Straight Dope Archive

Did oil really come from dinosaurs?
By Cecil Adams
May 12, 2006
What accounts for the smell of crushed ants?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Doug
May 9, 2006
How easy is it to knock someone out with a smack to the back of the head? What causes a person to lose consciousness?
By Cecil Adams
May 5, 2006
Do cemetery plots have expiration dates?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Gfactor
May 2, 2006
Why do some people have that one extra-long fingernail on the pinkie finger?
By Cecil Adams
April 28, 2006
Can cops really commandeer cars?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by gfactor
April 25, 2006
Thank you for dying: Did 250 million people worldwide die from smoking over 10 years?
By Cecil Adams
April 21, 2006
Are ants disease-carriers?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Doug
April 20, 2006
Still smokin': What are the long-term effects of marijuana?
By Cecil Adams
April 14, 2006
Is global warming for real?
By Cecil Adams
April 7, 2006
What's up with 666, the "mark of the beast"?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Dex
April 4, 2006
How can waves be crashing on all sides of an island at once?
By Cecil Adams
March 31, 2006
Was Beethoven unable to hear the applause when the 9th Symphony premiered?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Rico
March 28, 2006
Are people living near graveyards at increased risk of exposure to biohazards?
By Cecil Adams
March 24, 2006
Why do contests say "no purchase required"?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Rico
March 21, 2006
How was ice made and sold in pre-industrial times?
By Cecil Adams
March 17, 2006
Does fasting rid the body of toxins?
By Cecil Adams
March 10, 2006
Do hens produce more poop than they do eggs?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Una
March 3, 2006
"A plane is standing on a runway. . ." No, it's not. Here's why.
By Cecil Adams
March 3, 2006
Where is Route 66?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Rico
February 28, 2006
Is oil production in decline? Are we facing an impending shortage of fossil fuels?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
February 24, 2006
Can animal (including human) manure be used as fuel?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Una
February 21, 2006
Everybody's getting into the act: More tales of supernatural strength.
By Cecil Adams
February 17, 2006
How are criminals prevented from profiting from their crimes?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by gfactor
February 14, 2006
Is cell phone use in cars really dangerous?
By Cecil Adams
February 10, 2006
An airplane taxies in one direction on a moving conveyor belt going the opposite direction. Can the plane take off?
By Cecil Adams
February 3, 2006
What's so great about the Dewey Decimal System?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Dex
January 31, 2006
If cat poop is so toxic to pregnant women, why aren't there more birth defects? Can cat poop cause schizophrenia?
By Cecil Adams
January 27, 2006
How do men get sexually transmitted diseases?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Mojave66
January 24, 2006
SuperMom: Could a mother actually lift a car to save her child?
By Cecil Adams
January 20, 2006
How did public libraries get started?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Dex
January 17, 2006
Did the ancient Greeks routinely practice incest as well as homosexuality?
By Cecil Adams
January 13, 2006
Can someone be literally scared to death?
By Cecil Adams
January 6, 2006
Special Delivery: Can a live person be packed in a shipping crate and mailed?
By Cecil Adams
December 30, 2005
My dad's hospitalized with a big bump on his arm - could it be a spider bite?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Doug
December 27, 2005
What does Alice in Wonderland have to do with psychological testing?
By Cecil Adams
December 23, 2005
Is there such a thing as a diplomatic pouch?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Gfactor
December 20, 2005
The washday blues: Is it safe to wash clothing at the laundromat?
By Cecil Adams
December 16, 2005
Why does so much ancient Greek art feature males with small genitalia?
By Cecil Adams
December 9, 2005
What happened to the great library of Alexandria?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Dex
December 6, 2005
Are there actual cases of castaways rescued from deserted islands?
By Cecil Adams
December 2, 2005
Why is refreezing food bad? What exactly is freezer burn?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Una
November 29, 2005
Did the Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock because they ran out of beer?
By Cecil Adams
November 25, 2005
How is paper made?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Una
November 22, 2005
Oh, Smedley: Was there really a fascist plot to overthrow the United States government?
By Cecil Adams
November 18, 2005
What's the story on numerology?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Dex
November 15, 2005
Is Geronimo's skull residing at Yale's Skull and Bones? Was it stolen from the grave by Prescott Bush?
By Cecil Adams
November 11, 2005
Was Warren Harding inducted into the KKK while president?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by John Corrado
November 8, 2005
Did Coca-Cola torture and kill workers in Latin America?
By Cecil Adams
November 4, 2005
What's the story on diplomatic immunity?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Bricker
November 1, 2005
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