# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=646 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 647 --- ## [What would be the issue of using a US Navy nuclear reactor in space?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-the-issue-of-using-a-us-navy-nuclear-reactor-in-space/802979)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-the-issue-of-using-a-us-navy-nuclear-reactor-in-space/802979 "2017-12-01T18:46:48Z")
Aside from the obvious political issue that the anti-nuclear folks would raise holy hell, I’m wondering if there are any technical issues with using a US Navy nuclear reactor in space. I was reading about the VASIMR eng… --- ## [How do non-OEM suppliers get the specs for the car parts they make?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-non-oem-suppliers-get-the-specs-for-the-car-parts-they-make/802971)
**Author:** [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2017, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-non-oem-suppliers-get-the-specs-for-the-car-parts-they-make/802971 "2017-12-01T14:18:58Z")
It’s a common practice that car manufacturers will use suppliers to provide many of the components that go in their cars. Things like alternators, fuel pumps, radiators, etc. are made by an independent company and they … --- ## [Germany, Switzerland and WWII](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-switzerland-and-wwii/802873)
**Author:** [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2017, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-switzerland-and-wwii/802873 "2017-12-01T09:39:06Z")
I’ve been reading about Hitler and Switzerland and learned how much he despised the Swiss people, except, of course, for the German speaking Swiss which he considered part of greater Germany. While Hitler had promised t… --- ## [Where will 3200 Phaethon pass over the earth?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-will-3200-phaethon-pass-over-the-earth/803216)
**Author:** [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-will-3200-phaethon-pass-over-the-earth/803216 "2017-12-01T04:52:28Z")
Just wondering where on earth the best place to watch for this would be. Been googling without any luck. Maybe they are unsure? Too soon to tell? Anyone have any idea? --- ## [Was it gerbils or rats that spread the Bubonic Plague from Asia to Europe?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-gerbils-or-rats-that-spread-the-bubonic-plague-from-asia-to-europe/803125)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-gerbils-or-rats-that-spread-the-bubonic-plague-from-asia-to-europe/803125 "2017-12-01T02:12:27Z")
Hi I see more and more articles saying it was gerbils, not rats that spread the Bubonic Plague from Asia to Europe. Is there anything definitive about this claim? I look forward to your feedback. --- ## [Old case where young man does nothing while friend molests/murders girl...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-case-where-young-man-does-nothing-while-friend-molests-murders-girl/663756)
**Author:** [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-case-where-young-man-does-nothing-while-friend-molests-murders-girl/663756 "2017-12-01T02:11:43Z")
Over a decade ago, there was a notorious case in the news where a young man (late teens/early twenties) followed a little girl into a casino restroom, raped & killed her. He had a friend with him who saw him follow the l… --- ## [Finding earthworms on my carpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-earthworms-on-my-carpet/803195)
**Author:** [@Dingbang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dingbang)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-earthworms-on-my-carpet/803195 "2017-12-01T01:11:58Z")
For some time now I’ve found the occasional earthworm on my carpeted basement floor. They’re dried out when I find them, but I assume they were moist and wiggly when they arrived. Why do they keep showing up? It’s a ful… --- ## [quantifying the effectiveness of flu vaccine](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quantifying-the-effectiveness-of-flu-vaccine/803150)
**Author:** [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quantifying-the-effectiveness-of-flu-vaccine/803150 "2017-11-30T23:55:22Z")
The news this morning mentioned that health officials had misjudged the particular strains of flu that would be most prevalent this winter, and as a result the flu vaccine that has been/is being administered is only “10%… --- ## [Quick airplane question!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-airplane-question/803050)
**Author:** [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-airplane-question/803050 "2017-11-30T22:25:18Z")
Why do they insist that the window shades be up for landing and take off? What’s that all about? What difference could it possibly make? --- ## [How do I figure out yearly Powerball payout?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-figure-out-yearly-powerball-payout/802997)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-figure-out-yearly-powerball-payout/802997 "2017-11-30T20:48:02Z")
