Straight Dope Archive

Was there a real Trojan war as depicted in the Iliad? Is "Agamemnon's death mask" real?
By Cecil Adams
July 20, 2007
Have federal automobile fuel safety standards increased the number of automobile deaths?
By Cecil Adams
July 13, 2007
Why do statues of Buddha have long earlobes? What's the difference between fat Buddha and regular Buddha?
By Cecil Adams
July 6, 2007
Why do banks use that awful robotic looking type font for routing and account numbers? Why do people hang catfish heads from fences?
By Cecil Adams
June 29, 2007
Who are the Gypsies?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by
June 26, 2007
Take me out to the ball game: Is there a real "home field advantage?"
By Cecil Adams
June 22, 2007
Whatever happened to the accusers from the Salem witch trials?
By Cecil Adams
June 15, 2007
Did mercury in vaccines cause autism? Do vaccines cause autism?
By Cecil Adams
June 8, 2007
Could the floating islands of "Life of Pi" really exist?
By Cecil Adams
June 1, 2007
Why are the bees disappearing?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by Doug
May 29, 2007
Hair today, more tomorrow? How effective are treatments for baldness?
By Cecil Adams
May 25, 2007
What's the fastest-acting, most lethal poison?
By Cecil Adams
May 18, 2007
Is higher faster? Does time pass more quickly when gravity is reduced?
By Cecil Adams
May 11, 2007
When one spouse dies does the surviving spouse tend to follow soon afterwards?
By Cecil Adams
May 4, 2007
How do snowflakes grow symmetrically? What causes patterns in frost?
By Cecil Adams
April 27, 2007
We know about global warming, but what about global dimming?
By Cecil Adams
April 20, 2007
Is breast-feeding really better for babies than formula?
By Cecil Adams
April 13, 2007
IgNobel: Has the Nobel prize ever been awarded in error?
By Cecil Adams
April 6, 2007
Can urinating on your feet in the shower cure athlete's foot?
By Cecil Adams
March 30, 2007
Electrifying: Is living under power lines harmful to your health?
By Cecil Adams
March 23, 2007
Did ancient conquerors punish their enemies by sowing captured fields with salt?
By Cecil Adams
March 16, 2007
Are U.S. Postal Service workers more likely to "go postal"?
By Cecil Adams
March 9, 2007
What happens if you confess to a crime after being found not guilty?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by —SDSTAFF Bricker
March 7, 2007
Why is the alphabet in alphabetical order?
By Cecil Adams
March 2, 2007
What is the origin of the song "There's a place in France/Where the naked ladies dance?" Are bay leaves poisonous?
By Cecil Adams
February 23, 2007
Is it better to fill your tires with nitrogen instead of air?
By Cecil Adams
February 16, 2007
There goes the judge: How do we get rid of whacked-out judges?
By Cecil Adams
February 9, 2007
Is fluoride in water a good thing or a danger?
By Cecil Adams
February 2, 2007
Has there ever been a mutiny aboard a U.S. naval vessel?
By Cecil Adams
January 26, 2007
The China (Flats) Syndrome: Was there a reactor meltdown in Southern California?
By Cecil Adams
January 19, 2007
Are the earth's magnetic poles shifting?
By Cecil Adams
January 12, 2007
How come if you dig down far enough, you hit water? Where does that water come from?
By Cecil Adams
January 5, 2007
Is it dangerous to eat magic mushrooms before they have dried out? What mushrooms are safe to eat?
By Cecil Adams
December 29, 2006
What's the truth on trans fat?
By Cecil Adams
December 22, 2006
Did native Americans learn scalping from Europeans?
By Cecil Adams
December 15, 2006
Why is it dangerous to burn wrapping paper?
A Straight Dope Classic by Cecil Adams
December 8, 2006
Have people actually survived being hit by lightning multiple times?
By Cecil Adams
December 1, 2006
Was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden an apple?
By Cecil Adams
November 24, 2006
Is there poison in auto air bags?
By Cecil Adams
November 17, 2006
Nearly half the U.S. population believes the earth is less than 10,000 years old? Say it ain't so!
By Cecil Adams
November 10, 2006
How does copyright work? (Part 1)
A Straight Dope Staff Report by SDStaff Gfactor and guest contributor acsenray
November 7, 2006
Are titanium batteries really better than alkaline? Are lithium batteries subject to "charge memory?"
By Cecil Adams
November 3, 2006
What happens if a werewolf bites a vampire? What's the minimum daily requirement of blood for a vampire? Can you get zombified by having sex with a zombie?
By Cecil Adams
October 27, 2006
What's the real story on Che Guevara?
A Straight Dope Staff Report by
October 24, 2006
Designated drunk: Can you get intoxicated without actually drinking alcohol?
By Cecil Adams
October 20, 2006
Did the ancient Romans use a natural herb for birth control?
By Cecil Adams
October 13, 2006
Guns don't kill people, frying pans kill people: Is the frying pan the #1 domestic weapon?
By Cecil Adams
October 6, 2006
Why is spermicide in my shaving cream? Can you get lead poisoning from eating chocolate grown in Africa?
By Cecil Adams
September 29, 2006
What is the zebra mussel doing to Lake Michigan?
By Cecil Adams
September 22, 2006
How is the market price established for crude oil?
By Cecil Adams
September 15, 2006
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