title stringlengths 3 300 | subreddit stringclasses 1
value | post_id stringlengths 5 7 | score int64 0 47.9k | link_flair_text stringlengths 0 63 | is_self bool 1
class | over_18 bool 2
classes | upvote_ratio float64 0 1 | post_content stringlengths 0 29.7k | C1 dict | C2 dict | C3 dict | C4 dict | C5 dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ELI5:How can an average person become rich in today's economy? | explainlikeimfive | 1qw705 | 3 | true | false | 0.81 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4o0l",
"comment_text": [
"This is such a wide open open question. Even with the economy is poor shape anyone has the opportunity to become wealthy. How rich are we talking? You could establish wealth by purchasing rental properties fairly easy. You could start your own company, open a fra... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh47fe",
"comment_text": [
"Hard work, a willingness to fail and a social network to fall back on for support and maybe... a little dash of luck.",
"If you have an idea pursue it. Don't be afraid to fail or take sensible risks. You can't get rich doing nothing."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4mrs",
"comment_text": [
"This post is off topic for ",
"/r/explainlikeimfive",
". Please refer to the sidebar for more information."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4mrs",
"comment_text": [
"This post is off topic for ",
"/r/explainlikeimfive",
". Please refer to the sidebar for more information."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4hre",
"comment_text": [
"In the UK, 'Payday Loans' have become hugely popular since the financial crisis began.",
"\nThese are small, short-term loans at ridiculous levels of interest. ",
"For example, someone who wants £100 today is willing to agree to pay back £120 on Friday a... | ||
ELI5: How and when did the heart become associated with love and affection? | explainlikeimfive | 1qw7v1 | 18 | true | false | 0.85 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4sqg",
"comment_text": [
"i didnt feel like explaining birth control to a five year old."
],
"score": 9
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4q8p",
"comment_text": [
"It was also used as birth control."
],
"score": 7
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4n1u",
"comment_text": [
"Roman times. There was a plant that had heart-shaped flowers. It was prized, and picked to extinction. The shape was adopted on coins and worked into representing relationships, and finally love."
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhf6py",
"comment_text": [
"When a human gets excited by something the heart starts beating faster. Thus the physical and mental excitement of love and affection causes a noticeable increase in the beating of the heart at the very beginning of that realization by the brain. Thus: My heart... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhhgcx",
"comment_text": [
"I got the birds and the bees talk when I was 5, and I grew up fine."
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: Is money really an illusion? (More in comments) | explainlikeimfive | 1qwan2 | 1 | true | false | 1 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh50vg",
"comment_text": [
"what you're describing is inflation.",
"Presumably, the cost to acquire and sell a fish, in your case is also affected by inflation. "
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4ydm",
"comment_text": [
"Money is just a placeholder for the value we deem other items. Money itself is not worth anything. That's why we don't \"buy\" money."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh5ukd",
"comment_text": [
"How do we not buy money? Aren’t forex investors and speculators constantly buying money?"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh4y93",
"comment_text": [
"My claim is that money is an illusion. Here's why: If I got 10/100 of the money in a country, I've got 10% of the value. A fish costs 5% of the value in the country. Since I got 10%, I can afford two fish. If the country makes another 100 money, the money I got w... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh5gi9",
"comment_text": [
"In essence, yes. There are however a fair bit more to the worlds currency systems. For instance in the example you provided it's likely that you wouldn't be able to afford a whole fish at the end since by printing lots of money the government would significantly ... | ||
What causes the sensation of falling and/or flying when we dream? | explainlikeimfive | 1qwf4j | 41 | true | false | 0.77 | I mean, why do we feel like we're falling or flying, but in reality we're just laying there? Same goes for the sensation of getting shot, drowning, etc. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh8b1q",
"comment_text": [
"My understanding is that the jolt you get when you first fall asleep or the sensation of falling is actually the portion of the brain that handles balance shutting down. Your brain actually thinks your body is tipping/falling because that portion of your brain i... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhemnm",
"comment_text": [
"it seems like we can only experience sensations that we have felt before.",
"Extremely vivid and lucid dreamer here. I once had a dream I went skydiving. I was actually inspired to go do it about 1 month later. I was really surprised when it felt and sound... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhgwg4",
"comment_text": [
"I've never been skydiving, though I'd like to try it at one point. But I guess my point about experiencing things we've experienced before should still work. ",
"For example, having never skydived. I would guess that, until you reach terminal velocity, you'll... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhde2x",
"comment_text": [
"Which could be the closest answer we've reached. A sensation of falling can be induced when the eyes detect rapid apparent motion. This would typically mean that the eye would be fixed, and a target object would be in motion. With ",
"Vertigo",
" optokine... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhh9n0",
"comment_text": [
"Would the sensation of being electrocuted have the same cause? "
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: All of our muscles get tired and we have to let them rest. Why doesn't our heart have to rest? | explainlikeimfive | 1qwb0d | 16 | true | false | 0.72 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh55g6",
"comment_text": [
"http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/why-doesnt-your-heart-get-tired/",
"One answer is that the “cardiac” muscle that comprises the heart is of a different kind than the “skeletal” muscle comprising the hand. Skeletal muscles are attached to bone st... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh7hxq",
"comment_text": [
"Adding on to that, the heart actually does rest. When looking at an ECG, the ventricles contract which appears as a QRS complex. This typically lasts under .12 seconds. The heart goes into a recovery phase, and recharges the ventricles. This is seen as the T-wave... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh63yv",
"comment_text": [
"It does... It just takes 80 years o work before cashing in on the vacation days."
],
"score": 7
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh7j5x",
"comment_text": [
"The heart actually does rest. When looking at an ECG, the ventricles contract which appears as a QRS complex. This typically lasts under .12 seconds. The heart goes into a recovery phase, and recharges the ventricles. This is seen as the T-wave. The rest portion ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh5orq",
"comment_text": [
"could we increase the mitochondrial presence?"
],
"score": 2
} | ||
ELI5: How does the Freedom of Information Act work? Couldn't an agency simply destroy a record and deny its existence? | explainlikeimfive | 1qwggm | 1 | true | false | 0.67 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh82a7",
"comment_text": [
"Foa allows for citizens to petition the government to release something to the public, as long as it's not classified or personal information it usually is. They could destroy it, but they probably need it so destroying it would be useless"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh8lx8",
"comment_text": [
"Most records kept by the gov't are those it is legally required to keep.",
"Destroying a record like that would be a crime."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh98eh",
"comment_text": [
"While the majority of FOI requests are produced there are many cases where they deny the records exist or they black out so much of it that it is worthless."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh9xby",
"comment_text": [
"How can so much be redacted when the whole purpose is to reveal information that otherwise be inaccessible "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdha5u4",
"comment_text": [
"You got me. Here is the latest example I could find. A request for the DHS's cellular shut down protocol.",
"EPIC filed a request for the documents under Freedom of Information Act in July 2012. The federal agency released a heavily redacted and ne... | ||
ELI5 - Why are most people not motivated to be productive? Why are most people motivated to be lazy? | explainlikeimfive | 1qwi7i | 1 | true | false | 0.55 | Why | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh7r0y",
"comment_text": [
"Think of it this way. Your brain is like an old computer. The software has been upgraded (culture, art, politics, obligations, technology, science, thought, etc) over the years, but the hardware is still a million or more years old. It has a hard time running mod... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh73m6",
"comment_text": [
"Because in terms of evolution, up until recently, we had to stay productive in order to survive. We've never needed to evolve the behaviorial traits to really promote productivity because being productive was the only way to survive. But since energy was also sca... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh7ibh",
"comment_text": [
"Your point is interesting, in essense it comes down to survival. Now how do you apply that to everyday life, turn on the survival instinct to be more productive."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh711b",
"comment_text": [
"Two words: instant gratification. While being productive may pay off later on with decent results some time in the future, being lazy pays off now."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh7k0p",
"comment_text": [
"Because ",
"time preference",
". Essentially, you like doing things that offer rewards right now (ie, porn, funny cat videos, computer games) much more than things that will offer rewards in the distant future (ie, studying for a degree, or applying yours... | |
ELI5:why is x the most commonly used variable? | explainlikeimfive | 1qwbed | 88 | true | false | 0.77 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh56q3",
"comment_text": [
"With cultural conventions like these it's always hard to say, but my favourite hypothesis is that ",
"it's because Spanish doesn't have an 'sh' sound",
". "
],
"score": 40
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh6767",
"comment_text": [
"I really like this answer!\n",
"http://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_why_is_x_the_unknown.html"
],
"score": 21
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh6bp6",
"comment_text": [
"You're right, but the \"x\" does look like a form of the multiplication symbol. That form is rarely used in algebra though. Usually parentheses or dots instead. And if you have sloppy handwriting, you could on the off-chance confuse your x for an addition sign."
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh623e",
"comment_text": [
"http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2936/why-are-x-and-y-such-common-variables-in-todays-equations-how-did-their-use-or",
" there's a good answer here. Rene Descartes started using it, and everyone else decided it was a good idea."
],
"score": 9
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdh89hh",
"comment_text": [
"Using 'X' for multiplication is never really used for math notation in algebra or beyond. If you want to say 'two times a' you just write '2a', if you need to chain things together, 'two times two times a' is 2(2a). Just like saying 'two dollars' means 2*100 cent... | ||
ELI5: How does a camera with autofocus know when it has to stop to focus. And which is the right thing to focus on? | explainlikeimfive | 1qwryn | 9 | true | false | 1 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhc0ls",
"comment_text": [
"OK, so before we get into Autofocus, lets talk about how a Rangefinder works.",
"In essence, before the days of the focus, when you had a camera, you just had to more or less guess. I have an old Kodak Hawkeye sitting at home where the 'focus lens' is just a ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhdx2n",
"comment_text": [
"Nope! But I shoot film primarily, and none of my cameras are newer than ~1985. Part of shooting old cameras is figuring out how they work, just in case the one you picked up at a flea market covered in dust and muck isn't working the way it should be.",
"I sh... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhds5s",
"comment_text": [
"Thanks for your great answer! Are you some kind of camera technician?"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhrh8m",
"comment_text": [
"Great answer!"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdhbhi5",
"comment_text": [
"I'm no expert, but sometimes you can see that am autofocus camera defocuses and refocuses before setting itself to the correct focus. I'm guessing a program detects how blurry a picture is and then chooses the least blurry setting. Hopefully someone can correct ... | ||
ELI5: How do top chess players look so many moves ahead? | explainlikeimfive | 1qsmvm | 3 | true | false | 0.8 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg1gko",
"comment_text": [
"Most of them don't look at all possible combinations. They only look for moves that they think are likely for an opponent (in a given position, this may be only one good move to as many as twenty). Also, they are familiar with particular positions. They know whic... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg1bez",
"comment_text": [
"When the top chess players began playing chess, they only looked 1 or 2 moves ahead. It was all they knew how to do, because they were new to the game.\nAfter beating some other players, having some close games, and becoming familiar with different combinations o... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg59mm",
"comment_text": [
"Memorizing game openings helps a lot too. While there's millions of ways to play out the first few turns of a game, there's only a few thousand that make sense to a \"good\" player. If you recognize the common sequences, you don't really need to analyze all pos... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg6xlg",
"comment_text": [
"Experience lets them quickly get rid of a lot of possibilities. When a complete novice like myself looks at the board, I'm overwhelmed, because there are dozens of possible legal moves. But a more experienced chess player looks to the one or two best moves and go... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9471",
"comment_text": [
"If you have good board vision (i.e. you can see the entire board in your head) then you can imagine making a series of moves on it. You could in fact play out an entire game in your head.",
"Most/all good players can do this. Players that can't, can improve t... | ||
How does the wind get knocked out of you? | explainlikeimfive | 1qsorw | 7 | true | false | 0.83 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg6fbj",
"comment_text": [
"There is a muscle that helps your lungs breath air into your body.\nWhen you get hit really hard in your tummy the muscle that moves your lungs becomes paralyzed for a short time."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg8wkl",
"comment_text": [
"That's a bit too 5-year-old. The muscle in question is the diaphragm, which moves up and down near the bottom of your chest, and which changes the internal volume of your upper chest, which in turn alters the pressure exerted on the outside of your lungs. Change... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg90e5",
"comment_text": [
"I'll add that hiccups are a related situation, but instead of the diaphragm being in a general spasm, it's doing what's called a myoclonic jerk, which is an involuntary contraction of the muscle. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgdbkz",
"comment_text": [
"That's a bit too ",
"r/askscience",
"."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgdbt5",
"comment_text": [
"/r/askscience",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
"/u/WinneonSword"
],
"score": 1
} | ||
How does a drug enter your body through your lungs (as in smoking) and then affect your brain? | explainlikeimfive | 1qsusb | 0 | true | false | 0.43 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3lfd",
"comment_text": [
"Same way oxygen does. The drug will diffuse into the blood stream via a series of veins that run through the lungs. Once in the blood stream, it is carried all over the body, including to the brain."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3kt4",
"comment_text": [
"Blood vessels pass by the lungs, pick up oxygen and whatever else, the blood travels around your body to your brain where whatever it can accept gets absorbed in the brain cells."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3qfx",
"comment_text": [
"The primary function of your lungs is to control the intake of oxygen, and then pass that oxygen into your bloodstream to be used as vital fuel in your bodily functions. The blood is carried to all parts of your body, including your brain. So when you smoke and... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg7la2",
"comment_text": [
"The previous responses covered it, but I also wanted to mention that because the drug gets into your bloodstream (on to your brain) quite quickly it is a pretty efficient means of delivery, so you get high pretty quickly. I have a friend (cough, cough) who want t... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3m11",
"comment_text": [
"I read \"How does a drug dealer enter your body...\" and was prepared to be very concerned for you and to suggest more professional help than I now feel is warranted.",
"Also, Rob is that you?"
],
"score": 0
} | ||
ELI5: How do computers work? | explainlikeimfive | 1qstjt | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3bvx",
"comment_text": [
"Someone may be able to explain this here, but I doubt anyone will be able to give you an in depth explanation of all the parts of a computer and how they work. There is just so much information. I also don't know of any good sources or even where to begin. :/",
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3g2h",
"comment_text": [
"I'm 15, trying to get into pc gaming. Figured I should get some knowledge before diving in lol. Thanks though!"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3l7s",
"comment_text": [
"You might want to be more specific with your questions, like \"what is a motherboard\" or \"what does a GPU (Graphics processing unit) do\". You will be more likely to get good answers. It will also make sure the info you get will be what you actually want to hea... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3m5x",
"comment_text": [
"This question concerns one of the most frequently asked topics on ELI5, so it has been removed. Try the searchbar!",
"It's okay to re-post questions, but please indicate that you did a search and that previous questions/answers didn't help you understand."
