# Facts Which Sound Fake **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 29, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473 "2022-09-29T20:47:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/61 "2022-10-02T03:04:27Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > “If you leave out a tray of water under a clear sky, it can turn to ice overnight even if the air temperature stays well above freezing.” > > Source: Randall Monroe’s _What If? 2._ Unusually, he doesn’t provide any numbers so “well above” may be slippery. My understanding is that this does work, but there has to be very low humidity to minimize the Greenhouse Effect. The water can’t be very deep either. So what temperature it works at will vary depending on those two variables. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/62 "2022-10-02T03:15:28Z")
I read in one of his books if you were to suddenly teleport a nuclear submarine into space, the crew would actually survive alright for a while, as the submarine is airtight and they get their oxygen from internal sources anyway. I believe eventually though the nuclear reactor would overheat because they wouldn’t be able to release excess heat effectively which would shut down the reactor and then quickly suffocate the crew. ---
**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:** [October 2, 2022, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/63 "2022-10-02T03:26:58Z")
Yes, many “depends.” While the book is lots of fun and heartily recommended, it’s also full of cheats. Usually they are the exact opposite of this vague throwaway sentence: the more detail he goes into the more he hides that he’s answering the question he wants to answer rather than the question the person thought they were asking. That works two ways. Most obviously, the resulting book is far more fun than a straightforward scientific analysis. The subtle point is one that should be on the cover in capital letters. When asking and answering questions, it’s absolutely essential that everything be meticulously, even tediously, defined in exacting detail so that the answer actually provides the proper information that covers a well-thought out, properly-constructed, question. Scientists know this. Real science is written this way and quickly gets to be too technical and too narrow and too boring for outsiders to work through. They do it because that means any other trained scientist can get the same results or find a reason why. Translation between insiders and outsiders suffers nonetheless. We see it here everyday. People ask questions that seem straightforward (like so many of the question in What If) but are neither straightforward nor exactly what they really wanted to know. And answerers make their own assumptions about the words, going down paths that seem obtuse to the asker. Ill feelings follow. Putting science into English is truly one of the great problems of our day. So is putting English into English, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/64 "2022-10-02T18:49:10Z")
New Zealand is on a different continent from Australia. ---
**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:** [October 2, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/65 "2022-10-02T21:29:33Z")
Depends on who you ask. From Google’s front page for: what continent is new zealand part of > [Oceania](https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&client=firefox-b-1-d&sxsrf=ALiCzsa8HHBmq02t62KVp65poWPdhtXcnw:1664745685386&q=Oceania&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLQz9U3MM0rSn_EaMwt8PLHPWEprUlrTl5jVOHiCs7IL3fNK8ksqRQS42KDsnikuLjgmngWsbL7J6cm5mUmAgBnMPSDTAAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiO4t_5vML6AhU-GTQIHfSkARIQzIcDKAB6BAgqEAE) > > New Zealand is an island country and one of the many islands that make up **Oceania**. It includes the continent of Australia and 13 other countries—Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati, Micronesia, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, and Nauru.Aug 26, 2020 > [ > > ### GSA Today - Zealandia: Earth’s Hidden Continent > > [https://www.geosociety.org](https://www.geosociety.org) › gsatoday › archive › article > ]([https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiO4t\_5vML6AhU-GTQIHfSkARIQFnoECAwQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geosociety.org%2Fgsatoday%2Farchive%2F27%2F3%2Farticle%2FGSATG321A.1.htm&usg=AOvVaw26v3iKh70El3vVo7IXCBZr](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiO4t_5vML6AhU-GTQIHfSkARIQFnoECAwQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geosociety.org%2Fgsatoday%2Farchive%2F27%2F3%2Farticle%2FGSATG321A.1.htm&usg=AOvVaw26v3iKh70El3vVo7IXCBZr)) > > New Zealand and New Caledonia are large, isolated islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean. They have never been regarded as part of _the Australian continent_, … That paper calls for a new continent called Zealandia that would include New Zealand and New Caledonia. A few other sites have adopted the usage, but it’s obviously not reached the general public yet. Although reducing Oceania to Australia is not much of a fact. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/66 "2022-10-02T21:32:18Z")
We are at war with Oceania! We have always been at war with Oceania! ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/67 "2022-10-02T23:10:11Z")
It also doesn’t mention the temperature underneath the tray of ice. The ground can be frozen and the air temperature be above freezing. If the tray is on the ground or perhaps concrete in an area that doesn’t see sunlight during the day, this is absolutely possible. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/68 "2022-10-03T02:53:22Z")
The reason the water freezing in a tray works has nothing to do with the temp of the ground. It’s all because the heat of the water radiates into space. Space has a much lower temperature than anything on Earth, so the cooling effect is high. Since it’s radiative cooling, it helps a whole lot to maximize the surface to volume ratio (thin layer of water) and minimize any interference by the atmosphere (clear night with low humidity). Ideally you want the ground under the trays to be a good insulator, so the concrete you suggest may not be the best. This effect works best in arid areas, i.e. deserts. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/69 "2022-10-03T03:07:04Z")
If you were to tie a rope around the earth at its equator, the additional length of rope needed to elevate the entire rope one foot above the surface of the earth is 6.3 ft. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/70 "2022-10-03T03:23:11Z")
Made me laugh. Doubleplusgood. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/71 "2022-10-03T03:38:10Z")
Right. The dry air is a poor conductor that insulates the exposed water surface and container from any heat in the surroundings. Conventional insulation has to surround the rest of the container. The water temperature has to start low enough to cool sufficiently in the hours of total darkness available. The effect is described as a very thin layer of ice on top of the water. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/72 "2022-10-03T12:12:08Z")
There’d be no surviving going on. In the vacuum of outer space the sub would explode because of pressure differential. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/73 "2022-10-03T12:17:14Z")
No. Not unless they were made of tissue paper. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/74 "2022-10-03T12:41:42Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > It’s all because the heat of the water radiates into space. Yep. And this is why frost will sometimes form on a vehicle’s windshield when it’s parked outside, even though the air temperature never dipped below 0 °C. And sometimes it’s _only_ the windshield, since it’s often the case that the other windows are not pointing toward space. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/75 "2022-10-03T13:07:14Z")
The westernmost capital city in the western hemisphere is Mexico City. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/76 "2022-10-03T14:39:41Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > Trees are made of air. Yeah, I’m starting to wonder if these are the same guys as who came up with “If you say “ORANGE” really slowly, it sounds like G-U-L-L-I-B-L-E.” ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/77 "2022-10-03T14:41:26Z")
> [@Tabco](#): > > If you were to tie a rope around the earth at its equator, the additional length of rope needed to elevate the entire rope one foot above the surface of the earth is 6.3 ft. But how would you keep the rope from getting wet in the oceans? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/78 "2022-10-03T14:47:22Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > There’d be no surviving going on. > > In the vacuum of outer space the sub would explode because of pressure differential. I sure hope this is a joke. Because it reads serious. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/79 "2022-10-03T14:50:56Z")
It really can be true that: “Truth is stranger than fiction.” ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473/80 "2022-10-03T16:49:53Z")
We were talking about tissue paper subs, right? 🫠 BTW… whats the crush depth of tissue paper anyway? Yupppers… i didn’t quite think before I posted. A bad idea, in general! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facts-which-sound-fake/972473.md?page=5)