Are Lobsters Ambidextrous? Read online

  ARE LOBSTERS

  AMBIDEXTROUS?

  An Imponderables®

  Book

  (Previously published as When Did Wild Poodles Roam the Earth?)

  David Feldman

  Illustrated by Kassie Schwan

  For Kassie Schwan

  Contents

  Preface

  Are lobsters ambidextrous?

  Why is there no Betty Rubble character in Flintstones Multivitamins?

  What in the heck is a tumbleweed? Why does it tumble? And how can it reproduce if it doesn’t stay in one place?

  When a body is laid out at a funeral home, why is the head always on the left side from the viewer’s vantage point?

  Has anyone ever seen a live Cornish game hen?

  Why do boxer shorts have straight frontal slits and briefs have complicated “trap doors”?

  Why have auto manufacturers eliminated the side vents from front door windows?

  Why do the Oakland Athletics’ uniforms have elephant patches on their sleeves?

  Why is the imperial gallon bigger than its American counterpart?

  Why do painters wear white uniforms?

  Why do roaches run away when a light is turned on in a darkened room?

  If moths are attracted to light, why don’t they fly toward the sun?

  Why are moths attracted to light? And what are they trying to do when they fly around light bulbs?

  Why do some nineteen-inch televisions say on the box: “20 IN CANADA”?

  Why does an old person’s voice sound different from a middle-aged person’s?

  Why is there usually no organization in the shelving of soup cans in supermarkets?

  Why has Swanson stopped putting vent holes on the top of its pot pies?

  Why do TWIX cookie bars have holes in them?

  What are those wavy marks on the bottom of Snickers bars?

  What is one hearing when one hears a house “settling” or creaking?

  Why do dogs drool? And why do some dogs drool much more than other dogs?

  Why do dogs eat cat feces? Why do they sometimes eat their own feces?

  How do they keep the water in water towers from freezing in the wintertime?

  Why do quarterbacks call the snap with the exclamation “hut”?

  Why are elections in the United States held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November rather than on the first Tuesday in November?

  How do dehumidifiers sense the humidity level in the air and “know” when to shut off automatically?

  What do you call that little groove in the center of our upper lips?

  What is the purpose of the little indentation in the center of our upper lips?

  What happens to an ant that gets separated from its colony? Does it try to relocate the colony? Can it survive if it can’t find the colony?

  Why is the color purple associated with royalty?

  Was Ben Gay?

  Why are haystacks increasingly round rather than rectangular?

  What are the little white particles found on the bottom half of English muffins?

  How do they assemble tall cranes without using another crane?

  What is “single-needle” stitching, and why do we have to pay more for shirts that feature it?

  Why do dogs wiggle their rear legs when scratched on their belly or chest?

  Why do so many sundials have Robert Browning’s lines “Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be” inscribed on them?

  Why do babies sleep so much? Why do they sleep so much more soundly than adults or older children?

  What causes the film that forms on the top of the chocolate pudding I cook? Does this film appear on any kind of pudding?

  Why does milk obtain a skin when heated, while thicker liquids, like gravy, lose their skin when heated?

  Why do the tags on the left side of the right back pocket of Levi’s jeans come in different colors? What is the code?

  How did Levi’s 501 jeans get their number?

  Why do the bricks used in constructing houses come with three holes in them?

  Why do dogs eat standing up, while cats often eat sitting down?

  Why do all the Christmas tree lights burn out when one burns out?

  Why are Yellow Freight System trucks painted orange?

  Why has the orange-colored coffee pot become the symbol for decaffeinated coffee in restaurants?

  Why are “contemporary” or slightly risqué greeting cards invariably long and narrow in shape?

  What good does a “Falling Rock” sign do? How are we supposed to adjust our driving when we see a “Falling Rock” sign?

  Why is there no apostrophe on the flashing “DONT WALK” traffic signal?

  Why does rinsing with hot water “set” a stain? Why is rinsing with cold water more effective in eliminating the stain?

  Why is the bark of a tree darker than the wood inside?

  Why do seven-layer cakes usually have fewer than seven layers?

  Why is the part of bills that needs to be sent back by customers often too large for the envelope it is to be sent back in, forcing customers to fold the bill stub?

  Why are men’s neckties tapered at the bottom?

  Why do stripes on neckties always run in the same direction? And why do American ties run in the opposite direction from English ties?

  What is the purpose of the oil found in the head of sperm whales?

  Why do women put perfume on their wrists?

  Why do pretzels have their strange shape?

  Why do disposable lighters have two separate fluid chambers even though the fluid can flow between the two?

  What ingredient in diet drinks provides the one calorie? Why do some diet drinks have one calorie and some have no calories?

  Why do diet colas, but not sugared colas, contain phenylalanine? Isn’t phenylalanine the same substance found in chocolate?

  What is brominated vegetable oil, and why is it found only in orange soda?

  How do they put the pockets in pita bread?

  Why do we wear caps and gowns at graduations? Why are the caps flat and square? What does the color of gowns signify?

  Why aren’t skyscrapers ever made out of brick?

  Why are nine-volt batteries rectangular?

  Why do most mailboxes say “Approved by the Postmaster General” on them? How do they differ from mailboxes without the approval?

  Why does a ball tend to veer toward the ocean when one putts on a golf course?

  Why do dishwashers have two compartments for detergent? And why does only one compartment close?

  Is it true that horses cannot vomit?

  Why does the tax stamp on a pack of cigarettes say “20 CLASS A CIGARETTES”?

