# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1167 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 1168 --- ## [Human ovaries - number of eggs vs. menopause timing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-ovaries-number-of-eggs-vs-menopause-timing/712988)
**Author:** [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-ovaries-number-of-eggs-vs-menopause-timing/712988 "2015-02-18T12:31:35Z")
Common wisdom seems to indicate that menopause signals the fact that a woman’s ovaries have “run dry” - in other words, menopause occurs when there are no more eggs. My mother used to joke about how she was “the last egg… --- ## [Sharing only selected retweets on facebok](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharing-only-selected-retweets-on-facebok/712987)
**Author:** [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sharing-only-selected-retweets-on-facebok/712987 "2015-02-18T10:52:38Z")
Is there an Android or Windows app or progam that will let me choose on a tweet by tweet basis whether to share a retweet on facebook as well? Currently I use twitters own app on Android and twitter.com on my computer, … --- ## [Plumbing SOS!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbing-sos/712949)
**Author:** [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plumbing-sos/712949 "2015-02-18T08:23:19Z")
I have the day off of work today and decided to repair a leaky bathtub faucet. I pulled the handle off and the escutcheon. I was left with what looks like a kitchen sink faucet. It is not one of the types I am familiar w… --- ## [What animal poop sounds like sand hitting a metal roof?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-poop-sounds-like-sand-hitting-a-metal-roof/712977)
**Author:** [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-poop-sounds-like-sand-hitting-a-metal-roof/712977 "2015-02-18T06:52:35Z")
This one has been driving me nuts for years, the sound produced is exactly as if a handful of sand was dropped onto the roof. I’m assuming a bird or bat(only happens at night), but it could be an arboreal animal in a tr… --- ## [Photon Speed](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photon-speed/712933)
**Author:** [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photon-speed/712933 "2015-02-18T04:33:16Z")
Can a photon stand still? Or must it always be moving? And if it must be moving, must it always travel at light speed? After all, the atoms of my body move at different speeds. --- ## [What would the effects of an anti-grav device be?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-the-effects-of-an-anti-grav-device-be/712745)
**Author:** [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-the-effects-of-an-anti-grav-device-be/712745 "2015-02-18T04:20:30Z")
The way I see it, an anti-grav device\* could work one of two ways: either it would make an object transparent to gravity (I’ll call it grav-glass\*\* for the sake of brevity), or it would reduce/negate the effects of gravi… --- ## [Is it common for asteriods to have moons](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-asteriods-to-have-moons/712550)
**Author:** [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-asteriods-to-have-moons/712550 "2015-02-18T04:11:25Z")
I was reading about this asteroid that just flew by us. It has a moon! Is that common? I’m sure it is but even though I realize earth is hurtling through space as well, it’s hard to picture a moon keeping up with a spee… --- ## [Why don't propane/NG appliances produce lethal amounts of CO?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-propane-ng-appliances-produce-lethal-amounts-of-co/712961)
**Author:** [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-propane-ng-appliances-produce-lethal-amounts-of-co/712961 "2015-02-18T03:57:39Z")
I know there must be a simple answer to this, but why don’t gas cooktops, ovens, heaters and water heaters produce CO? Appliances with bigger burners have direct exhaust venting, which might direct most combustion produc… --- ## [What's up with enneagrams?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-enneagrams/712971)
**Author:** [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-enneagrams/712971 "2015-02-18T03:52:28Z")
Enneagram tests are popular in some circles of assessment, leadership, coaching, etc. - I’m wondering where they come in useful or non-useful, whether there’s a certain amount of woo or non-woo involved (obviously I’ve r… --- ## [Facebook: Block invites for events with more than X people?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-block-invites-for-events-with-more-than-x-people/712969)
**Author:** [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-block-invites-for-events-with-more-than-x-people/712969 "2015-02-18T01:58:25Z")
Some of my FB friends have a habit of inviting their entire friends list to every single thing their employer/non-profit org puts on, and that just gets tedious to filter out all the time. I know I can block event invit… --- ## [Proper Care and Handling of Indoor Electric Heaters](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-handling-of-indoor-electric-heaters/712899)
