The following is a listing of all the items in the Straight Dope Special
Reports/Cecil's Mailbag archive except for recently posted items, which may be viewed here.
| What happened to
the Emergency Broadcast System? |
| Whose face is on
the $1,000 bill? |
| Does 2 + 2 = 5
for very large values of 2? |
| What's the
origin of the 21-gun salute? |
| Why is the
"700 Club" called that? |
| Followup: Are
there only seven gifts of the Holy Spirit? |
| What are the
"seven seas"? |
| Did one 60's
superhero get his power from ... smoking? |
| Is the sound
of a whiplash caused by breaking the sound barrier? |
| What about the
NHL makes it "national"? |
| What's the
origin of "bar," the kind people belly up to? |
| If chlorine in
swimming pools kill AIDS, why can't it be used as an AIDS cure? |
| In proper tea
etiquette, what goes in the teacup first, the tea or the milk? |
| What do
"thou," "thee," and "thine" mean, and why don't we use them
anymore? |
| Where did
Australian aborigines come from? |
| Have people been
intentionally infected with AIDS? |
| Followup: did
that dentist really infect his patients with AIDS? |
| What is alum, and
will it make someone's mouth shrink, as shown in cartoons? |
| Do the Amish pay
taxes? |
| What do you
call a word that spells a different word backwards? |
| What does
antidisestablishmentarianism mean? |
| What happened to
the Ark of the Covenant? |
| Followup: wasn't
manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant? |
| Followup: not all
manna became inedible after one day! |
| Followup: the New
Testament says there was so manna in the Ark of the Covenant! |
| Followup: the
last you'll ever read about the Ark of the Covenant! |
| Why is
Arkansas pronounced Ar-kan-SAW? |
| Followup: I
give up, what's an aspersorium? |
| How do automated
teller machines work? |
| Is "baby
corn" really baby corn? |
| Does baking
soda really eliminate refrigerator odors? |
| If you
refrigerate bananas do they become poisonous? |
| Can a baseball be
hit farther with a heavy bat or a light one? |
| What is the
origin of "bated breath"? |
| Which lasts
longer, Energizer or Duracell? |
| How is it that
the farther we see into the universe, the younger the objects we see? |
| Why do they
call the cheap seats "bleachers"? |
| Does a blood
donation mess up DNA evidence? |
| If blood is
red why do your veins look blue? |
| What's the
origin of the British slang word "bloody"? |
| What's the deal
with the Church of the Subgenius? |
| How do they score
boxing? |
| Why are boxing
scores kept secret during the match? |
| Why are brides
supposed to wear "something old, something new," etc.? |
| Why can bugs
fall great distances and survive, but humans won't? |
| Why are bugs
attracted to light? |
| Where did the
Caesar salad originate? |
| Why is buying
cars so unpleasant? |
| Why do people
get car sick? |
| How do CD's work? |
| What's the
origin of the chef's hat? |
| Why can't
chickens fly? |
| Followup:
Chickens can so fly! |
| What's the
origin of "churchkey," meaning a can or bottle opener? |
| What do
claddagh rings symbolize? |
| What's the
origin of the name Cleveland? |
| Why do people
clink their glasses together after a toast? |
| Is it legal to
put a hole in a quarter and sell it? |
| How long are
colds contagious? |
| What is
"color therapy"? |
| Why can't you
put cornstarch in your Passover cheesecake? |
| Why don't
newscasters ever cough on the air? |
| How does a
court reporter machine work? |
| Why won't
creamer dissolve in cold coffee? |
| Should you sign
the back of your credit cards? |
| What's the
difference between a church and a cult? |
| What's the origin
of the word "dad"? |
| Is a Daddy Long
Legs the most poisonous spider? |
| Why are
firehouse dogs usually dalmatians? |
| Why are the
antlers on the deer in the deer crossing sign backward? |
| How can they
identify people from their dental records? |
| Can dentures
be recycled? |
| How did
diamonds come to symbolize a wedding engagement? |
| Whose face used
to be on the dime? |
| What's the
difference between an osteopath and an MD? |
| Why are dogs'
noses always wet? |
| Are the dots on
McDonald's drink lids Braille? |
| Does it take more
energy going downstairs than up? |
| How do Downy
laundry dispensers work? |
| Do other
languages call Earth "Earth"? |
| Are red spots in
eggs dangerous? |
| Followup:
African elephants CAN jump! |
| Can elephants
jump? |
| What do Internet
E-mail headers mean? |
| Is there a term
for "trade names that become generic"? |
| How can I go
about getting the title "esquire"? |
| Why are Europe
and Asia considered separate continents? |
| Which is
taller, Mt. Everest or K2? |
| Why do dogs'
and cats' eyes shine? |
| Why do you see
signs saying, "clean fill wanted"? |
| What is the
maximum resolution of photographic film in pixels? |
| What's the
symbolism of the colors in the U.S. flag? |
| How do they
make artificial flavors? |
| What are the
concluding lyrics to the Flintstone theme song? |
| Why is there a
number code for food coloring? |
| What's the origin
of the foot, as in "12 inches equals one ..." |
| Followup: Did
bad, BAD Dogster mess up on the king's foot? |
| In hide-and-
seek, why is home base sometimes called "ghouls" or "goose"? |
| Why is there a
Bible in every hotel room? |
| Was the
"Gilligan's Island" theme song tampered with? |
