If you loved
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Randall Munroe · Book · 2014
You loved how What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions used rigorous logic to turn bizarre, curiosity-driven inquiries into profound revelations.
Films on the same thread
Interstellar
Christopher Nolan · Film · 2014
Explores: Existentialism, Humanity's Survival, Love and Sacrifice.
Much like the scientific rigor found in What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, this film applies complex physics to push the boundaries of human exploration.
What We Do in the Shadows
Jemaine Clement · Film · 2014
Explores: Vampires, Modern Life, Housemates.
The absurd, deadpan logic applied to the mundane lives of these vampires mirrors the comedic tone Munroe masters in What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
Project Hail Mary
Phil Lord · Film · 2026
Explores: competence porn, amnesia, interspecies friendship.
This story mirrors the scientific problem solving celebrated in What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, focusing on how technical expertise overcomes impossible, high-stakes space scenarios.
PK
Rajkumar Hirani · Film · 2014
Explores: Clash of Cultures, Religious Satire, Innocence vs. Experience.
The protagonist's innocent yet piercing questions about human nature reflect the exact same spirit of inquisitive, outsider curiosity that drives What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
Series on the same thread
What We Do in the Shadows
Jemaine Clement · Series · 2019
Explores: Vampire Life, Fish-out-of-Water, Supernatural Roommates.
The dry, observational humor used to explore supernatural existence here provides the same intellectual satisfaction as the hypothetical scenarios analyzed in What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
QI
John Lloyd · Series · 2003
Explores: Trivia, Intellectual Humor, Absurdist Humor.
This show shares the exact same DNA as What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by rewarding audiences for engaging with trivia and bizarre, interesting facts.
The Munsters
Chris Hayward · Series · 1964
Explores: Family, Misunderstanding, Monsters.
The central humor of this series relies on the same clash between extraordinary beings and ordinary circumstances found in the thought experiments of What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
Human Universe
Professor Brian Cox · Series · 2014
Explores: Origins of life, Human existence, Future of humanity.
Brian Cox tackles the fundamental mysteries of existence with the same wonder and scientific clarity that defines the exploration of concepts in What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
Podcasts on the same thread
Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward · Podcast · 2026
Explores: intellectual curiosity, scientific wonder, human obsession.
These deep dives into bizarre scientific phenomena mirror the enthusiastic, fact-based curiosity that made What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions such a compelling and informative read.
NASA's Curious Universe
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) · Podcast · 2026
These stories bring the same focus on technical expertise and cosmic inquiry to life that Randall Munroe highlights throughout What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions based on the xkcd webcomic?
Yes, What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions is written by Randall Munroe, the creator of the popular xkcd webcomic. The book compiles the hilarious and informative answers to the strange hypothetical questions that fans frequently submit to his website.
What kind of questions are answered in What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions?
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions features answers to unusual queries you likely never thought to ask. Examples include calculating how fast you can hit a speed bump and survive, or determining when the sun finally set on the British Empire.
Who is the author of What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions?
The author of What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions is Randall Munroe. He is widely known for creating the iconic webcomic xkcd, which attracts millions of visitors each week and serves as the primary inspiration for the scientific inquiries found in this book.
Does What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions contain real scientific analysis?
Yes, What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions provides serious scientific analysis for absurd hypothetical scenarios. Randall Munroe applies rigorous scientific reasoning to answer strange questions submitted by fans, resulting in content that is both informative and humorous for the reader.