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3p92",
"comment_text": [
"A computer and its software is an extremely complex system, built from abstractions on top of abstractions on top of abstractions.",
"So, you might start from the very basic level of logic gates (which are built from transistors). More complex electronic comp... | ||
ELI5: If everyone gets 1 vote in the US, then why do people of the US complain that their government favors only an elite group? | explainlikeimfive | 1qswty | 1 | true | false | 0.67 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg4bv8",
"comment_text": [
"In general, you won't see very many poor people running for office. It costs millions of dollars to fund an election campaign. No matter who you vote for, they are likely in the top 1%.",
"Sure, it's possible to run without spending much money on campaigning,... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg4fou",
"comment_text": [
"The people don't get to vote on laws; the people vote on who will go to the capitol and make laws. ",
"So, say there is a bill proposed that would make it legal for ... say ... RIAA enforcers to enter your home at any time, without a warrant, and search your ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg7dmf",
"comment_text": [
"The problem is that while this is the ",
" of elected officials, there is scant evidence of it actually happening.",
"And considering that it is illegal (a) to bribe an elected official directly, or (b) contribute more than $2,600 to their campaign from a... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg4cfo",
"comment_text": [
"Because public officials can receive large funds during campaigning from wealthy individuals or lobbying interests, which makes them somewhat beholden to these groups if they want the money to continue coming to them. So, no matter who you vote for, a lot of the... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg4d3g",
"comment_text": [
"it has nothing to do with the vote to get politicians in office, it has to do with what politicians do when in office...how our tax code is set, kick backs from lobbyists, preferential treatment for friends when awarding contracts, etc etc etc etc etc"
],
"sc... | |
ELI5: Why is it when we grow older, we lose interest in video games? | explainlikeimfive | 1qt7mt | 0 | true | false | 0.29 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg7ysc",
"comment_text": [
"It's a combination of free time, realization of priorities, and realization of mortality. Becomes much harder not to enjoy or get into video games, but to justify the time necessary to really engage with them."
],
"score": 5
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg7y9p",
"comment_text": [
"Responsibilities outweigh carefree living"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg8cxx",
"comment_text": [
"We do?",
"SOURCE: I'm 32 and I haven't lost interest, though I'm not as into them and don't really buy as many anymore. The last system I bought was a Wii."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg8m2d",
"comment_text": [
"Gamer in my mid 30's here. Don't play as much as I did in college, but it's still one of my top hobbies in terms of hours spent. I think your question is flawed."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg8uf1",
"comment_text": [
"It's not that we lose interest, it's that we have families and, can't just play when we want. I can only play when my wife goes to work, and the kids are gone. It's very difficult to play a video game with 2 kids telling you how to play and being a distraction. "... | |
ELI5: How can money be introduced into a material/barter-based society without some sort of net loss? | explainlikeimfive | 1qtap7 | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | In the past, I know communities used to trade goods between one another for other wanted goods. But this system proved inefficient, so money was introduced as an agreed-upon "placeholder", of sorts, used to represent goods and services. I'm wondering how somebody would introduce money into a society while ensuring a co... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg95ni",
"comment_text": [
"Some forms of money are based on things most people use anyways, such as salt, coffee, alcohol, or tobacco. People barter for these things naturally so they can consume them, but eventually you might want to trade for cigarettes even if you don't smoke because y... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgfzzr",
"comment_text": [
"Okay, this makes sense. Allow me to rephrase for my benefit: ",
"A uniform commodity would arise internally, rather than imposed by an external entity. The commodity wouldn't be introduced into a system with no effort (for \"free\"). In the case such of gold,... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdt76hy",
"comment_text": [
"One requirement for currency is that the item should be a commodity, that is that each unit should be interchangeable. You don't care where that pound of salt or gold or cigarettes came from, you just weigh or count it. If it costs miner A 1 hour to mine a unit... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg90uf",
"comment_text": [
"Gold. You find gold. It's rare and beautiful and you can make it into jewelry and stuff. A rich person will trade you for it.",
"Eventually people come to recognize gold as something rare and desirable, and therefore valuable. Now you can start using it as a ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgaqx3",
"comment_text": [
"If you look at our current system, the unifying factor is taxes. You know you're paying income tax in dollars, so everyone needs them eventually."
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: How did animals gain the ability of flight? | explainlikeimfive | 1qtc5e | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9ji5",
"comment_text": [
"I think it developed from gliding. Like flying squirrels. You develop skin and or feathers between your arms/legs. This eventually allows you to glide. As your species glides, some have structures which are better at it. Eventually some have structures which allo... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9tfd",
"comment_text": [
"Everything is a transitional feature. Right now everything about you is a transitional feature. There is no end game to evolution. ",
"Features are thought to have originally evolved to allow dinosaurs to better regulate their body temperature. However, c... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9ly5",
"comment_text": [
"And the ones who don't glide as far die off, leaving the better equiped gliders to reproduce."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9o0l",
"comment_text": [
"Yup, there is a clear advantage of flight and longer gliding over short gliding and no gliding."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9h6c",
"comment_text": [
"Because god said so. \nKidding, I would also like to know."
],
"score": 1
} | |
Why does it cost so much to make an animation movie? | explainlikeimfive | 1qtffl | 5 | true | false | 0.86 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgaftm",
"comment_text": [
"You have to pay the animators. They are experts (and so their salaries are high) and you need a lot of them. And you need them to work for a long time. ",
"Monsters Inc. Involved something like 500 animators and took about 1 year to animate.",
"If each on... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgal10",
"comment_text": [
"Don't forget the voice talent. You need someone who can completely nail the character you have in mind. Since there are over 700 tones in the English language, and every single unnecessary pause can completely destroy believability...",
"Did I mention perfect... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgal10",
"comment_text": [
"Don't forget the voice talent. You need someone who can completely nail the character you have in mind. Since there are over 700 tones in the English language, and every single unnecessary pause can completely destroy believability...",
"Did I mention perfect... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgamwc",
"comment_text": [
"The computing power used to render a scene is obscene. Rendering a single frame from \"finding Nemo\" would take a normal home PC maybe a few hours. Now 60 frames per second of a 90 minute film rendered at a frame an hour suddenly renders in 37 YEARS. If the film... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgahps",
"comment_text": [
"No problem!"
],
"score": 2
} | |
ELI5: China is producing 10m Asians per year, meanwhile whites are going extinct. Why don't we nuke China down to a more appropriate size? | explainlikeimfive | 1qtd2b | 0 | true | false | 0.36 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9r2l",
"comment_text": [
"Had to check that this wasn't ",
"/r/shittyadvice",
". Maybe you should try posting this there, I'm sure it would be a hit."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9rd0",
"comment_text": [
"Because we live in a global community. Also nukes, more then one country has them. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9s1y",
"comment_text": [
"When you put it that way, \"whites\" seem inferior AND afraid."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg9sqz",
"comment_text": [
"Being white isn't what it used to be. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgc1yp",
"comment_text": [
"I am so sorry Mr Bigdick_, I am afraid you have a terminal condition known as \"being a cunt\"\nThe surest treatment is a hard kick to the teeth we can start right away if you wish ?"
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: If we have interfaces for our internet that provide us with ultra fast transfer rates (100Mb/s+), why don't we have interfaces as fast for data transfers (like USB or SATA) | explainlikeimfive | 1qtfz0 | 1 | true | false | 0.67 | I was just transfering a file on my computer when the thought struck me | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgaooj",
"comment_text": [
"USB is fast.",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB",
"SATA also starts in at 1.5Gbps and goes up from there.",
"The actual speed you get in everyday life will depend on what you're actually trying to do, such as how much data you're moving and where you... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgap8k",
"comment_text": [
"Here's a quick analogy: think of connectivity to the Internet as like a bunch of river tributaries connected together into one river network. The main river, and biggest tributaries, can carry a heck of a lot of water - just like ISP trunks can carry lots of data... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgamjk",
"comment_text": [
"Actually, the upper theoretical limit on SATA is 6000Mbits/sec, and USB 3.0 is 5000. ",
"The reason you don't see these speeds in practice is because of slowdowns in other portions of the computer, be it the amount of available memory, processor speed, or bus... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgaols",
"comment_text": [
"Ok right, that would make sense... thanks :)"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgalrv",
"comment_text": [
"The hardware is different.",
"Besides, USB 3.0 can transfer up to about 4 Gb/s"
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: why when trying to lose weight, my weight fluctuates 2-3 lbs daily? | explainlikeimfive | 1qtqtx | 2 | true | false | 0.75 | I am not overweight peruse, but I want to lose about 10 lbs. I have started limiting my calories and was already excercising close to everyday. What is very frustrating is that I weigh myself at the same time everyday, and my weight fluctuates plus or minus 2 or 3 lbs. Why is that? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgdnqy",
"comment_text": [
"Many times weight fluctuation is caused by water weight. For example, it you drink too much water the day before your body flushes out and will weigh more. This can also occur because of amount of food taken in -- although you are eating healthy, one day you may ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgdih1",
"comment_text": [
"Could it be that you're weight always fluctuates whether you're on a diet or not and that you're only noticing it now because you're watching it so closely?"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgdkhj",
"comment_text": [
"Likely a combination of a few factors.\n1) Depends on what you're measuring your weight with. Standard step-on bathroom scales are subject to error and drift, so that may be contributing to the variation\n2) Variant diet/exercise. Your body doesn't reset after yo... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgf8ym",
"comment_text": [
"the fluctuation just comes from daily consumption of water or other undigested foods ect. To get your true weight, get up in the morning, take a pee then weight yourself before breakfast. Do this everymorning to track true progress"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgigbz",
"comment_text": [
"Or just average your weight out over a week at a time instead of day."
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: How did they shoot the zero gravity scenes in Gravity (2013). | explainlikeimfive | 1qtxqa | 21 | true | false | 0.71 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdghc7i",
"comment_text": [
"A lot of the scenes were shot by only filming the heads of the actors and CGIing the bodies. I can't speak for scenes that did not use this method."
],
"score": 12
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgi9p8",
"comment_text": [
"Woah, if this is true then the uncanny valley just got a lot more canny."
],
"score": 10
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgijz0",
"comment_text": [
"Although the graphics were hugely impressive, I think a big part of why it was so realistic is that they weren't trying to replicate a human doing normal human activities. Your brain is much less familiar with what a person should look like performing those actio... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgk7yu",
"comment_text": [
"Here's a great article on the visual effects of the movie. ",
"http://www.fxguide.com/featured/gravity/",
"Most of it was pure CG but they invented this crazy light box to capture the actor's faces in the correct light. "
],
"score": 7
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgh5w3",
"comment_text": [
"Neil deGrasse Tyson:\n",
"https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/386993044836212737"
],
"score": 6
} | ||
ELI5: Why the U.S. did not stand trial for war crimes when they killed thousands upon thousands of innocent people in the WW2 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. | explainlikeimfive | 1qtwtr | 3 | true | false | 0.8 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgf9ri",
"comment_text": [
"For that matter, who or what decides what gets taken up to an International War Crimes Tribunal?"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgf9zh",
"comment_text": [
"Primarily because winners don't put themselves on trial."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdggbzw",
"comment_text": [
"Okay, but why do we prosecute dictators who use chemical weapons? From what I read, it seems that radiation has similar, maybe worse effact than chemical?"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdggmms",
"comment_text": [
"I don't know man, I was actually asking a question, not rhetorical, not sarcastic, lol. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgfc4n",
"comment_text": [
"Don't post just to express an opinion or argue a point of view.",
"because they didn't break any international laws. the law is not (necessarily) fair, it's just the law."
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELIF: why do apps need access to so much information? | explainlikeimfive | 1qtu5v | 11 | true | false | 0.77 | I wanted to install a .gif maker and Google Play popped up saying it wanted to access all sorts including phone numbers and location. Why does it need that info? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgekpc",
"comment_text": [
"There are 4 plausible explanations.",
"1.) It doesn't need it and the developer has been lazy, not specifying exactly what they do need.",
"2.) It doesn't need it but the developer has plans in the future to maybe add features that do so they just get per... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdglqk5",
"comment_text": [
"Not without your explicit consent.",
"By default (Without consent, simply ",
" Facebook login on a third party site) the third party has access to any ",
" information you have on your profile. So name, gender, age, status updates, profile photos, fri... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgf5rj",
"comment_text": [
"Web developer"
],
"score": 4
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgf2zb",
"comment_text": [
"Those points makes a lot of sense. Are you an app developer?"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgnbro",
"comment_text": [
"Thanks for the great answer. You've explained it all and put my mind at ease. It's time to take the tin foil off my head!"
],
"score": 3
} | |
ELI5: Is there or was there ever an official difference between naming drives, avenues, ways, streets, roads, boulevards, parkways, and any that I may have missed? | explainlikeimfive | 1qu54v | 60 | true | false | 0.83 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdghui5",
"comment_text": [
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_suffix"
],
"score": 24
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgi3za",
"comment_text": [
"Woah!!"
],
"score": 7
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgs2ou",
"comment_text": [
"Okay, which one of you did ",
"this",
"?"