| What was
"Hollywood Squares" veteran George Gobel's claim to fame? |
| What did the
celebrity judges on "The Gong Show" do to get famous? |
| Why is the
Republican party called the GOP? And why the elephant? |
| Whatever
happened to the Galloping Gourmet? |
| If a feather
and a hammer are dropped together, won't the hammer hit the ground first? |
| Is
"innocent until proven guilty" a legal fiction? |
| What's the
purpose of the half-moon thing around the sound hole of a guitar? |
| Can a flag be
at "three-quarter mast"? |
| Followup: Was
the name "Hard Rock Cafe" inspired by the Doors? |
| What came
first, the Hard Rock Cafe or Carole King's song of that name? |
| Why do people
say, "Hear, hear"? |
| Are blood tests
ineffective in detecting HIV? |
| What's the
origin of "hors d'oeuvres"? |
| Is humongous a
word? |
| Was Humpty
Dumpty always portrayed as an egg? |
| What's the
origin of "hunky dory"? |
| Followup: to
douse a stovetop fire, should you remove the pan from the heat? |
| Why doesn't
the water in fire hydrants freeze during winter? |
| What is a iao? |
| Why is
Greenland considered an island but not Eurasia? |
| What are
"jake brakes," and why are they banned in some places? |
| What's that
white stuff packed with beef jerky? |
| Can you be an
atheist and still be Jewish? |
| Is James Joyce's
novel "Finnegan's Wake" a joke? |
| Are famous people
exempt from jury duty? |
| What does
"Kyrie eleison" mean? |
| Followup: To
dance "La Bamba," do you need to be funny or graceful? |
| What's the
classic song "La Bamba" all about? |
| What's the
difference between mutton and lamb? |
| What's correct,
lay or lie? |
| Why do we have
leap years? |
| How did David
Copperfield make the Statue of Liberty vanish? |
| What's the
story on Lilith, Adam's "first wife"? |
| Can Mac floppy
disks be used in PCs and vice versa? |
| What's the
deal with "magic eye" images? |
| Followup:
Isn't Bowie's "Rocket Man" based on a Ray Bradbury story? |
| Was
"Major Tom" the astronaut a real person? |
| What is a male
ballet dancer called? |
| What's the
difference between beer and malt liquor? |
| Multiply, add,
divide, subtract ... the answer's always 1! Why? |
| In
McDonaldland, what's the name of the cop? |
| If I remove
data from my hard drive, why doesn't it weigh less? |
| Why does a
microwave oven make a bulb light up? |
| Are dog mouths
cleaner than human mouths? |
| What does
"Mrs." stand for? |
| Followup: Was
our advice about washing mushrooms all wet? |
| Should HIV cases
be reported by name or by code number? |
| I've heard of
Napoleon and Napoleon III; was there a Napoleon II? |
| What exactly
was the "new math"? |
| Why do
keyboards and keypads have nipples? |
| What's that
noise inside my computer? |
| What is nougat? |
| Why is the Oscar
called the Oscar? |
| Why do court
bailiffs say "oyez, oyez" sometimes? |
| Parallel
parking: was Dogster's answer out of line? |
| Why do you
have to back in when parallel parking? |
| What's the
origin of the expression, "peanut gallery"? |
| Why does the
penis shrink when it's cold? |
| How does a
calculator percent key work? |
| How did they
figure out the periodic table of elements before they had electron microscopes? |
| Is pi an inexact
number? |
| What's the
origin of the piggy bank? |
| Why do they
call it "plastic" surgery? |
| What did the
stars on the cover of Playboy used to mean? |
| Why does a
polar bear's hair turn green? |
| Does freezing
unpopped popcorn make it pop fuller and fresher? |
| How does one
become Pope? |
| Is Popeye's
nemesis named Bluto or Brutus? |
| Why do they call
it chicken pox? |
| Why do my ears
hurt when I fly in a pressurized jet? |
| Was George
Washington not the first U.S. president? |
| Was there an
animated TV series featuring a purple ape? |
| Is the guy on
the Quaker Oats box John Penn? |
| How do racecar
drivers relieve themselves during a race? |
| Why is it called
"real estate"? |
| Was
"Superman" star George Reeves a suicide--or murder victim? |
| What's the
most popular religion? |
| Why is
Rice-A-Roni called "The San Francisco Treat"? |
| More on camels
passing through the eyes of needles |
| What's the
meaning of Jesus' teaching about the camel going through the eye of a needle? |
| Does
"ritzy" have anything to do with Ritz-Carlton hotels? |
| What does RKO
stand for in "RKO Pictures"? |
| Why do
roosters crow early in the morning? |
| Why are
pancakes, puddles, etc., usually round? |
| Can a pitcher get
a win and a save for the same game? |
| Why are
tractor-trailer rigs called "semis"? |
| Why is there
sometimes a star in the serial number of U.S. paper money? |
| Where do we
get the term "Siamese twins"? |
| What's the
purpose of sifting flour? |
| What's the
origin of the expression, "sleep tight"? |
| What is a
"snert"? |
| Why is there snow
on mountains in the summer? |
| What's the big
deal about "pH balanced" soap? |
| Followup: Is
pH-balanced soap impossible? |
| What's the
origin of the expression, "from soup to nuts"? |
| Can human beings
really spurt blood like in the movies? |
| Why do
soldiers rally around a standard? Aren't they an easier target? |
| Was Star Wars
based on Flash Gordon? |
| Why do doctors
say "stat"? |
| Why does
touching a radio antenna reduce static? |
| Why does your
stomach growl? |
| How come St.
