Answers »
The First “Deadline”
G. Peterson asks: Why do we call a time when something needs done by a “deadline”? Great question! We all have deadlines. And when we hear about other people’s deadlines it’s understood that they
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Why British Singers Lose Their Accents When Singing
Amy asks: Why is it that when you hear a British musician sing, their accent disappears? Mick Jagger, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Ed Sheeran, Phil Collins and George Michael all grew up in or
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Why Do We Call it Piggyback When We Carry Someone On Our Back?
Lyda asks: Why is carrying someone on your back called a “piggy back ride”? Funny how not one of us can likely name a time they have ever seen a pig carry anything on
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Why Is It Illegal to Remove Your Mattress and Pillow Tags?
Mark asks: Why is it illegal to remove mattress and pillow tags? Well Mark, unbeknownst to many innocent consumers out there, the warning that it is unlawful to remove the tags from a mattress
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How Did Judge Judy Get Her Gig?
Travis asks: How did Judge Judy get her gig? Is she actually a real judge and are her rulings actually legally binding? Say what you want about Judge Judy, but the woman is successful
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Why Doesn’t Wood Melt
Jesse asks: Why doesn’t wood melt? Jesse, I love this question. It seems like everyone knows things are solid at certain temperatures. If you heat them up, they will become a liquid. Heating it
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The Contested Title of the Person who Speaks the Most Languages
Kyle asks: What is the record for the most languages spoken by a human? If you speak one language, you’re a normal, functioning human being. If you speak two, you’re bilingual. If you speak
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Why is Nicotine Addictive
Ken asks: Why is nicotine so addictive? When someone says a substance is addictive, they can mean two separate things. Physically addictive, more accurately physically dependent, is when your body begins to depend on
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What Do Tonsils Do?
Dale asks: What do tonsils actually do? What most people refer to as “tonsils” are known as Palatine tonsils. These are the two large protruding tissues that reside on the sides of the back
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Why There Are Bibles in Hotel Rooms
Rhamit asks: Why are there Bibles in hotel rooms? When did this tradition start? “Hotel Bibles” are also called “Gideon Bibles” after Gideon International, a group of male missionaries and Christian businessmen who took
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Elephants Really Do Have Exceptionally Good Memories
Hannah asks: Do elephants really “never forget”? It is obviously impossible to say that elephants never forget anything- and it seems likely they do forget things- but studies have shown that elephants do have
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Was There Really a General Tso?
Jon asks: Was General Tso a real person or just a marketing gimmick? Most of us know the name “General Tso” from the delicious and ubiquitous chicken dish available from Chinese restaurants across the
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Why Area 51 is Thought by Some to House Aliens
Kathy asks: Why do people think Area 51 contains alien bodies? Area 51 is now so ingrained into popular culture that it’s virtually synonymous with Aliens; it’s impossible to mention one without the other
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How the Human Body Generates Electricity
Lee Swanson asks: How does the human body create electricity? Fantastic question Lee. The shortest and most simple answer is- chemical reactions between different atoms and molecules within the body. If all that seems
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Ways to Stop Mosquito Bites From Itching
Scott asks: What are the best ways to get rid of the itch from mosquito bites? Mosquito bites. They itch and itch and itch until you just can’t take it anymore. Itching solves one
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The History of Circumcision
Mark asks: When did people first start cutting the foreskins off penises? Having served variously as a mark of virility, servility and gentility, circumcision has throughout the centuries, worn many symbolic hats. While anthropologists
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How Much Caffeine Would It Take to Kill You?
Katie asks: How much caffeine would someone have to drink to be fatal? Katie- I’m going to assume this question is only inquisitorial in nature and you have no homicidal or suicidal thoughts. You’re
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The Truth Behind Truth Serum Drugs
B.Nice26 asks: Is there really such a thing as a truth serum? It sounds like something taken directly from the pages of Harry Potter—truth serum, or drugs that “make people tell the truth.” Somewhat
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