Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [oil]

Any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents.

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Does castor oil cure baldness?

I've seen sites and pictures online that say castor oil cures baldness, complete with photos. While there are some commercial products available that claim to stop and reverse hair loss, using home remedies work too. Castor oil for hair loss is one…
Charles Lambert
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Can all new gasoline vehicles run on E85 ethanol-based fuel?

From the the documentary Pump at 1:07: NARRATOR: But what if we don't need a flex fuel car or even a kit? What if the car you drive today already contained the technology that could enable it to run on gasoline, ethanol, or methanol? What if the…
user29977
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Does a car tire require 26 Liters / 7 US Gallons of crude oil to manufacture?

I've recently seen the movie Collapse. They make many claims about oil and an hypothetical global collapse when it runs low. In this movie, Michael Ruppert says that a simple car tire needs 7 US gallons (~ 26 liters) of oil. He then quickly…
Coren
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Does the type of oil you use in your car make a difference?

I have a car that has over 140k on it. Are there any valid reasons to use high milage oil instead of conventional oil? Or is it just a marketing gimmick? Similarly what's the difference between standard oil and synthetic oil?
Joshua Olson
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Are vegetable oils "worse" for your health than cigarettes?

There are several Tiktok videos going around claiming that 'vegetable oils are worse for your health than cigarettes'. For example: TikTok user @thebenazadi said in a 2020 TikTok that Professor Brian Peskin of MIT told him that 'research would…
Aequitas
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Is the Taylor oil spill on the scale of Deepwater Horizon?

According to CNN, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill leaked 176.4 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. By comparison, and also according to CNN, they say According to the [the Department of Justice's September] filing, the Taylor spill is…
Evan Carroll
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Does lavender oil prevent fleas on dogs?

I just heard a rumor that Lavender oil prevents fleas when used on dogs. Researching this I found one source (Prevetion.com) which provides a claim, Research has found that lavender can be effective at repelling mosquitos and other arthropods. It’s…
Evan Carroll
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Is mustard oil dangerous for human consumption?

I see warnings of the erucic acid contained in mustard oil, e.g. 15 amazing facts and uses of mustard oil (Times of India): According to celebrity nutritionist Sandhya Gugnani, "There was a myth attached to mustard oil...unfortunately it was…
Aquarius_Girl
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The problem with freezing oil gun for the firearms

A detailed question is the next. It is not specifically about WW2. It is about firearms and freezing gun oil in general. Whether it is possible even today to have a malfunctioning gun which was oiled, due to frozen (or more viscous) gun oil. In…
d.k
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Does olive oil damage endothelial cells?

Caldwell Esselstyn claims here that studies show that all oils, including olive oil, contribute to heart disease. From other sources I get that the tension between what he is saying and the positive scientific opinion on olive oil, is due to…
Count Iblis
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Was canola oil developed for automobiles?

I just had my car serviced today, and my mechanic mentioned that canola oil was invented (or originally used) as a form of motor oil. Is it true that the canola oil we use in the kitchen is the same as an oil that's been marketed as a motor oil?
Brian M. Hunt
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Does black seed oil help in regrowing hair on bald regions of the scalp?

From: http://oilhealthbenefits.com/black-seed-oil/ "Black seed oil may help in regrowing hair on bald regions of the scalp" Is this claim true?
Aquarius_Girl
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