# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=739 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 740 --- ## [Why are cast iron pans (cookware) black?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cast-iron-pans-cookware-black/785069)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-cast-iron-pans-cookware-black/785069 "2017-05-02T14:24:53Z")
See query. The old trusty cast iron pan (nowadays almost always made by Lodge). I was seasoning one (flaming the hell out of it for an hour before coating it with oil) and thought “if my stove was a forge that sucker wo… --- ## [Fat loss without cardio](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-loss-without-cardio/785710)
**Author:** [@Rick\_Sanchez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Sanchez)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fat-loss-without-cardio/785710 "2017-05-02T14:22:13Z")
I’m looking to reduce my bf% but I have quite bad asthma and cardio tends to aggravate it. Is it possible to reduce ones bf% purely using diet and weight training? Google is giving me conflicting information. Thanks. --- ## [Up to which point should you exercise?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/up-to-which-point-should-you-exercise/785703)
**Author:** [@JakeRS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JakeRS)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/up-to-which-point-should-you-exercise/785703 "2017-05-02T12:54:28Z")
Every time I tried searching for an answer on how long you should exercise, I got the generic 30, 60 or whatever minutes answer. That obviously isn’t the right answer, since you can do both very little exercising and no… --- ## [When would it be valid for scientists to claim that they have created life?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-would-it-be-valid-for-scientists-to-claim-that-they-have-created-life/784610)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-would-it-be-valid-for-scientists-to-claim-that-they-have-created-life/784610 "2017-05-02T12:40:43Z")
Hi When would it be valid for scientists to claim that they have created life?In other words what ingredients in nature that constitute the elemental constituents of life would scientists not be permitted to depend on t… --- ## [Do vent holes in your bucket hat expose you to sunburn?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-vent-holes-in-your-bucket-hat-expose-you-to-sunburn/785454)
**Author:** [@greenpurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenpurple)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-vent-holes-in-your-bucket-hat-expose-you-to-sunburn/785454 "2017-05-02T12:36:27Z")
Especially if you’re bald. --- ## [Can I write on a Word document by hand?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-write-on-a-word-document-by-hand/785678)
**Author:** [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-write-on-a-word-document-by-hand/785678 "2017-05-02T07:01:28Z")
It would solve a problem in teaching if I could write solutions to questions by hand, but on something like an iPad, and then save it that way and print them out. Is there something that can do that, even if it’s not rea… --- ## [cellphone battery and the lifespan of one](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-battery-and-the-lifespan-of-one/785645)
**Author:** [@Long\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_D)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cellphone-battery-and-the-lifespan-of-one/785645 "2017-05-02T02:50:15Z")
Is there an efficient way to use a cellphone battery (the lithium ion variety) in order to give it the most amount of life? I have read different ways to do this but they disagree. Whether it be the 80% to 40% rule wher… --- ## [Why is titanium not used in body armor?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-titanium-not-used-in-body-armor/785688)
**Author:** [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-titanium-not-used-in-body-armor/785688 "2017-05-02T01:53:35Z")
Hello Everyone, Titanium is a great metal for stopping pistol and rifle rounds. I’ve seen quite a number of videos of people shooting titanium and even the largest rounds don’t make much of a dent, including .50 BMG FM… --- ## [4 monitors](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-monitors/785512)
**Author:** [@Aroon5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aroon5)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-monitors/785512 "2017-05-02T01:18:38Z")
Hi Daytrader. New skullcanyon (6770hq 32m 1tb SSD, HDMI, thunderbolt, mini DP, 4usb 3.0) Have 3 monitors up (2 24" 1080p, 40" Samsung 1080p), one on each out. Super fast, zero lag, no downloads, no setup issues, no pro… --- ## [Any neo-Freudians out there?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-neo-freudians-out-there/785621)
**Author:** [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 2, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-neo-freudians-out-there/785621 "2017-05-02T00:52:39Z")
According to psychoanalytic theory, the Oedipus complex (or Jung’s Electra complex, in girls) is a desire for sexual involvement with the parent of the opposite sex and a sense of rivalry with the parent of the same sex.… --- ## [Is it really illegal to turn on the car dome lamp?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-illegal-to-turn-on-the-car-dome-lamp/785390)
