The Straight Dope: Would a glass of water in space freeze or boil?

[Send questions for Cecil Adams: cecil@straightdope.com](mailto:cecil@straightdope.com) FOLLOW CECIL ADAMS ON [TWITTER]( AND [FACEBOOK](! [840330.gif] THREADSPOTTING: THE BEST OF THE STRAIGHT DOPE MESSAGE BOARD — 06/21/2019 Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #1 — 03/30/1984 Dear Cecil: If cold is simply the absence of heat, i.e., the absence of rapidly moving molecules of water or air, then how come vacuum-packed canned food doesn't come out frozen, or at least very cold? And then if you walked a hundred feet out of your spaceship with a glass of water, would the water freeze because of the vacuum, or would it boil since there's no air pressure or barometric pressure to overcome? — Barry H., Chicago Cecil replies: Christ Almighty, Barry, you’re asking for a short course in thermodynamics. Don’t you guys want to know about Neil Sedaka anymore? Let’s clear up a couple misconceptions to start with. [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE STAFF REPORT — 07/10/2001 Dear Straight Dope: What's the history of the game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors"? Where and when did this whole thing start? — Scott McCulloch SDStaff VegForLife replies: Well, Scott, you might think that “Rock, Paper, Scissors” is just a kid’s game, but the fact is that some people take it very seriously. Too seriously, I’m starting to think. As is the case with most games that are primarily played by children, the exact time and place when the game was invented are unknown. There are theories, however. Geez, are there theories. [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #3 07/30/2010 Dear Cecil: I've been hearing about the positive effects of binaural beats and how they can alter your state of mind. Can listening to a strange tone for hours on end really put me in a different mood other than annoyed? Should I be worried that my Xbox 360 is going to make me have a seizure or that the government is trying to induce me to pay more taxes? — Liam, Singapore Cecil replies: Liam, think. When the Singaporean authorities want to modify someone’s behavior, they don’t screw around with binaural beats — they’ve got canes. [Click here]( for more. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [View this message as a webpage](. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. To advertise on The Straight Dope, contact Rich Hummel at rhummel@suntimes.com [Privacy Policy/Terms of Use]( • [Unsubscribe]( © 2019 Straight Dope, LLC. 30 N Racine Ave. Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60607