Rephonic
Artwork for What The If?
Eclipse
Solar Eclipse
Science Communication
Anglerfish
Recording History
Cavemen
Library Of Babel
Ancient Cultures
Determinism
Pizza
Astrophysics
Thought Experiments
Star Wars
Music In Space
Free Will
Tardigrades
Danionella Cerebrum
Quantum Mechanics
Schrödinger's Cat
Space Travel

Learn how to think like EINSTEIN! Every week we learn science running imaginative thought experiments. Our brilliant guests are some of the world’s greatest science fiction writers, scientists & science communicators. Leap into a journey to answer the most fascinating question in the universe: What The IF?

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes424Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for What The If?

Latest Episodes

This week we're trading hypothetical fungi and exploding planets for something scarier: actual government budgets. But don't worry - watching America accidentally hand the space race to China is just as entertaining as any sci-fi disaster scenario, a... more

What the if mosquitoes were helpless against the sweet smell of their own doom? Scientists genetically engineered Metarhizium fungus to smell so irresistibly delicious that mosquitoes can't help but fly straight into deadly traps with a 90-100% succe... more

What the if Frankenstein was real and doctors actually tried stitching corpses together to create new people? Forget dramatic lightning strikes and brooding in Gothic towers - the real adventure is managing the world's most complicated pharmacy order... more

What the if all bodies of water on Earth were fizzy like soda? In the real world, Seneca Lake in New York produces mysterious underwater booms called "Seneca guns" that scientists think come from occasional gas pockets, but nobody knows for sure. But... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

StarTalk Radio
StarTalk RadioNeil deGrasse Tyson
ScienceStuff
ScienceStuffiHeartPodcasts

Recent Guests

Nikolay Kukushkin
Neuroscientist and author of 'One Hand Clapping'
New York University
Episode: MEMORY Maxed Out - with Nikolay Kukushkin!
Nicholas Keating Casbarro
Science fiction author of the Vitalerium series
Vitalerium Series
Episode: VITALERIUM with Nicholas Casbarro!
Phil Halper
Science journalist and author
Episode: BEFORE The Big BANG
Niayesh Afshordi
Physicist at Perimeter Institute
Perimeter Institute
Episode: BEFORE The Big BANG
Dr. Vanessa Pirotta
Marine scientist interacting with the hosts to discuss whale biology.
Macquarie University
Episode: Can You BREATHE Like A WHALE? With Vanessa Pirotta!
Kirby Runyon
NASA planetary geologist and space tourism consultant
NASA
Episode: SPACE Vacation On Earth!
Chris Carberry
CEO of Explore Mars
Explore Mars
Episode: Microgravity MOVIE Making!
Sam Burbank
Documentary filmmaker
Episode: Microgravity MOVIE Making!
Matthew Stanley
Professor at New York University, physicist specializing in astrophysics.
New York University
Episode: NONSTOP Meteor Madness!

Hosts

Philip Shane
Host with a background as a documentary filmmaker and a science enthusiast, leading imaginative thought experiments with guests.
Professor Matthew Stanley
Co-host and a professor at New York University specializing in the history of science, bringing humor and insightful commentary to scientific exploration.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 107 ratings
  • Cheap and lazy

    The use of AI generated slop for a podcast that evidently has the financial backing to pay artists is both insulting and genuinely just really cheap.

    Do better. This stinks

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    glytxh
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Great show

    I enjoy this show. There’s always something I learn when I listen to it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Reavis Creavis
    United States4 years ago
  • Entertaining and educational!

    This podcast is a fun way to explore alternate realities using scientific reasoning. I love how it opens the mind to new and intriguing scenarios. I can’t wait to listen to all the episodes! Great podcast! Thanks for putting this together!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Flash-no-More
    Canada4 years ago
  • Great fodder for the brain…

    …when Philip Shane and Prof. Matt Stanley delve into one of their scientific / technological / cultural ”what the ifs”. The best that I know the responses from Matt Stanley are mainly improvised on the spot (which gave me a weird tangent, as the voice of Matt sounds very similar to the know-it-all droid C-53 from Mission-to-Zyxx, an equally improvised, albeit fully fictional, great podcast)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MooseMeister
    Germany5 years ago
  • Super fun!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    PlumberDan
    5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show offers a wonderful blend of science and humor, making complex topics accessible and enjoyable.
Some feedback includes criticism over the pacing and engagement in certain episodes, but overall feedback remains positive regarding the educational value.
Listeners appreciate the lighthearted approach while exploring serious scientific concepts through imaginative scenarios.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#210
South Africa/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AI Viruses
Q: What is an AI virus?
AI viruses refer to viruses designed by artificial intelligence, specifically aimed at targeting and killing bacteria, like E. coli.
Riding GRAVITY FORCE ONE with KIRBY RUNYON
Q: What questions do they plan to answer with this experiment?
Kirby states that they aim to reverse engineer what they see happening on asteroids or larger worlds to help understand geological processes.
Riding GRAVITY FORCE ONE with KIRBY RUNYON
Q: How does one get the privilege in their own profession to get paid? Your daily work happens flying on a plane?
Kirby explains that he is professionally a planetary scientist and describes how his work involves conducting experiments in different gravity conditions to understand geological processes on planetary surfaces.
Don't SWEAT It!
Q: What if we didn't sweat?
We would need alternative methods to cool ourselves as sweating is essential for thermoregulation.
BEFORE The Big BANG
Q: What one piece of evidence might help you distinguish between your theories?
The discovery of primordial gravitational waves from the Big Bang would be crucial evidence for our theories.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About What The If?

What is What The If? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Episodes focus on a range of thought-provoking scientific concepts through imaginative scenarios, appealing to listeners who are curious about science and the universe. Topics covered include gravitational waves, the exploration of Mars, and the implications of gene editing technology, often with the help of expert guests from various scientific fields. The hosts engage in lighthearted yet educational discussions that bring humor and accessibility to complex subjects, making the show both entertaining and informative. A unique feature is its blend of scientific inquiry and creative storytelling, inviting listeners to ponder extraordinary "what if" questions while learning about real scientific principles.

Where can I find podcast stats for What The If??

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for What The If?. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to What The If? and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does What The If? get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for What The If?, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for What The If??

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for What The If?, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does What The If? have?

To see how many followers or subscribers What The If? has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to What The If??

These podcasts share a similar audience with What The If?:

1. StarTalk Radio
2. This Week in Science – The Kickass Science Podcast
3. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
4. Ologies with Alie Ward
5. ScienceStuff

How many episodes of What The If? are there?

What The If? launched 8 years ago and published 424 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact What The If??

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for What The If??

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for What The If? from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for What The If??

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of What The If?. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on What The If??

Recent guests on What The If? include:

1. Nikolay Kukushkin
2. Nicholas Keating Casbarro
3. Phil Halper
4. Niayesh Afshordi
5. Dr. Vanessa Pirotta
6. Kirby Runyon
7. Chris Carberry
8. Sam Burbank

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days