# Factual Questions **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=973 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 974 --- ## [So, What Are "Fat Cells"...Really?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-fat-cells-really/742511)
**Author:** [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2016, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-are-fat-cells-really/742511 "2016-01-10T12:11:25Z")
What exactly is a “fat cell”? Are they comprised of the same structures as any other animal cells (other than sex cells)? And, do fat cells undergo mitosis (cellular division of non-sex cells)…or is our body’s population… --- ## [Cherry blossom trees vs. cherry fruit trees -- is there a difference?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossom-trees-vs-cherry-fruit-trees-is-there-a-difference/445526)
**Author:** [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2016, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cherry-blossom-trees-vs-cherry-fruit-trees-is-there-a-difference/445526 "2016-01-10T07:52:15Z")
Everyone is familiar with the famous cherry blossom trees in Washington DC. Well, Riverside and Sakura Parks in NYC have stands of similar trees that came from the same batch. They were all shipped to the US from Japan i… --- ## [Which is the Strongest Prefix?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-strongest-prefix/742673)
**Author:** [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2016, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-the-strongest-prefix/742673 "2016-01-10T06:45:02Z")
Out of un,mis or dis which is strongest? I tend to rank them - weakest to strongest - mis, un and then dis. I do this based on nothing but exposure and personal opinion. I’m curious as to what is the actual weight give… --- ## [Office chair assembly and question about parts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-chair-assembly-and-question-about-parts/740958)
**Author:** [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [January 10, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/office-chair-assembly-and-question-about-parts/740958 "2016-01-10T03:40:48Z")
I have a new office chair. I assembled it. It functions well. However, I have a few questions about it. The questions are relatively simple: 1.) Office chairs have a part which you rotate/turn. It is usually located und… --- ## [Why does Adobe Flash need to constantly update itself every few days? Is the code that awful?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-adobe-flash-need-to-constantly-update-itself-every-few-days-is-the-code-that-awful/545643)
**Author:** [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-adobe-flash-need-to-constantly-update-itself-every-few-days-is-the-code-that-awful/545643 "2016-01-09T20:53:29Z")
I can’t recall any software of applet I’ve ever had, short of Virus checkers that need to be updated frequently, that needs to update itself as often as Adobe Flash. It seems every few days there’s a freaking code update… --- ## [Why do earthquakes mostly happen outside of daylight hours?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-earthquakes-mostly-happen-outside-of-daylight-hours/445879)
**Author:** [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-earthquakes-mostly-happen-outside-of-daylight-hours/445879 "2016-01-09T20:44:19Z")
Loma Prieta is the one exception I can think of. Apart from that, it seems that earthquakes generally happen when it’s dark in whatever part of the world they happen in. Just a coincidence? Or do fault lines respond to a… --- ## [How's the Colorado R. watershed doing this winter?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-colorado-r-watershed-doing-this-winter/742372)
**Author:** [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hows-the-colorado-r-watershed-doing-this-winter/742372 "2016-01-09T20:08:57Z")
The Sierra Nevada’s are already at 100% of average snowpack, and there is lots more to come. The Central Valley is getting soaked. But what about the other major source of water in the Southwest - the Colorado River? Is … --- ## [Why are the Boston Celtics pronounced "seltic"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-boston-celtics-pronounced-seltic/543980)
**Author:** [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Replies:** 73\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-boston-celtics-pronounced-seltic/543980 "2016-01-09T19:01:36Z")
Most folks familiar with Celtic festivals/music/food pronounce the word “Celtic” with a hard “K” sound up front: “keltic.” However, when referring to the professional basketball team from Boston, the word is invariably… --- ## [How hard is it to crack android lock pattern passwords](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-crack-android-lock-pattern-passwords/742524)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-crack-android-lock-pattern-passwords/742524 "2016-01-09T18:02:38Z")
My phone has this as an option to lock my phone. At first it seemed like a good idea, you get nine dots and have to draw a pattern that is 4-9 dots long. However looking into it, there are only 389112 possible patterns.… --- ## [Airline pricing question--there and back again](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-pricing-question-there-and-back-again/742463)
