‘What If …’ tells stories of area residents’ innovation, creativity

Good ideas often begin with the question, “What if …” The second season of “What If …” answers those questions and tells the stories of Nebraskans’ innovation and creativity, including two from Northeast and North Central Nebraska.

“What If …” makes its premiere at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 on NET, Nebraska’s PBS and NPR stations.

Four new shows follow visionaries who think outside the box in a wide range of areas like entrepreneurship, research, nonprofits, education, economic development and more.

The second episode, airing Thursday, Jan. 28, takes a look at two young Albion farmers putting new ideas into old dirt, in addition to scientists looking at corn roots in different ways and high school girls in Bassett who started their own business making gelato.

That episode also gives viewers a look at how a farmer raises soybeans and shrimp near Diller.

On Feb. 4, the show focuses on how a rural school district in the Sandhills creatively adapted to remote learning.

In the opening episode Jan. 21, producer and host Mike Tobias taking viewers along to chase tornadoes with the largest-ever drone-based severe weather research project. Plus, meet an experimental music composer/teacher/performer in Omaha and to learn how a Lincoln candle entrepreneur bounced back from failure.

On Feb. 4, the season ends with back-to-back episodes starting at 9 p.m. In addition to the rural school district in the Sandhills, the first show focuses on a Benkelman entrepreneur making leg braces for injured dogs, restoration of an 1880s painting at History Nebraska’s Ford Center and a SpiderCam at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In the second show that night, explore Omaha’s tech library Do Space, visit a bike/coffee shop in Omaha helping kids aging out of foster care and discover how a unique development in Omaha looks to end poverty.

The series also features music from Nebraska composers who submitted pieces for use in “What If…” stories. Some of this music will be featured on radio’s “The Verge,” at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan 17.