Peter is considered the gatekeeper of heaven? |
| Are
strawberries fruits? The seeds are on the outside, not the inside |
| In baseball
scoring, why is a strikeout marked with a K? |
| Followup: are
you sure sugar in the gas tank will wreck a car engine? |
| Does putting
sugar in the gas tank wreck a car's engine? |
| What
occupation has the highest suicide rate? |
| What is the
proper name for the sun? |
| Is homemade
sushi dangerous? |
| Do tall buildings
sway in the wind? |
| How much of a
circle is in contact with a tangent line? |
| What is
tapioca? |
| What do steak
tartare, tartar sauce, and dental tartar have in common? |
| Percentagewise,
were taxes greater in the old days or now? |
| What's the
right way to boil water for tea? |
| Why do they
put a worm in bottles of tequila? |
| Why weren't
fragile Titanic relics crushed by the depths? |
| What diseases
can you catch from toilet seats? |
| Should I leave
my computer running when it's not in use? |
| Who invented TV? |
| What's the
deal with those "call within 15 minutes for a free gift" TV offers? |
| If twins marry
twins, are the children from the two families cousins--or brothers and sisters? |
| What causes my
eyelid to twitch? |
| We know about UHF
and VHF; do they have Regular Frequency? |
| Were Uncle Ben
and Aunt Jemima real people? |
| How is it
possible to "undelete" computer files? |
| Why do
baseball coaches wear uniforms? |
| Followup:
wasn't manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant? |
| What's the
difference between unlawful and illegal? |
| What's the uvula
for? |
| What's the
difference between fruits and vegetables? |
| If vegetables
are low fat, where does vegetable oil come from? |
| Who invented
Velcro? |
| Can e-mail
contain a computer virus? |
| Do Java applets
increase the danger of computer viruses in e- mail? |
| Why do they
put childproof caps on vitamins? |
| Whose voice says
"You've got mail" on AOL? |
| Should you
wash mushrooms before cooking them? |
| What's the
difference between white gold and other gold? |
| What happens when
the wind gets knocked out of you? |
| What is
"wind chill" all about? |
| Followup: are
witches satanists? |
| What's the
origin of the expression, "colder than a witch's tit"? |
| Is the average
work week 40 hours or 35 hours? |
| Is
professional wrestling for real? |
| Why do WTBS shows
start at :05 and :35 past the hour? |
| Why is Christmas
abbreviated Xmas? |
| What's the origin
of "XXX," as in porn movies and booze? |
| Will the year 2000
bug cause world chaos? |
| Is yeast
infection yeast the same as cooking yeast? |
| What's with the
"live and active cultures" in yogurt? |
| Why do the British
pronounced the letter Z "zed"? |
| Is zero a number? |
| Does
baking soda really eliminate refrigerator odors? |
| What are
"jake brakes" and why are they prohibited in some locations? |
| Why is
Greenland considered an island but not Eurasia? |
| Why is Humpty
Dumpty portrayed as an egg, even though eggs aren't mentioned in the nursery rhyme? |
| What's the
origin of the expression "peanut gallery"? |
| Why are Europe
and Asia considered separate continents? What's a continent, anyway? |
| What is alum, and
will it make someone's mouth shrink, like in the cartoons? |
| What is the
purpose of sifting flour? |
| How much
is a gazillion? |
| Why do
pitchers throw overhand in baseball but underhand in softball? |
| What's the
origin of "English," the kind you put on a ball? |
| What's the
point of truck weigh stations? |
| When does
veal become beef? |
| What's
the origin of "son of a gun"? |
| What are
naval personnel saluting when they board a vessel? |
| What does the
phamacist's symbol "Rx" mean? |
| What's up
with "fire and brimstone"? What's brimstone? |
| What is a
"quitclaim deed"? |
| Do ostriches
really bury their heads in the sand? |
| What's the
origin of the Jewish bread "challah"? |
| Do insects
sleep? |
| Where does the
Vice President of the U.S. live? |
| What's the
busiest airport in the world? |
| Does the soft
drink Dr Pepper contain prunes? |
| If I had
the organ that makes adrenalin removed, would I stop getting nervous? |
| Why do dogs
circle before lying down? |
| Is it true
many New England cats have extra paws because Boston ships' captains considered them
lucky? |
| What's the
difference between bourbon and whiskey? |
| How many
dimensions are there and what are they? |
| Why are the
star and crescent symbols of Islam? |
| What's the
origin of army dog tags? |
| Photocopy
residue seems to take the skin off my fingertips. Is it toxic? |
| What's the
origin of the term "jaywalking"? |
| Why can't we
regenerate limbs like other species? |
| Which soft
drinks have the most and least caffeine? |
| What does
"full grain leather" mean? |
| What causes
"watermelon snow"? |
| How come
power boats have the steering wheel on the right side? |
| Where does balsa
wood come from? |
| Why does water
cause rust? |
| Who was the
"Emperor of San Francisco"? |
| What's the
difference between hail, sleet, and freezing rain? |
| Is it possible
to do "astral traveling" while sleeping? |
| Why is dirt
brown? |
| How are
"down" and "up" defined? |
| Why won't two
pieces of glass slide against one another? |
| Do cicadas
spend seven years underground before emerging? |
| What's the
difference between a lawyer and an attorney? |
| Do female
turtles shed one tear for each egg they lay? |
| What's the
deal with tumbleweeds? |
| Why are
"soap operas" called that? |
| Was the
Indian who shed a tear in that anti-pollution commercial really Italian? |
| Why don't
snakes die right away after I cut them in half? |
| Can
helicopters do loops and rolls? |
| What's up with
silicon and silicone? |
| What's the
origin of the word "kudos"? |
| Is "The
Celestine Prophecy" fact or fiction? |
| Are the