**Author:** [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airline-pricing-question-there-and-back-again/742463 "2016-01-09T17:41:18Z")
In the last year I’ve had occasion to look into round-trip flights from the Northeast to the following cities in the West: San Francisco Los Angeles San Diego Tucson Phoenix I started with Southwest as I have some … --- ## [Drug dealer baggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-dealer-baggies/742459)
**Author:** [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-dealer-baggies/742459 "2016-01-09T17:13:14Z")
What are those things actually called, who manufactures them, and what are they really supposed to be used for? I’m talking about the good, thick ones with the red line on top. I read somewhere once that they were invent… --- ## [Ecology Question: What Replaced The Whales? (In The Food Chain)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ecology-question-what-replaced-the-whales-in-the-food-chain/741956)
**Author:** [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ecology-question-what-replaced-the-whales-in-the-food-chain/741956 "2016-01-09T16:30:58Z")
European whalers had virtually exterminated the whales in European waters by about 1700. Whales occupied a point near the top of the food chain-so once they were gone, what other animals moved into the place they occup… --- ## [Anyone know of a playing card print template?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-of-a-playing-card-print-template/558489)
**Author:** [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-of-a-playing-card-print-template/558489 "2016-01-09T16:19:17Z")
I’m in need of a printer template/printer stock for playing cards. The cards are the usual size and the stuff I need to print is laid out 9 cards to a page–3 rows, 3 columns. This is just one of the things I need to pr… --- ## [When is a man's home his castle? Eg, the Earl in \[the real\] "Downtown Abbey" pile](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-a-mans-home-his-castle-eg-the-earl-in-the-real-downtown-abbey-pile/742192)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-a-mans-home-his-castle-eg-the-earl-in-the-real-downtown-abbey-pile/742192 "2016-01-09T15:04:20Z")
Jeez GQ loves its Brit monarchy threads. This is ancillary. Last night watched a documentary on the Earl of something (great grandfather luckily married a Rothschild, used money to back King Tut discovery), and, specifi… --- ## [How do you measure the mass of a galaxy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-measure-the-mass-of-a-galaxy/742452)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-measure-the-mass-of-a-galaxy/742452 "2016-01-09T15:01:11Z")
See hed. A Doper said it’s “really easy” (cite on request). For him, maybe. Perhaps this reduces to “how do measure the mass” of star-type a, b, etc., and then figure out how many of them there are to make up a galaxy. … --- ## [Lapel pin with planet / orbit motif - Can anyone identify this?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lapel-pin-with-planet-orbit-motif-can-anyone-identify-this/742396)
**Author:** [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lapel-pin-with-planet-orbit-motif-can-anyone-identify-this/742396 "2016-01-09T04:18:31Z")
I’ve recently come across this lapel pin with what to me looks like a representation of a planet with the traces of two orbits around it. Can anyone identify this? Is this the symbol of some organization? --- ## [So, ISIS now has a "weapons lab"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-isis-now-has-a-weapons-lab/742367)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-isis-now-has-a-weapons-lab/742367 "2016-01-09T02:53:07Z")
See subject:http://news.sky.com/story/1617229/is-bomb-skills-truly-the-stuff-of-nightmares The entire report, on SkyNews, has the byline of Major Chris Hunter, “former \[UK?\] special forces bomb technician”: …The shocki… --- ## [Are persons with disabilities allowed in the US military?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-persons-with-disabilities-allowed-in-the-us-military/742354)
**Author:** [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [January 9, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-persons-with-disabilities-allowed-in-the-us-military/742354 "2016-01-09T02:31:44Z")
Lets say a soldier loses an eye, arm, or leg in combat. Are they automatically discharged or will the military find another position for them? I’m curious because I’ve seen pictures of the Civil War where some officers … --- ## [Is there a medication that will darken the skin?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-medication-that-will-darken-the-skin/460521)
**Author:** [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-medication-that-will-darken-the-skin/460521 "2016-01-08T21:24:50Z")
This might be a stupid question, but I have no idea if such a thing could exist or not, so I figured it was worth asking. I am very pale. This might not be so irritating to me if I wasn’t part Native. I constantly have … --- ## [Why hasnt the price of plastic products fallen with oil?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-price-of-plastic-products-fallen-with-oil/742270)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-price-of-plastic-products-fallen-with-oil/742270 "2016-01-08T20:18:58Z")