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgpff6",
"comment_text": [
"Not that is universal. Each city street naming commission may have their own rules."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgw95u",
"comment_text": [
"I have been in several cities that are built on a grid system, and roadways that run north-south will be called \"streets\" while roadways that run east-west will be called \"avenues\" (or vice versa). \"Boulevard\" is used for major roadways, no matter what dire... | ||
ELI5: Why are cars from the 80s and early 90s really boxy, while current cars have a rounded profile? | explainlikeimfive | 1qunr4 | 5 | true | false | 0.61 | Whenever I see a car (a regular car, not a high-end sports car) from that time period, I always notice how ugly and boxy it is. But most cars that you see on the road now, even the cheapest ones, have a much more rounded and appealing profile. I gather that it might be cheaper to make a car with angular parts than to g... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgpkbl",
"comment_text": [
"I don't like the way you say \"ugly and boxy\" as if they were synonymous. For me, there hasn't been an attractive car made since 1992 - all the new ones look like dropped ice-creams, and are nowhere near appealing as an old Mercedes W123 or BMW E30.",
"We ha... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgrpl4",
"comment_text": [
"I have a '77 AMC Gremlin. It's a pure steel car. The hood feels 3x heavier than my Altima hood.",
"Now cars are made more of plastic and lighter/stronger steel. Plus there is a huge space efficiency between cars then and no when it comes to under the ho... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgrzhf",
"comment_text": [
"There are plenty of factors, some of which have already been mentioned. ",
"First, styles change and evolve over time. Fashionable clothing was different in the 80s and early 90s too; car styling evolves similarly. Many of those boxy cars were quite attractiv... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgr0wh",
"comment_text": [
"Fuel efficiency the new cars are more aerodynamic "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgpdu2",
"comment_text": [
"It was just a design change."
],
"score": 0
} | |
ELI5: How do dollar stores manage to sell brand named products for such a low price? | explainlikeimfive | 1quo4c | 26 | true | false | 0.77 | 2 liter bottle of Coke for a $1 vs. the same drink for $2.50 a grocery store. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgr94h",
"comment_text": [
"Dollar stores generally operate on a high volume, low margin basis. What this means is the store attempts to sell many more items per day than a large grocery store but receive less profit per item. They rely heavily on buying from wholesalers at low cost and hav... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgptaw",
"comment_text": [
"Because at a grocery store all those high prices you're seeing are 'impulse' buys. They're stationed at the front where people will quickly buy anything. ",
"For Cub Foods there's a section where you can buy this hugeeee can for pop for less than a buck. Yet ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgqxl1",
"comment_text": [
"It could also be the store buying overflow of stock from other companies. Here in Sweden we have one that buys from all around Europe. So a product that's expensive in let's say Germany is dirt cheap here because we don't know the brand (and the brand won't get d... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgur7c",
"comment_text": [
"I agree with you that some Dollar Stores may do this, however in North America these companies are known as Liquidation Businesses or Merchandise Liquidation Ventures. The majority of Dollar Stores in North America are large franchise chains that obtain the same ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgskuq",
"comment_text": [
"This is exactly how dollar stores work. ",
"A grocery store has everything you want in stock. If you buy something from them, you know you can go back there and buy it again. ",
"A dollar store just buys whatever is cheap. It might be dish washing liquid ... | |
ELI5:Why is Australia not classed as an Island? | explainlikeimfive | 1qup4q | 2 | true | false | 0.67 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgod6z",
"comment_text": [
"It's simply too big. 7,692,024 square km according to Google.",
"\nOf course the line between continent and island is some what arbitrary to a certain degree. But Australia is just so dam huge.\nEdit: It's also generally agreed that continents have a lower ov... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgobi3",
"comment_text": [
"Because of size. Americas, Euro-afro-asia, Antarctica basically are just big islands"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgqxha",
"comment_text": [
"That shit is too big, cunt."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgq2kx",
"comment_text": [
"Yeah it is interesting. The weirdest one is what defines a species. If you don't really look into it most people will think it's pretty clear. But there isn't actually a working definition that fits all cases.",
"\nOff topic I know but it's just so weird. "
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgr6m0",
"comment_text": [
"What an Aussie answer!"
],
"score": 2
} | ||
ELI5: Where does rent money go? How much is pure profit? | explainlikeimfive | 1qum6x | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgnc3x",
"comment_text": [
"They have to pay for things like mortgages on the property, taxes, maintenance, insurance etc. Imagine the size of a money you have to pay on a mortgage for 60 units. Also they have to stock those units with appliances I assume and replace carpets and windows ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgnys4",
"comment_text": [
"Dynamito answered your question as well as anyone here can. Your rent money will go to cover those costs, and whatever is left over is profit for the landlord. Just to address the last point about carpets and windows, the landlord is not allowed to deduct from a ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgqiea",
"comment_text": [
"This probably isn't the correct subreddit if you want data and figures, rather than an overall explanation; ",
"/r/answers",
" would be better suited for this."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgp7p3",
"comment_text": [
"Seeing OP's responses to the full answers that are given here makes it clear he's missing the point regarding the operational cost/profit question.",
"It varies. Unless you straight up ask the owner of the building/property manager directly, and unless they g... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgnpfk",
"comment_text": [
"You dont lower your prices just because you paid off your mortgage. Insurance is expensive im sure. You may be pure profit but other people arent. There are cases where you have to replace carpet etc that arent the tenants fault. Plus its a business they charge w... | |
ELI5: Am I left or right handed | explainlikeimfive | 1qq8j7 | 3 | true | false | 1 | I write, throw balls, use rackets (tennis), and punch right handed. I eat, bat, use sticks (Hockey and such) left handed. I feel stronger with my right arm but my left arm looks bigger in the mirror. As well, I'm in construction and can do many things either way. I frequently change arms when painting, drywall taping, ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfc4rz",
"comment_text": [
"For the purposes of most things, you are right handed.",
"Writing is the standard. However, you are very close to ambidextrous. You are probably part of the population that is born without an inherent preference and just \"picked\" over time."
],
"score... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfc83b",
"comment_text": [
"You are NOT ambidextrous by ",
"definition",
" it means that you are EQUAL with both hands. I am similar to you, since I eat and write and do a bit more with my left hand I consider myself to be left handed. Honestly just take your pick."
],
"score": ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdffo9g",
"comment_text": [
"People are incorrectly saying you're ambidextrous. This is due to a common misunderstanding about what ambidextrous actually means. A truly ambidextrous person will be equally proficient in all tasks with both hands, this is really rare. What you're describing is... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfcask",
"comment_text": [
"I think when it came to writing my teacher made me do it that way."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfcbfd",
"comment_text": [
"There you go, you were born either ambidextrous or no preference. Hard to say which. "
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: Can you get herpes from shaking hands? | explainlikeimfive | 1qqomo | 0 | true | false | 0.2 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfk1v2",
"comment_text": [
"What are you talking about???! It's the COMPLETE opposite. Herpes(HSV) is a skin disease and is transmitted by skin to skin contact and saliva( only because infected skin cells can slough off into salvia when sores are present near the mouth)Bodily fluids other ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfk1v2",
"comment_text": [
"What are you talking about???! It's the COMPLETE opposite. Herpes(HSV) is a skin disease and is transmitted by skin to skin contact and saliva( only because infected skin cells can slough off into salvia when sores are present near the mouth)Bodily fluids other ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfmao5",
"comment_text": [
"Simple requests that don't warrant much explanation aren't suitable for ELI5. For questions such as this, you'd be better of posting to ",
"/r/answers",
", or even ",
"www.google.com",
".",
"I've removed this post."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfo78j",
"comment_text": [
"This subject could bring much discussion. Don't be an elitist prick. I'm sorry that I didn't ask a question about something that was solely interesting to you. Ass.",
"This was an out and out simple question, looking for a simple answer. I'm disapointed that ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfo3dt",
"comment_text": [
"This subject could bring much discussion. Don't be an elitist prick. I'm sorry that I didn't ask a question about something that was solely interesting to you. Ass."
],
"score": 0
} | ||
ELI5: What's the difference between a Cyclone and a Typhoon? And what are the two of them? | explainlikeimfive | 1qqztl | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfkjfu",
"comment_text": [
"Hurricanes and typhoons are both subsets of \"tropical cyclones\". The phrase \"tropical cyclone\" represents the fact that they are cyclonic in nature - they have some features that would be called cyclones - and that they originate in the tropics.",
"Howeve... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfke23",
"comment_text": [
"They are both types of tropical storm. The difference is ",
" they are.",
"A ",
" is in the Indian Ocean and and South Pacific, a ",
" (which you didn't ask about, but it's in the same group) is in the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, and a ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfket3",
"comment_text": [
"So is it fair to say, then, that hurricanes and typhoons are both subsets of cyclones? (at least in that last more general meaning)"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfkgo5",
"comment_text": [
"There is no difference between a cyclone and a typhoon. There is also no difference between a cyclone and a hurricane. The difference is where they happen. If a cyclone happens in the Indian Ocean and some parts of the Pacific Ocean (usually near Australia), then... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfkzj0",
"comment_text": [
"Tropical Cyclone is the proper name hurricanes and typhoons. ",
"The only difference is where they occur. Hurricanes in North America and Typhoons in Asia. In Australia they're referred to as Cyclones, shortened, obviously, from Tropical Cyclone. "
],
... | |
ELI5: Why do most ATMs have a $20 minimum withdrawal limit? | explainlikeimfive | 1qr4he | 1 | true | false | 0.6 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfln5s",
"comment_text": [
"Because they don't hold $10 notes. If they did they would need to be refilled twice as often. I've seen some that only despence $50 and $100 notes only."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdflp1x",
"comment_text": [
"It's a space issue. The same amount of money in $20 bills takes up half the space that it would in $10 bills. Here in the UK most cash machines (I have no idea what an ATM is!) give out only £10 and £20 notes but you occasionally find a machine that will give out... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdflnmp",
"comment_text": [
"Currently US Bank lets with withdrawal money in increments of $5"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfltze",
"comment_text": [
"I'm from Aus. If you wanted to withdraw less than $20 you could use the self serve check out at the supermarket to withdraw it."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfmifv",
"comment_text": [
"(Former) Coles employee here. Our self check outs also have a $20 cash out minimum, and you need to make a purchase. If you want to perform a cash withdrawal without making a purchase, go to the service desk or another register instead."
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5:Why does the letter X look so appealing? ie:Xtreme vs Extreme , GTX vs GT etc. | explainlikeimfive | 1qr6nb | 0 | true | false | 0.25 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfmcjb",
"comment_text": [
"From now on this sub is XLI5."
],
"score": 5
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfma2j",
"comment_text": [
"I think we hit that point in the 90s, it's starting to make it's way back around."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfm5x9",
"comment_text": [
"I'm guessing because it's so rarely used in the words we typically encounter. ",
"At some point (if we haven't hit that pint already), it will be overused in marketing. Then it won't seem so special. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfmaru",
"comment_text": [
"Xactly"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfo51m",
"comment_text": [
"I would think symmetry in an \"X\" is aesthetically pleasing."
],
"score": 1
} | ||
How are artificial scents made? | explainlikeimfive | 1qr3pd | 2 | true | false | 0.76 | Such as pumpkin pie scented candles or vanilla scented air freshener. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdflk3g",
"comment_text": [
"Most of the artificial scents are some form of ester, which you get by combining an acid with alcohol. One simple example would be ethyl propionate (rum scent) which are made out of ethanol and propanoic acid.\nNatural scents are mostly complex phenol mixtures. A... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdflnh4",
"comment_text": [
"In my advanced organic chem class we were tasked with recreating a natural scent of our choice. We took the raw material and blended it in toluene to the extract organic compounds. we took the solution and processed it using gas chromatography, which told us what... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdflsz7",
"comment_text": [
"Kudos to your successes then. For a shame I strongly doubt that large manufacturers bother with careful analyze and recreation, thus the scents put in air fresheners for example only vaguely represent the natural substance (of course there definitely are some sma... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfm0kl",
"comment_text": [
"The gas chromatography machine prints out results in the form of a graph that displays the detector response vs the retention time of the analyte. It displays as a series of peaks and the area under the peak is proportional to the amount of that specific analyte.... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfm4ho",
"comment_text": [
"I hope you don't mind me asking again, it's just that I don't feel like I've got my mind around the sensitivity of apparatus. The 0.1 mL of extract was already diluted? Would you happen to know how much of the undiluted substance was in the whole 1 mL of tested t... | |
ELI5: Why is there so much climate change skepticism on Reddit (ELI5, TIL etc.) when those readers are usually well informed on science in other matters? | explainlikeimfive | 1qr32o | 0 | true | false | 0.44 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfm0ko",
"comment_text": [
"I think the science denial can be attributed to a combination of:"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfm6on",
"comment_text": [
"Thanks, I agree with most of those points. ",
"But Redditor's are usually fierce defenders of science (generalization). To actually disagree with/ ignore/ deny science is a pretty big step.",
"Besides, there is as much feelings about powerlessness that pl... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfmd9o",
"comment_text": [
"I'm not sure where your characterization of reddit as climate change deniers comes from - which is why I ignored that part of your question in my initial response. ",
"Sure, every now and then one pops up, but by and large I see them ridiculed on this site. ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfmbfv",
"comment_text": [
"This isn't an appropriate ELI5 post - hence I've removed this post. ",
"Loaded questions (anything posted for the purpose of discussing your opinion) aren't permitted on ELI5, you might have better luck in ",
"/r/changemyview",
" ",
"Please check ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfmib5",
"comment_text": [
"Wow. ",
"(a) scientific consensus isn't an 'opinion', it's neutral, as close as there is to 'fact'.",
"(b) i would sincerely like to know why there is disagreement with 'facts' on this issue.",
"if you are arguing that believing in science is 'discuss... | ||
ELI5:Why is there no GED for college? | explainlikeimfive | 1qr9s0 | 1 | true | false | 0.57 | High school is 4 years. College is 4 years ( supposedly). Why is there no general equivalency test? With all the amazing resources out there is a sit down college really necessary? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfn018",
"comment_text": [
"The purpose of a GED is not to allow you to skip highschool, but to allow adults to have a chance to make up for mistakes they have made. As a twenty year old you can't practically go back and hang out with the fifteen year olds and do highschool again, but not h... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfna8z",
"comment_text": [
"The way I see it, college is a more specialized education, where high school is just a general education. To have a GED for college you would have to have a GED for every major out there and that's not really practical. ",
"It would also deprive the universi... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfnwft",
"comment_text": [
"This, plus some college degrees actually mean something. For example, an engineering degree is a legal requirement for professional engineering status, and so ABET (the board the decides how professional engineers are trained) would never allow a GED equivalent f... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfovxa",
"comment_text": [
"Simply put, because high school is compulsory, and college is not. You go to high school (or at least START high school) as a minor, and your parents are responsible for ensuring that you go. NOT going causes many problems, and the GED allows the lack of a high s... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfqwxr",
"comment_text": [
"You could still at least in theory design some set of exams which proved the competency gained by an engineering degree, but why bother. "
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: Why is location detection more precise in a browser when connected through a wifi network? | explainlikeimfive | 1qrdea | 1 | true | false | 0.67 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfo3bu",
"comment_text": [
"It's not because you are connected to a network. Just having wifi enabled helps with accuracy.",
"Consumer GPS is fairly inaccurate once you get to a small enough level. Companies have created database of where wifi points are, and use your wifi receiver to t... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfo7dh",
"comment_text": [
"Also cellular gps have to use cell towers. They pretty much give an estimate of your location. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfou9r",
"comment_text": [
"Also on A-GPS (Assisted GPS) I think they send the pre-calculated GPS signals to a central server for initial location calculation."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdforpq",
"comment_text": [
"Would it only help then if you are in vicinity of one of these known wifi hotspot locations? If all I am seeing is my neighbor's and my own wifi network would it not be very beneficial?"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfoyn9",
"comment_text": [
"Is your house on Google street view? Then your Wi-Fi information was recorded by Google."
