SKU: 94749091438

What If? 10th Anniversary Edition: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

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What If? 10th Anniversary Edition: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical QuestionsA special 10th anniversary edition of the million copy bestseller What If? from the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd revised and annotated with brand new illustrations and answers to the most absurd hypothetical questions you never thought to ask. Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions: What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? If there

A special 10th anniversary edition of the million-copy bestseller What If? from the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd--revised and annotated with brand-new illustrations and answers to the most absurd hypothetical questions you never thought to ask.

Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions: What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? If there was a robot apocalypse, how long would humanity last? What if everyone only had one soulmate? What would happen if the moon went away?

In pursuit of answers for these wild thought experiments, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, complemented by his signature xkcd comics. (They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion.)

In celebration of 10 years of unusual insight, Randall Munroe has revised his classic blockbuster to ask what if? x 10. The result is 10x the adventure of scientific inquiry. Featuring brand-new 2-color annotations and illustrations, this special anniversary edition is far more than a book for geeks; this popular science book explains the laws of science in operation in a way that every intelligent reader will enjoy and feel much smarter for having read.

What happens when you apply real-world physics to the wildest hypotheticals?

  • Humorous Science: Discover the city-leveling destruction that would occur if a baseball were pitched at 90 percent the speed of light.
  • Physics and Math Explained: Follow along as complex topics are explored using computer simulations, declassified military research, and signature stick-figure comics.
  • Outrageous Scenarios: Calculate the global chaos that would ensue from draining the oceans or building a jetpack out of machine guns.
  • A Perfect Gift for Nerds: Praised as a laugh-out-loud, educational, and entertaining read, this book is the ideal present for anyone with a curious and slightly twisted mind.
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SKU: 94749091438

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Be Kind
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Accent Piece
Size: 48in, Color: 3tier
Industrial looking with wide shelf space. We were looking for a functional accent piece that we can also put things on. This new addition has been more than perfect. It provides a rustic feel and it has the industrial bars that holds the shelves which is the best. Very sturdy, please make sure to assemble on studs this piece is heavy. It looks really good in our living area.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2025
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Patricia A. Riley
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Good looking
Perfect. Easy install. Sturdy.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2025
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Movie Buff
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
It takes skill to mount and not have the leaning tower of Pisa
Size: 36in, Color: 4-layer
First, the product is beautiful! I purchased this one for a smaller wall location but realized it was more massive and commanding within a room - That ended up being a good thing as I decided to put it in my office where my L shaped desk, (a Vernal executive desk), being quite massive, was successfully offset by drawing the eye up to the wall behind the desk where I had this mounted - In essence, the room was now properly balanced with the large desk - One should also know it takes some skill to mount to the wall - It should be in studs - You have to use a balance or bubble level to first get the vertical pipes parallel to each other - Also, make sure both vertical pipe supports are symmetrically matching each other from one side to the other - If you mount one upside down the wood shelves won’t lay level - We also turned the pipe supports so that the shelves would be equal distant - If I recall, if they are turned the other direction , you end up with shelves that are not equal distant with 2 shelves ending up closer to each other than the remaining shelves. The shelving is very high quality and I was very, very pleased with the end result and how the whole room was balanced with the large desk in a smaller office space.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2026
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That One Guy
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
Solid shelves that look good!
Size: 36in, Color: 3-layer, Size: 36in, Color: 3-layer
Got these as a focal piece to my basement bar (added some cheap stick on LED strip lights behind it). I’m glad I ordered these! They are sturdy, shelves are solid wood, and the overall quality of the shelves is great. They were easy to install with provided hardware (although there isn’t much instruction in terms of mounting them, just putting them together), but it was simple enough to figure out with two people and a level (one holding, one making marks). Each pipe end has 4 screw holes, so expect to put 16 holes in your wall, but as shown in the photos the shelves can hold a good amount of weight. I recommend these for anyone looking to add the industrial look to your wall with a quality built shelf.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2023
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david nespoli
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
VERY sturdy and almost foolproof
Size: 36in, Color: 3-layer, Size: 36in, Color: 3-layer
This kit is made of real wooden planks, and metal pipes and fittings. Installation is simple- assemble each end of the kit, hold it up to the wall using a magnetic level, mark the four holes for each mounting piece, then repeat with the other side. You'll need a tape measure to make sure that the ends aren't too close together or too far apart, and measure from the ceiling or floor to ensure a level surface. You will want a second set of hands for most of the install process. This kit comes with good molly bolts and strong screws that match the finish of the metal hardware. Make sure that each side of the unit is oriented the same way, as I had to flip one side after neglecting to do so at first. Retaining brackets and wood screws are included for securing each shelf to the metal frame. A power drill makes this part very easy, and can be done mostly solo as the brackets can be pinched to clip onto the frame while you attach the screws. Once installed, this unit is VERY sturdy. There is no play or wobbling when testing the attachment to the wall. If there is, tighten your screws and make sure that the fittings to the wall mounts are hand-tight. These shelves can handle heavy kitchen staples and books with no problem. It is a tier more expensive than most Ikea-style shelving, but that's worth it for the confidence that my dry goods are safely stored in a convenient place.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2023

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