Straight Dope Archive

Was there really such a thing as "white slavery"?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
January 15, 1999
Why did the Magi consider frankincense and myrrh such valuable gifts?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
January 8, 1999
Why does an atom bomb form a mushroom cloud?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
January 1, 1999
What's the difference between vanity publishing and self-publishing?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
January 1, 1999
Is it possible to be addicted to Chap Stick?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
December 25, 1998
What's the story with the Taos hum?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
December 18, 1998
Is laughter good medicine?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
December 11, 1998
What happens during cremation?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
December 4, 1998
Why is white meat white and dark meat dark?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
December 4, 1998
We know air bags can kill people; do they actually save anybody?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
November 27, 1998
How can they format a movie to fit my TV screen? How do they know what size my TV is?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
November 20, 1998
Did the Celts burn human sacrifices in a huge "wicker man"?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
November 13, 1998
Why are there no seatbelts on school buses?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
November 6, 1998
Why do we feel both hot and cold when we're sick?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
November 6, 1998
Who is Jimmy, and why does he crack corn?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
October 30, 1998
What's the story on the ancient Chinese custom of binding women's feet?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
October 23, 1998
Does it make sense to keep minting pennies?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
October 9, 1998
Most towns beginning with "Santa" are named after saints. So who was Fe?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
October 9, 1998
Do some tumors contain the beginnings of a baby?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
October 2, 1998
Why is cheddar cheese orange?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
October 2, 1998
Were Jesus and Mary Magdalene lovers?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
September 18, 1998
What does "kumbaya" mean?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
September 11, 1998
Why do they play bagpipes at police funerals?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
September 11, 1998
What's the origin of "the finger"?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
September 4, 1998
Is it illegal to take a newborn home from the hospital without naming it first?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
August 28, 1998
Do identical twins have different fingerprints?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
August 21, 1998
How do you diagram the sentence, "See Spot run"?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
August 14, 1998
Do copper bracelets ease pain?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
August 14, 1998
When will average people be able to afford commercial space flight?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
August 7, 1998
When will commercial space flight be feasible?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
August 7, 1998
How are shrunken heads made?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
July 31, 1998
How are shrunken heads made?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
July 31, 1998
Is there really a race of blue people?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
July 24, 1998
Did astronomer Tycho Brahe really have a silver nose?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
July 17, 1998
How does sunscreen work?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
July 17, 1998
Was John Wayne a draft dodger?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
July 10, 1998
Do bulls really wear rings in their noses?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
June 26, 1998
Does the head remain briefly conscious after decapitation (revisited)?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
June 12, 1998
What's the story on the female jazz musician who lived as a man?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
June 5, 1998
What's the difference between the steroids in asthma inhalers and the ones jocks use?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
May 29, 1998
What's the origin of "7-Up"?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
May 29, 1998
Is "I am" the shortest English sentence?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
May 29, 1998
Is it true a duck's quack won't echo?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
May 22, 1998
Why has no animal species ever evolved wheels?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
May 15, 1998
Who or what are Fig Newton cookies named after?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
May 8, 1998
What's really in Spam?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
May 1, 1998
Have guys awakened after a party to find their kidneys stolen?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
April 24, 1998
Will poppy-seed bagels cause you to fail a drug test?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
April 3, 1998
What is the term for people who lack the sense of taste? Tasteless?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
March 27, 1998
When a woman gives birth in westerns, why do they always boil water?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
March 20, 1998
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