What The If?

The amazing science educator and cetacean researcher, DR. VANESSA PIROTTA joins us from down under, in Sydney, Australia... But she guides us on a journey to the REAL down under... UNDER THE SEA!

Come along with us as we SWAP OUR HUMAN BRAINS for the singing, smiling, super smart BRAINS OF WHALES and dolphins.

HOW DOES IT FEEL to navigate all around the planet -- HOW do we do it? WHO are we SINGING to, and are we doing it well? WHY is there a little helicopter flying over our head... silly humans and their boats!

DR. PIROTTA'S INSIGHTS never cease to astound, and we come to appreciate our swimming, splashing... and sneezing mammalian relatives in more ways than we even knew was possible. Plus PRO TIPS on how to BE A GOOD HUMAN neighbor!

This is an IF worthy of the seven seas. LET'S SAIL!

LEARN MORE about Dr. Pirotta's research, see magnificent PHOTOS, and enjoy her super engaging DEMONSTRATIONS -- all on her WEBSITE: http://VanessaPirotta.com

Don't miss An IF!

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Thanks and Keep On IFFin'!

-- Philip & Matt

A couple of weeks ago we explored PARALLEL UNIVERSES... and in *this* parallel universe we take up a similarly BRAIN BENDING a concept: the INFINITE probabilities that surround us in our INFINITE universe. Why should the guy with the goatee be the EVIL one? And what about PANTS... a necessary evil? In an INFINITE UNIVERSE surely there is one little place where people are less... judgmental.

Also, did you see a brain lying (or FLYING) around here somewhere? LUDWIG BOLTZMANN says he lost his mind and can't remember where he put it... but he says it's GOTTA be somewhere in this darn big universe!

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Happy New Year, dear IFFers!!! A joyous episode greets you. Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Astronaut William Anders' society transforming photograph, "Earthrise," and basking in the glow of Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic breakthrough towards bringing passengers into space... Philip wonders WTF is wrong with all these people on the plane who close their windowshades???

Meanwhile, on the skin of the Earth, the view of the skies is disappearing drastically, night after night. WTiF we could ALL see the sky as clear as the ancient astronomers, philsophers, and peasant folk saw the thick sparkling tapestry of the night sky? WTiF we could really see the STARS? Join us on our journey into a hopeful future... or not.

It's New Years around the Earth… but how long will we know that it's a PLANET?

Let's fly and take a look before the sky blindfolds us forever! WTiF... Clear Skies Forever? Can we do it??? What happens if we don't???

Our listener & Super IFFer Jeff from Nashville asks What The IF there are parallel universes? Turns out... they might be exploding all around you! Should we fear the ones where we are wearing a beard? Good vs. Evil, Weird Science vs REAL SCIENCE. Strap on your parallel boots and let's go!

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For our Christmas Special, our devoted listener Mitchell Scherr was inspired by the ARTHUR C. CLARKE short story "The Star," in which an ASTRONOMER ponders the source of the STAR OF BETHLEHEM.

Was it a super nova? A meteor? A COMET, sent to a solar system which badly needed a tune up? ISAAC NEWTON had some very strong opinions on the matter, and he also has some seriously badass SINS to CONFESS. For realz!

Enjoy this wonderful gift from Santa iCloud, directly to your ears, because you were very good science boys & girls this year! With goodwill towards all who love science, Matt & Philip wish you the very best of FESTIVUS!

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Listener, and Super IFFer, Amira Youseff wrote in to the [email protected] hotline and asked: "How can I get MY FRIENDS to be interested in GLOBAL WARMING?" We discuss how IN THE WORLD you can talk about CLIMATE CHANGE at the party without causing everyone to yawn and abandon you. This week, how to SAVE THE PLANET while making friends and influencing people! This party is HEATING UP!

Today we take up another fabulous -- and dastardly -- suggestion from our audience!

Super IFFER Mike Holland sent an email to our hungry [email protected] mailbox and asked.... How did we come to know that CLIMATE CHANGE is really happening, and what it will do to our world?

Scientists agree: our atmosphere is heating up and something wicked this way comes. But it wasn't always this way, predicting globally is a skill we've only recently developed... but how??? And WHO was the first scientist to notice? Wasn't there a fear a while back where we were all going to FREEZE? Who figured it out? Were they wearing a turtleneck? HOW did all the scientists of WORLD come to agree that THE END IS NIGH? And who can stop it?

On this urgent, darkly humorous, hot box of an episode, we ask... WTiF HUMANS ARE DESTROYING THEIR OWN PLANET? Climate change, past and present, and the changing fashions of scientists' top wear.

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70 - Victory Over GRAVITY! by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

69 - Dummies VS Gravity! by Philip Shane, Matt Stanley, Gabrielle Paniccia

IF we were Martians, looking at the Earth with our telescopes… would we know there’s LIFE there? If so, how would we know? Could we have watched humanity evolve? Would we see the humans coming to US? Run for the mons! It’s another fast & fascinating episode of What The IF?!!!