different colors of Froot Loops different flavors? |
| What was that old
guy Roy doing on the "Mickey Mouse Club" TV show? |
| What's the
difference between an earthquake and an aftershock? |
| On tape
measures, why is there a special symbol every 19-3/16 inches? |
| How do
computers work? |
| If a goldfish
is swimming on its side, is this a bad sign? |
| Did the Allman
Brothers change "Ramblin' Man" to make it more PC? |
| If man is
descended from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes? |
| What does
"instant death" really mean? |
| What's the big
deal about the Fifth Amendment? |
| What does it
mean when a patient is in "critical" or "serious" condition? |
| Is "The
Blair Witch Project" a true story? |
| Will my
computer crash on Y2K if I don't perform the procedure someone E-mailed to me? |
| Was Leonardo
da Vinci religious? |
| What's the
origin of "one fell swoop"? |
| Was
Hitler a Christian? |
| Who was Major
Deegan of N.Y. expressway fame? |
| What is
antimatter? How was it discovered? |
| Is it illegal
to kill praying mantises? |
| Was
Cleopatra black? |
| Why does
my recorded voice sound different from my "live" voice? |
| How did
WWII propaganda broadcaster Tokyo Rose get info on Allied ship movements? |
| What's the
difference between the United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England? |
| Why didn't
Frank Sinatra serve in the military during World War II? |
| Why do we
say "fast asleep"? |
| Is there a
guy in the orchestra whose only job is playing the triangle, wood block, and wind chimes? |
| Is the U.S.
a democracy or a republic? What's the difference? |
| Why is won't the
contraction of will not? |
| Why do singers
use vibrato? |
| Could President
Clinton run for a third term? |
| How come
some people are more vulnerable to poison ivy than others? |
| Who wrote
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"? |
| What's the
origin of "egg nog"? |
| Is the
ingredient erythorbate on hot dogs really earthworms? |
| What's the
story on secret Mormon weddings? |
| What is the
strongest human muscle? |
| What's the
origin of "the life of Riley"? |
| What's the
origin of the British holiday custom Boxing Day? |
| Who is the
General Tso of "General Tso's chicken" fame? |
| Is zero odd
or even? |
| Besides sweet,
sour, etc., is there a fifth taste sensation, "umami"? |
| Is
"niggardly" a racist word? |
| Does
the theory of evolution fly in the face of the facts? |
| Did the
U.S. government fund psychic research? |
| Who invented
"white-out"? |
| Why do NFL
referees wear a band around their wrists? |
| Why do dogs get
vaccinated against rabies but not people? |
| Who were the
Goops? |
| Do
ultrasonic bug repellers keep away cockroaches and crickets? |
| Do the numbers
googol and googolplex really exist? |
| Is there an
"anti-placebo" effect? |
| What's a Hokie,
the Virgina Tech mascot? |
| Did psychic
Jeane Dixon predict JFK's assassination? |
| How does
inheritance of blood types work? |
| If psychics
are frauds, why do police keep asking them for help? |
| Who
invented cotton candy? |
| How do they
train dogs to sniff for bombs? |
| Does
"hive mind" give ants and bees superintelligence? |
| How many
cities are there in the U.S.? |
| What's up
with all the "missing matter" in the universe? |
| Why do parrots
imitate sounds? |
| Why is it so
hard to get a good spork? |
| Why do Corn
Pops come in a silver bag? |
| What's the
difference between baking soda and baking powder? |
| What's up
with the ten lost tribes of Israel? |
| What's up
with the star of Bethlehem? |
| Why is the
Mona Lisa so famous? |
| Is scrod a
specific type of fish? |
| Did all
humans descend from the same ancestor? |
| Should you bury
a statue of St. Joseph to help sell your house? |
| What is the
purpose of eyebrows? |
| In the Elton
John song "Levon," who is Alvin Tostig? |
| Did avant-garde
arts events of a century ago really inspire riots? |
| What is the
definition of "down"? (revisited) |
| Was the
Apollo moon landing a hoax? |
| Why are some
shortwave radio broadcasts in Esperanto? |
| Are the stars
really all burned out, and all we see is the glow? |
| Where did
Pink Floyd get its name? |
| Are you
supposed to twist ticks counter-clockwise to remove them? |
| What's that
flying foot in the Goodyear logo all about? |
| What is a troll? |
| What's the
origin of "cocktail"? |
| Why is
the Pittsburgh Steelers logo only on one side of their helmets? |
| Who
wrote the melody to the alphabet song? |
| Why is there a
hole in the lid of some Kiwi shoe polish cans? |
| Is a child's
ghost visible in Three Men and a Baby? |
| In the country
song "Longhaired Redneck," who's this Rodriguez who stole the goat? |
| What do .com,
.org, .net, etc., mean and who assigns them? |
| Did
Nostradamus predict the day his tomb would be discovered? |
| Does the
music in Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon coincide with the plot of The
Wizard of Oz? |
| Is rennet, a
cheese ingredient, made from calves' stomachs? |
| In E=mc2,
what units of measurement was Einstein using? |
| What's the
secret of getting hard-boiled eggs to peel easily? |
| Can spiders
carry rocks? |
| Why is Boston
called "Beantown"? |
| How do
evolutionists explain the Big Bang, the fact that we haven't seen animals evolve, etc.? |
| Who
invented the little gizmo with the five swinging balls? |
| Why does
steam rise from manholes in the U.S.? |
| What does the
old Cream song title "SWLABR" mean? |
| Why isn't
flash photography permitted in museums? |
| What's in
the briefcase in Pulp Fiction? |
| When they do
skin grafts, what if they don't have enough skin? |
| Are car keys
unique? Can you unlock someone else's car with your key? |
| Does
prolonged use of the Pill lead to infertility after you stop? |
| Do
creationists accept microevolution but not macroevolution? |