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: How Does Plagiarism Software Work? | explainlikeimfive | 1qrgbt | 1 | true | false | 0.67 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfr414",
"comment_text": [
"There are a number of different techniques for detecting plagiarism. The choice of technique is dependent on the work being checked; the performance of each technique varies for different types of document. For instance, papers prepared for a scientific journal a... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfqnrv",
"comment_text": [
"'Plagiarism detection' [PD] software/services (e.g. Turnitin) basically just go through your submitted paper line by line and search for strings of words (using fuzzy logic) to see if those strings appear in the reference document library (which may comprise of t... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfordt",
"comment_text": [
"Probably means writing essay or term papers in school, plagiarizing being recognized as copying other information online."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfomvz",
"comment_text": [
"Can you elaborate please? Do you mean torrenting or file sharring websites?"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfos0k",
"comment_text": [
"Right my bad."
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: If Libertarians run as Republicans in the US, why aren't more Socialists, Greens, and others openly running as Democrats? | explainlikeimfive | 1qrio5 | 5 | true | false | 0.86 | I'm aware of how Republicans and Democrats have successfully locked out third parties running under their own name, but why haven't they tried harder to hijack the current process? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdftako",
"comment_text": [
"\"libertarian\" is a philosophy, \"Libertarian\" is a political party. Some libertarians feels there political goals are best met by being active in the Libertarian party, some do not.",
"Similarly, \"green\" and \"socialist\" are philosophies, and many who ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfqrte",
"comment_text": [
"\"Libertarian\" isn't inherently a party, it's just a philosophy towards government, so when they run as Republicans, they're not hijacking the process. The two major political parties are relatively philosophy-free in that anyone who chooses can run under their ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfrhv4",
"comment_text": [
"But the premise of the question is flawed - just because someone says they're a libertarian doesn't mean they're a member of the Libertarian Party. They don't use the power as Republicans to help out the Libertarian Party, so they're not hijacking anything. Again... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfw09i",
"comment_text": [
"The word \"libertarian\" is capitalized when referring to a member of the Libertarian party. Someone with libertarian values who is not a Libertarian is still a libertarian.",
"The OP is clearly referring to political parties, because the question has all the... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfwh9d",
"comment_text": [
"Ah, I see what you're saying. In that case, it's a question of what the definition of a \"Republican\" or \"Libertarian\" is. There's the legal question - in my state, at least, to run under a party label, you have to be registered for that party, and a statement... | |
ELI5: What causes a hangover, and what are some good cures? | explainlikeimfive | 1qrj8r | 1 | true | false | 0.6 | I used to just assume it was just dehydration, but now I am pretty certain there's more going on. A multivitamin helps so some good stuff is getting flushed out with the bad stuff, maybe?
(btw I know booze causes it but just looking for a physiological answer.) | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfrasp",
"comment_text": [
"Between drinking and expelling, ethanol undergoes some chemical reactions. In some point it becomes a compound named acetaldehyde. This acetaldehyde is the most toxic form ethanol takes during its' way out. And this form is the main cause of hangover. ",
"The... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfs8r6",
"comment_text": [
"Wow, awesome answer. :)"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgdkx7",
"comment_text": [
"To add to this, there are two main things that happens in a hangover; you're dehydrated, and your body is trying to chase after all the evil little rugrats you let lose the night before, namely, the toxic byproducts of alcohol. There are more facets, but these ar... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfpjfi",
"comment_text": [
"here's a good ",
"overview"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfq55f",
"comment_text": [
"People often forget that alcohol is essentially diluted poison. If you got food poisoning, you'd feel sick for a few days. Being intoxicated really isn't all that different. "
],
"score": 2
} | |
ELI5: What people mean when they talk about "PC Master race" | explainlikeimfive | 1qrmi3 | 7 | true | false | 0.61 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfqe0x",
"comment_text": [
"Its a running joke, born of the competition between the two major categories of gamer: Console and PC.",
"People who talk about the \"PC Master Race\" argue that PC gaming is superior in virtually every aspect to Consoles and therefore PC gamers are the \"mas... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfr4lm",
"comment_text": [
"it started at the Escapist :\n",
"http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-glorious-pc-gaming-master-race"
],
"score": 9
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfrjsh",
"comment_text": [
"For further the explanation, many people are very supportive of this argument because its possible to even be a cheap/poor gamer and still have better performance than console with less money. budget gaming custom builds can be bought for 400-500(using seasonal/s... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfrjsh",
"comment_text": [
"For further the explanation, many people are very supportive of this argument because its possible to even be a cheap/poor gamer and still have better performance than console with less money. budget gaming custom builds can be bought for 400-500(using seasonal/s... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfskog",
"comment_text": [
"Except for the one that ultimately matters - comfort of use. Consoles are plug and play and foolproof. You don't need to worry about incompability, system specs, assembly, setup, troubleshooting and unneccessary overly annoying DRM measures.",
"I am a PC game... | ||
ELI5: How do subcultures like punks, juggalos etc. get popular and make people change their lifestyle? | explainlikeimfive | 1qs3t3 | 33 | true | false | 0.86 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfwqil",
"comment_text": [
"It's an aesthetic. You wear the uniform, and instantly you identify yourself to other people who take issue with current societal behavior or whom wish to express a part of themselves - many of these subcultures have room for individual creative experimentation w... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3wqc",
"comment_text": [
"How will nobody else see it? It's the only answer so far."
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfwu4n",
"comment_text": [
"Very good explanation. Looks like nobody else will see it, but I want to let you know that I really appreciate that!"
],
"score": 4
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgksic",
"comment_text": [
"i was the opposite, i grew up listening to all walks of music and in my later years have a great influence from the 70's and 80's harcore punk era even though i was born early in the 90's, its all i listen to these days along with a lot of the bands here in Sydne... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgbhzz",
"comment_text": [
"The thread didn´t get any attention at all, that´s why I wrote that. I´m happy it´s not the case."
],
"score": 0
} | ||
ELI5: Why don't we realized we're dreaming during our dreams? | explainlikeimfive | 1qs985 | 9 | true | false | 1 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfxmjd",
"comment_text": [
"When we're dreaming, the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) of our brains experiences significantly reduced activation.",
"The PFC is the area of the brain that is involved in rational thought processes for helping you (for example) focus/concentrate and attend to a pa... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg79o6",
"comment_text": [
"Sometimes (maybe 40-50%) during a particularly upsetting dream I'll realize that I'm dreaming and try to wake myself up. It's almost like my brain is fighting another part of itself the whole time. "
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg76ui",
"comment_text": [
"Most people aren't. Thats why the phrase \"dream logic\" refers to things that only make sense if you don't think too hard."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg1cxj",
"comment_text": [
"The strangest thing is that it seems to be a skill that can be learned and strengthened. I am not sure how this affects sleep and rest since a part of the brain that is supposed to be asleep is not fully shut down, but I get a full 6 hours and have never felt any... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg720u",
"comment_text": [
"When you lucid dream, you still get the same restful feeling. Your brain doesn't work much harder, it's just a little more aware of what's happening. It usually takes a lot of training in making yourself aware of your surrounding when awake, so you question them ... | |
ELI5 What is the technology at work in the Power Balance Performance bracelets? | explainlikeimfive | 1qsbmu | 2 | true | false | 0.75 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfxm0z",
"comment_text": [
"Pure weapons grade bullshit."
],
"score": 10
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfxq8i",
"comment_text": [
"magnets, rocks, crystals, etc do not affect your body in any way.",
"Well, sticks and stones have been known to break bones."
],
"score": 5
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfxnp1",
"comment_text": [
"Nothing. It's a complete lie. There have been no peer reviewed and accepted scientific studies that have found Benefits from such products. ",
"magnets, rocks, crystals, etc do not affect your body in any way. "
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfxqzh",
"comment_text": [
"Ok: simply by wearing them"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfz4d7",
"comment_text": [
"What do they claim it does? The magnets balance you out??"
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5:Why is it that sometimes it looks like glitter is floating in the air? Is this "seeing stars"? | explainlikeimfive | 1qsbzu | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfyd12",
"comment_text": [
"That is probably because your blood pressure drops Quickly as you get up too fast. "
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfxqf4",
"comment_text": [
"It might br \"floaters\" witch are just a thing that happens to your eyes"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfy3ec",
"comment_text": [
"It's not floaters; I know what that is. Sometimes I stand up to go walk and I see what looks like glitter in the air. I close my eyes and open them again, and it's gone. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfy75z",
"comment_text": [
"This happens to me quite often, and it has me baffled."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfzzbj",
"comment_text": [
"White blood cells",
"(xkcd explanation)?"
],
"score": 1
} | |
Why does a guys long hair not look fluffy or the same as a woman with long hair? | explainlikeimfive | 1qsg3t | 1 | true | false | 0.56 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfz1r4",
"comment_text": [
"Most guys with long hair do not use product or style their hair."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfz3wt",
"comment_text": [
"Because a woman uses product, a blow drier, and often times a straightener. Us guys with long hair wash it and brush it either occasionally or after it's washed, but rarely any other maintenance than that. Another factor that may come into play is the face that w... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfzj5e",
"comment_text": [
"women go to a salon and get the split ends cut off at least monthly",
"Erm. I'm a woman and I've never ever ",
" of anybody doing this. "
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg1v6x",
"comment_text": [
"Relevant",
"."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdg3go6",
"comment_text": [
"Yeah, hair that is maintained properly should not get split ends anywhere near that much. My mom would go get her hair trimmed once a YEAR to take care of split ends. "
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: Why do large, humanoid constructs move and react slower than their regular size counterparts? | explainlikeimfive | 1qsg9t | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | Exactly what the title says. Why do big robots like the Iron Giant and the robots from Pacific Rim move slower than humanoids in, say, iRobot? Or better yet, why do Titans (from the anime Attack on Titan) move slower than humans? If their size is scaled up, wouldn't their strength be as well, meaning they could move an... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfz40g",
"comment_text": [
"Couple reasons, but the square cubed law is one big one.",
"Basically, the volume and mass grows faster than area covered by the shape. It gets increasingly hard for the mechanism to move itself based on mechanics that worked for a smaller figure.",
"It'... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdgnb4i",
"comment_text": [
"Thanks! This had been bugging me for a while.",
"(And yes, I do realize its a movie yadda-yadda but this is always how it is represented in cinema, there must have been logic behind it)"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfz16p",
"comment_text": [
"large arms legs are very hard to move.",
"also, its a movie, so artistic decision"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfz5fk",
"comment_text": [
"Weight and gravity"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfzu09",
"comment_text": [
"Please refrain from pure speculation in top level posts. "
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: What's the difference between getting all your vitamins from supplements, and getting them from fruits and vegetables? | explainlikeimfive | 1qnqs9 | 19 | true | false | 0.71 | Why do you need to eat fruits and vegetables if you get all your vitamins through supplements and other sources? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdemxce",
"comment_text": [
"You cant put fiber in a vitamin pill. Fiber is praised for being able to lower cholesterol levels and regulate BM.",
"As with the other redditor's comment, its quite hard to replicate antioxidants in a pill.",
"Calcium is one vitamin that is extremely har... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cden9t7",
"comment_text": [
"There's a lot of misinformation here. I'm not a perfect source either, but I'll do my best to set a few things right.",
"First, you can get all your nutrition from supplements. We know the recommended daily values of all the macro and micro nutrients that we'... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdemy46",
"comment_text": [
"First of all, eating fruits and vegetables is the default state of affairs, so backwards your question is.",
"\nSupplements are usually more expensive and also it is hard getting the dosage right. Plus they taste horribly.",
"\nBut the most important thin... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepsk3",
"comment_text": [
"I disagree with the statement \"Calcium is one vitamin that is extremely hard to get your daily value all within a pill\" this mineral is readily available in several different formulations, swallowable caplets, chewable tablets and liquids. There is sufficient e... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdesjce",
"comment_text": [
"There are lots of other practical ways. I easily get mine through dark greens, and clean protein sources. I have a dairy intolerance, along with 80% of the planet, and we all seem to do fine. "
],
"score": 2
} | |
ELI5: What creates the "Hot" sensation when eating a a very hot pepper... why does it also "Burn" when leaving the body as well | explainlikeimfive | 1qntxc | 1 | true | false | 0.57 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdenux0",
"comment_text": [
"Capsaicinoids cause you to feel heat by lowering the threshold at which your nerves respond to heat. So instead of actually having to be hot to trigger those nerves, you feel heat at normal temperatures."