**Author:** [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-care-and-handling-of-indoor-electric-heaters/712899 "2015-02-18T01:39:42Z")
I have an indoor electric heater and I almost had an accident with it the other day. Actually, I almost caused a fire. I run it almost always 24 hours per day at 1500 Watts (it can also run at 750 Watts). I connected it… --- ## [Reasons for US involvement in Central America?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-for-us-involvement-in-central-america/712690)
**Author:** [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-for-us-involvement-in-central-america/712690 "2015-02-18T00:53:15Z")
This week a left-wing coworker of mine mentioned how thrilled he was that Pope Francis declared Oscar Romero a Catholic martyr. Never having heard of Romero before, I googled him. Apparently, according to the Wikipedia… --- ## [Weather apps and websites, and barometer readings at various elevations](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weather-apps-and-websites-and-barometer-readings-at-various-elevations/712964)
**Author:** [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2015, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weather-apps-and-websites-and-barometer-readings-at-various-elevations/712964 "2015-02-18T00:36:37Z")
Earlier today I was curious about barometer readings at various elevations, thinking that they would more or less follow a standard pressure-altitude chart like this one. With my lifelong casual interest in aerospace yo… --- ## [Simple math/physics question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-math-physics-question/712847)
**Author:** [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-math-physics-question/712847 "2015-02-17T21:46:36Z")
We all know the average velocity (average speed, really) of an object is the total distance divided by the total time. If, for example, an object moved 20 meters in 4 seconds, it had an average speed of 5 meters/second d… --- ## [Why does blood pressure go up during a panic attack](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-blood-pressure-go-up-during-a-panic-attack/712857)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-blood-pressure-go-up-during-a-panic-attack/712857 "2015-02-17T21:44:06Z")
I occasionally have panic attacks, and my blood pressure goes up by about 50 points when I am having an anxiety attack. I’m curious as to how this works. Why does this happen exactly? I believe there are 5 adrenergic re… --- ## [Egg-laying vertebrates and calcium carbonate](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egg-laying-vertebrates-and-calcium-carbonate/712798)
**Author:** [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egg-laying-vertebrates-and-calcium-carbonate/712798 "2015-02-17T21:29:43Z")
Primarily birds. The males eat the same kind of food as the females–don’t they? But eggshells contain calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and, since the males don’t lay eggs, do they just have heavier skeletons? Or do they excret… --- ## [Obama and the internet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-the-internet/712925)
**Author:** [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-the-internet/712925 "2015-02-17T19:19:33Z")
What are Obama’s plans wrt the internet? How would the changes he envisions affect the ordinary end user at home? I’ve tried reading up on it, but my eyes start glazing over at any explanation of “net neutrality”. I like… --- ## [Confusion about the healing process](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusion-about-the-healing-process/712757)
**Author:** [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusion-about-the-healing-process/712757 "2015-02-17T18:54:55Z")
I was watching this video about ankle sprain physical therapy and it said that with a partially torn ankle ligament you should start doing stretching exercises just 3 days later and strengthening exercises only a couple … --- ## [USMC - Career Progression - Enlisted to Officer](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usmc-career-progression-enlisted-to-officer/712842)
**Author:** [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usmc-career-progression-enlisted-to-officer/712842 "2015-02-17T17:56:06Z")
A couple questions for the Marines of the board for a simple project I’m working on (not a book!): 1.) Is it possible for an enlisted Marine to serve out his term of service, pursue an education as a civilian afterward,… --- ## [What is the source of the speech in this video?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-source-of-the-speech-in-this-video/712913)
**Author:** [@barondemontesquieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barondemontesquieu)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-source-of-the-speech-in-this-video/712913 "2015-02-17T17:20:46Z")
I’m a longtime lurker on this forum, and I have a question I’ve been unable to answer, and I figured this would be the best place to ask it (given all the other hard questions I’ve seen answered here). This video has a … --- ## [Early Explanations For Difference In Velocity of Light and Sound](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-explanations-for-difference-in-velocity-of-light-and-sound/712843)