| Why can't
felons vote? |
| Do the
English put blood in chocolate to give it a rich color? |
| Did Hitler
ban gun ownership? |
| What is
a "hostile witness"? |
| What's the
origin of the dunce cap? |
| Can you get
lead poisoning from old dishes? |
| How come some
U.S. passports are different colors? |
| Why are
pistachioes colored red? |
| What's
the story with the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion"? |
| How does a Ouija
board work? |
| Are manatees
white meat or dark meat? |
| What happens
to all the junked cars? |
| What's the
origin of keeping your fingers crossed? |
| Do Disney
movies contain subliminal erotica? |
| Why does
helium make your voice squeaky? |
| What's the
origin of Don Henley's song about "forgiveness"? |
| Can the
mysterious chupacabra of Puerto Rico suck the blood of farm animals? |
| What exactly
is Aretha singing in "Respect"? |
| Who's richer,
Bill Gates or Scrooge McDuck? |
| Does a big
nose help you sing better? |
| Is light beer
made by watering it down? |
| Do race car
drivers weave around on the parade lap to heat their tires? |
| How do you use a
bidet? |
| What's the
origin of "Kilroy was here"? |
| What's the
origin of "break a leg" in show business? |
| Is there a
historical basis for Zorro? |
| Honeybees
have hives, wasps and hornets have nests--what do bumblebees have? |
| Who was
Typhoid Mary? |
| What's the
origin of "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"? |
| Why do
mosquito bites merely itch while bee stings are painful? |
| Are toxic
orange ladybugs the latest environmental threat? |
| Where do
they get the blood for animal blood transfusions? |
| What
time do the astronauts use in space? |
| What's
the origin of the Sadie Hawkins dance? |
| Can DNA from a
booger be used as evidence? |
| Are
vaccinations worth it? |
| Why do
fireflies only glow when flying upwards? |
| How can ants
walk on walls and ceilings? |
| Does the
average person consume four spiders per year in his sleep? |
| What's the most
poisonous creature on earth? |
| Does the title
of the movie Gattaca refer to a DNA sequence? |
| What's up with
"rods," the mysterious insects that can be seen only on video? |
| What's the
verdict on the Loch Ness monster? |
| What do the
measures knot, fathom, and league mean? |
| Is there any
factual basis for Holocaust denial? |
| Why do coral
only have sex on one specific night a year? |
| What's the
origin of "old chestnut"? |
| How does
carbon-14 dating work? |
| If a man has
had a vasectomy, can DNA be obtained from his semen? |
| Is the camel
the only animal that can't swim? |
| On a tandem
bike, who does more work, the person in front or in back? |
| Is the drum
fish the world's most useless fish? |
| How come geckos
stick to the ceiling but centipdes don't? |
| What does the
Chicago lyric "25 or 6 to 4" mean? |
| Is that black
line down the back of a shrimp what I think it is? |
| Why are
poisonous bugs brightly colored? |
| What's with
news reports about things traveling faster than light? |
| How do rockets
work in the vacuum of space? |
| In "A Boy
Named Sue," what's Johnny Cash saying during the bleeped out part? |
| How far can
ants see? |
| Have studies
proven that prayer can help heal the sick? |
| How do
they figure the distance between celestial bodies? |
| What's the
story behind Phil Collins' song "In the Air Tonight?" |
| How are Jesuit
colleges different from other schools? |
| Did a
murderer escape punishment using the "Twinkie defense"? |
| What's the
story on the famous marathon run of Jim Peters, who collapsed a few yards short of the
finish line? |
| Why do your legs
tremble uncontrollably sometimes when rock climbing? |
| Can laser
pointers damage your eyes? |
| Are birds immune
to hot pepper, enabling them to eat vast amounts and spread the seeds? |
| Why did James
Bond want his martinis shaken, not stirred? |
| Are horses
really made into glue? |
| Did the
popular image of Santa Claus originate in a Coca-Cola ad campaign? |
| Are hippos the
most dangerous animal? |
| Is there a
face on Mars? |
| What's the
story on "ganzfeld" experiments? |
| Does everyone
have pinworms? |
| Why is Christmas
abbreviated Xmas? |
| What's the
relationship between TV's Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo? |
| What's the
origin of the barber pole? |
| Would
Frankenstein's monster be possible today? |
| What's
the song "Yankee Doodle" all about? |
| Do cats have
poison claws? |
| What does
"SOS" mean? |
| What's the scoop
on Edgar Cayce, the "Sleeping Prophet"? |
| Why does
the moon look different near the equator? |
| In Simon and
Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair," what's the significance of parsley, sage,
rosemary, and thyme? |
| Why is oxygen
usually in the form O2? |
| Will
masturbation shrink the penis? |
| Does any
animal besides humans commit suicide? |
| Why do we have
five digits on each limb? |
| What's
better, a wooden cutting board or a plastic one? |
| Do black
holes rotate east to west? |
| Did Walt Disney
and Salvador Dali once collaborate on a film? |
| What
happened in the 1952 London "killer fog"? |
| Does black
clothing keep you cooler? |
| What's up
with cryptozoologists, the guys who investigate mythical beasts? |
| What's the
origin of a "skins game" in golf? |
| Did
Roosevelt know in advance about the attack on Pearl Harbor yet say nothing? |
| What was the
ancestor of the house cat? |
| Does an
"ecstasy" overdose raise your body temperature to 108 degrees? |
| What's the
best way to preserve home videotapes? |
| What's the
origin of "hot dog"? |
| Did
Lizzie Borden kill her parents with an ax because she was discovered having a lesbian
affair? |
| What's the
origin of the meter and the metric system? |
| Should you
refrigerate batteries to make them last longer? |
