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Physics

Randall Munroe on answering the strangest scientific questions

The cartoonist and engineer reveals what percentage of all humans who have ever lived are your ancestors, and what might happen if you pumped pure ammonia into your stomach (don't)

By Chen Ly

12 October 2022

鶹ý. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Randall Munroe

Adrianne Mathiowetz

Randall Munroe is an engineer, author and cartoonist who is best known for creating the webcomic xkcd. With the tagline “a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language”, covers just about everything, from science and philosophy to pop culture. Munroe has also written several books, including  and its recently released sequel, , which playfully tackle the strange scientific questions posed by his readers.

Munroe speaks to 鶹ý on what draws him to physics, his writing process – and some of his favourite snippets from the new book.

Before your successful cartooning…

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