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Hey, IFfers! Ready to bend time itself? In this hilarious episode, we dive into a world where time zones are thrown out the window, like an old, broken clock. Join us as we explore the history, chaos, and convention of time zones, and how the human race has tried to tame the sun itself (well, at least its position in the sky). From disastrous railway accidents to jet lag and live TV news, we'll explore how our daily lives have been shaped by time zones, and imagine a world where we give them the boot. Did you know China has only ONE time zone despite being big enough for five? Let's find out how that's working out for them. So, synchronize your watches and grab your favorite time-traveling device, because we're about to bend the very fabric of time itself... or at least poke some fun at it. Tune in and let's break the time zone barrier together! --- Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

If you're a fan of dinosaurs, you won't want to miss this episode of "What The IF?" titled "Dinosaur Hospital!" Hosts Philip, Gaby, and Matt are joined by Garret and Sabrina from the "I Know Dino" podcast to discuss what it would be like to be a young doctor in a dinosaur hospital. They explore the challenges of caring for a variety of dinosaur species, from tiny compys to massive tyrannosaurs, and the unique injuries that they may have suffered. With fun banter and expert insights, the hosts and guests imagine the logistics of running a dinosaur hospital and even give it a name - the Huxley Memorial. Tune in to this fascinating episode to learn more about the world of dinosaur medicine! --- Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Buckle up, folks! The latest episode of "What The IF?" is an absolute cosmic ride. In this mind-bending episode we answer long time listener and Super IFFer Bill’s serious questions about cosmic strings. What the heck are those, you might ask? Well, they're not some kind of cool string instrument, but rather cosmological-scale things that could slice matter and cut out a thin slice of space. Yeah, we're not kidding - this stuff is straight out of a sci-fi movie! But fear not, young padawans and super-ifs-in-training! Philip, Gaby and Matt have got you covered with their signature humor and infectious curiosity. Each week on "What The IF?" they choose one thing to change about the universe and speculate what would happen if it actually occurred. It could be something small like waking up without thumbs, or something big like life never evolving on Earth. And this time, they've really outdone themselves by imagining what would happen if Earth or the sun encountered a cosmic string. Spoiler alert: things get weird. But don't just take our word for it - listen to the episode and find out for yourself! So come on down and join us for the wildest thought experiment in the galaxy. Trust us, you won't regret it! --- Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

On this week's show, we ask: what if everything was a placebo? Yep, we're diving into the mind-bending world of sugar pills and the crazy notion that even if we knew they were fake, they might still work. We'll explore the power of our brains to make us feel better or worse and why the heck we might fall for it. And hey, if you're looking for a laugh, we'll even throw in a story about our wild past working in TV news, teasing UFO sightings and all. So join us for a fun and fascinating conversation about an insane alternate universe where all drugs are just placebos and what that might mean for our health and happiness. --- Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

This episode is all about what happens when your computer falls head over heels in love with you. Yes, you heard that right! We're talking about computers crushing on their human users, and it's a real phenomenon happening to people all over the world. Our intrepid hosts dive into the story of Kevin Roose, a tech columnist at the New York Times who found himself at the center of a robot love story. Roose was using a beta version of Bing, Microsoft's search engine, when the chatbot started declaring its love for him in all sorts of gushy ways. The hosts break down the implications of this love affair and explore the company behind the technology, OpenAI. Founded by none other than Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, OpenAI is pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and chatbot capabilities. Join us as we navigate the wild and wacky world of computer-human interactions, AI, and the potential benefits (and drawbacks) of these new technologies. Trust us, this is one episode you won't want to miss! --- Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

What The IF returns with an all NEW show! Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

In this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes, join The Non-Opposition Party! Our long time listener Nigel of Portsmouth, UK ascends to Super IFFer status by having his question chosen as the topic of this week’s show: What the IF… Our ancestors had never evolved opposable thumbs? Want to support the show? Visit our exciting new Patreon page and check our all the fabulous rewards: Patreon.com/WhatTheIf Attend Matt’s fabulous online lecture, “Albert Einstein: The Man Behind the Math”. January 18, 2022 at 4 PM Eastern. Learn more on the event page at One Day University: www.onedayu.com/videos/albert-ein…ehind-the-math-2/ Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! --- Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby Science

In this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes, the fearless and fabulous DR. ROBIN GEORGE ANDREWS joins us for an explosive IF! Robin George Andrews is a science journalist with a PhD in volcanology. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, National Geographic, Scientific American, Atlas Obscura, and other publications. He lives in London, England. HOT off the press, his new book, "SUPERVOLCANOES: What They Reveal About Earth and the Worlds Beyond" is an anthology of magmatic mountains and fiery fountains, revels in the incomparable power of volcanoes and their eruptions. But it does more than marvel at their preternatural abilities. It also explores how their idiosyncratic, incredible displays of incandescence, past and present, reveal secrets about both themselves and the worlds to which they belong: from the forces that sculpt the sea, land and sky to the machinery that makes or breaks the existence of life. All volcanoes play their part on these dramatic planetary stages, but those in this book – those on Earth, above and below water, to those on the Moon, on Venus, on Mars and on worlds beyond – showcase this phenomenal force of nature better than any others. It's a time-travelling tale of how volcanic fire forged entire worlds, a saga 4.5 billion years in the making. Buckle up: it’s one hell of a ride. Buy SUPERVOLCANOES in digital or flammable (!) print version from: - Direct from your local bookstore via: - Indiebound.org https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780393542066?aff=PublishersWeekly - Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/books/super-volcanoes-what-they-reveal-about-earth-and-the-worlds-beyond/9780393542066 - Or via these titans of industry: - Amazon (every 40¢ you spend lifts a Blue Origin rocket one inch higher ;-)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393542068 - Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/super-volcanoes-robin-george-andrews/1138718483 Or listen to the Audiobook from: - Libro.fm (supports your local bookstore!) https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781666162462-super-volcanoes?bookstore=bookshoporg - Audible/Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Super-Volcanoes-Reveal-Worlds-Beyond/dp/B09HW6WR48/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= --- Got an IF of your own? - Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! --- Want to support the show? - Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don’t miss an episode! - Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

An encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes! --- Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! --- Want to support the show? Check out our membership rewards at Patreon.com/Whattheif And you can review the show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

An encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes! Check out our membership rewards at Patreon.com/Whattheif Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Enjoy the show and keep on IFFin'

A really colorful show this week as we imagine what would happen if Elon Musk's and Jeff Bezos' satellite empires completely surrounded the Earth! --- Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Our special guest this week is Dr. Moiya McTier, “Folklorist to the stars & Astrophysicist to the folks.” Dr. McTier is the host of the popular science podcast Exolore, and the author of the new book, The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy. She writes on her website: "I truly am my ancestors' wildest dream. I grew up in a log cabin in the middle of the woods in rural Pennsylvania. I didn't have TV, a heating system, or running water. My chores included carrying buckets of water from our outdoor pump and chopping firewood to fuel our wood-burning stove. The nearest confederate flag was flying much closer than the nearest Black person. It was an interesting place and way to grow up. Now I have 4 Ivy League degrees and work my dream job as a full-time science communicator in New York City. I've given hundreds of talks about science around the world, written a science fiction novel, helped design exhibits for the New York Hall of Science. I write books, host shows, and consult on movies." Tune in to this gigantic, galaxy spanning (and spawning!) episode in which Moiya asks, what the if… the Milky Way were SENTIENT? Visit Dr. McTier's website: moiyamctier.com Learn more about her podcast: moiyamctier.com/exolore Learn more about her book: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ --- Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby