The library is excited to share a mix of online talks from notable authors and thought leaders this spring. Each event will include the opportunity to ask questions. Visit libraryc.org/germantownlibrary to register and view more details.   

Randall Munroe, What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, January 31st

We welcome you to join us for an online conversation filled with bonkers science, boundless curiosity, and the answers to the weirdest questions you never thought to ask with author Randall Munroe as he talks about his newest book What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions!

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.

Unfazed by absurdity, Randall consults the latest research on everything from swing-set physics to airplane-catapult design to clearly and concisely answer his readers’ questions. As he consistently demonstrates, you can learn a lot from examining how the world might work in very specific extreme circumstances.