Special Issues


THE STRAIGHT DOPE

What would happen if you were swallowed by a black hole (revisited)?

11.25.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

I just read your 1981 column on what would happen if the earth were swallowed by a black hole. I'...

RECENT STRAIGHT DOPE

What would happen if you were swallowed by a black hole (revisited)?

11.25.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

I just read your 1981 column on what would happen if the earth were swallowed by a black hole. I'...

How did the states establish long, straight borders before GPS?

11.18.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

How is it that, in places without natural features such as a river or mountain range to mark a borde...

How can racing yachts sail faster than the wind?

11.18.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

How can those America's Cup yachts sail faster than the wind? Here's what the San Francisco...

Does the camera really add 10 pounds?

11.04.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

Plus: Is there any nutritional value in eating corn?

Is there any difference in quality between name-brand drugs and generics?

10.28.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

When I buy over-the-counter pharmaceuticals from our local drug store, I always buy the house brand....

Is 'roid rage real?

10.28.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

Following the 2007 murder-suicide involving pro wrestler Chris Benoit and his family, many asked if...

Why do songs get stuck in your head?

10.21.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

What’s the deal with getting a song stuck in your head? Why does it happen, especially if it&r...

Who controls the content on an Internet message board?

10.07.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

Years ago, you were asked whether it was legal to publish a letter someone had sent you. You said th...

How do medical alert dogs know something is wrong?

09.30.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

Plus: How does an asphalt roller score on the Richter scale?

Does a sauna or steam room do you any good?

09.23.09 | BY CECIL ADAMS

I love to go to the steam room (or if there isn’t one, the sauna) after a workout. But I'v...

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So what is Straight Dope and who is Cecil Adams?

Cecil Adams is the world's most intelligent human being. We know this because: (1) he knows everything, and (2) he is never wrong.

His syndicated weekly column, the Straight Dope, presently appears in more than 30 newspapers throughout the United States and Canada.

How do we know that Cecil knows everything and is never wrong?

Because he said so, and he would never lie to us.

No, really.

Listen, read the columns. Soon you will agree this is no ordinary man. If you're still curious, head over to the full FAQ for a more detailed explanation.