What question took the longest for us to get the Straight Dope on?

[Mahaloth]

In my time on this board, the longest time I've seen for one question that does have a definate answer is the current May 33rd question that has been bouncing around here for about 2 months.

The origin of the :) logo was a long process for Cecil to work out, so that's a good candidate also. What questions did either Cecil or the board get the answer to, but only after a really long time?

[Montfort]

Here's one (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=6676) that I read Cecil's column, each week, hoping he'll answer.

[Balthisar]

If anyone bothers to really answer this (below), then it will be the longest on this board by time it's answered:

On what date did the world end?

Not really a trick question; I do mean the world where we leave.

'Course, if the world ends tomorrow, then I'm wrong -- this won't be such a long awaited answer after all!

[tygre]

In one of the books (damned if I remember which, they're downstairs and I'm not) Cecil mentions that it took several years to get the Dope on a question re: mysterious "half-rings" that telephones would emit - turns out the phone company was doing line testing and some phones were more sensitive than others.

--tygre