This book by the creator of the immensely popular webcomic xkcd offers surprising answers to important questions you probably never even thought to ask. Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read the cult webcomic by Randall Munroe. His stick figure drawings about science, technology, languages, and love have garnered a devoted fanbase, as have his research-backed answers to the strangest questions from readers. The queries he receives range from the simply bizarre to the utterly devilish: • What if I went swimming in a pool where spent nuclear fuel is stored? • Could a backpack similar to a rocket pack be built, but powered by burning submachine guns? • What if New York experienced a 15 on the Richter scale earthquake? • What if someone suddenly lost their DNA? In his quest for answers, Randall cheerfully conducts computer simulations, sifts through mountains of declassified military reports, consults with nuclear reactor operators, tracks down scenes from Star Wars, calls his mother, and googles some truly terrifying animals. The result is comedic gems that are both precise and entertaining...