  What are the small, light-colored spots on a brown cigarette filter? Do they have any function?

  In movies and television dramas, what is the purpose of boiling water when babies are delivered at home?

  Why do frogs close their eyes when swallowing?

  Why do the paper bags/sacks in supermarkets have jagged edges where you open them?

  How and why do hotel amenities (such as turndown service and bathrobes) spread so quickly among different hotel chains?

  Is there any difference between men’s and women’s razors?

  What are the numbers on the bottom right of my canceled checks? Why aren’t those numbers there before the check is canceled?

  Why do banks sometimes attach a white piece of paper to the bottom of canceled checks?

  Why do the clearest days seem to follow storms?

  Why are paper and plastic drinking cups wider at the top than the bottom?

  Why do steak houses always serve such huge b
aked potatoes?

  Since computer paper is longer than it is wide, why are computer monitors wider than they are long?

  Why are all calico cats female?

  Why do ditto masters come in purple rather than blue ink?

  Why are the interior walls of tunnels usually finished with ceramic tiles? Are they tiled for practical or aesthetic reasons?

  Why does heat make us sleepy in the afternoon when we’re trying to work but restless when we’re trying to sleep at night?

  Why do we feel drowsy after a big meal?

  What’s the difference between jams, jellies, preserves, marmalades, and conserves?

  Why don’t trees on a slope grow perpendicular to the ground as they do on a level surface?

  On nutrition labels, why does the total number of grams of fat often far exceed the sum of saturated and polyunsaturated fats?

  Why do ambulances have the emblem of a snake wrapped around a pole painted on them?

  What’s the difference between “super” and ordinary glues?

  In what direction are our eyes facing when we are asleep?

  Why do weather thermometers use red chemical instead of the silver mercury found in medical thermometers?

  How do they measure the vitamin content of foods?

  Why doesn’t the water in fire hydrants freeze during the winter?

  Why do baked goods straight from the oven often taste (sickeningly) richer than after they are cooled?

  Why is gravel often placed on flat roofs?

  There are many miniature dogs. Why aren’t there any miniature house cats?

  What is the meaning of the numbers inside the arrows of the triangle on recyclable plastics? And what do the letters below the triangle mean?

  Why are there no public bathrooms in most supermarkets?

  Why do babies blink less often than adults?

  Why do your eyes hurt when you are tired?

  Why does after-shave lotion have to sting? What causes the sting, and could it be replaced by a nonsting ingredient?

  Why do you often see tires on top of mobile homes in trailer parks?

  Why do cows stick their tongues up their nostrils?

  Why don’t banks return canceled checks in numerical order?

  What makes cotton shrink more when washed than wool when cleaned?

  Why are powdered laundry detergents sold in such odd weights?

  What are we smelling when it “smells like rain is coming”?

  Why do unopened jars of mayonnaise, salad dressing, fruit, and many other foods stay fresh indefinitely on the shelf but require refrigeration after being opened?

  Why are matchbooks assembled so that the sharp side of the staple is on the striking side, risking injury to the fingers?

  Why are paper (book) matches dark on one side and light on the other?

  How can the blades of electric can openers be sharp enough to cut through metal yet not sharp enough to cut our fingers when touched?

  Why do most retail establishments with double doors usually lock one of the two leaves?

  In large enclosed shopping malls, why is the last door on both sides of the main entrance often closed?

  Why are there two red stripes around the thinnest part of bowling pins?

  Does catnip “work” on big cats like lions and tigers?

  Why are there no purple Christmas lights?

  Why do pet rodents drink water out of bottles instead of dishes or bowls?

  Why are there holes on the bottom of two- and three-liter soda bottles?

  Why do drivers wire cardboard to their automobile grills during cold weather?

  Why do judges wear black robes?

  Why does the whitewall of a new tire usually have a bluish or greenish tinge?

  Why does inflating tires to the proper pressure help gasoline mileage?

  What do coffee companies do with the caffeine left over from making decaffeinated coffee?

  How do they get rid of the remains of dead elephants in zoos?

  Why do modern gas pump nozzles have rubber sleeves around them? And what are those red, blue, and green things near the nozzle?

  Why do “sea” gulls congregate in parking lots of shopping centers where there is little food or water?

  How do they keep air out of light bulbs when they are manufactured? Is a vacuum important for a bulb to function?

  Why can’t you find English muffins in England?

  What are those beanbaglike packs found inside electronics boxes that warn, “DO NOT EAT”?

  What is the purpose of the sign “THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED DURING BUSINESS HOURS” found atop many doors in retail establishments?

  What causes the clicking sound inside a car when you put your turn signal on? Why don’t some turn signals make that clicking noise?

  Why is there a white paper band around the envelopes in a box of greeting or Christmas cards and not the cards themselves?

  Where do computer files and programs go when they are erased?

  When did wild poodles roam the earth?

  What does the “Q” in “Q-tips” stand for?

  Why do deer stand transfixed by the headlights of oncoming cars? Do they have a death wish?

  Frustables or the Ten Most Wanted Imponderables

  Frustables Update

  The Frustables That Will Not Die

  Frustables First Posed in Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? and First Discussed in When Do Fish Sleep?

  Frustables First Posed in When Do Fish Sleep? and First Answered in Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?

  Frustables First Posed in Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? and First Answered in Do Penguins Have Knees?

  Letters

  Acknowledgments

  Searchable Terms

  Help!

  About the Author