Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
50
votes
2 answers

Is the sound from records (vinyl) superior to digital formats (CDs, music files, etc.)?

Quasi-related Are there any perceptible differences between the sound quality of 192 versus 320 kbps MP3 files? Do expensive, “premium” speaker cables actually make a difference? I've heard this here and there in various casual conversations…
Hendy
  • 21,725
  • 17
  • 117
  • 179
50
votes
1 answer

Do spies use cyanide or other suicide agents as a last resort?

Spy movies and novels have popularized the idea that CIA agents, or other spies, will carry cyanide pills, or other "quick and painless" suicide devices with them on covert missions, to use as a last resort to avoid torture in case of enemy…
Flimzy
  • 15,540
  • 14
  • 64
  • 132
50
votes
3 answers

Is cycling worse for the environment than driving to work if you need to take a shower?

I had an argument with a work colleague. He claims that me cycling to and from work is less environmentally friendly than driving because I will eat more as a result of expending more energy. I have to take 2 showers a day (1 at work, 1 at…
Samuelson
  • 3,791
  • 2
  • 30
  • 44
50
votes
5 answers

Are roundabouts actually statistically safer than traditional traffic patterns?

We have had a number of roundabouts installed near us in South Western PA in the past decade, and a quick internet search shows other states doing so as well. This seems to be an almost universally frustrating trend with those I've spoken to. A…
Nicholas
  • 552
  • 1
  • 4
  • 8
50
votes
4 answers

Have more deaths occurred after Covid-19 vaccines than from vaccine injuries in the previous 15 years in total?

Health Impact News claims that many people are dying of COVID-19 vaccine injuries. Side by side comparison of 15 years of recorded vaccine injuries and deaths vs. 4 months of recorded COVID vaccine injuries and deaths.[...] It says that more…
user1721135
  • 2,696
  • 4
  • 18
  • 24
50
votes
4 answers

Has Trump been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?

Daily Mail just posted an article entitled: Donald Trump has been nominated for 2021 Nobel Peace Prize following deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The article mentions that, President Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2021…
Mou某
  • 1,975
  • 4
  • 16
  • 21
50
votes
3 answers

As of August 2020, was the weekly mortality rate in the US the lowest in a decade and the second lowest in the 21st century so far?

There is an article, that has been circulating the past two days, entitled: Is There a Pandemic? In the abstract the author gives her method: However, only 32 weeks have elapsed in 2020. For each previous year, 52 weeks have already elapsed. How…
Mou某
  • 1,975
  • 4
  • 16
  • 21
50
votes
2 answers

Do ibuprofen or paracetamol cause hearing loss?

This 2016 Express article gives a rather disturbing warning that two common pain killers might cause the risk of hearing loss. PARACETAMOL or ibuprofen could cause long-term deafness, experts have revealed. Scientists have revealed the effects…
Oddthinking
  • 142,615
  • 46
  • 558
  • 646
50
votes
5 answers

Do 643,000 Americans go bankrupt every year due to medical bills?

I've been seeing a specific graphic circulating all over Instagram for the past few days. Here's Kim Kardashian posting it on her story. Two things seem odd about this graphic. The first is the 643,000 figure. I know that the American Health Care…
Rushabh Mehta
  • 492
  • 1
  • 5
  • 11
50
votes
2 answers

Is there reliable evidence that depleted uranium from the 1999 NATO bombing is causing cancer in Serbia?

This year is the 20th anniversary of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia/Serbia. At the moment, Serbian media outlets are focused on claims that depleted uranium in NATO bombs used during the bombardment might be causing an increase in the number of…
kozina-adjacent
  • 587
  • 1
  • 5
  • 6
50
votes
1 answer

Does Germany produce more waste than the US?

According to the German Environment Agency, Germany produced 411 million tons of waste in 2016. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US produced about 260 million US tons (236 million metric tons). Are these numbers correct? Are…
Maxim
  • 1,361
  • 2
  • 12
  • 22
50
votes
5 answers

Does the artificial sweetener aspartame cause cancer?

I've often heard that the artificial sweetener aspartame causes cancer. Is it true?
anansias
  • 1,461
  • 14
  • 13
50
votes
1 answer

Did Hillary Clinton propose to punish flag burners in 2005?

Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert) on his popular blog stated this in a post about confirmation bias: Case in point, just yesterday Trump suggested that perhaps flag burners should be punished. That’s clearly dictator talk! (Except that Hillary…
user5341
  • 31,272
  • 8
  • 131
  • 180
50
votes
1 answer

Is ignoring a bully an effective means to prevent bullying?

It's a common belief among people such as teachers and parents or other carers/guardians that a good way to prevent being bullied is to simply ignore the aggressor, as that apparently gives them no sort of entertainment to suck out. No matter who…
user28632
50
votes
1 answer

Are IQ tests reliable?

Some of the more common types of IQ tests are: Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Fifth Edition (SBIS-V) (Ages 2–90+)An update of the SB-IV. In addition to providing a Full Scale score, it assesses Fluid Reasoning, Knowledge, Quantitative…
Monkey Tuesday
  • 24,486
  • 19
  • 111
  • 136
1 2 3
…
99 100