# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1031 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1032 --- ## [Fastest possible drag race speed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-possible-drag-race-speed/732843)
**Author:** [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-possible-drag-race-speed/732843 "2015-09-30T21:35:43Z")
I went to the drag races over the weekend – something I’d never done before. Had a great time, and saw a top fuel funny car go over 330 mph which was fun. Being somewhat geeky, I found myself wondering how fast the car… --- ## [Were Christians really thrown to the lions?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-christians-really-thrown-to-the-lions/732489)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-christians-really-thrown-to-the-lions/732489 "2015-09-30T20:35:22Z")
In the early days of Christianity, did the Romans actually have public events where they threw Christians to the lions? --- ## [Plants don't have an immune system, accurate simplification?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plants-dont-have-an-immune-system-accurate-simplification/733048)
**Author:** [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plants-dont-have-an-immune-system-accurate-simplification/733048 "2015-09-30T20:16:16Z")
It seems like it isn’t, they may not have a animal equivalent immune system but they must have something to avoid being overtaken by fungi or bacteria etc. \*Something I was told long ago to explain things like multi spe… --- ## [Purpose of Cars' Folding Side Mirrors](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-cars-folding-side-mirrors/732983)
**Author:** [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/purpose-of-cars-folding-side-mirrors/732983 "2015-09-30T19:57:42Z")
Many fancy cars now have side mirrors that automatically fold flat(ter) against the side of the car when it’s parked. This seems to me to be mechanical complexity and cost without any benefit. At least the hidden headli… --- ## [Most recently developed animal family](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recently-developed-animal-family/732998)
**Author:** [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recently-developed-animal-family/732998 "2015-09-30T18:46:43Z")
A question my daughter asked at the dinner table tonight got me wondering - is it known what the most recently developed or evolved family in the animal kingdom is? In other words, what group of species is the newest in … --- ## [Question about power wheel chairs and air travel](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-power-wheel-chairs-and-air-travel/732841)
**Author:** [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-power-wheel-chairs-and-air-travel/732841 "2015-09-30T17:33:07Z")
I’ve been avoiding air travel for a long time now, mostly because of all the walking and standing around involved (I have severe arthritis), but also because of the cost and all the TSA inconveniences. I have a Jazzy no… --- ## [Largest Star and Black Hole](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-star-and-black-hole/732906)
**Author:** [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/largest-star-and-black-hole/732906 "2015-09-30T17:26:06Z")
I’m not a science guy and need this to be explained to me in pretty simple terms. From a couple click bait sites, I understand the largest known star has a diameter roughly the size of Neptune’s orbit-- but there’s a sup… --- ## [Why isn't powdered coffee whitener greasy or oily?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-powdered-coffee-whitener-greasy-or-oily/733026)
**Author:** [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-powdered-coffee-whitener-greasy-or-oily/733026 "2015-09-30T17:23:35Z")
At work we use a non-dairy powdered coffee whitener. According to the nutritional information on the back of the jar, it contains 30 g of fat per 100 g of whitener. The only thing obviously fatty or oily in the ingredi… --- ## [Where does water go?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-water-go/732931)
**Author:** [@griebs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griebs)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-does-water-go/732931 "2015-09-30T17:11:21Z")
Seriously. And I don’t mean after it goes down the drain and recycled by treatment facilities. It’s not as if it all evaporates and rains into the nearest undrinkable ocean, or splits into hydrogen and oxygen during dige… --- ## [Who owns the moon ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076)
**Author:** [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-the-moon/614076 "2015-09-30T16:52:48Z")
The Americans where the first to put a man on it, but I believe the Russians had an emblem on the moon before the Americans. What if another country spent billions on a space program and colonized the moon , would they … --- ## [How do you move photos and videos from iPhone to computer?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-move-photos-and-videos-from-iphone-to-computer/733037)
