Straight Dope Archive

Can animals sense earthquakes?
By Cecil Adams
December 12, 2008
Could I survive on nothing but potatoes and milk?
By Cecil Adams
December 5, 2008
How do female astronauts menstruate in space?
By Cecil Adams
November 28, 2008
When does human life begin (revisited)?
By Cecil Adams
November 21, 2008
Were "concrete shoes" a favored technique of mob hitmen?
By Cecil Adams
November 14, 2008
Did people actually abandon babies on doorsteps?
By Cecil Adams
November 7, 2008
Were some U.S. slave owners black?
By Cecil Adams
October 31, 2008
When does human life begin?
By Cecil Adams
October 24, 2008
Will pumping out all that oil cause the earth to cave in?
By Cecil Adams
October 17, 2008
Could samurai swords slice through three bodies at a stroke?
By Cecil Adams
October 10, 2008
What are the chances I'm going to regret this tattoo?
By Cecil Adams
October 3, 2008
Will eating tapeworms help you lose weight?
By Cecil Adams
September 26, 2008
Do emergency sirens have to be changed periodically so people will pay attention?
By Cecil Adams
September 19, 2008
Can you really get better gas mileage using your car's engine to make "Brown's gas?"
By Cecil Adams
September 12, 2008
Rum, sodomy, and the lash: Did the Royal Navy supply ships with "peg boys" for sex?
By Cecil Adams
September 5, 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
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 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
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
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
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
Pay for Play: Did the Romans issue sexually depictive tokens for use in foreign brothels?
By Cecil Adams
January 18, 2008
Did a peaceful matriarchy once rule the earth?
By Cecil Adams
January 11, 2008
When doctors go on strike does the death rate go down?
By Cecil Adams
January 4, 2008
Does wearing headphones increase bacteria in the ear? Do refrigerators promote cold-resistant bacteria?
By Cecil Adams
December 28, 2007
Pajama Game: What's the straight dope on children's sleepwear?
By Cecil Adams
December 21, 2007
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