],
"score": 4
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeo33h",
"comment_text": [
"TIL. Which is kinda neat, because today I also ground up in my blender a whole crapload of homegrown chiles into a powder that I will use in the coming year to season anything and everything that needs some heat."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepm6h",
"comment_text": [
"You only need to grind the seeds."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepvm4",
"comment_text": [
"Ethanol also works the same way. Which is why when you cut yourself and lather alcohol, it burns!"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfbpwy",
"comment_text": [
"Interesting, I dont know if im delving too much into it, but are you able to explain how Capsaicinoids actually cause this reaction? (ELI5..again)"
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: Why isn't there a cure for cancer yet? | explainlikeimfive | 1qnxyl | 2 | true | false | 0.62 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeongf",
"comment_text": [
"Cancer is different from a virus or a bacteria because it's a mutation. We don't have cures for viruses because they mutate too frequently (vaccines are the best we have), but cancer cells are technically human skin cells. They aren't foreign materials, which mak... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeor5i",
"comment_text": [
"Cancer is cells that divide uncontrollably and could be either undifferentiated (not any particular kind of cell) or differentiated (skin, hair, teeth, muscle, etc.), not human skin cells. ",
"There are also MANY causes of cancer and different kinds of cancer... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepn20",
"comment_text": [
"cancer is akin to saying 'broken'"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeov2f",
"comment_text": [
"Cancer isn't just one disease - it's several related diseases with a common cause(uncontrollably multiplying cells). Different cancers respond best to different treatments - even the same type of cancer can be different depending on the mutations involved. (For i... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepsfq",
"comment_text": [
"All of your cells know how to replicate themsevles, its how we work. Sometimes in some cases parts of their DNA gets damaged, now DNA is huuuuuge so some damage just kills the cell or does nothing bad. But sometimes! It damages part controlling its replication so... | |
ELI5: What are fractals? And how do they benefit math or life in general? | explainlikeimfive | 1qnz9l | 3 | true | false | 0.81 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepzv1",
"comment_text": [
"http://www.ted.com/talks/benoit_mandelbrot_fractals_the_art_of_roughness.html"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeufoe",
"comment_text": [
"Another good video on fractals: ",
"NOVA: Hunting The Hidden Dimension",
" (53 minutes)"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdezg14",
"comment_text": [
"Thanks a bunch! "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdesguo",
"comment_text": [
"Say I took two points- Point A and Point B, and drew a fractal pattern in between them. Now say I zoomed in on say; 1/10 of the distance between A and B. ",
"Now say I zoomed in further on that 1/10 portion. ",
" And if I zoomed into 1000000%, there would... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdezdxs",
"comment_text": [
"Thanks! But another question, you mentioned infinite recursion... how does distance reach a limit if it keeps zooming in...wouldn't it get bigger/longer? And is there always just two points (like A and B)? I did watch the video, I really enjoyed it. "
],
"sco... | ||
ELI5: Why are there so many different kinds of plugs for electrical outlets all over the world? | explainlikeimfive | 1qo06i | 2 | true | false | 0.67 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepbjz",
"comment_text": [
"In addition to the point below about different volatages, which is the main reason, different countries have different ideas about what the safest design is for outlets, so many have different shapes.",
"Also, European standard is 50Hz"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepozg",
"comment_text": [
"Up until 50-60 years ago, people didn't get all their electronics mass produced in Chinese factories. Everything was made (relatively) locally. Travel between countries was uncommon and expensive.",
"There was no reason for them to be the same.",
"Since... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdep9qa",
"comment_text": [
"There are different standards for electricity around the world. In the US, the standard is 120Volts at 60Hz. I don't completely remember the European standards, but as I recall, it's 45Hz. Different electronics will not function unless running on the correct powe... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeqkoy",
"comment_text": [
"In most of Europe, Its actually 50 Hz"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeqr35",
"comment_text": [
"Technically it's 230 volts but it usually ends up being around 220"
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: If short-sightedness is caused by convex of the eye, and long-sightnedness is caused by concave of the eye, why do some people need bifocal lenses? | explainlikeimfive | 1qolvs | 2 | true | false | 0.67 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdev8lc",
"comment_text": [
"I think it basically boils down to the fact that your lens is more stuck in the neutral position, since the muscles are having a hard time adjusting it both ways..."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdevy1g",
"comment_text": [
"Man, as a person suffering of Astigmatism, Hypermetropia and Myopia I sure want to know."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdewgoe",
"comment_text": [
"Your if's are wrong. All persons have convex lenses. These lenses are stretched by muscles in the eye to change focus. Persons who are short-sighted cannot stretch the lens flat enough to allow the image of distant objects to focus, and the lenses in long-sighted... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdewkww",
"comment_text": [
"When I meant \"long-sightedness is caused by concave of the eye\" I meant that their eye is \"too flat\" and as you put it \"cannot relax to a shape that is curved enough\". (Obviously I didn't mean that long-sightedness means your eyes are shaped inside out, I t... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdewql9",
"comment_text": [
"Your eye is a lens, all lenses have focal points. When you have near or far sightedness, your lens is misshapen causing the focal point to not be in the normal human positon. So the eye will pull and relax your lens to focus better, but due to the lens having an ... | ||
ELI5: How to some dogs instantly hate each other at first sight and some love each other, even though they've never met before? | explainlikeimfive | 1qoaem | 12 | true | true | 0.76 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdex813",
"comment_text": [
"From recent studies, it is generally now accepted within dog pyschology circles that the \"pack\" mentality doesn't exist within domesticated dogs. The average dog is considered to have roughly the same level of intelligence as a 2 year old human.",
"Dogs are... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf3a5o",
"comment_text": [
"Just as there are manners with humans, there are manners dogs. Just like humans, some dogs don't understand these manners. ",
"They're little things people often don't notice. They aren't supposed to look other dogs straight in the eye at first meeting. It's ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf55sz",
"comment_text": [
"I'm not an expert, but have had 3 dogs and have a GF who has 6 dogs. My guess is that dogs will act friendly towards each other when neither of them perceives the other as a threat. A dog may be perceived as a threat by another by displaying dominant behavior. So... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdexq1b",
"comment_text": [
"Dogs are not stupid. They do not think you are part of its \"pack\" or that it is in your \"pack\" it knows you are a human, and not a dog. Dogs have evolved to naturally be obedient to humans. ",
"Fair enough, but what has that got to do with OP's question? ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdexyrx",
"comment_text": [
"I wasn't commenting on OP's question, merely refuting the information about the pack mentality as to not give false information to the OP (I assume he is a dog owner)",
"As an answer to OP's question, dogs make prejudiced decisions and assumptions about other... | |
ELI5: Whatever happened to drive in movie theaters and why have they become almost extinct? | explainlikeimfive | 1qope2 | 1 | true | false | 0.6 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdexbyh",
"comment_text": [
"You can't:",
"Control weather - heavy rain would make viewing the screen impossible, wind can shake a fabric screen.",
"Place a theater in a small area - cars take up a lot of space",
"Control sound- you have to compete with street traffic and noise o... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeye6e",
"comment_text": [
"http://projectdrivein.com/",
"Save the drive-ins!"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf9k2d",
"comment_text": [
"Drive-ins were also a byproduct of post-war America's love of cars. People wanted to do ",
" in their car.",
"These days, an increasing number of teenagers don't have cars."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdew3yy",
"comment_text": [
"living in wa state I would prefer indoor movies during the winter/colder seasons, dunno if that is related. plus I read something a month or 2 ago about how most drive ins couldn't afford to switch to digital projection since pretty much all filming is done that ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf9rdn",
"comment_text": [
"They still exist.",
"They are and conventional indoor cinema dying of because of people not going out anymore.",
"Some are selling out to developers.",
"Some are just closing instead of investing in digital projectors (a must for any cinema to show th... | ||
ELI5:How has climate change led to stronger storms/typhoons/tornados? | explainlikeimfive | 1qoyav | 0 | true | false | 0.38 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeyg9z",
"comment_text": [
"Global warming means higher temperature, change in temperature means change in pressure. More drastic changes of pressure usually result in more drastic storms "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf0l7k",
"comment_text": [
"It's tough to say, because a generation of human lives is less than a millisecond of time for the planet-geological changes take thousands of years. That being said, it ",
"appears",
" from data collected for nearly the past 100 years that global warming... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf103f",
"comment_text": [
"Firstly, there is no evidence that climate change has increased the frequency and severity of weather events. It is only a prediction of what climate change might lead to in the coming decades. Here's an article that discusses one particular study. ",
"http:/... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf23n8",
"comment_text": [
"Not contesting your point, proving a link between climate change and global warming, and climate change and weather events is prone to bias, but you may want to check the article you cited. The extremely talented and respected Dr. Jeff Masters has ",
"commen... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf34op",
"comment_text": [
"I may have resorted to a bit of hyperbole when I said that there's no evidence. However, the way OP worded the question was concerning. It sounds like they think it is a fact that global warming is already causing an increase in severe weather. I tried to inject ... | ||
ELI5: What is it with humans and patterns? | explainlikeimfive | 1qow4i | 3 | true | false | 0.6 | Humans seem to really like patterns. We look for them everywhere, and they're a part of daily life, it seems. Music, for example. Are patterns really prevalent in the way our brain/body works, with how we learn, or what? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf218y",
"comment_text": [
"Yes, they are very prevalent. Many people, myself included, believe that intelligence is based upon recognizing patterns and constantly using those patterns to predict what will happen around us. Perhaps you've heard of computer systems that attempt to recognize ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeyd3u",
"comment_text": [
"This won't completely answer your question about music, but it might get you started. Pattern recognition and extrapolation is actually a major part of how our brains work. We are only capable of being conscious of a tiny portion of the raw data that our brains t... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeyz8q",
"comment_text": [
"So, are neurons similar or the same to how ours are/work required for a species to reach an elevated level of intelligence, such as ours? ",
"If so, could another species out there reach human-level intelligence within any remotely predictable timeline, or is... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeyb1d",
"comment_text": [
"Mm, not totally sure. I mean, music existed before mathematics. And I'd imagine you wouldn't have a person who doesn't respond well, or at all, to patterns, simply because they didn't learn mathematics.",
"One scenario in which this could ",
" be true is ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeyf9r",
"comment_text": [
"music existed before mathematics",
"True but humans do mathematical things without realizing it, think throwing a spear, you measure the weight of the spear, look for the right angle and throwing power. Long before math was written. I just think its naturally... | |
In MySQL what is the difference between, left, right and inner joins? | explainlikeimfive | 1qp1k7 | 2 | true | false | 0.67 | When is each one most appropriate? Why would I use on vs the other? Does one work faster? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdezcm7",
"comment_text": [
"Left: takes all records from the first table and matching from the second\nRight: takes all records from the second table and matching from the first\nInner: takes only matching records from both tables"
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdezfd7",
"comment_text": [
"I've found circular charts the best way to explain it: ",
"http://i.stack.imgur.com/1UKp7.png"
],
"score": 5
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeze7m",
"comment_text": [
"A LEFT join takes all the records from the left table and matches them with the right table. Sometimes there will be no matching records on the right table, those will return nulls in that row.",
"A RIGHT join is obviously the reverse.",
"An INNER join is... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf0tsi",
"comment_text": [
"http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2007/10/a-visual-explanation-of-sql-joins.html",
" -- this is very useful."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf99yi",
"comment_text": [
"Let's say you have a list of houses & a list of people. Some of those people live in the houses. Some of those houses are empty.",
"If you want a list of all the people & the houses they live in, you'd do an INNER JOIN. This gives you all the people in you... | |
ELI5: I never understood what is company stock and what gives it value. Please explain. | explainlikeimfive | 1qp86i | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | I've heard about stock market and companies entering the stock market etc. But what the heck is the concept of stock. How does it affect the company? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf1dem",
"comment_text": [
"Suppose you and I are an adventuring party. You're a thief, I'm a wizard. We want to delve into the dungeon of Ashardalon, but we know our current equipment won't be up to snuff. We go into town, and offer a deal to everyone--for each person who gives us 100 g... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf1vv1",
"comment_text": [
"Both. In our adventurer's story, suppose the only proof we offer our customers in town is a certificate--now other people might want those certificates either because of how they hear our adventuring party is faring (rumors), because of how we're actually faring... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf1c8o",
"comment_text": [
"A company's stock is a physical representation of ownership in the company. Like 1 share of apple is 1 millionth of one percent of owning apple. If you owned 50 million, you'd own 50% of the company. ",
"This is done so that investors can buy 'stock' for loan... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf1t8n",
"comment_text": [
"Haha! Awesome explanation story. So can stock be added or taken away or is it fixed from beginning. From what I understand, a company has shares that investors buy and then if company profits the investor profits because the share price goes up and the amount inv... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf1zug",
"comment_text": [
"Not quite but close. Say, you own a share of stock in Apple. Apple has a news announcement saying they've had a great financial quarter and profits were great. They say they will pay 1$ a share (this is called the dividend). That means for each share you own, App... | |
ELI5: What will prevent people from waiting to buy healthcare until they get sick with the pre existing conditions clause? | explainlikeimfive | 1qpg9h | 1 | true | false | 0.56 | This is a serious question. I don't follow politics that closely so maybe there are obvious answers to my questions, but from my perspective, it seems like there is no motivation to waste money on insurance if I'm healthy and can buy it once I get sick. Also, I'm 25, almost 26 and I've heard people from both parties sa... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf3vnx",
"comment_text": [
"Nothing. Understand that you will have to pay a fine, and the fine increases every year. Other than that, nothing will prevent you from buying insurance when you need it. "
],
"score": 4
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf4dmq",
"comment_text": [
"Fines totalling $200, assessed only when you seek medical attention.",
"_ which is less than any visit to an emergency room, Again OPs' question - whats my motivation?"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf44mw",
"comment_text": [
"As Xelopheris points out, there is an annual fine/tax for failing to obtain coverage, which maxes out at $695. Now, as you've probably reasoned, that figure can be easily eclipsed by the annual cost of even very modest coverage. No doubt, some young people will... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf45u1",
"comment_text": [
"The signup window for the launch of the Affordable Healthcare Act is October 2013 to March 2014. After that, you have to wait until October thru December 2014 to sign up for 2015 insurance, and so on for each year. So if you don't sign up before end of March an... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf4ht1",
"comment_text": [
"This is a fine strategy if you don't have insurance today, and you find out you need a million dollars of cancer treatment tomorrow.",
"The problem is if you don't have insurance today, and you just got $200,000 of medical treatment for a car accident yesterd... | |
ELI5: What are empty Calories? | explainlikeimfive | 1qpog2 | 2 | true | false | 0.75 | I have always wondered what that means. For example alcohol has no nutrients but has lots of calories. Is this correct? If so, does it mean the body can't use those calories to burn in the muscles? Is fat an empty calorie? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf6bry",
"comment_text": [
"\"Empty calories\" just means calories with no nutritional benefit. As you said, alcohol is a great example. Your body can still burn those calories just fine, but you haven't satisfied any of your daily nutritional requirements (no vitamins, no minerals, no pr... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf9zak",
"comment_text": [
"So fat is an empty calorie then or not?",
"No. You need a certain amount of fat in your diet to remain healthy. ",
"And also one then could live on just sugar and vitamin pills?",
"No. You also need fat, protein, and (arguably) fiber."