Let’s say I win the Powerball tomorrow, currently valued at 163 million bucks. How much would I get per year for thirty years? --- ## [How do I make Firefox more stable in its display?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-firefox-more-stable-in-its-display/803034)
**Author:** [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-firefox-more-stable-in-its-display/803034 "2017-11-30T19:30:56Z")
I’m using Firefox to browse wikipedia, and the display isn’t stable - it wiggles from side to side as a move the mouse around. Is there a way to make it stay put? thanks. --- ## [Language spoken by Roman soldiers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-spoken-by-roman-soldiers/195800)
**Author:** [@Lys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lys)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language-spoken-by-roman-soldiers/195800 "2017-11-30T19:16:33Z")
Hello, While reading random news I stumbled on this: http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/story.jsp?story=434029 The main story is unrelated, but it includes a bit where scholars says Roman Soldiers spoke Gree… --- ## [Why do sweet foods make my scalp tingle?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sweet-foods-make-my-scalp-tingle/636908)
**Author:** [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-sweet-foods-make-my-scalp-tingle/636908 "2017-11-30T19:12:51Z")
I’ve just eaten a couple of triple chocolate cookies. These things are really sweet, and. as often happens when i eat something very sweet, they made my scalp tingle, almost as if my hair was standing up on end. The feel… --- ## [Has Climate Change Come To The Midwestern U.S.?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-climate-change-come-to-the-midwestern-u-s/803063)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-climate-change-come-to-the-midwestern-u-s/803063 "2017-11-30T16:45:48Z")
I know that the plural of anecdote is not data, and all that. I also know that memories can get weird sometimes. BUT, when I was a kid, it was inescapably winter by the first week of November. Now here it is a couple of … --- ## [Do ex-presidents still salute when they encounter uniformed members of the military?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ex-presidents-still-salute-when-they-encounter-uniformed-members-of-the-military/778247)
**Author:** [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-ex-presidents-still-salute-when-they-encounter-uniformed-members-of-the-military/778247 "2017-11-30T15:24:22Z")
What is the protocol on this? I know that president Reagan started the tradition of saluting the military. I also know as CIC this is deemed permissible. The question is do ex-presidents still do it? Are they suppose… --- ## [Can compound growth and decay be expressed as a single function?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-compound-growth-and-decay-be-expressed-as-a-single-function/803073)
**Author:** [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-compound-growth-and-decay-be-expressed-as-a-single-function/803073 "2017-11-30T14:06:42Z")
Say one invested $100 at 5% growth, annually, compounded. Assuming I’m not screwing up the formula, the value of the investment at the end of any given year can be expressed as f(t)=100(1.05)^t where t is the number of … --- ## [Removing a label from a CD](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-label-from-a-cd/803056)
**Author:** [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-label-from-a-cd/803056 "2017-11-30T03:41:36Z")
I have here a homemade music CD. I’m told that the music on it is quite beautiful, but I have no firsthand knowledge of this, because the CD is unplayable. A music CD player doesn’t do anything with it, and when I try … --- ## [On Peerage, Titles, and Names (In England)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-peerage-titles-and-names-in-england/803067)
**Author:** [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2017, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-peerage-titles-and-names-in-england/803067 "2017-11-30T02:42:37Z")
OK, I watched half of the first episode of Fawlty Towers on Netflix (couldn’t get into it). In one scene, a guest tries to check in, and Fawlty keeps pressing him to fill out his paperwork with “both names.” Eventually i… --- ## [Temporal Paradoxes and the Possibility of Time Travel.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporal-paradoxes-and-the-possibility-of-time-travel/802307)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 98\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/temporal-paradoxes-and-the-possibility-of-time-travel/802307 "2017-11-29T23:43:55Z")
I guess like many people, my knowledge of physics doesn’t go much beyond high school. And then there is a lot I’ve learned from PBS and the Science Channel. I’m serious. Anyway, my question is simply this: Do temporal p… --- ## ["The" Earl?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl/802697)
**Author:** [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-earl/802697 "2017-11-29T21:26:56Z")
I picked up a book, There Is Intelligent Life on Mars, that is credited to “The Earl Nelson.” Yes, he was a descendant of Admiral Lord Nelson, though the Earldom came later. But that should make him just Lord Nelson or A… --- ## [What's the Straight Dope on the dents in Harvard's sidewalks?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-the-dents-in-harvards-sidewalks/802840)
