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What If?2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
£7.49£10.99 (-32%)
‘Nerd royalty’ Ben Goldacre
‘Laugh-out-loud funny’ Bill Gates
‘Totally brilliant’ Tim Harford
WHAT IF you still had so many more strange questions about the universe?
And WHAT IF Randall Munroe, former NASA roboticist and xkcd creator, were prepared to move mountains, fill the solar system with soup and alter the space-time continuum to answer them?
Whether it’s how to make a lava lamp out of lava or feeding the inhabitants of New York to a T. Rex, welcome to the weird, wonderful (and sometimes terrifying) world of WHAT IF? 2
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Additional information
| Publisher | John Murray, 1st edition (31 Aug. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 368 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1399811142 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1399811149 |
| Dimensions | 12.8 x 3 x 19.6 cm |
by Sprinkles77
Really recommend. My son has read it multiple times.
by Fullerspride
This is a book that you can pick up at any time, the sort of book that you don’t need a bookmark for as it is not a story but a series of (daft / theoretical) questions that the author uses science and experts to answer.
Very easy to read, great for inquisitive kids and adults alike. Very happy to recommend!
by Colin Murtagh
It’s a new Randall Munroe, of course I’m going to buy it.
The book starts with a “do not try this at home” disclaimer. Now I’m not sure about you, but the idea of touching the sun, painting the entire planet, or turning the moon into electrons has never crossed my mind. This is because I am not Randall Munroe.
This is the second volume of “What If” questions collated. Randall is a former NASA roboticist, now a cartoonist and author, with a mind as sharp as a tack. Questions, such as the above are submitted and he answers in his own unique way, illustrated with the stick men that have become his signature style. The answers are as scientifically accurate as it’s possible to get, for some fairly weird questions, but done in a light manner, that explains without being condescending. Most answers take 4 or 5 pages, so an ideal length to just dip into.
Just to break things up a bit, this volume contains a couple of selections of short answers, where an answer can be done in a couple of lines, such as is space hot or cold. There’s also a few Weird and Worrying questions that haven’t been answered. I mean do you really want to know if bees go to hell?
This should be on the shelves of anyone with even a passing interest in the world around you
by jmartincheape
Enjoyable, clear explanations, great
cartoons. Well done! Long may this series continue (pssst.Some of the people who ask questions need a pause button before the words get out their mouths .. )
by Bert_179
I wasn’t sure what to make of this book when I started it,but after a few pages I was chuckling away at every question. All answered in a scientific manner. I loved the little drawings illustrating them. Most entertaining and enjoyable.
by NDL
Brilliant
by Amazon Customer
good book. interesting questions. i cannot be bothered to write a proper review. Would recommend to a friend. solid book
by angrypierre
I laughed. I learned. I thoroughly enjoyed reading serious answers to very silly questions. Written in accessible without dumbing down, however the American attachment to imperial measurements is, while understandable, a tad annoying.