi, to honor his African ancestors.

Alternately heartbreaking and hopeful, A Quantum Life narrates one man’s remarkable quest across an ever-expanding universe filled with entanglement and choice.

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us!

Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

NASA just announced a new mission to VENUS... how'd that happen? Did you know that you can play a role in exploring space? Yep. With a simple phone call you can keep space missions alive, and growing, and exploring! WHO YA GONNA CALL?

The hardest working man in planetary politicking is here to show us how: CASEY DREIER, The Planetary Society's Senior Space Policy Advisor and Chief Advocate.

A lot of people don't know that ROCKETS are PEOPLE powered, and you play a role in lighting the fuse, should you choose to do so. Your passion, when conveyed to your government representatives, is an essential ingredient in getting our craft to land on other worlds.

Casey shows us how easy it is, and how important. Democracy to the solar system, you can help! Give a listen, and tell us your ideas for citizen participation in the greatest endeavor citizens have ever taken.

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Learn more about The PLANETARY SOCIETY and how you can join them on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC for their annual DAY OF ACTION at Planetary.org

Follow The Planetary Society and Casey on Twitter: @ExplorePlanets and @CaseyDreier

Casey provides monthly reports about NASA in his monthly updates on the Planetary Radio podcast. Featuring The Planetary Society's Chief Advocate, Casey Dreier, the Space Policy Edition podcast features unique insights by the world's leading experts in space policy and history to explain how space exploration actually happens. Check it out: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/space-policy-edition

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

No muss, no sex, no fuss!

Today's show is ripped from the headlines. Science Magazine reports: "An aquarium accident may have given this crayfish the DNA to take over the world" By Elizabeth Pennisi

(https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/02/aquarium-accident-may-have-given-crayfish-dna-take-over-world?utm_campaign=ScienceNow&utm_source=Contractor&utm_medium=Facebook)

And so, IFFed from the Headlines, we bring you, "What The IF people reproduced asexually?" Which means, ladies and gentlemen, that the ladies don't need the gentlemen anymore! And the offspring are clones of their mothers and this begins on a Thursday in a maternity ward somewhere in the world and then it's happening all over planet and then... WTIF?!!!!

This would make one heck of a movie. And it makes one hell of a podcast, enjoy your ride!

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Special thanks to Illia Zheng and Howard Zheng for their help with the show.

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip & Matt

An exhilarating, encore bonus show: Our listeners, the IFFers of the world, share their questions, comments, reactions and rants.

The fantastic whirlwind of listener mail that Philip jousted and parried following the episode "Secrets Of Making A UFO DOCUMENTARY". A wide range of brilliant and bonkers thoughts from our audience!

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

Hi, Philip here, your humble narrator. In the wake (ahem) of the US Navy Tic Tac UFO's being in the news again, and following up on our awesome show last week with Mick West, I wanted to repost this very popular special episode. I am a documentary filmmaker and have made a number of science oriented films, including an extensive investigation into UFO's which I edited with Peter Jenning's at ABC News. One of the chapters I edited in that 2 hour documentary was a scientific investigation of the "alien abduction" phenomena, which included interviews with self-described "abductees" as well as scientists at Harvard University who studied the claims, and discovered a fascinating scientific explanation.

In this solo episode, I take you on a deep dive into alien abduction, and I offer some PRO TIPS for what to do to BE PREPARED to document your CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE THIRD KIND. Because, frankly, all the abductees so far have been doing a pretty terrible job of getting evidence, especially anything that I could use in a real documentary like, ya know, good pictures... please!

I also take you behind the screen (well, behind the keyboard at least) to see how UFO documentaries are edited, and how they have, intentionally or not, perpetuated the sense of "mystery" because of their editing techniques. I hope this will give you a way to more critically understand news and documentary stories about UFO's, and also give ya some laughs from some of the crazy things that happened to me while editing the Peter Jennings program, "UFOs: Seeing Is Believing".

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

WE ARE NOT ALONE in having bad breath! Tic Tacs are here to freshen our planet with a delightful minty taste. But seriously folks, WTF is going on with the startling images of mysterious tic tac shapes appearing on the US NAVY ship based radar, and on the infrared VIDEO SCREENS of their fighter planes, and in front of the eyes pilots. These images have, incredibly and almost uniquely in the history of UFOs, been featured in the NEW YORK TIMES and on the legendary CBS News program, 60 MINUTES, and of course on social media all the way from here to Pluto.

MICK WEST is the host of the TALES FROM THE RABBIT HOLE podcast and author of ESCAPING THE RABBIT HOLE, and who's YouTube channel is essential viewing for anyone interested testing claims of extraordinary phenomena from the fringe, including 9/11 conspiracy theories, contrails, and UFO's. We're grateful for his taking time to walk up the ramp into our hovering WTIF studio and conduct an important thought experiment with us:

What The IF these really are flying craft performing feats beyond not only our known TECHNOLOGY, but even beyond our current understanding of PHYSICS itself?

