Today’s article is focused on the questions that ask, ‘What would happen if…’ Let’s start! What if…
1 …the Earth was twice as big?
If the diameter of the planet was 16,000 km, its mass would be 8 times as big, and the force of gravity would increase twice. All the existing plants and animals would die under the weight of their own body weight, and new species would emerge.
2 …there was another species similar to humans?
If the planet was inhabited by another species, as technologically advanced as humans, then we would face the constant struggle for power. If after millennia years of struggle no one won, we would get used to each other somehow or ignore each other.
3 …the dinosaurs had not become extinct?
If the asteroid had not fallen to Earth, the dinosaurs would probably still ‘rule’ the planet. Researchers suggest that instead of humans, there would be “dinosauroids” with a relatively large brain, which began to develop in the last dinosaurs that appeared on our planet.
4 …everyone in the world jumped at the same time?
If all people gathered together and simultaneously jumped, it would make the Earth move at one-hundredth of its radius, but after landing, it would return to its normal position.
5 …the Moon had never been formed?
Without the huge tides generated by the Moon, there would be no life, or living beings would have to develop in a different way to adapt to the six-hour day and extreme climate changes that would take place on a moonless Earth.
6 …people were twice as intelligent?
According to experts, in this case, we would be healthier and more developed at the individual level, more good-looking and less religious. Nevertheless, we still would be different from each other, and society would be as antagonistic as it is now.
7 …all the cats on Earth suddenly died?
Cats may seem meaningless animals, but they are vital members of the global ecosystem. Studies that examined the consequences of the ‘removal’ of cats from small islands showed that without them the Earth would be promptly captured by rodents. Mice and rats would destroy all deposits of grain and spread a lot of diseases.
8 … our solar system had formed closer to the edge of the Milky Way?
Although there is only about a third of all the metallic elements on the edge of the galaxy, compared to our location, life could emerge and in many aspects develop in the same way. But gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn would not exist, which could lead to the death of the Earth from too frequent asteroid attacks.
9 …the Neanderthals had not become extinct?
Neanderthals might have survived until the present day, and then they would speak, think, and act as we do. But experts point out that assimilation would be much more likely and would have resulted in the evolution of hybrid species.
10 …the forces that shape the molecule were twice as strong or weak?
Molecules are formed when protons of the nearby atoms “share” electrons. If the electromagnetic force, which determines these relationships, was different, the universe might have been deprived of life or even of the stars and planets.
The attraction between the nuclei is set clearly so that atoms can form into larger biomolecules.
11 …there was only one type of food?
There is no such product that could include everything we need. If there was only one kind of fruit, vegetable, or grain, it would cause multiple organ failure.
At the same time, eating only meat would make our bodies “chew” their own muscles, and eating only fruits would lead to scurvy. Thus, eating the same food is the road to death in any way.
12 …the Sun was half as big?
The sun would be more red and less hot. The suitable for life area around it would be much less, while our Earth would not be included in it.
13 …you had to shoot in open space?
If you were in a vacuum between galaxies and shot, the bullet would be moving in space forever. At the same time, if you used a gun within the solar system, the bullet would be directed or towards the sun, or towards one of the giant planets. If you shot, standing on the top of a lunar mountain, theoretically, you would shoot yourself in the back.
Which of these ‘what if’ questions did you find the most interesting and why?
