You're Technically HOTTER Than The Sun (with XKCD!)
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Published 2022-09-08
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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.
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What if Pluto were plutonium? And Uranus uranium? And Mercury mercury? This video is based off of a chapter of the new xkcd book "What If? 2"
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Minute Physics provides an energetic and entertaining view of old and new problems in physics -- all in a minute!
Created by Henry Reich
All Comments (21)
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never thought i'd learn a pickupline from a physics channel "you're hotter than the sun, there's just not enough of you" lol
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"We were talking about Uranus, which there is a lot of" well that sounds lovely
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He definitely knew what he was doing when he wrote, “We were talking about Uranus, which there is a lot of and would get really, really hot…”.
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If Mercury were suddenly made of mercury, wouldn't it immediately begin to boil? Being frozen solid on the dark side, vapor on the sunny side, and liquid in between, I would think that would cause enormous stress.
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The first "what if" book is definitely upon the most hilarious things i've read in my life. Can absolutely reccomend it. It's worth every penny.
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Fun fact: Tellurium is named after the Latin word “tellus” meaning Earth so you can also include the Earth on that list at the beginning
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I am actually a little shocked that any of the outer planets exploding would produce enough energy to melt the Earth given the vast distances combined with the inverse square law, and the lack of a medium for a pressure wave (though I understand that the expanding gas and debris are still a thing). But, I trust Randall Munroe's ability to calculate these things so... 🤣Damn!
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Two of my favorites collaborating! I've been keeping up with XKCD for at least a decade now, it's a relic of the old internet/academic/nerd culture and it makes me so happy that Randall is still active!!
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Most What Ifs can be summarized as "this doesn't end well."
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All of Randall Munroe's books and comics are amazing, definitely worth a read
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3:16 the author's picture... legend.
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2:27 Insert the blue crab music meme here
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"In a sense, you are hotter than the Sun—there’s just not as much of you. But we were talking about UrAnus... "
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"In a sense, you are hotter than the Sun. There's just not as much of you." Killer pickup line, thanks.
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There are 7 elements named after bodies in the solar system. You forgot selenium and helium.
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Randall Monroe's What If?, How To, and Thing Explainer are some of the best science non-fictions I've read. Will definitely give What If? 2 a read!
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Xkcd and minute physics is a crossover my 2013 self has been waiting for for years, thank you both
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Fun fact: Uranium was called uranium because at the time, the planet had several competing names and the guy who discovered the element named it this way to support the name Uranus for the planet.
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I would absolutely support having all... okay most, of the "What If" scenarios narrated and animated by you. That would be a splendid binge watch, the natural evolution to the binge read of XKCD's website that I do every couple years :D
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Super excited to get the second volume! I was gifted the first one when it came out and I absolutely love every bit of it! Thanks for reminding me to buy it now that it's out :D