Science advances through dogged observation of BIZARRE phenomena and using experimentation, and rumination, to expand our understanding of nature. And it's a two way street, this IF, because it's also a way of evaluating eyewitness testimony and hard data.

We learn all kinds of fun and fascinating science along the way: physics, biology, aerodynamics, electromagnetism and more. And we discuss some of the most prominent eyewitness testimony, including that of Navy pilots and radar technicians who have sat down with Mick over the past few years in extensive interviews, providing him with a trove of details about what they remember from these events, some going as far back as 2004.

There's also tons of cool science to be learned from the examination of the process of understanding eyewitness testimony, too. How do we evaluate these stories, especially when they come from such heroes as those who have devoted their lives to defending the nation (and perhaps even the planet)?

Put on your helmet, strap into the cockpit, fire those afterburners and let's go check out some SPOOKY ACTION at an all-too-close distance... because we need to know, and no matter what the outcome, the process of pursuing this quest brings us all kinds of super awesome science!

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Mick West is a co-founder and former Technical Director of Neversoft Entertainment and helped create the billion-dollar franchise: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. After leaving Neversoft, Mick spent time coding, writing, and learning to fly a small plane. This eventually led him to his interest in the "chemtrails" conspiracy theory, and the creation of the site ContrailScience.com. Mick now runs Metabunk.org, a forum of and about the polite debunking of theories from 9/11 conspiracies to the Flat Earth.

His first book, Escaping the Rabbit Hole, draws upon his debunking experience and research to provide a set of tools and information that people can use to help their friends find their way out of the rabbit hole of conspiracy thinking.

Twitter: @MickWest

YouTube: MickWest

Facebook: Metabunk

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mick-West/e/B0781K1G29

Websites:

MickWest.com

Metabunk.org

ContrailScience.com

CowboyProgramming.com

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

Chris Carberry is back with more tales from the research labs where spirits are being crafted for... SPACE!

And we're not just limited to one industry on this show, Chris introduces us to the exciting, burgeoning world of SMALL BUSINESS in space! Entrepreneurs big and small have opportunities for getting into the space race, and doing their part to invest, invent, and innovate our way to Mars and the stars. Every aspect of life outside of Earth is ripe for your imagination and creativity, learn how you can join in!

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Chris is the CEO of EXPLORE MARS and author of the awesome book, ALCOHOL IN SPACE... Join us for a fun and fabulous Happy Hour on Mars!

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LEARN MORE about the Space Drinks Association: http://spacedrinks.space

SIGN UP for The Mars Innovation Forum, sponsored by Explore Mars: https://www.exploremars.org/mars-innovation-forum/

CHECK OUT Chris' book: https://www.amazon.com/Alcohol-Space-Past-Present-Future-dp-147667924X/dp/147667924X/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=

FOLLOW Chris on Twitter: @Carberry2033

And check out EXPLORE MARS at ExploreMars.org

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CHRIS CARBERRY is the CEO and co-founder of Explore Mars, Inc. a nonprofit space advocacy organization that was created to advance the goal of sending humans to Mars within the next two decades. Carberry is a well-respected expert and influential director of strategic alliances in the space community and has been responsible for growing many partnerships, grants and sponsorships for leading industry organizations. Currently, as CEO of Explore Mars, he acts as the main liaison for efforts and project ventures.

Prior to joining Explore Mars, Carberry served as Executive Director to The Mars Society. In his early career, he acted as a member of the Steering Committee where he organized congressional outreach efforts around the country. He also played a leadership role in congressional outreach events such as the 2007-2017 Space Exploration Alliance Legislative Blitz and has coordinated numerous briefing panels and other events on Capitol Hill over the past two decades.

In more recent years, he has organized and led successful international conferences including the ISS and Mars Conference in Washington, D.C. and Strasbourg, France, and the Women and Mars Conference in Washington, D.C. In 2012, he represented Explore Mars as a delegate to the Mars500 Symposium in Moscow, Russia, and in 2013, he spearheaded the annual Humans to Mars Summit in Washington, DC that has become the largest annual conference in the world focused on sending humans to Mars. Carberry also helped to launch the Get Curious Campaign in 2012 and the Humans to Mars Report starting in 2015. Carberry is also a co-founder and co-chair of the Mars Achievability and Sustainability workshop series, and he recently launched the 1st AR/VR and Space workshop series. In 2018, under Carberry’s leadership, Explore Mars will also launch programs in Europe and the United Arab Emirates.

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Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby

Ahoy! Our listener, Super IFFer Miguel submitted a delightful sea shanty about the physics of the SUN, created by the awesome sci-pirates at the NASA Goddard Space Center. And so we drank ourselves into a quantum stuper and had to ask, dude, What The IF you could FEEL THE SOLAR WIND? Surfs up, sails up, science UP -- let's ride, mates!

Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big!

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Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1

Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com

Keep On IFFin',

Philip, Matt & Gaby