],
"score... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf6cbm",
"comment_text": [
"You want to eat a certain number of calories a day. But you also need certain other nutrients in certain amounts each day for a balanced diet. When you're eating something that's empty calories, it usually means that it contains little to no other nutritional con... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfizk6",
"comment_text": [
"The most confusing part is the fact that a calorie isn't a real thing you eat. It is a measure of energy.. like Joules for example are in chemistry. What makes someone gain weight or become fat is much more complicated than just \"oh i ate 3000 calories\". You c... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf9scw",
"comment_text": [
"Ok. But does the source of the Calorie matter in terms of how it can be used - or is it like fuel - all the same?"
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: How someone can get into hard drugs, like meth, heroin, and crack. | explainlikeimfive | 1qpu6s | 4 | true | false | 0.75 | I understand lesser drugs, such as weed, coke, acid, shrooms, etc, but with all the knowledge of how bad they are for you, how does someone fall into the epitome of hard drugs? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf88re",
"comment_text": [
"It's interesting that you put cocaine on your 'lesser' drugs, but 'crack' in your list of hard drugs. Both are very similar in their effects and addictive profile. Tobacco and alcohol should also be on your list as they are quite addictive drugs which have numero... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf85it",
"comment_text": [
"Coke isn't a lesser drug. I consider it a hard drug. "
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf8mj8",
"comment_text": [
"There was a really interesting experiment done a few years back (see this fun comic! ",
"http://www.stuartmcmillen.com/comics_en/rat-park/",
") that showed that drug addiction in rats is significantly correlated to how shitty their lives are. The authors ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfc0x7",
"comment_text": [
"For me, it was a long and slow progression. I did not wake up one day and decide to put a needle in my arm. It started with percocet here and there... then led to oxys and by that point the addiction was so bad that heroin was a cheaper alternative...took me ab... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfjoj7",
"comment_text": [
"First off, I am going to mark answered due to your response. Thanks for the insightful answer.",
"Secondly, I put coke on the \"lesser\" list despite putting crack on the \"harder\" list as cocaine is usually viewed as a party drug, just taking a few lines f... | |
ELI5: Why does the US not require drug testing for government assistance? | explainlikeimfive | 1qpt71 | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf7ows",
"comment_text": [
"It assumes anyone claiming welfare is guilty of drug use without any evidence."
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf7upn",
"comment_text": [
"You don't need to be. You choose to accept a job that requires drug testing. You could ask the same question. Why does your employer choose to drug test you?",
"What are you suggesting that anyone receiving any government benefit should be drug tested? Or rea... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf7upn",
"comment_text": [
"You don't need to be. You choose to accept a job that requires drug testing. You could ask the same question. Why does your employer choose to drug test you?",
"What are you suggesting that anyone receiving any government benefit should be drug tested? Or rea... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf7z7a",
"comment_text": [
"Well if you make up facts of course you win arguments."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdf7z7a",
"comment_text": [
"Well if you make up facts of course you win arguments."
],
"score": 3
} | |
ELI5: What are the major types of welfare / governmental assistance program that are available to me as an American citizen? | explainlikeimfive | 1qq33h | 1 | true | false | 0.66 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfaovo",
"comment_text": [
"It all depends on what kind of citizen you are. "
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfarkd",
"comment_text": [
"What do you mean? I was born here. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfawsu",
"comment_text": [
"I think he means your demographic info. Whether or not you're married, have kids, how old you are, how much you make, your financial situation, what you're employed in, what you were employed in, where you live (state/city), if you have disabilities. There are to... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfayiv",
"comment_text": [
"The government offers a lot of programs but you have to meet the eligibility requirements. Being born here does not qualify you for everything that's offered. For example, you have to be a senior citizen to qualify for medicare or social security. You have to b... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfcqzu",
"comment_text": [
"Most programs are run through individual states. Even when it's federal money, it's generally used to pay for state programs rather than being run centrally."
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: In terms of performance, what are the differences between a fast processor (high frequency) versus a multi-cored processor? | explainlikeimfive | 1qq66p | 5 | true | false | 0.79 | I'd like to know what the pros and cons of having a very fast, let's say a 1.5 Ghz dual-core chip, versus a slower processor with more cores, like a quad-core 1.5 Ghz CPU. Thanks for helping me learn! | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfcw7m",
"comment_text": [
"Think of a processor as a factory connected to a road. To do work, the road delivers raw materials to the factory, then the factory turns those materials into finished product, and then the finished product is moved away by road.",
"Each core in a processor i... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfej5h",
"comment_text": [
"Brilliant response.",
"I would add is that the number of cores isn't necessarily the deciding factor of how many tasks can be executed concurrently; that would be ",
".",
"Usually, the number of threads and cores are identical but, with Intel processo... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfesm4",
"comment_text": [
"Thank you, your analogy was very effective, and you explained it like I'm five! +1."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdffsof",
"comment_text": [
"Thanks! :)"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdffvjq",
"comment_text": [
"Thank you very much.",
"I'm a programmer and so I'm immersed in this kind of thing every day. It did me good to deconstruct my own understanding of it and reconstruct it in a way that would hopefully be easy for a non-programmer to visualize. I'm glad you lik... | |
ELI5:In Harry Potter, what makes a sorcerer stronger than the other? | explainlikeimfive | 1qkqtt | 4 | true | false | 0.74 | if the spell is pronounced correctly and the wand movement was also done correctly, what makes voldemort stronger than any other wizards? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddsnbj",
"comment_text": [
"The three times I can remember a character explicitly explaining how to perform magic are when Lupin teaches Harry the Patronus Charm, when Snape teaches Harry Occlumency, and when McGonagall teaches the trio how to perform spells without speaking. In those case... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddssx0",
"comment_text": [
"Also, when Belatrix explains to Harry that the Cruciatus Curse only works when you deeply want to cause pain."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddrmqf",
"comment_text": [
"It seems that in the HP world the ability to perform magic is like any other talent, such as music, athletics, or cooking -- practice and study will improve skills, but some just have more natural talent than others. And some, sqibs, have no talent for it at all.... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddrl8b",
"comment_text": [
"It's my impression that the \"Magic\" that they produce originates from their Spirit. Mean spirited people are more proficient with dark origin spells, and High spirited people are better with practical spells.",
"But in the aspect of Voledmort, he was not on... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddtdfl",
"comment_text": [
"What film does McGonagall teach them how to perform spells without speaking?"
],
"score": 0
} | |
ELI5; If as I've just found out Orcas are Dolphins, why aren't porpoises ? | explainlikeimfive | 1qkqzh | 2 | true | false | 0.67 | Well I just discovered that apparently Orcas are a type of Dolphin.
I've studied enough science that I understand why this is, even though I had never realized before.
So why aren't porpoises a type of Dolphin ? They're also very similar. Even to the naked eye they are very similar easily confused and from what I've ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddzz7w",
"comment_text": [
"The orca and the dolphins are different geni in the family known as \"oceanic dolphin\".",
"Porpoises are in a different family; the porpoise and dolphin family are both considered part of the same \"superfamily\".",
"How do they decide which animals are ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeh2ap",
"comment_text": [
"I study genetics as part of my degree so I understand how things are organised into families. However I don't understand the significant difference between dolphins and porpoises that cause them to be in a different genera. I've attempted some Google research but... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdep9m8",
"comment_text": [
"Maybe we are out of ELI5 scope now. Summoning ",
"/u/Unidan",
" ...."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cder1zh",
"comment_text": [
"Do you mean genera? "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdevbt7",
"comment_text": [
"Yes, yes I did. I'm gonna have to edit now."
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: Why does China want Tibet so bad? | explainlikeimfive | 1ql2fc | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | Is their a resource in Tibet that China wants? Is there some sort of trade route? Are these imperialistic views or oppressive acts against Tibetan Buddhism? I could probably just Google but I'd like to hear some different views from everyone here. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdepthv",
"comment_text": [
"The Chinese consider Tibet a part of their empire for a long time.\nAlready in the Yuan (13th century) it was a part of China , ",
"Wikipedia map",
", although it was independent during the Ming. It was a part of Qing again and was considered a part of Ch... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde9yya",
"comment_text": [
"This is what I was looking for! Thank you very much."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde9yya",
"comment_text": [
"This is what I was looking for! Thank you very much."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddv9c2",
"comment_text": [
"He answered it perfectly. If China lets Tibet go, then other provinces will want to separate. So the reason China wants Tibet is because it shows the rest of Chinese people that they better not be thinking about \"anything crazy like that\""
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddvj8p",
"comment_text": [
"I guess what I'm looking for is what are the reasons for Chinese occupation in Tibet? Tibet was an independent country until the 1950s, i think. Was it the idea of communist expansion that had China decide to take Tibet in the first place? "
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5:I know I don't drink enough water. If you're supposed to drink 6-8 glasses a day, why am I not dead or severely ill? | explainlikeimfive | 1ql4gx | 2 | true | false | 1 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddvjf1",
"comment_text": [
"8 glasses a day is a myth. You need as much water as you need. If you live in a cold climate you'd need less. If you lived in a desert just having 8 a day would kill you from dehydration. "
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddvown",
"comment_text": [
"Most food does too"
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddvhzh",
"comment_text": [
"Simple, everything you drink currently has water in it!"
],
"score": 4
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddx05w",
"comment_text": [
"You do ",
" want to get kidney stones!"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddxht0",
"comment_text": [
"No, but the morphine and oxycondone is nice. "
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: Why is a shaft with a bore through it stronger torsionally than one without a bore? | explainlikeimfive | 1qlbz8 | 4 | true | false | 0.83 | I understand the concept of double/single shear, but I can't wrap my head around why a removing material increases torsional strength. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddz0gt",
"comment_text": [
"Flex, the shell can flex and creates less torque on the center of the mass. Cross sectional area has been reduced so shearing stress has also been reduced. It's the maths, bro."
],
"score": 7
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1zf3",
"comment_text": [
"It's a common misconception. It's not. You can't add more material and make it easier to torque.",
"The comparison is that a cylinder has more resistance to torsion than a solid rod of the same cross-sectional mass. This is because the farther away mass is... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1wz0",
"comment_text": [
"It lets it bend. .even just a lil bit. Is that better?"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1c6o",
"comment_text": [
"Was that really a LI5 E?"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde210v",
"comment_text": [
"Yup, thanks."
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: Whats the deal with Obamacare and having health insurance or you get fined when you do your taxes? | explainlikeimfive | 1qlc30 | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddxz30",
"comment_text": [
"This is for concepts you'd like to understand better; not for simple one word answers, walkthroughs, or personal problems."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddycgh",
"comment_text": [
"I think he has asked a very important question about one of the central concepts of the ACA. Nothing about his question could possibly be construed as a request for a one word answer, a walk through or a personal problem. He is seeking a simple explanation to a c... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde09ri",
"comment_text": [
"Actually, he has a question: Whether or not he will get fined for not having health care. (S/)He and their fiance(e) don't have healthcare, but their son does, and they want to know if they'll pay a fine.",
"That's both a personal problem and ",
" reques... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1jdf",
"comment_text": [
"Since you appreciated my feedback so much here is some more. You are intentionally playing semantic games (or playing dumb, IDK). He asked what the deal was with Obamacare. And he asked what the deal was with getting fined for not having insurance at tax time. Cl... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1on6",
"comment_text": [
"Since you appreciated my feedback so much here is some more. You are intentionally playing semantic games (or playing dumb, IDK). ",
"More likely, I just spend more time in ELI5 than you do, and I have more experience. I'm not playing semantic games ",
"... | ||
ELI5: Why dont companies like Sony/Microsoft add backwards compatibility for their consoles? | explainlikeimfive | 1qlkm2 | 11 | true | false | 0.8 | Surely its just a matter of adding the code for running previous console games onto the new software? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde0n6w",
"comment_text": [
"It's more than 'adding the code', it's adding ",
" of code. The new consoles have completely different hardware that basically makes them incompatible with running previous generation games. Don't think of this as xbone trying to run xbox360, think of this as... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde0t23",
"comment_text": [
"Surely its just a matter of adding the code for running previous console games onto the new software?",
"Er... sometimes. But it's significantly more complicated than that. ",
"Why don't mac games run on a PC? Well.. because OSX is different than windo... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde0mmq",
"comment_text": [
"It's not just a matter of adding the code. It's either adding essential parts of the previous generation's chipset (Original PS3 had this,) or creating a program that emulates said chipset in a virtual environment (which often ends up being buggy.)",
"And it'... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1gvm",
"comment_text": [
"So, why did the PS3 include a PS2 for backwards compatibility, then?"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde31wo",
"comment_text": [
"It had a chunk of hardware inside which was a minimized version of the PS2 processing unit, thats why it costed 500 bucks and why it was removed in later versions of the console. "
],
"score": 2
} | |
How does succesful investing work and how do people make millions off of trading stocks and investing in things? | explainlikeimfive | 1qlqyb | 7 | true | false | 1 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde38xc",
"comment_text": [
"The best way to make money off of investing is to do something called \"diversify\". ",
"If we are talking about the stock market for example, we know that over time, the market as a whole will increase in value, yet any single individual stock may go either ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde44x2",
"comment_text": [
"Yes, but a diverse fund doesn't make not rich people \"rich\""
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde4uxk",
"comment_text": [
"But that's a start.\nOver the time, we study different companies and get to know them very well. This allows good selection of companies.\nAnother great way to make money is investing in IPOs. Always look out for companies announcing IPOs. Value Of almost all of... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde506k",
"comment_text": [
"Very few beat chance. And in an IPO it's usually the stockbroker's friends that get the first stock. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecosq",
"comment_text": [
"An IPO is the box with gold in it?"
