# Do shadows weigh anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 25, 2011, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958 "2011-03-25T13:25:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lordlars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@lordlars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lordlars)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958/21 "2011-03-29T14:10:03Z")
Very interesting science. it is recorded in the Bible that sick people would be laid on mats on the street so that the passing Peter the apostle’s shadow might fall on them and heal them. Book of Acts chapter 5 verse 15 ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958/22 "2011-03-29T14:33:57Z")
> [@lordlars](#): > > it is recorded in the Bible that sick people would be laid on mats on the street so that the passing Peter the apostle’s shadow might fall on them and heal them. This was especially effective for the victims of [sun poisoning](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_poisoning). ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958/23 "2011-03-29T18:58:04Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In fact, the pound (when not specified as a “pound mass” or “pound force”) is generally assumed by default to mean the force unit. There are plenty of reasons not to use pounds, but “it’s not a force unit” isn’t one of them. The more astonishing fact to me is that the pound has been defined as a unit of mass as well as one of force. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958/24 "2011-03-29T19:12:50Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > The more astonishing fact to me is that the pound has been defined as a unit of mass as well as one of force. It is because it always was. By the time science had advanced far enough to make the distinction clear, it was too late to change things. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958/25 "2011-03-29T21:52:14Z")
You can’t win when you’re arguing with a guy whose user name is defined as foot-pounds per minute. You’re dealing with an expert on the subject. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rickinator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickinator/32/21681_2.png) [@Rickinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rickinator)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958/26 "2011-03-30T09:49:46Z")
a Newton of weight? cromulent? wow, fancy. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958/27 "2011-03-30T14:50:02Z")
I wonder how many days after Today’s Question has been moved on before they change the cartoon of the all-but-naked woman? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-shadows-weigh-anything/575958.md?page=1)