Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [water]

A chemical substance with the chemical formula H₂O, and an important biological solvent.

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Is chlorine in water absorbed quickly through the skin?

I recently saw a demonstration of a water filtration and purification system. In one of the demos two glasses were filled with tap water and then someone put three fingers into one of the glasses and made a scissor kick motion for about a minute or…
Adam Wuerl
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Does it take 200L of water to make a latte?

I just saw this Youtube clip that claims it takes 200L of water to make a latte. Is that true?
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Does Indian Water Therapy have healing effects?

Indian Water Therapy is an ancient practice which involves drinking 1-1.5 litres of water every day as soon as you wake up, then not eating anything until 40 minutes has passed, at which point you can carry on your day as normal. There is an amazing…
Nobody
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Is urine the cause of redness of eyes (in swimming pools)?

According to abc13.com, Chlorine in swimming pools don't make your eyes red, it's the urine. Quoting from the article: One of the most shocking revelations the CDC shared was the truth behind what causes your eyes to become red and irritated after…
TheChetan
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Is rice water a good fertilizer?

When rice is washed, the wash water becomes whitish due to the starchy powder in the skin of unwashed rice. I've often heard or read, usually in water-saving, money-saving, or gardening tips, that the water used to wash rice is beneficial for plants…
Lie Ryan
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Is there any reason to use cold water over hot water for boiling?

I was always told that boiling cold water in a pot is better for you then boiling warm or hot water (from the sink). Is there any truth to this statement?
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Does sharing a shower use less water?

From what I found on the Internet, a brief shower is more water efficient than a bath. I was wondering if there is any research about water use with more than one person using a shower? My gut feeling is that two people showering uses around 150%…
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Is it better to water lawn in the morning or in the evening?

Some gardening sources recommend watering lawn in the morning, with the reason being water is needed for photosynthesis, and the grass can use it straight away after watering. Some sources say the evening is the best time as the water does…
Suma
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Does it take 20000 L of water to produce 1 kg of cotton and 130 L to produce 1 cup of coffee?

http://everylastdrop.co.uk/ says "When you consider the water required to produce all the stuff we consume, we actually guzzle a massive 4,645 litres every day". It then lists several specific cases, including: 1 kg cotton = 20,000 litres, and 1…
DarkLightA
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Does water therapy provide measurable benefits to childbirth?

I recently watched the trailer for The Business of Being Born, which included the following quote: "The presence of Doulas; using water during labor; these things have been scientifically shown to generate better outcomes. I did some looking…
Beofett
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Do excreted oral contraceptive compounds in drinking water contribute to male infertility?

I've run across several claims about oral contraceptives ("the pill") and how the residuals that enter municipal water supplies via urination cannot be filtered out and may have detrimental effects on animal and human health. One particular claim is…
Hendy
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Does soaking in natural hot springs have any health benefits when compared to soaking in heated non-spring water?

There exists a common belief that soaking in natural hot springs has significant health benefits. For example, Hotelexecutive.com claims that: So What Exactly Can Soaking in Natural Hot Springs Do? 1) Improve Circulation - Bicarbonate hot springs…
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Does Baywatch-style CPR work?

It's a common movie scene. Someone falls in a large body of water and drowns, losing consciousness. Our hero rescues the victim, gives 10 seconds of CPR, emits various imprecations to the tone of "Wake up, g**damnit!" and our victim coughs up some…
Sklivvz
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Will storing plastic water containers on concrete cause contamination?

Several preppers make the claim that storing plastic containers with water on concrete floors is bad because chemicals from the floor can leak into the plastic and then end up in the water. Here are some examples: Prepper blog Gotta Wanna Needa…
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Is there hard science behind the benefits of home water softeners?

Does anyone know of any empirical studies or well-tested scientific theories on the benefits (or lack thereof) of using a home water softener? I have a water softener in my house that we installed when we first built the place years ago. I have…
wjl
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