/u/fernguts's posts

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We've all seen the unrealistic torches used in Hollywood movies, but what were actual torches like during your period of speciality? How were they constructed, how effective were they, and how long would they burn?

586 upvotes • r/AskHistorians

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Why does smoke from incense or cigarettes not (usually) set off smoke alarms?

131 upvotes • r/askscience

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How severe an environmental impact do missions to space have here on Earth?

51 upvotes • r/askscience

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When did "false-flag" military operations become acceptable? (in naval terms, it involves a ship flying false-colours, right up to the moment of opening-fire)

17 upvotes • r/AskHistorians

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How did cloven hoofs become associated with the Devil in the Abrahamic religions?

10 upvotes • r/AskHistorians

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Have sea-levels ever been high enough to link the Caspian Depression with the Black Sea, and therefore the world's wider oceans?

9 upvotes • r/askscience

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Why does ethyl alcohol evaporate out of your beer/wine/booze so slowly?

7 upvotes • r/askscience

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There was a lot of Western concern during the breakup of the Soviet Union that nuclear weapons had gone missing, and could wind up in the hands of criminals or terrorists. Was there any solid basis for this, or was it just fearmongering?

7 upvotes • r/AskHistorians

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The Earth's gravity is strong enough to keep orbiting spaceships/stations from flying off into space, so why do people on board seem not to experience it? Shouldn't they be drawn down towards the Earth-side of the spacecraft?

5 upvotes • r/askscience

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When and how did "Entrée" come to mean "Main course" in North American English? The term means "entrance" in French, and so is actually meant to refer to a dish served before the main course (AKA "appetiser"). How did we get it so wrong?

3 upvotes • r/AskHistorians

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Title	Upvotes	Subreddit	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
We've all seen the unrealistic torches used in Hollywood movies, but what were actual torches like during your period of speciality? How were they constructed, how effective were they, and how long would they burn?	586	AskHistorians
Why does smoke from incense or cigarettes not (usually) set off smoke alarms?	131	askscience
How severe an environmental impact do missions to space have here on Earth?	51	askscience
When did "false-flag" military operations become acceptable? (in naval terms, it involves a ship flying false-colours, right up to the moment of opening-fire)	17	AskHistorians
How did cloven hoofs become associated with the Devil in the Abrahamic religions?	10	AskHistorians
Have sea-levels ever been high enough to link the Caspian Depression with the Black Sea, and therefore the world's wider oceans?	9	askscience
Why does ethyl alcohol evaporate out of your beer/wine/booze so slowly?	7	askscience
There was a lot of Western concern during the breakup of the Soviet Union that nuclear weapons had gone missing, and could wind up in the hands of criminals or terrorists. Was there any solid basis for this, or was it just fearmongering?	7	AskHistorians
The Earth's gravity is strong enough to keep orbiting spaceships/stations from flying off into space, so why do people on board seem not to experience it? Shouldn't they be drawn down towards the Earth-side of the spacecraft?	5	askscience
When and how did "Entrée" come to mean "Main course" in North American English? The term means "entrance" in French, and so is actually meant to refer to a dish served before the main course (AKA "appetiser"). How did we get it so wrong?	3	AskHistorians