Selina

Written by Selina

Modified & Updated: 30 Dec 2023

Jessica Corbett

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

question mark on sticky note

Life is full of unanswerable questions, and some of them are just downright funny. These questions may not have any logical explanation, but they are guaranteed to make you laugh and scratch your head in confusion. Here are 14 unanswerable questions that will make you think, wonder, and maybe even laugh.

Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of the song?

In short, the order of the alphabet that we use today is based on the order of the Greek alphabet, which was in turn based on the order of the Phoenician alphabet. The order of the letters in the Phoenician alphabet was based on the shape of the letters. Though it still begs the question – who determined how shapes should be arranged?

alphabet keys of a typewriter
Image from Unsplash

If a vampire bites a zombie, does the zombie become a vampire or does the vampire become a zombie?

In some fictional works, a vampire bite might only have an effect on living beings, meaning that the zombie would not be affected. Instead, the vampire might become infected with the zombie virus and turn into a zombie themselves. Also, a vampire bite might turn the zombie into a vampire-zombie hybrid altogether. So, the real question should be: are you Team Vampire or Team Zombie?

If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn?

Oxygen and its reaction to iron in our blood is what makes blood red. Choking causes us to turn blue because of the lack of oxygen in our blood. But what if you are already blue? Is there a different color then? A darker shade of blue, or perhaps purple?

If a person tells you they’re a pathological liar, can you believe them?

Now this question is just a paradox in a paradox. Pathological liars do not just lie frequently, they have a psychological compulsion to lie. So when a liar tells you they are lying, who knows what to believe?

Are soul mates a real thing?

The concept of soul mates has always been romanticized in pop culture, though there is no actual scientific evidence for it. When you’ve met your soul mate, because of the strong connection some people say it’s not the eyes that see but souls that dance. Whether it’s a real thing or just make-believe, the best thing to do is find someone you want to love for the rest of your life.

soul mates
Image from Adobe Stock

Why are they called buildings if they’re already built?

The English language is full of interesting quirks, and this is certainly one of them. Why call it in the present participle form when it’s already done? Calling them “builts” instead of “buildings” sound perfectly fine too.

If you describe something as indescribable, haven’t you already described it?

The word “indescribable” is used to refer to experiences or emotions that are beyond the scope of language”. That is why it is used simply as a way of acknowledging the limits of language. But we can’t deny the paradox here, why describe something as “indescribable” when it is the act of describing?

How far up do bald people go when they wash their face?

This question here is a classic and you may have heard it as a running joke a couple of times. To add to this question, we can also ask: do bald people use shampoo?

If you punch yourself and it hurts, are you weak or are you strong?

For this question, perhaps we should begin by defining what constitutes as weak and strong. Is pain equivalent to weak, or strong? Make a cup of tea or coffee if you are planning to discuss this. Though one thing’s for sure, your pain receptors are working perfectly well.

If Cinderella’s shoe fit her perfectly, then why did it fall off?

Why indeed given that her prince charming found her using the glass slipper that supposedly only fit her? Perhaps it was designed in such a way that was prone to slipping off with sudden movements. After all, it is a glass slipper without a grip, not a running shoe.

3D image of Cinderella's glass slipper
Image from Adobe Stock

Was math invented or discovered by us?

Essentially, this question is asking whether math was created by famous mathematicians like Newton or if it has already existed since the beginning of time. It is a wormhole of defining “invention” and “discovery” and, it’s not a conversation you’d want to enter into lest you have an overwhelming passion for math and philosophy.

When does it stop being partly sunny and start to become partly cloudy?

Partly sunny” is used when the sky is mostly cloudy but there are still some visible patches of blue sky and sunshine. On the other hand, “partly cloudy” is used when the sky is mostly clear but there are some visible clouds. As to when one becomes the other, that’s really up to you to decide.

Is there an end to the universe, or does it just keep going?

The observable universe has a radius of about 46.5 billion light-years, which means that the light from the most distant objects we can observe has traveled for 46.5 billion years to reach us. But, the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. So will there ever be an end?

futuristic night landscape. Dark forest, river, mountains, reflection of night, moonlight on the water. Dark abstract landscape, neon light.
Image from Adobe Stock

When you get to heaven, do you look as you do at the age that you die?

While there is no scientific evidence or religious text to determine one’s appearance in heaven, the answer to this really depends on what you believe in. Though if you’d get to choose, how would you want to look in heaven?

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