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What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
"An absolute delight!" -Hank Green
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of What If? and How To answers more of the weirdest questions you never thought to ask
The millions of people around the world who read and loved What If? still have questions, and those questions are getting stranger. Thank goodness xkcd creator Randall Munroe is here to help. Planning to ride a fire pole from the Moon back to Earth? The hardest part is sticking the landing. Hoping to cool the atmosphere by opening everyone's freezer door at the same time? Maybe it's time for a brief introduction to thermodynamics. Want to know what would happen if you rode a helicopter blade, built a billion-story building, made a lava lamp out of lava, or jumped on a geyser as it erupted? Okay, if you insist.
Before you go on a cosmic road trip, feed the residents of New York City to a T. rex, or fill every church with bananas, be sure to consult this practical guide for impractical ideas. Unfazed by absurdity, Munroe consults the latest research on everything from swing-set physics to airliner catapult–design to answer his readers' questions, clearly and concisely, with illuminating and occasionally terrifying illustrations. As he consistently demonstrates, you can learn a lot from examining how the world might work in very specific extreme circumstances.
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of What If? and How To answers more of the weirdest questions you never thought to ask
The millions of people around the world who read and loved What If? still have questions, and those questions are getting stranger. Thank goodness xkcd creator Randall Munroe is here to help. Planning to ride a fire pole from the Moon back to Earth? The hardest part is sticking the landing. Hoping to cool the atmosphere by opening everyone's freezer door at the same time? Maybe it's time for a brief introduction to thermodynamics. Want to know what would happen if you rode a helicopter blade, built a billion-story building, made a lava lamp out of lava, or jumped on a geyser as it erupted? Okay, if you insist.
Before you go on a cosmic road trip, feed the residents of New York City to a T. rex, or fill every church with bananas, be sure to consult this practical guide for impractical ideas. Unfazed by absurdity, Munroe consults the latest research on everything from swing-set physics to airliner catapult–design to answer his readers' questions, clearly and concisely, with illuminating and occasionally terrifying illustrations. As he consistently demonstrates, you can learn a lot from examining how the world might work in very specific extreme circumstances.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for What If? 2
"Entertaining. . . . combines Munroe's true research and truly funny prose with his signature stick-figure illustrations." -The Washington Post
"It's an absolute delight! It's the coolest way to learn how the world actually works." -Hank Green (on the Dear Hank & John podcast)
"A delight for science geeks with a penchant for oddball thought experiments." -Kirkus
Praise for Randall Munroe and What If?
"What If? is one of my Internet must-reads, and I look forward to each new installment, and always read it with delight." -Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing
"Randall Munroe is a national treasure." -Phil Plait
"Extreme astrophysics and indecipherable chemistry have rarely been this clearly explained or this consistently hilarious." -Entertainment Weekly "10 Best Nonfiction Books of the Year"
"Consistently fascinating and entertaining...Munroe leavens the hard science with whimsical touches... An illuminating handbook of methods of reasoning." -Wall Street Journal
"It's fun to watch as Munroe tackles each question and examines every possible complication with nerdy and methodical aplomb.... The delightfully demented What If? is the most fun you can have with math and science, short of becoming your own evil genius." -Boston Globe
"With his steady regimen of math jokes, physics jokes, and antisocial optimism, xkcd creator Randall Munroe, a former NASA roboticist, scores traffic numbers in NBC.com or Oprah.com territory. One key to the strip's success may be that it doesn't just comment on nerd culture, it embodies nerd culture." -Wired, in an issue featuring "the people who have shaped the planet's past 20 years"
"Entertaining. . . . combines Munroe's true research and truly funny prose with his signature stick-figure illustrations." -The Washington Post
"It's an absolute delight! It's the coolest way to learn how the world actually works." -Hank Green (on the Dear Hank & John podcast)
"A delight for science geeks with a penchant for oddball thought experiments." -Kirkus
Praise for Randall Munroe and What If?
"What If? is one of my Internet must-reads, and I look forward to each new installment, and always read it with delight." -Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing
"Randall Munroe is a national treasure." -Phil Plait
"Extreme astrophysics and indecipherable chemistry have rarely been this clearly explained or this consistently hilarious." -Entertainment Weekly "10 Best Nonfiction Books of the Year"
"Consistently fascinating and entertaining...Munroe leavens the hard science with whimsical touches... An illuminating handbook of methods of reasoning." -Wall Street Journal
"It's fun to watch as Munroe tackles each question and examines every possible complication with nerdy and methodical aplomb.... The delightfully demented What If? is the most fun you can have with math and science, short of becoming your own evil genius." -Boston Globe
"With his steady regimen of math jokes, physics jokes, and antisocial optimism, xkcd creator Randall Munroe, a former NASA roboticist, scores traffic numbers in NBC.com or Oprah.com territory. One key to the strip's success may be that it doesn't just comment on nerd culture, it embodies nerd culture." -Wired, in an issue featuring "the people who have shaped the planet's past 20 years"
Readers Top Reviews
Jeff and ErinNick
Been excited about this book ever since it was announced and pre ordered it to be delivered to me while on vacation! Can’t think of a better vacation book!!!
KariJeff and Erin
First off, this book is a riot. If you are an XKCD fan, his books are a must. He starts with rather absurd questions and then does legitimate science to determine the outcomes. Along the way you get tons of hilarious comedy and some really interesting potential outcomes.
Parker GnatekKari
Once again, Randall Monroe has humored and impressed all of my deepest (and sometimes darkest) scientific questions. While his first work of What If was undoubtedly amazing, What If 2 is only the natural add on to the first. The book is once again truly enthralling all the way through, and although I just got it this morning, I don't doubt based on the first few chapters that I will be equally as interested and enthralled with his writings. Amazing, highly recommend.
ToddParker Gnatek
What a fun and interesting way to explain science. Lots of creativity went into forming the questions and lots of intellectual horsepower went into answering them. Each question and answer is very engaging. I'm so impressed by the range of science topics covered. This is the book you need to give people when they don't know why they need science and math. While it's a little tongue and cheek, in a fun way you can see the power of the problem solving and how it can be applied to many different areas. Well done.
CToddParker Gnate
Out of the thousands of books that I have read, Munroe’s are certainly some of my very favorites. I wish that I could give this a higher rating than just 5 stars. This book has about 64 “chapters” and roughly 334 pages. Randall Munroe is the creator of the popular “xkcd” webcomic, and author of several great entertaining science-based books. In this book he answers many different (sometimes ridiculous) science/physics questions submitted by fans, and he goes deep into the explanations while still adding his wonderful sense of humor. Monroe’s amusing stick figure drawings add to the fun, and with each answer I’m both impressed by his calculations and his ability to make me laugh. I love books that combine science education with humor, and Monroe is one of the best at this. His hilarious approach to real physics problems is an excellent way to get children and teenagers interested in physics. I have a copy of this book for myself, but I also picked up a few as gifts for some adolescents that I know, (all of whom have also given it great reviews). I hope that Munroe continues to put out these books!