All oil products have seen a massive price drop over the past few months. Two exceptions are motor oil, and finished products made of plastic. Plastic is made out of oil, so why wouldn’t things like toys and water bott… --- ## [Why do some species live so much longer than others?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-species-live-so-much-longer-than-others/742464)
**Author:** [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-species-live-so-much-longer-than-others/742464 "2016-01-08T20:18:26Z")
Do you have any opinions as to what are the factors that determine the average life span of different species? If you accept the basic principles of Darwin’s Natural Selection Theory (which tends to make sense to me), w… --- ## [Stupid Car. Electrical/lights issue](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-car-electrical-lights-issue/742494)
**Author:** [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-car-electrical-lights-issue/742494 "2016-01-08T19:30:08Z")
About 9 mos. ago, the headlights, which have I guess a sensor to come on when it’s dark, started coming on when the car was parked and locked and no one was around it. Mechanic said $$$$$, and I should just turn the ligh… --- ## [Why are refrigerator freezers on the bottom these days?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-refrigerator-freezers-on-the-bottom-these-days/742282)
**Author:** [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-refrigerator-freezers-on-the-bottom-these-days/742282 "2016-01-08T17:26:04Z")
Why are refrigerator freezers on the bottom these days? Why were they on the top to begin with? Thanks. --- ## [Replacing the lower end of a 99 Denali engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replacing-the-lower-end-of-a-99-denali-engine/742277)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/replacing-the-lower-end-of-a-99-denali-engine/742277 "2016-01-08T16:24:43Z")
So I finally got the word back from the mechanic. Seems like there was no oil pressure despite what the gauge read and despite there being oil in the car. The knocking was from a rod bearing that was going bad from the… --- ## [Why No Air Cooled Car Engines?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-air-cooled-car-engines/742141)
**Author:** [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-air-cooled-car-engines/742141 "2016-01-08T16:07:27Z")
An air cooled car engine has a few advantages; you save the weight of a radiator, water pump, coolant, etc. Plus, you never have to worry about cold temperatures and diluted antifreeze causing a block crack. However,… --- ## [Tell me what this Iranian inscription says?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-this-iranian-inscription-says/742408)
**Author:** [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-what-this-iranian-inscription-says/742408 "2016-01-08T15:42:17Z")
What first got my attention about this picture is that I think, aesthetically, it is very beautiful. It’s done by a street artist in Iran. I would really like to know what it says. (or is it just the guy’s name?) Tha… --- ## [Six atoms of ununseptium: now what?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-atoms-of-ununseptium-now-what/616243)
**Author:** [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-atoms-of-ununseptium-now-what/616243 "2016-01-08T15:09:06Z")
Two years ago six atoms of ttpthe still-officially-unnamed ununseptium were synthesized (equals “discovered”?–like Columbus “discovered” America?). Apparently it has “no uses.” Dito the even heavier ununoctium, of whic… --- ## [Which human sense is most developed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-sense-is-most-developed/742304)
**Author:** [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-sense-is-most-developed/742304 "2016-01-08T14:45:34Z")
First, how might someone compare human senses for importance and development relative to both human senses to each other and human senses to the senses of other animals? I’ll try a few ways in this thread but feel free t… --- ## [Factorials of Decimals?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factorials-of-decimals/742276)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factorials-of-decimals/742276 "2016-01-08T14:10:31Z")
I just discovered something weird. I was fooling around with the calculator on my computer. And just for a laugh, I thought I’d take a factorial of a decimal. I was expecting nothing to come up, because I thought you cou… --- ## [American pronuncation of "Bury" - Why did Pres. Obama pronounce it as "Burr-y"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pronuncation-of-bury-why-did-pres-obama-pronounce-it-as-burr-y/742280)
**Author:** [@TheUser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheUser)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [January 8, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-pronuncation-of-bury-why-did-pres-obama-pronounce-it-as-burr-y/742280 "2016-01-08T12:49:05Z")
Why did President Obama mispronounce the word “bury” in this video? (4:54) He pronounced it as “burr-y” instead of “berry.” Am I the only American who finds this strange? From what I understand, the stand… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=972) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/factual-questions/9.md?page=974)