**Author:** [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-explanations-for-difference-in-velocity-of-light-and-sound/712843 "2015-02-17T16:50:12Z")
I read Aristotle in Ancient Greece mused about whether light moved instantaneously. Which impressed me - I would have thought speed of light came much later. However it posed a question. Did the ancients ever have any ps… --- ## [an easier way to substitute text in the middle of a line?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easier-way-to-substitute-text-in-the-middle-of-a-line/712799)
**Author:** [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easier-way-to-substitute-text-in-the-middle-of-a-line/712799 "2015-02-17T15:43:22Z")
I hope this question is clear - I’ll try to explain the best I can. Let’s say I have a line of text and in the middle is a word or phrase that I want to replace with the contents of a list - each time with a different s… --- ## [Smallpox vaccination question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallpox-vaccination-question/712810)
**Author:** [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallpox-vaccination-question/712810 "2015-02-17T15:42:16Z")
I’ve read that Jenner got the idea for the smallpox vaccine from noticing that milkmaids, who often had cowpox, a similar illness, rarely or never got smallpox. So cowpox conferred immunity to smallpox. Okay, did it wo… --- ## [Term Deposit - Interest paid monthly vs yearly](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-deposit-interest-paid-monthly-vs-yearly/712891)
**Author:** [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-deposit-interest-paid-monthly-vs-yearly/712891 "2015-02-17T15:25:05Z")
For maturity/annually the minimum rate is 2.5% p.a. For monthly the minimum rate is 2.3% p.a. All of the corresponding rates are also less for monthly. Is one rate better than the other or do they somehow work out to … --- ## [What is meant by the term to "give an earnest of one's intentions"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meant-by-the-term-to-give-an-earnest-of-ones-intentions/712898)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-meant-by-the-term-to-give-an-earnest-of-ones-intentions/712898 "2015-02-17T15:00:32Z")
Hi, In Simon Schama’s excellent book “Citizens” I came across this phrase on page 246 “give an earnest of one’s intentions”. “Increasingly wexed by the position Calonne had placed in him, Louis gave the Minister an ea… --- ## [Arc light and laser pulses \[edited title\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arc-light-and-laser-pulses-edited-title/712892)
**Author:** [@stormoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stormoff)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arc-light-and-laser-pulses-edited-title/712892 "2015-02-17T14:31:14Z")
I’m 30 never went to school but have a few questions please don’t judge if they sound displaced.first is about the use of arc light and laser pulses(together).second is about the post that brought me to this message boar… --- ## [In what language do Merkel and Sarkozy speak when conversing with each other?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-language-do-merkel-and-sarkozy-speak-when-conversing-with-each-other/600928)
**Author:** [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Replies:** 83\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-language-do-merkel-and-sarkozy-speak-when-conversing-with-each-other/600928 "2015-02-17T13:44:09Z")
All over the news are pictures of Merkel and Sarkozy conversing, arguing, kissing, etc. What language are they speaking to one another? --- ## [In What Caste Is a Visitor To India?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-caste-is-a-visitor-to-india/201330)
**Author:** [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [September 18, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-caste-is-a-visitor-to-india/201330 "2003-09-18T12:49:06Z")
Tonight I was reading a wonderful book on the social history of dinner ettiquette, and I came across a passage on Hindu dining customs and the many ways in which food can become ritually contaminated by contact with the … --- ## [Can medical marijuana be to potent?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-medical-marijuana-be-to-potent/712696)
**Author:** [@Cole33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cole33)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-medical-marijuana-be-to-potent/712696 "2015-02-17T07:45:49Z")
Anyone here from Colorado? I am and we have some badass weed. Some of it is so strong that I start to panic and get all worried and stuff. Like right now!:eek::smack::p:D no…im ok. --- ## [Why is American English so difficult???](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-american-english-so-difficult/134562)
**Author:** [@0rbytal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/0rbytal)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-american-english-so-difficult/134562 "2015-02-17T05:37:19Z")
Why is American English so difficult? Why do we even have the letter “c” when “s” ank “k” are the sounds it uses, and why use “ph” — why not just use “f”? And Where in the name of Buddha does some of our slang come fro… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1166) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=1168)