# FactsReef

> FactsReef researches any question or claim on the open web while you wait, then writes a sourced, verdict-first brief and keeps it in a public library.

Every brief answers one question or checks one claim. It opens with a verdict (True, Mostly true, Mixed, Mostly false, False, Unverified, or Explained for open questions) and an evidence-strength score, gives the short answer in the first paragraph, lists key facts with dates, and ends with numbered sources that link to the originals. Briefs are written from live web research, dated, and re-researched in a deeper pass; the page shows both dates. Append `/markdown` to any brief URL for a plain-text version.

## Site

- [Library](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks): every brief, searchable
- [About and methodology](https://factsreef.com/about): how briefs are written, what verdicts mean, corrections
- [Sitemap](https://factsreef.com/sitemap.xml)

- [Topics](https://factsreef.com/topics): every subject with its fact-checks, plus the events, laws and ideas briefs are about
- [People](https://factsreef.com/people), [Organizations](https://factsreef.com/orgs), [Places](https://factsreef.com/places): index pages listing every brief that mentions each one

## Subjects

- [Science](https://factsreef.com/topics/science): Physics, biology, space and the scientific record.
- [Health](https://factsreef.com/topics/health): Medicine, nutrition, sleep, fitness and public health.
- [Technology](https://factsreef.com/topics/technology): Software, devices, AI and how the internet works.
- [Money](https://factsreef.com/topics/money): Personal finance, markets, prices, tax and economics.
- [Business](https://factsreef.com/topics/business): Companies, products, work and industry.
- [Politics](https://factsreef.com/topics/politics): Governments, elections, policy and law.
- [World](https://factsreef.com/topics/world): International affairs, places, borders and events.
- [History](https://factsreef.com/topics/history): What happened, when, and whether it really did.
- [Culture](https://factsreef.com/topics/culture): Film, music, books, food, language and the arts.
- [Environment](https://factsreef.com/topics/environment): Climate, energy, wildlife and the planet.
- [Sports](https://factsreef.com/topics/sports): Records, rules, athletes and the games themselves.
- [Everyday life](https://factsreef.com/topics/everyday): Home, habits, old wives' tales and the questions we all ask.

## Most mentioned

- [Secularism](https://factsreef.com/topics/secularism): topic, principle of separating religion from government (5 briefs)
- [India](https://factsreef.com/places/india): place, country in South Asia (5 briefs)
- [Freedom of religion](https://factsreef.com/topics/freedom-of-religion): topic, right to hold and practice religious beliefs (4 briefs)
- [Trustpilot](https://factsreef.com/orgs/trustpilot): organization, consumer review website and ratings platform (3 briefs)
- [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://factsreef.com/orgs/centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention): organization, United States public health agency (3 briefs)
- [United States Department of State](https://factsreef.com/orgs/united-states-department-of-state): organization, U.S. federal executive department for foreign affairs (2 briefs)
- [Buddhism](https://factsreef.com/topics/buddhism): topic, Indian religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama (2 briefs)
- [GeniusFirms](https://factsreef.com/topics/geniusfirms): topic, software and AI review directory launched in 2023 (2 briefs)
- [Gurugram](https://factsreef.com/places/gurugram): place, city in the Indian state of Haryana (2 briefs)
- [Socialbent](https://factsreef.com/orgs/socialbent): organization, company that operates GeniusFirms (2 briefs)
- [China](https://factsreef.com/places/china): place, country in East Asia (2 briefs)
- [Food and Drug Administration](https://factsreef.com/orgs/food-and-drug-administration): organization, United States agency regulating food and medical products (2 briefs)
- [Mayo Clinic](https://factsreef.com/orgs/mayo-clinic): organization, American nonprofit medical center and research institution (2 briefs)

