Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

210 | Randall Munroe on Imagining What If...?

Sep 12, 2022

Randall Munroe, creator of the xkcd webcomic and author of the What If? books, dives into the world of absurd hypothetical questions with humor and scientific insight. He discusses the fastest way to get a human around a racetrack, the challenge of absorbing government laws, and the intriguing nature of colossal skyscrapers. Munroe also explores how to simplify complex physics while communicating effectively, making science engaging for all. His unique blend of curiosity and creativity showcases the joy of questioning the universe.

01:08:02

Episode guests

Randall Munroe

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

5min

Exploring Hypothetical Questions

15min

Unpacking Complexity in Theoretical Physics

16min

Unveiling the Mystery of Google's Data Centers

2min

Beyond the Stars: A Cosmic Exploration

21min

The Art of XKCD: Comics, Communication, and Creativity

9min

The Unique Curiosity-Driven Mission of NASA

3min

What’s the fastest way to get a human being around a racetrack, if we ignore all the rules of racing? How many pages would you have to read to absorb all of the government laws that apply to you? It’s hard to imagine a better person to tackle these kinds of slightly-askew questions than Randall Munroe, creator of the xkcd webcomic. He collected some answers in his book What If?, and has released a sequel, What If? 2. We dive into how one goes about choosing the right questions and answering them, and how to make it funny along the way.

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Randall Munroe received a degree in physics from Christopher Newport University, before working for a while at NASA’s Langley Research Center. He is now the creator of xkcd and the author of several books. What If? and What If? 2 are based on a regular feature in which he tackles questions asked by readers.

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