REVIEW: What If? by Randall Munroe

What if you could put the childlike fun (and absurdity) back into science?

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe Published on 24th September 2015 by John Murray

Ever wondered if you can you make a jet pack out of machine guns? Or how much force Yoda uses when he lifts the X Wing from the swamp on Dagobah? Or maybe what would happen if everyone on earth stood next to each other and jumped at the same time? How about what would happen if you shot a bullet with the same density as a neutron star into the earth?

If the answer to any of the above is yes, then this book is for you! Famed for his xkcd webcomics which explain scientific concepts in tongue-in-cheek, hilarious ways, Randall Munroe shares his witty insights and accessible but thorough scientific knowledge in What If?

As someone who loved the crazy parts of science at school, this book scratches the same itch as the first time you dissect an eye ball or trigger a chemical reaction, and is the perfect dip in and out read for any science fans out there.

Randall manages to make it really accessible by comparing quite obtuse concepts or measurements to much more relatable, understandable things. For instance, when talking about how long it would take to free fall from the top of Mount Thor - 26 seconds, if you were wondering - he compares this to certain activities you could do in the same time (e.g. complete world 1-1 of Super Mario World). These things are so unique they stick in your head and long after I would've normally forgotten a lot of the information, it's still stuck in my head.

The questions are completely unlike anything I've ever seen tackled in other books, but I think what really makes this stand out is the humour. I don't think I ever went more than a chapter without snorting or guffawing in laughter, whether from the genius footnotes or the illustrations, which are genuinely brilliant throughout.

There's also some brilliant one liners (the scholarly in authorities in freezing to death seem to be, unsurprisingly, Canadians), and particularly funny are the chapters which focus on 'rejected' questions from the pile, usually either mildly concerning (can you dehydrate yourself through crying) or unsettlingly murderous...

Overall, this is a fresh, humourous taken on popular science, from a very talented author who I would be very keen to read again in the future. Thoroughly recommended.

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