| What caused
the Mad Hatter to go mad? |
| Who invented
hummus? |
| Did Mary
Shelley not write "Frankenstein"? |
| What's the
Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" all about? |
| Do you catch
more flies with sugar than you do with, ah, fecal matter? |
| Does
using your car radio reduce your gas mileage? |
| What's the
origin of "notary sojac"? |
| What's the
nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence" all about? |
| Did band
leader Glenn Miller die in a French brothel? |
| Who invented
pizza? |
| Will a
penny on the tracks derail a train? |
| What are
the 13 U.S. intelligence agencies? |
| What is the
origin of "by and large"? |
| Did Bob Dylan
lift "Blowin' in the Wind" from a high school yearbook? |
| Do insects
pass gas? |
| What's the origin
of "hip"? |
| What's the
origin of the gingerbread man? |
| Should you
store film in the refrigerator? |
| How do
those "lightning ball" gizmos work? |
| What's up
with the "Bible Code"? |
| What's the
story on North American earthworms? |
| Why are quasars
always found at the edge of the universe? |
| Why does warm
milk make you sleepy but cold milk doesn't? |
| Why is there
a difference between boys' and girls' bikes? |
| Is it
really dangerous to wake sleepwalkers? |
| What
happens to a nonbeliever who sneaks into a Mormon service? |
| Will cats
eat their owners after the latter die? |
| Why do
vultures circle dead stuff? |
| What would
gravity be like on the inside of a doughnut? |
| In the
Counting Crows song, is "Mr. Jones" the singer's penis? |
| What's the deal
with ramen noodles? |
| What did the
Catholic church use for altar wine during Prohibition? |
| Are you
supposed to wax the top or the bottom of the surfboard? |
| Is the sound
of a snapping towel caused by breaking the sound barrier? |
| Can insects
get fat? |
| Should I
"hit reply to be deleted from this mailing list"? |
| Why do they
call it the Ivy League? |
| Was H.P.
Lovecraft's "Necronomicon" for real? |
| What's more
important in cleaning, soap or hot water? |
| What's the
origin of "Rock, Paper, Scissors"? |
| What's the
origin of "smart aleck"? |
| What's the
deal with Avogadro's number? |
| Is it still
possible to send a telegram? |
| Whatever
happened to Green Stamps? |
| What did the
U.S. Marines do during the Civil War? |
| Do twins have
identical DNA? |
| How do crayons
work? |
| Do hair and
nails continue to grow after death? |
| What are the
rest of the lyrics to "Bye Bye Blackbird"? |
| Why don't
birds on wires get electrocuted? |
| What's the
origin of the expression "black sheep"? |
| What's the
origin of "primrose path"? |
| What's
the origin of "yellow-bellied"? |
| How did cheese
originate? |
| Do
honeybees realize that if they sting you they'll die? |
| Why don't
spiders get stuck to their own webs? |
| What do
the four symbols on Led Zeppelin's 4th album mean? |
| What's the
purpose of bags of water hanging in restaurants? |
| Why do men
take their hats off to show respect but women don't? |
| Why do we
say "God bless you" after a sneeze? |
| In
"Un Chien Andalou," is a real eyeball being sliced? |
| What is the
purpose of goose bumps? |
| What's
the origin of "a penny for your thoughts"? |
| Is the black
hole of Calcutta a myth? |
| What
really happened to the Mary Celeste? |
| How likely
are poisonous spider bites? |
| Shouldn't
Greenland be known as Iceland and vice versa? |
| Does
"Indian" derive from Columbus's description of Native Americans as "una
gente in Dios"? |
| Were there
originally two endings to the Book of Job? |
| What's the
"dew point" all about? |
| Who
wrote the theme songs for those old Warner Brothers cartoons? |
| Why do
pregnant women get morning sickness? |
| What are the
rules for declaring a jihad? |
| In the
Bible, who were the "giant sons of God"? |
| Is turkey (the
bird) named after Turkey (the country) or vice versa? |
| What kind of
ape was Tarzan raised by? |
| What's
the origin of "Good Samaritan"? |
| Does cedar
actually keep away moths? |
| How high can
birds and bees fly? |
| What's
the origin of "spitting image"? |
| What's
the origin of "pumpernickel"? |
| Is eating
gold and silver food garnishes bad for you? |
| What causes
chocolate to whiten? |
| Does your
dandruff contain your DNA? |
| What's the
origin of "sophomore"? |
| Was the
"Confederate flag" was only the flag of the Confederate navy? |
| Why does
water make the Wicked Witch of the West melt? |
| Who
wrote/compiled/edited (and when) the first five books of the Bible, called the Torah or
Pentateuch or Five Books of Moses? |
| Who wrote the
Bible? Part 2 |
| Who wrote the
Bible? Part 3 |
| Who wrote the
Bible? Part 4 |
| Who wrote the
Bible? Part 5 |
| Is it
possible to create a science fiction-type force field? |
| Did humans
descend from "aquatic apes"? |
| How does a
particle accelerator work? |
| Why is it
easier to balance on a moving bike than a non-moving one? |
| Why are there
no top-quality American cigars? |
| Did Bugs
Bunny appear in a racist cartoon during World War II? |
| Are cobwebs
made by spiders? |
| Yiddish,
shmiddish--why do we repeat a word but start it with "shm-"? |
| Does a
dripping faucet keep the pipes from freezing? |
| Does a
mosquito's hum alternate between D and F? |
| Did Leif
Erikson once live in Cambridge, Massachusetts? |
| What did the
census at the time of the birth of Christ accomplish? |
| What's the
origin of "man of the cloth"? |
| What's the
origin of "umpteen"? |
| Who were
the Symbionese, and were they ever liberated? |
| How do
we know what shape the Milky Way is? |
| Did
President Harding's wife catch him in the closet with a lover? |
| What's
the physics behind "lake effect snow"? |
| Why do we
eat "beef" and "pork" rather than "cow" and "pig"? |
| What's the
significance of the Monopoly playing pieces? |
| Who was Dr.
