Straight Dope Archive

Rum, sodomy, and the lash: Did the Royal Navy supply ships with "peg boys" for sex?
By Cecil Adams
September 5, 2008
Are those weird laws you hear about for real?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Gfactor
September 2, 2008
How would the U.S. military fight a zombie army?
By Cecil Adams
August 29, 2008
If a man has a sex change, can he compete in the Olympics as a woman?
By Cecil Adams
August 22, 2008
How quickly can sharks detect blood in the water?
By Cecil Adams
August 15, 2008
Did somebody beat the Wright brothers to the world's first powered flight?
By Cecil Adams
August 8, 2008
Did they ever prove whether lightning rods work?
By Cecil Adams
August 1, 2008
Have elephants begun raping rhinos in the wild?
By Cecil Adams
July 25, 2008
In prostitution, who's committing the crime, the woman or the man?
By Cecil Adams
July 18, 2008
Is there such a thing as low explosives? Plus: Can you develop resistance to pepper spray by eating spicy food?
By Cecil Adams
July 11, 2008
Does the President have an official food taster?
By Cecil Adams
July 4, 2008
Is chiropractic for real or just quackery?
By Cecil Adams
June 27, 2008
Why do cars stall so often on railroad tracks?
By Cecil Adams
June 20, 2008
We know how many people are killed by guns. How many are saved?
By Cecil Adams
June 13, 2008
Could sheep replace the lawn mower?
By Cecil Adams
June 6, 2008
Why doesn't wood melt? Plus: Does it still cost less than one cent to mint a penny?
By Cecil Adams
May 30, 2008
Does drinking gin make you mean? Can you get intoxicated quicker via alcohol enema?
By Cecil Adams
May 23, 2008
Can dogs get venereal disease? How does falling rain bounce off without causing injury?
By Cecil Adams
May 15, 2008
How did Bob Crane die, anyway?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Bricker
May 8, 2008
Where did we get the idea crazy people think they're Napoleon? Plus: Did tin disease contribute to Napoleon's defeat in Russia?
By Cecil Adams
May 2, 2008
Why is bass so boomy, and what can I do about it?
By Cecil Adam
April 18, 2008
What are "jake brakes" and why are they prohibited in some locations?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Jill
April 12, 2008
What was the actual cause of death by crucifixion?
By Cecil Adams
April 11, 2008
Do "green" vehicles really save energy? Is a Prius worse for the environment than a Hummer?
By Cecil Adams
April 4, 2008
Do fancy glasses improve the flavor of wine?
By Cecil Adams
March 28, 2008
What poisons can I safely take to build immunity to toxic substances? Does eating poison ivy build resistance to allergic reaction?
By Cecil Adams
March 21, 2008
What's the deal with colloidal silver?
By Cecil Adams
March 14, 2008
Why is Greenland considered an island but not Eurasia?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Veg
March 12, 2008
Do low-flush toilets actually save water?
By Cecil Adams
March 7, 2008
Is the body mass index (BMI) chart an accurate indicator of obesity?
By Cecil Adams
February 29, 2008
Are Teflon-coated pans a health risk to birds and humans?
By Cecil Adams
February 22, 2008
Does giving sweets to kids produce a "sugar rush?"
By Cecil Adams
February 15, 2008
Does the Mayan calendar predict the end of the world in 2012?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Dex
February 12, 2008
Would life insurance be paid out on someone executed for a crime? Can death row inmates get life insurance?
By Cecil Adams
February 8, 2008
Do mice fear the scent of a cat? Do mice really love cheese? Why isn't there mouse flavor cat food?
By Cecil Adams
February 1, 2008
Would a gun work in space?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Bricker
January 29, 2008
Unshiny day: Is there more sulfur in the air than in preindustrial times? Is this making silver tarnish faster than before?
By Cecil Adams
January 25, 2008
How do you become a dual citizen?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Bricker
January 22, 2008
Pay for Play: Did the Romans issue sexually depictive tokens for use in foreign brothels?
By Cecil Adams
January 18, 2008
What's the legal basis for executive privilege?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Gfactor
January 15, 2008
Did a peaceful matriarchy once rule the earth?
By Cecil Adams
January 11, 2008
What causes double rainbows? Why is the order of the colors reversed?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Karen
January 8, 2008
When doctors go on strike does the death rate go down?
By Cecil Adams
January 4, 2008
When do baseballs get taken out of play?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Gfactor
January 1, 2008
Does wearing headphones increase bacteria in the ear? Do refrigerators promote cold-resistant bacteria?
By Cecil Adams
December 28, 2007
Where do bugs go when it starts to rain?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Doug
December 25, 2007
Pajama Game: What's the straight dope on children's sleepwear?
By Cecil Adams
December 21, 2007
When you're sent to prison, what happens to your stuff?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Gfactor
December 18, 2007
Why do Americans refer to the main course of a meal as the "entree?" What happened to the kilocalorie?
By Cecil Adams
December 14, 2007
Did Lupe Vélez really drown in the toilet?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Bricker
December 11, 2007
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