Straight Dope Archive

Does using a gasoline-powered lawn mower produce as much pollution as driving an SUV 300 miles?
By Cecil Adams
November 12, 2010
Is radiation from the new airport security scanners endangering my health?
By Cecil Adams
November 5, 2010
Do pink ribbon campaigns against breast cancer do any good?
By Cecil Adams
October 29, 2010
In 1776, why didn't soldiers use bows and arrows instead of muskets?
By Cecil Adams
October 22, 2010
Can storm glasses predict the weather?
By Cecil Adams
October 15, 2010
Did loose lips actually sink any ships?
By Cecil Adams
October 8, 2010
Has auto AC been improved so much it’s no longer an energy sink?
By Cecil Adams
October 1, 2010
Is grass-fed beef better for you than grain-fed beef?
By Cecil Adams
September 24, 2010
Do fat people get that way because of a hormone condition?
By Cecil Adams
September 17, 2010
Are androids possible?
By Cecil Adams
September 10, 2010
Why do you soon feel hungry again after eating Chinese food? Or do you?
By Cecil Adams
September 3, 2010
Can a nuclear plant withstand a direct hit by a tornado?
By Cecil Adams
August 27, 2010
Will alcohol in cupcakes make you drunk?
By Cecil Adams
August 20, 2010
Did the railroads leave Oklahoma because it wouldn't allow liquor sales on trains?
By Cecil Adams
August 13, 2010
Did the Australian army once wage war on emus?
By Cecil Adams
August 6, 2010
Can binaural beats improve your mood?
By Cecil Adams
July 30, 2010
Is it possible to land a punch at 2,000 pounds per square inch?
By Cecil Adams
July 23, 2010
Do microwave ovens kill bacteria?
By Cecil Adams
July 16, 2010
Is "clean coal" really clean?
By Cecil Adams
July 9, 2010
Will working the graveyard shift put you in one sooner?
By Cecil Adams
July 2, 2010
How does the earth's rotation affect the path of a bullet?
By Cecil Adams
June 25, 2010
Did nature clean up most of the Exxon Valdez oil spill?
By Cecil Adams
June 18, 2010
Can brainwaves be detected in lime Jell-O?
By Cecil Adams
June 11, 2010
What secret technology is DARPA hiding from us?
By Cecil Adams
June 4, 2010
Why does a blow to the testicles cause nausea? Why aren't they better protected?
By Cecil Adams
May 28, 2010
Did Native Americans cut off the noses of adulterous wives?
By Cecil Adams
May 21, 2010
How much flatulence would it take to become airborne?
By Cecil Adams
May 14, 2010
How accurate are police sketches of suspected criminals?
By Cecil Adams
May 7, 2010
Can rock music cook eggs?
By Cecil Adams
April 30, 2010
How accurate are lie-detector tests?
By Cecil Adams
April 23, 2010
Is the GPS satellite system collapsing? Plus: Does 2X the sunscreen = 2X the SPF?
By Cecil Adams
April 16, 2010
Will special paint keep my house cooler in summer?
By Cecil Adams
April 9, 2010
Do U.S. leaders perform satanic rituals at Bohemian Grove?
By Cecil Adams
April 2, 2010
Is peak phosphorus the next global crisis?
By Cecil Adams
March 26, 2010
Are some dogs racist?
By Cecil Adams
March 19, 2010
Is exposure to small amounts of radiation beneficial?
By Cecil Adams
March 12, 2010
Can coconut juice be used as blood plasma? Plus: Are oil space heaters more efficient?
By Cecil Adams
March 5, 2010
Why do babies run a fever when teething — or do they?
By Cecil Adams
February 26, 2010
Is paying attention to the air quality index crazy? How bad is smoking for the environment?
By Cecil Adams
February 19, 2010
Does the Myers-Briggs personality assessment really tell you anything?
By Cecil Adams
February 12, 2010
Could you be frozen solid, then broken into a million pieces?
By Cecil Adams
February 5, 2010
Followup: Did Cecil exaggerate the decline of the world fish supply?
By Cecil Adams
January 29, 2010
I'm on a deserted island. How can I tell which plants are poisonous?
By Cecil Adams
January 22, 2010
Is mass transit a waste of energy?
By Cecil Adams
January 15, 2010
Do fire departments actually rescue cats from trees?
By Cecil Adams
January 8, 2010
What's up with compostable plastics?
By Cecil Adams
January 1, 2010
What's better, farm-raised salmon or wild? Are upscale restaurants serving ugly fish?
By Cecil Adams
December 25, 2009
Can high blood pressure be reduced through bloodletting? Plus: Did Kane Kramer invent the iPod in 1979?
By Cecil Adams
December 18, 2009
Did George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grow marijuana?
By Cecil Adams
December 11, 2009
Do truth serums work?
By Cecil Adams
December 4, 2009
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