**Author:** [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-illegal-to-turn-on-the-car-dome-lamp/785390 "2017-05-01T23:49:01Z")
Inspired by the knife-toaster thread, Mom always said not to turn the interior roof lamp in the car while in motion. We’d want to turn it on to read or play, but Mom said a cop would pull us over. Something about the lig… --- ## [How to make holes by snapping in Blender and other 3d modeling programs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-holes-by-snapping-in-blender-and-other-3d-modeling-programs/785652)
**Author:** [@JakeRS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JakeRS)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-holes-by-snapping-in-blender-and-other-3d-modeling-programs/785652 "2017-05-01T21:31:42Z")
I learned how to create holes using boolean, however, how do I create a hole by extruding for example the inner part of the wall into the outer part? I can get it extruded so that it snaps to the opposite part of the wa… --- ## [Source of a "hearts and minds" quote](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-a-hearts-and-minds-quote/412530)
**Author:** [@prefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prefect)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-of-a-hearts-and-minds-quote/412530 "2017-05-01T20:26:02Z")
There’s a quote that goes something like “when you’ve got them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow”. I’ve seen it attributed to Lyndon Johnson, Chuck Colson, and John Wayne (which I doubt). My Google powers … --- ## [Locating Source of Laser to Stop Harassment](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locating-source-of-laser-to-stop-harassment/785411)
**Author:** [@andrea\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrea_green)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/locating-source-of-laser-to-stop-harassment/785411 "2017-05-01T19:54:16Z")
A few nights a week someone in the building across the way shines a green laser onto the body of my young female neighbor as she walks through her apartment. It is quite annoying and even a bit scary. What is the most … --- ## [Birds that live in one state](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457)
**Author:** [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457 "2017-05-01T19:10:02Z")
Inspired by this thread, particularly Tamerlane’s post #90. How many states have a bird species that lives in that state (US, but I don’t mind other country answers) and has no wild population in other states? There are… --- ## [On what canonical basis is Giordano Bruno still a heretic as far as the Catholic Church is concerned](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-what-canonical-basis-is-giordano-bruno-still-a-heretic-as-far-as-the-catholic-church-is-concerned/785175)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-what-canonical-basis-is-giordano-bruno-still-a-heretic-as-far-as-the-catholic-church-is-concerned/785175 "2017-05-01T15:14:47Z")
Hi On what canonical basis is Giordano Bruno still a heretic as far as the Catholic Church is concerned. I have been unable verify the actual canon laws that the Church still cites to deny Bruno complete rehabilitation. … --- ## [Why are animals so dumb?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-animals-so-dumb/785359)
**Author:** [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-animals-so-dumb/785359 "2017-05-01T14:08:38Z")
I was watching my dog licking my plate on the floor when it keep sliding away. I said Fisher, put your paw on the plate and it won’t slide away. Of course he doesn’t do that and the plate keeps sliding away. That made m… --- ## [Stupid Earth question from an infrequent flyer.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-earth-question-from-an-infrequent-flyer/785541)
**Author:** [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-earth-question-from-an-infrequent-flyer/785541 "2017-05-01T13:58:31Z")
Recently I flew from NYC to Las Vegas. Previously I’ve flown to Chicago and Florida. Each time it was at least an hour faster coming back home than going. I contribute this to the jet stream (except for Florida. How does… --- ## [Evolutionists before Darwin's book](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolutionists-before-darwins-book/785076)
**Author:** [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolutionists-before-darwins-book/785076 "2017-05-01T11:49:38Z")
In a recent Scientific American article, a British scientist discovered and displayed dinosaur fossils (which he called Megalosaurus) some 35 years before Darin’s published theory. That scientist also had unearthed foss… --- ## [Joining the military question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joining-the-military-question/785601)
**Author:** [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joining-the-military-question/785601 "2017-05-01T06:13:01Z")
Hi, Was wondering something: I’m 26 turning 27. I have taken Xanax since I was 21. It was a (now cured) inner issue misdiagnosed as anxiety (by my GP - not any psych doctor) and I had a bit of a quack doctor unfortuna… --- ## [Night Vision Monocular](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/night-vision-monocular/785415)
