Ask HN: Do security questions on a user account actually add security?

I'm not a security expert, but I just can't see how adding security questions to an online account on top of a password is anything but a nuisance that just weakens security. Especially when most answers to these questions are just names or single words that are easily researchable online. Why is there so much expert advice on strong passwords, yet the industry doesn't condemn security questions? What am I missing? Am I just wrong here, or should there be a clear message to just get rid of them? I hate it when sites make me add security questions to my account; isn't it so much better to just let me reset a forgotten password through my email?</rant>