q_id
stringlengths
5
6
title
stringlengths
3
301
selftext
stringlengths
0
39.2k
document
stringclasses
1 value
subreddit
stringclasses
3 values
url
stringlengths
4
132
answers
dict
title_urls
list
selftext_urls
list
answers_urls
list
ffw9dt
why can you "taste" certain foods after burping, even when it is hours later and you have eaten or drank several other types of food and beverages after eating the initial food?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ffw9dt/eli5_why_can_you_taste_certain_foods_after/
{ "a_id": [ "fk0yblo" ], "score": [ 143 ], "text": [ "Smell is a major component of how you\"taste\" foods. Food can stay in your stomach a long while, especially if you're having a hard time digesting it.\n\nGases from your stomach carry with it the smells of the food in your stomach when you bur...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2034wn
the genetics of blood types including the rh factor (positive or negative)
I'm pregnant and due in September. My blood type is B+ (my SO doesn't remember his, but he will find out soon) and I'm wondering what possibilities out baby's blood type could be. Everything I've looked up about it is very complex and I am just looking for the simplest answer. Thanks in advance!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2034wn/eli5_the_genetics_of_blood_types_including_the_rh/
{ "a_id": [ "cfzd5j9", "cfzdb8s" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Without your SO's blood type the baby's blood type could be any of the blood types.\n\n_URL_0_\n\nThis video should help explain everything easily. As for the Rh factor, being + is considered dominate so the baby be positiv...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsHZbgOmVwg" ], [] ]
7nfde6
De Broglie wavelength depends on momentum, how does this translate to frames where the momentum is zero?
Just having a thought experiment, when electrons are diffracted through a crystal, there is a frame of reference in which the electrons are stationary and the crystal is moving towards them. Is there a way to express the resultant diffraction pattern in terms of the crystals momentum rather than the electrons?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7nfde6/de_broglie_wavelength_depends_on_momentum_how/
{ "a_id": [ "ds1vq0n", "ds1w9uw" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "A quantitative treatment would be really awful to do, but in principle, yes. Instead of worrying about the wavelength of the electrons as they pass through a crystal lattice of atoms with well-defined positions, the crystal ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
44esiv
were the nazis aware of how evil they were?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/44esiv/eli5_were_the_nazis_aware_of_how_evil_they_were/
{ "a_id": [ "czppvgj", "czpq87f", "czprzhq", "czps0r8", "czps3ex" ], "score": [ 12, 4, 5, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "I believe some of them were. There was an experiment done by Stanley Milgram where one was ordered to test a \"participant\" then give \"electric shocks\" to...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment" ], [ "http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/29/politics/donald-trump-immigration-plan-healthcare-flip-flop/", "http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/george-takei-calls-out-donald-trump-for-japanese-internment-comments-w159401", "https://en.wikipe...
cl49zl
what is compartmentalization in psychology?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cl49zl/eli5_what_is_compartmentalization_in_psychology/
{ "a_id": [ "evsrc11" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Pretend your brain is a library- \n\nYou dont want all of the work problem books mixed in with the childhood memory books! \n\nSo, you make sure to organize your library and keep all the books where they belong- that way they dont cause a mess or...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3ks18n
A friend of mine got some official papers from his grandfather in Ottoman turkish and can't translate them by himself. Is there a historian that knows what they are about?
Hi guys! I'm living in Austria and a friend of mine who's grandparents where from Turkey has found these documents. He has no clue what they are about and as I saw people translating for example Sütterlin or other historical documents in German I was wondering if here is a historian with the time to translate these pa...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ks18n/a_friend_of_mine_got_some_official_papers_from/
{ "a_id": [ "cv01ciy" ], "score": [ 24 ], "text": [ "It looks like the top picture is an official document in Arabic script, and the bottom one is its translation or transliteration. \n\n\nIf this guess is correct, the document is a title for a piece of land according to the words in the top left ...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/a/ST5dh" ]
[ [] ]
a5rkqg
what is the difference between $5 department store headphones and $500 headphones? do they fundamentally have the same components inside or made with different materials?
I saw Bose Headphones from $300 to $500 but feel like I would be paying more due to the brand name
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a5rkqg/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_5_department/
{ "a_id": [ "ebor480", "ebord27", "ebp3oh7" ], "score": [ 12, 27, 2 ], "text": [ "Build quality is a major factor, but really once you get past the $100-$200 range, any extra you'd be paying is for brand over quality. The \"cheap\" $5 headphones are probably fine for listening to ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
mznxp
Health questions about bacon
I eat lots of fats daily; around 50% of my diet. But i exercise regularly in order to live a healthy lifestyle. I eat bacon daily and fry my eggs in the bacon grease. Then throughout the day i eat plenty of other fats (olive oil, cheese, cream, etc). Is the bacon not potentially dangerous to causing cardiovascular dis...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/mznxp/health_questions_about_bacon/
{ "a_id": [ "c3557mn", "c3557mn" ], "score": [ 9, 9 ], "text": [ "\nA risk factor for heart disease is something that increases your chance of getting it. You cannot change some risk factors for heart disease, but others you can change.\n\nThe risk factors for heart disease that you CANNOT...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_fatty_acid#Essential_fatty_acids" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_fatty_acid#Essential_fatty_acids" ] ]
7f76r5
East Berlin and East Germany had the Stazi secret police. Did West Germany, particularly West Berlin have a similar organization to protect against spies or terrorists?