Spooner of "spoonerism" fame? |
| Who killed
Jesus? |
| Do birds pee? |
| Why are
citrus fruits segmented? |
| What's up with
the notorious terrorist Carlos the Jackal? |
| Why is it
easier to balance on a moving bike than a non-moving one (revisited)? |
| Is there
really such a thing as "black ice"? |
| Can a
baseball be hit farther at high altitude? |
| Why do
telephone keypads count from the top down, while calculators count from the bottom up? |
| If Flatworm A
eats Flatworm B, will it absorb Flatworm B's knowledge? |
| What's
the origin of "ten-gallon hat"? |
| How do
animals recognize water? |
| Does
"assassin" derive from "hashish"? |
| What's the
story on the Sargasso Sea? |
| Is
"supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" a real word referring to Irish hookers? |
| What's the
origin of "to treat with kid gloves"? |
| How many G's
does my laundry pull during the spin cycle? |
| What's the
origin of the golf term "mulligan"? |
| What's the origin
of "ahoy"? |
| What came first,
Dick or "dick"? |
| What's the
origin of "spotted dick"? |
| Can plants be
identified by their DNA the way humans can? |
| What's the
origin of French fries? |
| Why is your
vision blurred underwater? |
| Who invented
pi? |
| Who was
Pyrrhus, and what made his victory so Pyrrhic? |
| What's the
origin of "booby trap"? |
| What's
the origin of "whoops-a-daisy"? |
| Why do we
say "Caucasian" to mean a person of European ancestry? |
| Why is Teddy
Roosevelt commemorated on Mt. Rushmore? |
| What's the
origin of "baker's dozen"? |
| What was the
Maginot Line? |
| What's the
origin of "grand" meaning $1,000? |
| Why did
the Beatles break up? |
| Are clown faces
registered by painting them on eggs? |
| Who was the
"Man in the Iron Mask"? |
| What's the
origin of "pigtails"? |
| Who was
Michael, and why should he row his boat ashore? |
| Does the
smell of squished cockroach attract other roaches? |
| Does it ever
get too cold to snow? |
| Is
"dead reckoning" short for "deduced reckoning"? |
| Does the
"Gallo Law" exempt the winery from estate taxes? |
| Was the
Venus flytrap brought to earth by a meteor? |
| Why do
chiggers go away faster if you don't scratch? |
| What's the
origin of "Tin Pan Alley"? |
| What's the
origin of the suffix "-age"? |
| Was the
name Wendy invented for the book "Peter Pan"? |
| What's the deal
with angels? |
| Was the Pied
Piper of Hamelin a child molester? |
| Do flies
vomit every time they land? |
| How come
parrots, etc., talk but chickens don't? |
| What makes
some animals cold-blooded and others warm-blooded? |
| What
would happen if you put liquid nitrogen in a microwave? |
| What's the
story with feng shui? |
| What's the
origin of "yadda yadda"? |
| Do
Eskimo men lend their wives to strangers? |
| Where do
male porn stars get their stamina? |
| Why does
the same side of the moon always face the earth? |
| Did the U.S.
