Most Popular
1500 questions
32
votes
1 answer
Are African Americans victims of a disproportionate number of police killings?
Many people are currently arguing that African Americans are being killed by police disproportionately to their percentage of the US population.
An example of the claim is given at Mapping Police Violence:
Unarmed black people were killed at 5x the…
dsollen
- 9,820
- 12
- 44
- 71
32
votes
5 answers
Does an "apple a day keep the doctor away"?
Is there anything special about apples that gives them particular health benefits to justify this statement we all know from childhood?
Specifically:
Is eating an apple more healthy than any standard fruit serving?
Are there long-term…
Nicole
- 2,304
- 2
- 24
- 20
32
votes
1 answer
How does deja vu work?
If you've ever had that fleeting,
mysterious sense that something new --
a city or person you’re seeing for the
first time -- is somehow familiar,
that you’ve been there or known them
before, then you can count yourself
among those who…
Monkey Tuesday
- 24,486
- 19
- 111
- 136
32
votes
2 answers
Is alcohol a good enough pain killer to allow for surgery without the patient noticing?
Some urban legends and myths revolve around surgery occurring to a person who has had too much to drink.
Is it possible to, as a side effect of the patient drinking too much, reach a point where surgery can be performed without the patient regaining…
blueberryfields
- 2,481
- 21
- 30
32
votes
1 answer
Is one guilty until proven innocent in the Mexican legal system?
While reading this Travel SE question, an answer cited this website about Mexican gun laws which states the following (emphasis mine):
Remember, once you cross the border with a firearm or ammunition it is
too late! Ignorance of this law will not…
March Ho
- 18,698
- 14
- 82
- 111
32
votes
1 answer
Are "Hitler" brand ice cream cones sold in India?
A number of recent articles (Daily Mail, Fox News, Hindustan Times) describe ice cream cones being sold in India which are labelled as "Hitler" distinctly on their boxes.
If you think the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has nothing to do with
…
March Ho
- 18,698
- 14
- 82
- 111
32
votes
1 answer
Do homeschooled kids perform better academically?
"The home-educated typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests." Brian D. Ray, Ph.D. source
I tried finding a primary source for statements like this and wasn't able to; just…
LCIII
- 2,067
- 4
- 17
- 33
32
votes
2 answers
Is fluoride an ingredient in Prozac and rat poison?
The Raw Food Family, with almost half a million likes, made this post on June 15, 2014.
It claims,
In 1955, Crest became the first fluoride toothpaste.
Fluoride calcifies the pineal gland, otherwise known as your 3rd eye which literally has rods…
Evan Carroll
- 30,722
- 45
- 138
- 254
32
votes
2 answers
Can anything be 'more hydrating than water'?
Some sports drinks, and even vegetables claim to be 'more hydrating than water'. What does this even mean? How is 'hydration' even measured? If I ate enough cucumbers could I survive without ever drinking anything at all?
fredley
- 4,995
- 2
- 34
- 50
32
votes
1 answer
Is this "Remove child before washing" clothes label real?
The image below went somewhat viral:
It shows a clothes label with the text "Remove child before washing".
Is this an actual clothes label of an actual commercially available piece of clothing? Or is it a joke — either through digital photo…
gerrit
- 17,736
- 18
- 87
- 137
32
votes
1 answer
Did any satanic cult ever commit organised ritual murders or sacrifices?
In Manhattan Beach, CA in 1983 members of the McMartin family were accused of a variety of abuse charges against the children in their care.
It was reported that the children:
"were victimized by teachers who were members of…
Monkey Tuesday
- 24,486
- 19
- 111
- 136
32
votes
2 answers
Do we have 10 times more microbes than human cells in our body?
An article in the NY times about microbes and their interaction with our bodies contained the following statement:
We have over 10 times more microbes than human cells in our bodies
I'm a bit skeptical about that statement. It compares microbes to…
Vincent Malgrat
- 421
- 4
- 7
32
votes
1 answer
Has anyone been caught using inductive coupling to steal power?
There are lots of references to the claim that people have stolen power through inductive coupling on the Internet:
The most common claim it that it was a farmer somewhere that noticed electricity induced by the high voltage power lines nearby…
Johnny
- 2,989
- 1
- 26
- 24
32
votes
2 answers
Does heavy exercising increase beard growth?
The claim that exercise promotes beard growth is common around the Internet. The explanation that is the most common is that heavy exercising increases the testosterone levels in the body and that in turn increases beard growth.
Does exercise indeed…
Hugo
- 521
- 4
- 10
32
votes
1 answer
Does North Korea propaganda falsely claim 2014 World Cup participation?
This video is being spread on Facebook. It purports to be a North Korean television segment that fraudulently tells the North Koreans that they are participating in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and that North Korea have defeated USA, China and…
steps
- 423
- 4
- 7