**Author:** [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-move-photos-and-videos-from-iphone-to-computer/733037 "2015-09-30T16:43:19Z")
How do we move photos and videos taken on an iPhone to a MacOS computer? Yes, I know it’s probably an extremely routine thing I should be embarrassed not to know, but • I am not the iPhone user and do not own or use an… --- ## [Do wolves turn around before lying down?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009)
**Author:** [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-wolves-turn-around-before-lying-down/733009 "2015-09-30T16:08:35Z")
Look, I should be embarrassed by this. But I swear to Cece I cannot find this answer tonight. Do wolves turn around in a circle (or three) before lying down? Is that behavior observed in the wild? ('Cos if not, I res… --- ## [Where did this gesture originate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434)
**Author:** [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-this-gesture-originate/544434 "2015-09-30T15:05:04Z")
It’s that “I’m a big shot” gesture. It’s hard to describe. Turn the fingers of your right hand toward your palm. Move your hand toward your mouth and blow on your fingers while moving them back and forth. Then rub yo… --- ## [Please explain the voucher system used by Germany to compensate Jews after the World War II](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-voucher-system-used-by-germany-to-compensate-jews-after-the-world-war-ii/733033)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-voucher-system-used-by-germany-to-compensate-jews-after-the-world-war-ii/733033 "2015-09-30T14:58:36Z")
Hi I was listening to Ta-Nehesi Coates talk about Germany’s reparations to Jews after WWII. I had never read how the compensation system actually worked. How exactly did the voucher system used by Germany to compensate… --- ## [RFID Theft of Pasport Info](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfid-theft-of-pasport-info/732782)
**Author:** [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rfid-theft-of-pasport-info/732782 "2015-09-30T13:53:36Z")
On one hand I’ve been hearing that hackers can scan your passport (the newer ones with RFID chips) and get your critical information and then go off and do all the bad things associated with identify theft. There is a ma… --- ## [Prepaid return labels - when does it cost the retailer?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-return-labels-when-does-it-cost-the-retailer/733023)
**Author:** [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-return-labels-when-does-it-cost-the-retailer/733023 "2015-09-30T13:19:18Z")
When you return something you’ve bought online, many retailers will customize a prepaid return label and e-mail it to you. When do they pay for the cost of the return: when they create the label for you, or when it’s sca… --- ## [If I plant an acorn inside, is it likely to erminate/row?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-plant-an-acorn-inside-is-it-likely-to-erminate-row/732949)
**Author:** [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-plant-an-acorn-inside-is-it-likely-to-erminate-row/732949 "2015-09-30T12:31:27Z")
The Little Man has been askin about the veritable meteor shower of fallin acorns around the house. I want to ather a few with him and plant them in a pot on his window. Am I settin him up for a traic dissapointment? I kn… --- ## [Quickest way to get CCNP or CCIE certification?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quickest-way-to-get-ccnp-or-ccie-certification/368421)
**Author:** [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [August 17, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quickest-way-to-get-ccnp-or-ccie-certification/368421 "2006-08-17T04:35:23Z")
I would like to get one of these Cisco certifications. How do I go about doing this as quickly as possible? Either one will do, and I’m willing to pay more in order to have the cert sooner. --- ## [Why is it illegal to catch rainwater in some states in the USA](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-catch-rainwater-in-some-states-in-the-usa/732389)
**Author:** [@Caneknife](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caneknife)\ **Replies:** 141\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-illegal-to-catch-rainwater-in-some-states-in-the-usa/732389 "2015-09-30T06:49:28Z")
Been reading how people are being arrested for catching rainwater on private property in some states, what the hell , it’s very much encouraged to catch rainwater off your roof of your house and store in tanks in Austral… --- ## [Al Gore's satelite.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-gores-satelite/733007)
**Author:** [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-gores-satelite/733007 "2015-09-30T04:42:30Z")
It’s this thing. DSCOVR and it’s supposed to have anEPIC camera. As I understand it, it’s supposed to be like a primitive ‘Google Earth Live’ I can’t seem to find a link to the webcam, or whatever the correct term mi… --- ## [Do green or hazel eyes regularly change hue?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-green-or-hazel-eyes-regularly-change-hue/732947)