plan an invasion of Canada in the 1920s? |
| What's the
origin of "loophole"? |
| Can
black holes in space ever become "normal" again? |
| What's the
origin of "cock and bull"? |
| Many English
words have Latin roots, but what are the roots of Latin? |
| What causes
the "washboard" effect on unpaved roads? |
| Why does
the remote work if I point it at the TV's reflection in a mirror? Plus: Why are there no
clear metals? |
| What's the
origin of "fuckin' A"? |
| How do fire
investigators determine the cause of a blaze? |
| Is there any
way to make your child a "superbaby"? |
| Do insects
have circulatory systems like other creatures? |
| Do
poisonous spiders lurk under toilet seats? |
| What
can I do to prevent static shock? |
| Did
others fly across the Atlantic before Lindbergh? |
| Why is
visible light visible, but not other parts of the spectrum? |
| Do camel
spiders eat a camel's stomach until its intestines fall out? |
| How
can light be both a wave and a particle? |
| Did Sherlock
Holmes really exist? |
| What's the
story on Joaquin Murieta, the Robin Hood of California? |
| Why do Jews
no longer sacrifice animals? |
| Will
shooting a cannon cause a drowned body to rise to the surface? |
| What's the
origin of "Catch-22"? |
| Did
Native Americans really believe in the "happy hunting grounds"? |
| What is
the speed of gravity? |
| Why do cops in
movies taste cocaine? |
| Who
invented musical notation? |
| What's the
origin of April Fool's Day? |
| Is it
possible to tell human and simian DNA apart? |
| How are oil
rig fires extinguished? |
| What's the
origin of "copacetic"? |
| Was the Roman
emperor Caligula as crazy as they say? |
| What's the
difference between white eggs and brown eggs? |
| Do
Jewish and Islamic dietary laws have anything in common? |
| Are a
cat's whiskers essential to its sense of balance? |
| If you're
in orbit, is it possible to throw something down to earth? |
| Is
playing the electric guitar dangerous? |
| How come
you see #2 pencils but no #1 pencils? |
| How do
the spiders outside an upper-story window in a high-rise get there? |
| Does
"behavioral interviewing" of job candidates really work? |
| Why do
fluorescent lights buzz? |
| Should a
restaurant tip be based on the check before or after tax? |
| How did
"faggot" get to mean "male homosexual"? |
| Shaving seminar:
(a) With the grain or against it? (b) Hot water or cold? |
| What's the
real story on Stonehenge? |
| What exactly is
dry ice? |
| How are
the microwaves in ovens different from those in cell phones? |
| How does
the stock market work? |
| Do
microwave ovens cook from the inside out? |
| Is poking a
knife into the toaster really dangerous? |
| Why is
the Latvian lat worth more than the U.S. dollar? |
| Did
Spartan mothers really tell their sons, "With your shield or on it?" |
| How does a
touch lamp work? |
| Why are
horses traditionally mounted from the left side? |
| What's the
"Scroll Lock" key on my computer for? |
| Why can't
fish breathe out of water? |
| Where do
fruit flies come from? |
| Do fire ants
bite everything in their path? |
| Why do some
animals have pellet poop? |
| What is it
about cats that makes them such good house pets? |
| What keeps
microwave radiation from leaking out the oven door? |
| What would
happen to you if you drank seawater? |
| How come
TV psychics seem so convincing? |
| What's up with
the Amazons? |
| What are my
chances of getting West Nile virus? |
| Is
"heavy water" dangerous? |
| What happens
to an ant separated from the colony? |
| Who
benefits from the national debt? |
| How does
closed captioning work? |
| What is the
plural of "penis"? |
| Are there
critters living in our eyebrows? |
| What's the
story with Johnny Appleseed? |
| How do we
know the cockroach is 250 million years old? |
| What's the
difference between hard water and soft water? |
| Why is
"CH" the abbreviation for Switzerland? |
| Did the
Greeks borrow Egyptian gods? |
| Were Adam
and Eve vegetarians? |
| What's the
real story on Sacagawea? |
| If I win the
lottery, should I ask for a lump sum or an annuity? |
| Why are storks
associated with babies? |
| How can
woodpeckers stand all that woodpecking? |
| How does a
flock of birds wheel and swoop in unison? |
| What did cows evolve from? |
| How do you "corn" beef? |
| Are "guerrilla" and "gorilla"
related? |
| What's the story behind "Mack the
Knife"? |
| What's the origin of "Canuck"? |
| What's the origin of "riding
shotgun"? |
| If action = reaction, how does anything
move? |
| What is the hottest part of a flame? |
| Did Eskimos put their elderly on ice floes
to die? |
| What's the origin of "bury the
hatchet"? |
| How can water turn to vapor below the boiling
point? |
| What's the origin of "coon's age"? |
| What's the origin of pig Latin? |
| What's the origin of
"lickety-split"? |
| When the zombies take over, how long till the
electricity fails? |
| What's up with Fibonacci numbers? |
| Do non-smoking actors use fake cigarettes
when playing a part? |
| What is grog? |
| Will charcoal self-ignite if wet? |
| What's the origin of the tooth fairy? |
| Is fanning yourself energy-efficient? |
| What's the temperature of space? |
| In Ricky Nelson's "Garden Party,"
who is Mr. Hughes? |
| How far will ants wander in search of food? |
| What's the story on the radio payola scandal of the
1950s? |
| Does garlic repel mosquitoes? |
| What makes mustard so mustardy? |
| Can I use diesel fuel instead of regular gas? |
| Do
spiders have hydraulic legs? |
| Who or what
is Chevy Chase? |
| What's up
with "deviled" eggs, ham, etc.? |
| How come
you never see midget animals? |
| What happens
when a gun fires blanks? |
| What
happens to all the stuff that goes down the toilet? |
| What makes
blue cheese blue? |
| Was Super
Glue invented to seal battle wounds in Vietnam? |
| Do lead
fishing sinkers threaten the environment? |
| Did
Vikings really wear horns on their helmets? |
| Why
don't fish crash into the side of the fishbowl? |
| Why do we
have so many temperature scales? |
| If St.
Patrick didn't chase the snakes out of Ireland, what did? |
| Is
there an easy way to correct for inflation? |