**Author:** [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/night-vision-monocular/785415 "2017-05-01T06:08:06Z")
Like This. Does the soldier put that on their dominant eye of not? Do they save their ‘Good Eye’ for actual aiming? --- ## [FFMPEG and bit-rate for MP3s from audio CDs.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ffmpeg-and-bit-rate-for-mp3s-from-audio-cds/785587)
**Author:** [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ffmpeg-and-bit-rate-for-mp3s-from-audio-cds/785587 "2017-05-01T04:12:33Z")
You have an audio CD you purchased. You want to use it on an MP3 player. So you use FFMPEG to convert it to an MP3 audio file. I’ve seen many examples of this, but I’m wondering if there is a limit to the bit-rate from … --- ## [Definition of Dawn in Age of Sail](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dawn-in-age-of-sail/785547)
**Author:** [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 1, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-dawn-in-age-of-sail/785547 "2017-05-01T02:00:49Z")
I’m reading a bunch of lovely “Great Age of Nelson” fiction series – the Lewrie, Kidd, Ramage, and, of course, Hornblower books. At some point, in some of these (and I can’t find it now!) “dawn” is defined. Something l… --- ## [Building a skyscraper - how do you remove the last crane?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-skyscraper-how-do-you-remove-the-last-crane/576701)
**Author:** [@JimmyFlair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyFlair)\ **Replies:** 35\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-skyscraper-how-do-you-remove-the-last-crane/576701 "2013-04-30T23:16:59Z")
I’ve been watching this building go up from my office window for the last year or so: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Cranes+start+coming+tower/4531068/story.html and it’s had three cranes on the top until last week. I’ve… --- ## [What does this sign say?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-say/785592)
**Author:** [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-say/785592 "2017-04-30T22:41:18Z")
At the science march in Chicago a week ago, I saw a woman holding the sign shown in this photo. (There’s only one pic in the album – I think you have to click on it to see it all.) I asked her about it, and she said tha… --- ## [First time flying, have a few questions.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-flying-have-a-few-questions/785459)
**Author:** [@JakeRS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JakeRS)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-time-flying-have-a-few-questions/785459 "2017-04-30T20:33:10Z")
As the title says, I’ll be flying for the first time and I spent some time online looking at all the procedures, but I didn’t find a ,all in one list", instead one site explains only baggage related stuff, the other one … --- ## [Filing Complaints against Xfinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filing-complaints-against-xfinity/785590)
**Author:** [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filing-complaints-against-xfinity/785590 "2017-04-30T19:38:16Z")
How do I file a complaint against Xfinity and Xfinity employees for intentionally bad service by phone? --- ## [Any Brinks/ADT installers here?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-brinks-adt-installers-here/785575)
**Author:** [@Omar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-brinks-adt-installers-here/785575 "2017-04-30T16:51:23Z")
So I was changing some parameters on my BHS-3000 and at the end, I meant to change my installer access code. I know I backspaced over it, therefore deleting it, but I must have exited programming without entering a new … --- ## [No outlet in bathroom... would this hack be suicide?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-outlet-in-bathroom-would-this-hack-be-suicide/785395)
**Author:** [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2017, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-outlet-in-bathroom-would-this-hack-be-suicide/785395 "2017-04-30T16:19:36Z")
I just moved into a new apartment and there’s not a single outlet that I can see in the bathroom. However, somebody seems to have jury-rigged the bathroom vanity mirror with three light sockets that are always hot. There… --- ## [Could a hijacked airliner successfully penetrate through a nuclear reactor?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-hijacked-airliner-successfully-penetrate-through-a-nuclear-reactor/785000)
**Author:** [@femmejean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femmejean)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2017, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-hijacked-airliner-successfully-penetrate-through-a-nuclear-reactor/785000 "2017-04-30T13:57:36Z")
9/11 style plot but over the skies of Western Europe since their a lot more nuclear reactors in large cities. Let’s say a hijacked airliner from London to Abu Dhabi was crashed into a reactor near Paris at maximum speed… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=738) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=740)