**Author:** [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-the-dents-in-harvards-sidewalks/802840 "2017-11-29T14:56:02Z")
There’s an age-old story that the dents in Harvard’s sidewalks date back to the American Revolution, when students threw cannon balls out the windows. I haven’t been able to find any photos of these dents, and my father,… --- ## [Member nations of ISMERLO](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/member-nations-of-ismerlo/803028)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/member-nations-of-ismerlo/803028 "2017-11-29T07:11:15Z")
The recent Argentine sub accident has gotten me thinking about ISMERLO: Can anyone tell me which nations are members of ISMERLO? The link only names a lot, but gives no exhaustive list of member nations. --- ## [Why does hair colour change with aging ?(not going grey)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-colour-change-with-aging-not-going-grey/802973)
**Author:** [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-hair-colour-change-with-aging-not-going-grey/802973 "2017-11-29T07:08:11Z")
Quite a few kids of European, but also sometimes Middle Eastern and Central and S Asian origin have light hair, a hair colour which darkens, sometimes to near jet black; my own went from red to brown, to dark brown. WHy … --- ## [Rea estate questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rea-estate-questions/802766)
**Author:** [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rea-estate-questions/802766 "2017-11-29T04:03:44Z")
There was a house in my brothers neighborhood where the owner died and left no will, heirs, or next of kin. What he did leave was a mortgage with 40K remaining. It also turned out that after an internal inspection the ho… --- ## [Parliament in Tudor England](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parliament-in-tudor-england/802922)
**Author:** [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parliament-in-tudor-england/802922 "2017-11-29T01:17:11Z")
This may be too broad of a question but can anyone explain Parliament in the mid 16th century. How many members were there, how were they chosen, did they have any real conflicts with the reigning monarch, was there a re… --- ## [Experiment I did in class - Radiant energy absorbed by white and black materials - Need some help](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiment-i-did-in-class-radiant-energy-absorbed-by-white-and-black-materials-need-some-help/802533)
**Author:** [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2017, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experiment-i-did-in-class-radiant-energy-absorbed-by-white-and-black-materials-need-some-help/802533 "2017-11-29T00:02:20Z")
I did a simple experiment in class with my students that has proven to be a bit of a head scratcher. We started with two weighing boats (used to weigh chemicals on a balance). One was the natural shiny white of a stand… --- ## [Why are software free?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927)
**Author:** [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-software-free/802927 "2017-11-28T23:54:16Z")
I’m not talking about shareware or trialware but 100% freeware. Some of them are quite good that I’m looking for a catch to this. There’s no ads or installed programs beside the game as I use custom install (there’s a d… --- ## [Ponce de León and the Pacific.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ponce-de-leon-and-the-pacific/802891)
**Author:** [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ponce-de-leon-and-the-pacific/802891 "2017-11-28T23:19:33Z")
Here on this wiki page, it sez “The first historical records of Europeans to set eyes on this ocean, the Pacific, are recorded as Vasco Núñez de Balboa in 1513 or, Ponce de León in 1512 or 1513.” Where and when did ol… --- ## [Patent medicines during Prohibition](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patent-medicines-during-prohibition/802863)
**Author:** [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/patent-medicines-during-prohibition/802863 "2017-11-28T23:11:42Z")
I’ve recently learned that patent medicines, which usually contained a lot of alcohol, somehow were exempt from Prohibition. In specific, one called Dr. Kilmer’s Swamp Root, which was made in Binghamton NY, seems to have… --- ## [cold remedies antagonizing one another?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-remedies-antagonizing-one-another/802989)
**Author:** [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-remedies-antagonizing-one-another/802989 "2017-11-28T23:03:50Z")
I’m wondering about taking expectorants/cough suppressants at the same time as taking anti-histamines and decongestants. Since expectorants cause an increase in secretions and anti-histamines and decongestants tend to i… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=645) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=647)