**Author:** [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-green-or-hazel-eyes-regularly-change-hue/732947 "2015-09-30T03:53:43Z")
I saw THIS the other day on Facebook. Now I normally promptly ignore the post then the ‘friend’ who puts stupid things like this in my face, but my wife has said often my eyes change color (my eye color hovers in the gr… --- ## [Amazon's return policy - how consumer friendly?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazons-return-policy-how-consumer-friendly/543558)
**Author:** [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazons-return-policy-how-consumer-friendly/543558 "2015-09-30T03:43:46Z")
I recently purchased an expensive-ish electronic item from Amazon.com. Their return policy says 21 days to return, but I’m unsure if that means “totally unused” or “it can be used” I want to play with the item for a few… --- ## [Service to let me get the IP of my home PC remotely](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/service-to-let-me-get-the-ip-of-my-home-pc-remotely/732987)
**Author:** [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/service-to-let-me-get-the-ip-of-my-home-pc-remotely/732987 "2015-09-30T02:12:59Z")
There used to be a service/program where you run something in your system tray that would broadcast your IP to a website. Then, if you were at work, you could see what your home PC IP is to connect to it with remote de… --- ## [Is this a dangling modifier?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dangling-modifier/732997)
**Author:** [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dangling-modifier/732997 "2015-09-30T02:09:53Z")
I was fast approaching fly-swatting mastery and was awaiting the knock on my door from a kneeling neophyte seeking a sensei to pass down his knowledge Is “to passdown his knowledge” a dangling modifier because it modifi… --- ## [Mars with flowing salt water](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-with-flowing-salt-water/732858)
**Author:** [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 30, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mars-with-flowing-salt-water/732858 "2015-09-30T01:43:30Z")
So the news has been posted that NASA thinks there is flowing water on Mars. I read several of the reports - they are apparently all coming from one statement made by Nasa that there is salty water flowing, during the s… --- ## [Maximum error through successive multiplications](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maximum-error-through-successive-multiplications/732881)
**Author:** [@trabajabamos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trabajabamos)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2015, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maximum-error-through-successive-multiplications/732881 "2015-09-29T23:58:08Z")
Disclaimer: No, this isn’t my math homework. Yes, I knew how to do this back when I had math homework. Alas, that homework is now decades behind me. I recognize that using “math” as a verb is goofy but that doesn’t s… --- ## [Why was democracy a given after the American revolution but not after the English revolution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-democracy-a-given-after-the-american-revolution-but-not-after-the-english-revolution/732334)
**Author:** [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-democracy-a-given-after-the-american-revolution-but-not-after-the-english-revolution/732334 "2015-09-29T23:14:14Z")
At the end of the English civil war (aka the English revolution) the king was ultimately deposed and Oliver Cromwell became lord protector: The title passed (chaotically without much preparation) to his son (who was a… --- ## [Microsoft Outlook question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-outlook-question/732941)
**Author:** [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-outlook-question/732941 "2015-09-29T22:41:34Z")
I feel like this should be fairly simple but no matter how I phrase it, The Google does not direct me to the correct destination. When sending an email to a large group, is there a way to print a list of email addresses… --- ## [What's the Straight Dope about "ultra-dense deuterium"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-about-ultra-dense-deuterium/732967)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-about-ultra-dense-deuterium/732967 "2015-09-29T20:38:54Z")
I started hearing about this a couple of years back, in reports that scientists had created an ultra-dense form of deuterium. The subject came up again today in a report claiming that deuterium fusion in this form is ane… --- ## [Broken Microwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-microwave/732657)
**Author:** [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-microwave/732657 "2015-09-29T19:58:38Z")
I’ve got a Kenmore microwave that’s at least 10 years old. It’s installed over the stove. The exhaust fan for the stove is under the microwave. There is also a little light to illuminate the stove under the microwave.… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1030) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1032)