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: Why is fighting allowed in Ice hockey? | explainlikeimfive | 1qloui | 1 | true | false | 0.54 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1sbb",
"comment_text": [
"The Wikipedia answer is rather good: ",
"http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_in_ice_hockey",
"In the NHL fights generally result in in game penalties, but in other countries they result in ejection from the game.",
"North American fans really like... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1qgx",
"comment_text": [
"The conventional wisdom seems to be that if players aren't allowed to fight and release their aggression then they will resort to even more violent actions like hitting each other with their hockey sticks. I don't know if this is true but I've asked friends who ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde1y8t",
"comment_text": [
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qloe5/eli5_why_are_there_so_many_fights_in_ice_hockey/cde1x2l"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde2ibu",
"comment_text": [
"The fighting is the best part of hockey.",
"No, really. The NHL rules are pretty obviously designed to allow and even encourage occasional fighting. You can't not notice this."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecv1r",
"comment_text": [
"Electro is wrong. Denise is correct.",
"Because hockey is unique. Unlike football, the worst thing you can do is throw a ball really hard at someone. Hockey, you can use your stick as a weapon. So the players take the frustration out in an organized way.",
... | ||
ELI5: How do countries successfully implement/maintain gun control? | explainlikeimfive | 1qlx8u | 3 | true | false | 1 | If it's just a law change, it doesn't seem like enough to stop anyone who desires from obtaining a gun and using it? And yet the gun crime rates in those countries are phenomenally lower than the likes of North America. For example, why don't gangs in England have much gun violence? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde3v8w",
"comment_text": [
"By enforcing the laws.",
"Why do people in America pay for a license to drive a car? You could easily drive without one, and you could even go years of driving with never getting caught. But for whatever reason very few people actually take the risk.",
"T... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde4feg",
"comment_text": [
"The criminals always have a theoretical advantage, unless you let people legally own every weapon ever made. By that same argument, criminals currently have an advantage because they can use theatre ballistic missiles, and law-abiding civilians can't.",
"In p... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde3v19",
"comment_text": [
"Gun control doesn't mean banning all guns. I'm routinely told by Americans that I can't own a gun because I'm Australian and they're banned and yet there are millions of privately owned firearms in Australia. Legally owned. We have gun control though. The US ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde4ehw",
"comment_text": [
"Same thing here in Canada. For a country that supposedly has banned firearms, we're sure a heavily armed people. And I sure know a lot of people who own them. "
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cde418g",
"comment_text": [
"The idea behind that argument is that if you make a law broadly restricting gun ownership, and law-abiding people follow it and criminals don't, it will mainly serve to give criminals an advantage. So, for example, if handguns are banned, criminals will have hand... | |
ELI5: What happens if an individual declares bankruptcy in the USA? | explainlikeimfive | 1qmm99 | 5 | true | false | 1 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebojq",
"comment_text": [
"Like you're Five: On the day you get your allowance, you buy a bag of candy. The next day, you want more candy, but you spent your allowance, so you ask your brother if you can borrow his allowance, and pay him back with your next allowance. You buy another bag o... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdef9wm",
"comment_text": [
"well cant you get candy from that guy that drives the big white van?"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdee99i",
"comment_text": [
"As the answer always is with legal concepts: it depends. In this case, it depends on which chapter the bankruptcy is filed under. There are two chapters available for individual debtors: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. (There's also Chapter 12, but it's conceptually si... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdefzs1",
"comment_text": [
"This is very accurate."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdfcgpb",
"comment_text": [
"A few small corrections. ",
"You can file all you want (as long as you don't have more than one active case a time). You can only get a DISCHARGE once per seven years.",
"Also you are slightly off about a Chapter 13. You get the plan at the start and you ... | |
ELI5: Why do I have green eyes when my parents have blue eyes? | explainlikeimfive | 1qmn5c | 2 | true | false | 0.67 | It seems like I should have blue eyes too :P | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecxcs",
"comment_text": [
"Eye color is usually dumbed down into two categories, Dominant traits vs Recessive traits. Blue eyes are a recessive trait along with other unusual colors such as green, amber, hazel, grey, etc. You can also be a carrier for other colors which is based on your ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdek6df",
"comment_text": [
"/u/Thepineappleheaddres",
"'s answer is (I think) the only one that's not just plain wrong.",
"Eye color isn't mendelian, both your parents have very little melanin in their eyes and you have very little in yours. If you could drain all of the fluid out o... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebe9r",
"comment_text": [
"Did your mother hang around dockside bars?"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebs22",
"comment_text": [
"ZING! don't think so"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeiafs",
"comment_text": [
"Mailman?"
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: What causes children of divorced parents to react negatively when they meet their parents' new partners? | explainlikeimfive | 1qmoq7 | 3 | true | false | 1 | Children of age might experience anxiety, anger, or other negative emotions when meeting their parents' new boyfriend or girlfriend. Parents might ask their children, "Why don't you want to meet him/her?" or "Why does it bother you that I'm dating?" -- what are some of the actual reasons? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebiza",
"comment_text": [
"I have no idea. But I'm 32 and my parents have been separating for years now. I still have trouble with this, I try not to, but I don't like it."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebkim",
"comment_text": [
"In my personal experience, my daughter was angry with my girlfriend and my girlfriends Daughter, mostly because, she felt I was using them to replace her and my ex-wife. It took awhile for her to see that they were just an extension to the core family, rather th... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeblq7",
"comment_text": [
"They always have this hope or feeling, deep down, that their parents will get back together. That hope is squashed when a parent starts seeing someone else."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebpit",
"comment_text": [
"What would you guess is the cause, then, for a child who does not have that hope, or even want them to reunite? "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdec10m",
"comment_text": [
"There can be a lot of irrational reasons but often times the parents new partner is seen as the cause of the family splitting up. In my case my dad cheated on my mom and had another kid. My brother saw my dad's new family as a giant fuck you to he and I his entir... | |
ELI5: Why do certain foods (jar of cheese, salsa) need to be refrigerated only after opening? | explainlikeimfive | 1qmp0r | 2 | true | false | 0.67 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebjp0",
"comment_text": [
"The jars are sealed with little to no bacteria content inside of them. Once they're exposed to the world, bacteria is getting in, no questions asked. The rate at which bacteria progresses decreases as temperature decreases, so refrigerating it gives it a longer s... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebkak",
"comment_text": [
"Because it was sealed in a sterile environment. When you break the seal you introduce bacteria. You have to keep it cold or the bacteria will grow."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdelknr",
"comment_text": [
"Also mold. Same thing, different organism. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebjyx",
"comment_text": [
"Some have preservative chemicals and some don't. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebkp2",
"comment_text": [
"Because it is pasteurized and sealed. Until you open the jar, there are negligible amounts of bacteria inside to negatively affect the food. Once you open it, however, you've allowed in all the bacteria present in the air, which can cause it to go bad."
],
... | |
ELI5: How come Facebook has no direct competitors. | explainlikeimfive | 1qmoa1 | 2 | true | false | 0.75 | Twitter is the closest I can think of and that's a stretch. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebi7g",
"comment_text": [
"Facebook DOES have direct competitors, it just beats them. Here's why: even though the ToS of Facebook is stupidly crazy, so many people are on Facebook that it's hard to leave.",
"Would you go to a \"better\" party, if you were the only one there? No. You wo... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebd5v",
"comment_text": [
"How would you compare google + to Facebook? I think once so many users have signed up to one form of social media it is very hard to get a mass migration."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebltj",
"comment_text": [
"Nobody goes over to Google+ because nobody's on Google+."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebqc4",
"comment_text": [
"OK. So, MySpace had hundreds of millions of users - what made them switch to FB?"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdebe0c",
"comment_text": [
"Just like like myspace."
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: Why does my chewing gum start to disintegrate if I chew it along with a piece of ice? | explainlikeimfive | 1qmtq0 | 4 | true | false | 0.75 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdee6do",
"comment_text": [
"This is all just a guess, so I can be completely wrong. Gum is merely rubber-like substance and saliva after you've chewed on it for a bit. The ice is freezing the saliva and/or causing the rubber to become less elastic. In either case, the result will be the gum... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecx7r",
"comment_text": [
"I don't chew gum anymore but this boggled my mind in my youth! Ice destroys all gum, WHY?!"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdehdzk",
"comment_text": [
"probably because it has lots of sugar which dissolves in your saliva"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeols4",
"comment_text": [
"This has made me wonder for a long time... it's so disgusting."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdegfmj",
"comment_text": [
"Also: why does cheap gum eventually turn to mush and then liquid if you chew long enough?"
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: The unwritten rules of Reddit [{Serious] | explainlikeimfive | 1qmt3j | 3 | true | false | 0.71 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecuac",
"comment_text": [
"Don't be a dick"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdedl57",
"comment_text": [
"i don't have one, so i don't plan on being one "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecx0m",
"comment_text": [
"Corectly spel everthing haz 2 b #1 on da lizt."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdedm4i",
"comment_text": [
"th@Nkz"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecysu",
"comment_text": [
"Don't beg for upvotes."
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: What is addictive in painkillers and what is the high "like"? | explainlikeimfive | 1qmqrt | 6 | true | false | 0.8 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeccd0",
"comment_text": [
"The high is basically a euphoria, but if you've been suffering from long term pain, just not feeling the pain is a great feeling of well-being. \nBut of course, the dosage necessary to feel that again and again, against the tolerance you build up is where the add... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecf70",
"comment_text": [
"When a person feels pain, the signal needs to transmit from the place where the pain occurs to your brain. The signal passes from one neuron to another over something called a synapse, a junction where one neuron sends a signal to the other using chemicals. Paink... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdef691",
"comment_text": [
"No, Codeine is actually extremely weak. No junkie seeks out Codeine. You're thinking of Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. When I was using, I wouldn't have even felt Codeine."
],
"score": 5
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdef691",
"comment_text": [
"No, Codeine is actually extremely weak. No junkie seeks out Codeine. You're thinking of Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. When I was using, I wouldn't have even felt Codeine."
],
"score": 5
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdecp4b",
"comment_text": [
"Painkillers are opiates, similar to heroin. Once you have more experience with them you can differentiate between various opiate based highs (heroin vs oxycodone/oxycontin vs hydrocodone/vicodin/lortab vs hydromorphone/dilaudid vs oxymorphone/opana vs codeine et... | |
ELI5: 128-bit encryption, 256-bit encryption and the like, and why are they so hard to crack? | explainlikeimfive | 1qn3k0 | 1 | true | false | 1 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdefuqj",
"comment_text": [
"This is a really great video about encryption. It'll explain everything you want to know! :) ",
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7kEpw1tn50"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdefzgf",
"comment_text": [
"In general its all about size. The larger your number, the more possible combinations there are, and so the harder it is to guess the right number.",
"128-bit encryption gives you 340282366920938463463374607431768211456 different combinations. at 3 gHz compu... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdehv69",
"comment_text": [
"that would take you close to 4 years to get through.",
"How do you figure? I get 3x10",
" years even if you can check one combination per clock cycle (reality would take much longer), but I could be wrong."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdehys0",
"comment_text": [
"I said at 3 gHz computational speed. simplified and assuming you are simply going number by number that's about how long it would take.",
"Obviously this is too simplified to cover how an actual attacker would try to brute force the key, but it gives an idea ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeidxh",
"comment_text": [
"It looks to me that at 3 billion checks per second you get through 340282366920938463463374607431768211456 possible keys in 3.5 Sextillion years. Am I doing the math wrong?"
],
"score": 1
} | |
Marine corp pronunciation | explainlikeimfive | 1qnfea | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | Google search said the silent p because it's a French word. Is that right? Why use French in the US military?
EDIT: should have been corps, thanks for the correction. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdejcda",
"comment_text": [
"French has had a lot of influence on English, we have plenty of French words around. Colonel is pronounced as it is because of French, you've got foyer and lietenent too. (Although I've noticed the Americans are quite inconsistent here and often say foy-yer rathe... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdek23f",
"comment_text": [
"Here's ",
"a list of French words and phrases used by English speakers."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdel9ko",
"comment_text": [
"Lieutenant is not pronounced loo-tenant or lef-tenant in French. It's more like lyoot-non, so if anything, lef-tenant is wrong-er. I mean, where on earth did the F sound come from?",
"http://www.larousse.com/en/dictionaries/french/lieutenant/47084?q=lieutenan... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdel087",
"comment_text": [
"\"loo-tenant\" and \"lef-tenant\" are the same thing? all these years I thought \"lef-tenant\" was a responsibility instead of a rank."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdejfea",
"comment_text": [
"It's corps, with an s at the end, and yes it is pronounced \"core.\" It comes from the old French ",
", which comes from the Latin word for body, ",
" (which is where we get English words such as \"corpse\"). The US Military can use French words if they... | |
ELI5: With surgery, what would happen if I successfully switched brains with someone else? | explainlikeimfive | 1qngzu | 8 | true | false | 1 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdekb55",
"comment_text": [
"I don't think we know."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdekto4",
"comment_text": [
"Well Robert J White's experience transplanting the brains of gorillas was that 1) medical science is incapable of repairing the damage you have to do to the spine to disconnect the brain, thus you're paralyzing the patients below the head and 2) immune system rej... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdel1c3",
"comment_text": [
"So I guess my dream of installing my brain into a robot body won't ever happen, SIGH. Maybe we'll still figure out consciousness uploading some day? Anything to leave the meat behind."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdeljlx",
"comment_text": [
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_6gnqucgOc",
"clears this question up quite well and all of the sources have been confirmed."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdek59u",
"comment_text": [
"You'd have two dead bodies "
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: How does the NSA keep Facebook posts if they're deleted? | explainlikeimfive | 1qhv66 | 3 | true | false | 0.71 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcxqw1",
"comment_text": [
"I'd imagine it's similar to how Google can Cache a website. But I'll defer to people who know more.",
"Mr Snowden, you're up."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcy55b",
"comment_text": [
"Rule #1 of the Internet: Nothing you post, say, publish, upload, or send anywhere, on any website/domain is ever, ever, in any way, truly deleted."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcyj4n",
"comment_text": [
"You are friends with a spy (a bad spy at that), and he leaves a secret document which is of interest at your house. Because you are interested in this information, you photocopy the document and put the copy in a drawer to look at later. Your friend later appears... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcymib",
"comment_text": [
"Please read the sidebar and ",
"the rules",
" before participating in ",
"/r/explainlikeimfive",
".",
"2. ELI5 is for requests for ",
". That means no questions that are just looking for straightforward answers, that are subjective, a requ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd43su",
"comment_text": [
"Hey saltyjohnson. Thanks for the kindly message. It was my first post, but even after reading the rules I managed to blunder it. My apologies. I love this thread! Incidentally, NG96 pretty much confirmed what I suspected. :)"
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5:Why do pictures of screens have that striated star-like pattern? | explainlikeimfive | 1qhxhz | 23 | true | false | 0.9 | You know what I mean, when you use your phone to take a picture of a TV or computer screen. Why does that pattern invisible to the eye, but so obvious on a photo? I took a photo of a white screen to try to illustrate it for those who aren't sure what I'm talking about. IPhone camera: | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcyqa7",
"comment_text": [
"Ultra simple explanation: screens display images with pixels, which are dots arranged in a grid to small see with the naked eye. A camera records an image with a grid of sensors. So you have two grids layered over each other. Where the grids don't line up you get... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd0dz7",
"comment_text": [
"Moirè patterns also show up when photographing stripped or chequed materials with a digital camera. Just ",
" the moirè will appear depends upon the spacing of the stripes, the resolution of the sensor, and the focal length of the lens. We usually just ask ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd0gg6",
"comment_text": [
"Why don't film cameras (remember those?) show moirè? Because the grains of silver are arranged randomly, rather than in a grid.",
"Can something be 'arranged' randomly? Hmmmm"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd2f38",
"comment_text": [
"As others have mentioned, this is a Moire pattern. If you play with this ",
"flash thingy",
" a little bit, you'll get a better understanding of it than reading."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddaoje",
"comment_text": [
"It's to do with the desync in refresh rate of the 2 screens, capture. Computer monitors refresh at a certain rate (hertz), and when combined with the refresh rate of your phone, it doesn't sync up and creates lines where you can see the points of time where the s... | |
ELI5 since we can not describe colours, how can we be sure that we all see the same version of them? | explainlikeimfive | 1qhx7n | 13 | true | false | 0.69 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcy9y6",
"comment_text": [
"We can't. That's actually a philosophical idea created by John Locke called the Inverted spectrum.",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_spectrum"
],
"score": 17
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcypu9",
"comment_text": [
"The Ancient Greeks discussed this very question. "
],
"score": 9
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcyem3",
"comment_text": [
"It doesn't matter, since the colors are determined by the wavelength of light that is being reflected from the object (or was it absorbed?). If what you see as red is actually what I see as green, it doesn't matter, since you've learned to call it red (or I call ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdcyep3",
"comment_text": [
"Here's a good video about exactly what you mean : ",
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evQsOFQju08"
],
"score": 7
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd18pw",
"comment_text": [
"All of them, probably. I think most people have this thought on their own sometime."