## Latest briefs

- [Malaysia is not a purely secular country](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/politics/is-malaysia-a-secular-country-aa6ed2): Malaysia is not purely secular: Islam has constitutional status, but civil law remains dominant and the courts treat the system as a dual one.
- [Bhutan is partly secular, but Buddhism has special status](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/world/bhutan-is-officially-secular-but-buddhism-is-privileged-1a40fd): Bhutan separates religion from politics and protects religious freedom, but its constitution gives Buddhism special constitutional status.
- [Is Nepal a secular country?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/world/nepal-is-a-secular-country-but-with-limits-fd362c): Nepal is constitutionally secular, but its constitution defines secularism as religious and cultural freedom, not strict state-neutrality.
- [Sri Lanka is not explicitly a secular country](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/politics/is-sri-lanka-a-secular-country-e765b7): Sri Lanka’s Constitution gives Buddhism the foremost place, so it is not explicitly secular, though courts have sometimes said otherwise.
- [Is the Sahara the largest desert on Earth?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/the-sahara-is-the-largest-hot-desert-not-the-largest-desert-a08301): The Sahara is the largest hot desert, but Antarctica is the largest desert on Earth.
- [SmartPostly website review: legit, but still young](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/technology/smartpostly-website-review-mixed-with-limited-proof-a3b36b): SmartPostly looks like a real AI social-media tool, but its review history is still thin, so it is promising rather than proven.
- [Do bananas grow on trees?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/everyday/do-bananas-grow-on-trees-no-1b717f): Bananas look tree-like, but they grow on giant herbaceous plants with pseudostems, not woody trees.
- [The Eiffel Tower is slightly taller in summer](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/is-the-eiffel-tower-taller-in-summer-than-in-winter-3ee4e9): Warm metal makes the Eiffel Tower expand slightly in summer and contract in winter, but the change is only a few millimeters.
- [Is China a secular country?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/world/is-china-a-secular-country-87f25a): China is officially atheist and tightly controls religion, but its society is not simply secular in practice.
- [Chewing gum does not take seven years to digest](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/health/chewing-gum-does-not-take-seven-years-to-digest-e75ef6): Swallowed chewing gum does not sit in the stomach for seven years; it usually passes through the digestive tract in days.
- [India is secular in law, but the reality is contested](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/politics/india-is-secular-in-law-but-the-reality-is-contested-97a0f7): India is constitutionally secular, but its secularism is often disputed in practice.
- [GeniusFirms review: useful, but not fully independently proven](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/technology/geniusfirms-review-useful-but-not-fully-independently-proven-ebc636): A real software directory with clear disclosures, but not enough independent evidence to treat its rankings as neutral.
- [What to know about GeniusFirms website reviews](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/technology/what-to-know-about-geniusfirms-website-reviews-e92a1e): GeniusFirms looks like a real but lightly reviewed software directory, so its own ratings should be treated as low-confidence evidence.
- [Garima is a good name](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/culture/garima-is-a-good-name-11bc44): Garima is a strong, positive Sanskrit name that usually means dignity, honor, and grace.
- [How mRNA vaccines work](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/how-mrna-vaccines-work-0a24bb): mRNA vaccines give cells instructions to make a harmless antigen, training the immune system to recognize the real pathogen.
- [You do not lose most body heat through your head](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/health/you-do-not-lose-most-body-heat-through-your-head-ce2c29): You do not usually lose most body heat through your head; the head matters, but mostly when it’s exposed and the rest of you isn’t.
- [How many bones are in the human body?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/everyday/how-many-bones-are-in-the-human-body-9e81b3): Adults usually have 206 bones; babies start with far more, and the exact count can vary a little by how bones are counted.
- [Cats do not always land on their feet](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/everyday/cats-do-not-always-land-on-their-feet-8c2098): Cats often right themselves in a fall, but they do not always land on their feet and can still be seriously injured.
- [Are polar bears dangerous?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/are-polar-bears-dangerous-b97d00): Polar bears can be extremely dangerous to people, but serious encounters are rare and mostly happen in remote Arctic areas.
- [Is it dangerous to wake a sleepwalker?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/health/is-it-dangerous-to-wake-a-sleepwalker-f83bf3): Usually no; the safer move is to wake them gently or steer them back to bed, because the real risk is confusion or injury while sleepwalking.
- [Does reading in dim light damage your eyesight?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/everyday/does-reading-in-dim-light-damage-your-eyesight-4d5805): Reading in dim light usually causes temporary eye strain, not permanent eye damage, though children’s myopia risk is a separate question.
- [Who would win: an anaconda or a crocodile?](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/who-would-win-an-anaconda-or-a-crocodile-01c1d1): A full-grown crocodile usually has the edge, but the outcome depends heavily on species, size, and whether the fight starts in water.
- [Coffee does not stunt growth](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/health/coffee-does-not-stunt-growth-1c1f94): Coffee does not make kids shorter; genetics and nutrition matter far more, while caffeine’s real risks are sleep and appetite.
- [The Great Wall of China is not visible to the naked eye from space](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/history/the-great-wall-of-china-is-not-visible-to-the-naked-eye-from-space-815bd2): Astronauts, including China's first, report they could not pick it out from orbit; it is long but only a few metres wide and the colour of the land around it.
- [How a heat pump warms a home when it is freezing outside](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/technology/how-a-heat-pump-warms-a-home-when-it-is-freezing-outside-05753b): Air at -15°C still holds heat; a heat pump uses a refrigerant that boils far below zero to capture it, then compresses it to a useful temperature.
- [We use far more than 10% of our brains](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/we-use-far-more-than-10-of-our-brains-416f95): Brain scans show activity across virtually every region over a normal day, and damage almost anywhere causes measurable loss.
- [Cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis](https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/health/cracking-your-knuckles-does-not-cause-arthritis-e32630): Decades of studies, including one man's 60-year experiment on his own hands, find no link between knuckle cracking and arthritis.