],
"score": 6
} | |
ELI5: Which donation method benefits the victims in the Philippines the most? | explainlikeimfive | 1qi3wo | 1 | true | false | 0.67 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd0h07",
"comment_text": [
"For disasters like this, it's hard to know how much actually goes to the victims. That said, find a good charity at ",
"www.charitywatch.org",
" and donate to their Philippines relief fund. "
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd2gto",
"comment_text": [
"Good answer!"
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd0io5",
"comment_text": [
"Heh, good question. Donating money is always tricky. There is certainly no lack of organizations competing for your money but it is not easy telling the effective ones from the ineffective of even the downright fraudulent ones.",
"\nWhat you want to do is loo... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd2gf6",
"comment_text": [
"In all honesty, anywhere up to 90% of money donated to 'large' charities doesn't go directly to the victims, but goes on things like administration costs, salaries, equipment, transport etc.",
"I would stick with the known 'good' ones, Red Cross/Crescent, Med... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddagwl",
"comment_text": [
"This post isn't asking for a laymen explanation to a concept / idea / answer - hence I've removed it. ",
"For questions that require an answer rather than an explanation, you're better off with ",
"/r/answers",
" or even ",
"www.google.com",
"... | ||
ELI5: Why do big PDFs take forever to load in my browser (Firefox), but download to my computer much quicker? | explainlikeimfive | 1qi6rn | 2 | true | false | 0.76 | Just wondering. It would seem like if I my internet connection is fast enough to download the PDF in a few seconds, it should completely load quickly in the browser too. | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1a1l",
"comment_text": [
"Downloading is just moving some data from one computer to another, that happens as fast as your connection and hard disk can handle it. ",
" the PDF is a complex procedure which involves decompression, fonts and images and columns of text and colours and tran... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd7rfw",
"comment_text": [
"I'm unconvinced; as the process of downloading a PDF then firing it up in a PDF viewer, is still several times faster and more reliable than viewing it in the browser, most of the time.",
"The in-browser view often has a display saying that it's downloading t... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd99cs",
"comment_text": [
"It's not just slower to render, it's actually considerably slower to load the whole file. It seems the same in all browsers."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd8d5w",
"comment_text": [
"You're not unconvinced, you're asking a completely different question. So you want to know why Firefox's PDF viewer is slower than \"the standalone PDF viewer\"? I don't know what that is but you're asking why one application is faster than another. "
],
"sco... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd7rn8",
"comment_text": [
"Off-topic here, but if you use some other viewer besides Adobe's, then PDFs are faster all around. I use SumatraPDF."
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: What an isotope is and how it differs from an ion. | explainlikeimfive | 1qi7fa | 3 | true | false | 0.81 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1bmq",
"comment_text": [
"Atoms are defined by the number of protons in the nucleus. Carbon has 6, and always 6 protons. However, Carbon also has neutrons in the nucelus (as do all the elements except a few). Carbon exists in two ",
", Carbon 12 (which has 6 protons and 6 neutrons) an... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1pex",
"comment_text": [
"(as do all the elements except a few)",
"Hydrogen is the only atom without a neutron. A Helium-2 (two protons, no neutrons) is so unstable that there is doubt that it has ever been observed, and its half-life is anybody's guess."
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1k4a",
"comment_text": [
"You've forgotten ",
"carbon-13"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1t6h",
"comment_text": [
"The middle child of the Carbon family"
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd21dn",
"comment_text": [
"He means \"The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom determines which element it is an atom of\". His actual wording is an acceptable substitution at ELI5 level IMHO.",
"If you want to get pedantic, \"The element is determined by the number of protons\... | |
Eli5: The two dollar bill. | explainlikeimfive | 1qi7uf | 3 | true | false | 0.72 | Why do they make them? Why do they seem so rare, but also not very rare at all? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd3hf3",
"comment_text": [
"I'm going to assume you're from the US.",
"Two dollar bills make up a small amount of the notes in circulation, but they are still being produced so they aren't \"rare\" like old prints and other collectable currency.",
"If you consider the other denomina... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd57q8",
"comment_text": [
"They make them because Congress passed a law in 1862 authorizing them, and the law has never been repealed.",
"They seem rare because people don't spend them. When they get $2 bills, many people hoard them as a novelty. If you want $2 bills, it's literally as... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd3jhp",
"comment_text": [
"Of the three you linked only the US $2 bill is still in circulation, the Canadian and Australian notes have both been replaced by coins."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd3jhp",
"comment_text": [
"Of the three you linked only the US $2 bill is still in circulation, the Canadian and Australian notes have both been replaced by coins."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddc41f",
"comment_text": [
"Well currently people are seeing them more often because of the strip club industry. The strip clubs have figured out to only give change in 2$ bills instead of singles. That way every time you tip, you tip twice as much. ",
"So every nice crisp 2$ bill yo... | |
ELI5: With the abundance of insects, especially in Earth's past, why aren't there more carnivorous plants? | explainlikeimfive | 1qi8ro | 1 | true | false | 0.67 | Animals too, I guess. Lots of those... Why wouldn't more plants eat them? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd210l",
"comment_text": [
"For the most part, you only see carnivorous plants in areas of poor soil quality, where they must derive some of their nutrients (mainly nitrogen) from other locations.",
"I am not quite certain why you might not see large quantities of carnivorous plants sup... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1mw2",
"comment_text": [
"For it to be an evolutionary advantage there have to be a ",
" of bugs around. You do see more of then in tropical areas where there are a lot of bugs."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd2rfb",
"comment_text": [
"Because evolution doesn't plan. It just takes what it has and adapts it through natural selection. If normal plants work better in most places then they're what will win. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd4jtz",
"comment_text": [
"Adding on to everyone else, carnivorous plants can survive completely on photosynthesis like other plants, eating insects just gives them more energy."
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1r61",
"comment_text": [
"Any answer you get is going to be a ",
"just-so story",
", and ultimately unverifiable.",
"The best answer you're going to get is that there wasn't a big enough advantage that anytime someone started to fill that niche they were more successful than t... | |
What is dryer lint, and what really happens if i never clean it out? | explainlikeimfive | 1qi9eg | 3 | true | false | 0.72 | Also, any other uses for it? I know it's pretty useful for starting camp fires | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1tl8",
"comment_text": [
"It's also pretty useful for dryer fires, so I'm told."
],
"score": 10
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd24lu",
"comment_text": [
"Also why I lick my orange fingers, to avoid cheetotanious combustion. "
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd3n97",
"comment_text": [
"One of my neighbors had a house burn down because they didn't clean out their lint trap. Not something to fuck with."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd55wf",
"comment_text": [
"It's important to clean it out for two reasons. First because in order for a dryer to dry your clothes well it must have good air flow. Heat alone would take a very long time to dry your close. There has to be a place for the humid air to escape. If the lint ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd1w14",
"comment_text": [
"It's small stones and weasel shit, commonly known as dust. If you don't clean it from the entire ventilating system your home will burn down. Cheetos are a better campfire starter."
],
"score": 1
} | |
Why do motorbikes stabilize with speed? | explainlikeimfive | 1qii3i | 2 | true | false | 1 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd4qq0",
"comment_text": [
"As the wheels turn faster, they become gyroscopes. Gyros have a basic principal that resist external forces applied to them called \"rigidity in space\" (not to be confused with the pigs). Although, a force applied to the gyro happens 90 degrees in the direction... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd4s2p",
"comment_text": [
"Conservation of angular momentum. Basically, when you have an object that is spinning very quickly, in this case the tire, it will maintain that momentum, which keeps the tires vertical.",
"For a more detailed answer, watch ",
"This Sixty Symbols Video",
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddb6zn",
"comment_text": [
"Gyroscopic effect is a very commonly cited answer, as seen here by the other comments, but it is actually quite wrong. The wheels of a motorcycle has negligible mass compared to the rest of the rider/cycle system, so any gyroscopic effects will be equally small."... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd5qoe",
"comment_text": [
"Example: If you were traveling at a high rate of speed on your motorcycle and rapidly turned the handlebars to the left, the force applied to the wheel would be at the 3 o'clock position pushing from left to right. The reaction would be at the 12 o'clock position... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddb4uk",
"comment_text": [
"No, that's wrong. ",
"Countersteering",
" has nothing to do with gyroscopic effect, but it has to do with how and where the wheel contacts the ground in relation to the center of mass.",
"Even for a motorcycle, the gyroscopic forces are small compared... | |
ELI5: Why does our body freak out when entering cold water. but not warm/hot water? | explainlikeimfive | 1qis0c | 5 | true | false | 0.78 | [deleted] | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd7zp5",
"comment_text": [
"Thank you for that. I had kind of an idea, and now i know!"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd7zp5",
"comment_text": [
"Thank you for that. I had kind of an idea, and now i know!"
],
"score": 3
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd7tfm",
"comment_text": [
"Not really very scientific but, looking at evolution, running into cold water is something that might happen in nature so animals need to have a response to save them from it. Water that's hot enough to damage our body isn't that common."
],
"score": 2
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddslpr",
"comment_text": [
"You are confusing two different responses. Your body's reaction to water at 160 degrees is different to your body's reaction at 40 degrees.",
"Basically, you have two types of sensors in your skin: hot and cold. During exposure to very hot (burning) temperatu... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd7dzh",
"comment_text": [
"I think it's just the sudden change in temperature, at least that's what it is for me"
],
"score": 1
} | |
ELI5: How come one of my nostrils is ALWAYS plugged? | explainlikeimfive | 1qj1me | 0 | true | false | 0.5 | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd9ndh",
"comment_text": [
"That's how the human body works. We (mainly) only breathe out of one nostril at a time. We just don't really become aware of it unless we take a second to realize it. Also sometimes how much the other one is plugged is more prominent making it more noticeable "
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd9nyr",
"comment_text": [
"Not a doctor but found this on the web:\nThis is a common problem for people. First of all, no one breathes 100% out of both sides of their nose at the same time. The nose goes through what is called the nasal cycle where one side swells up while the other one sh... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdd9v39",
"comment_text": [
"So would you think getting a humidifier could potentially cause temporary relief from the swelling? So I can at least sleep and be able to breathe through both. "
],
"score": 1
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdda1s0",
"comment_text": [
"The only tips I can give you out of personal experience is:\nHumidifiers can cause a great relief but I can't guarantee that it will do the trick. Furthermore, most (or all) pharmacies and drug stores sell over the counter nasal sprays that also help clearing up ... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddarqc",
"comment_text": [
"does nobody here read the rules? search before posting this question has been asked many times. "
],
"score": 1
} | ||
ELI5: Prisoner Confession before and during Torture | explainlikeimfive | 1qj93n | 1 | true | false | 0.6 | In the movies and TV it seems like many people undergo horrible pain before succumbing to a confession. In cases where the person is indeed holding back the truth, do most people crack before torture begins? Those who don't crack right away, do they really think they can hold out from confessing? | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddbgbq",
"comment_text": [
"It has been shown that, when subjected to torture, people will say just about anything to make it stop. However, what they say isn't necessarily true."
],
"score": 6
} | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddfags",
"comment_text": [
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
" ",
"There are laws against torture",
". In a large part of the world, torture is illegal and \"evidence\" obtained under duress cannot be used in court. ",
"Truly, that something... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddbpna",
"comment_text": [
"Why is the goal to \"just break you\"? What functional value is there in that kind of scenario? Maybe I am naive but I am making an assumption that most governments sanction torture to extract useful information...not to simply break the spirit of the enemy..."
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cddbpna",
"comment_text": [
"Why is the goal to \"just break you\"? What functional value is there in that kind of scenario? Maybe I am naive but I am making an assumption that most governments sanction torture to extract useful information...not to simply break the spirit of the enemy..."
... | {
"comment_id": "t1_cdde80t",
"comment_text": [
"Most governments ",
" practice torture."
],
"score": 1
} |
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