Bonus question: how did West Berlin work if it was divided into three zones, each run by the three major Allied powers?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7f76r5/east_berlin_and_east_germany_had_the_stazi_secret/
{ "a_id": [ "dqa6ppr" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "From an [earlier answer of mine](_URL_1_)\n\nThere were really four different organizations in the FRG tasked with spying during the Cold War and in theory, each worked their own territory. The main German intelligence agency, *Bundesnachrichtend...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/WENGER,%20ERICH%20OTTO_0065.pdf", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5a13pg/was_there_a_west_german_equivalent_to_the_stasi/" ] ]
gf6st
How do these new robotic prothetic arms work?
More specifically: I always understood that the size of the brain was relative to the size of the creature's body--that is, the more mass you had to control, the more brain mass you needed to control it. So how do the new prosthetic arms work? On the Colbert Report a while back a guest was on who wore a third arm on...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/gf6st/how_do_these_new_robotic_prothetic_arms_work/
{ "a_id": [ "c1n6ggi" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I don't study this specifically, but I have followed Nicolelis' work in the past, who focuses on neuroprothesis- or brain-computer interfaces. One thing to understand is that for every movement- let's say lateral movement of the arm- isn't coded ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
17rde3
Was Newton aware that interplanetary space is a vacuum? If so, how?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/17rde3/was_newton_aware_that_interplanetary_space_is_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c88c0mw" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "He wrote a bit about that in [Opticks](_URL_0_). But in short: yes, he was. Because he was aware that air pressure dropped with altitude. And because the planets moved without friction through it:\n\n > to make way for the regular and lasting Mo...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.gutenberg.org/files/33504/33504-h/33504-h.htm" ] ]
583jvp
Before the European honeybee was introduced to the Americas, how was farming and pollination different?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/583jvp/before_the_european_honeybee_was_introduced_to/
{ "a_id": [ "d8xx4r2" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It wasn't much different. Bumblebees are excellent pollinators and native bees (or solitary bees) can carry out a pollination role in a very similar ways to bees. Hang around a flowerbed for a few minutes, and you'll notice all kinds of tiny, l...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
18wghv
What is the current state of the field for the History of Space Exploration?
Good afternoon/evening/morning, Aspiring historian here. Before I get to my actual question, I'll provide a little background. I'm a few credits short of my B.A. in History and plan on going as far as I can. Hopefully Doctorate. Until very recently I have been dead-set on being an ancient historian, and focusing Nord...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/18wghv/what_is_the_current_state_of_the_field_for_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c8ilafb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Not an answer, but may I suggest you send a message to David S.F. Portree?\n\nHe was the official Historian for NASA for quite some time. I would trust his word on most anything here.\n\n[his WIRED profile](_URL_1_)\n\n[He also tweets a lot](_U...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://twitter.com/dsfportree", "http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/author/dsfportree/" ] ]
edz77r
What do we know about those who lie in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?
How many people are laid there? When were they placed? What are the requirements for soldiers to be laid to rest there? And finally, what is the ceremony like to place someone inside the Tomb?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/edz77r/what_do_we_know_about_those_who_lie_in_the_tomb/
{ "a_id": [ "fbq1ip3" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Taking a chance based on Reddit Demographics, but can you clarify that you mean the Tomb of the Unknowns in the US at Arlington?\n\nWhile obviously the most well known for US citizens, it's far from the only one of its kind." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
34vef5
can anything be 100% silent?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34vef5/eli5can_anything_be_100_silent/
{ "a_id": [ "cqyggti" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Sound is dependent on a medium. In outer space sound doesn't transmit since there is nothing to propagate the sound wave. Most of the movies have it incorrect... So you can be above absolute zero and still have no sound. But it you are in a mediu...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3myqxn
if all cells are made of lipid walls, what stops two cells from blobing into one when they collide?
Fats and lipids will combine with each other when they come on contact with each other like how water will with other water molecules, so why don't cells do this? And if they *do* combine, what dictates what it does? Edit: let's assume that they are non eukaryotic cells of the same species so that intracellular membra...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3myqxn/eli5_if_all_cells_are_made_of_lipid_walls_what/
{ "a_id": [ "cvj985n", "cvj9ivf", "cvjg2o8" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It's because cell membranes aren't just made of lipids, they're made of **phospho**lipids. Phospholipids have the typical hydrophobic fatty acid tails that other fats have, but at their head, they have ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://s3.amazonaws.com/test.classconnection/823/flashcards/391823/jpg/phospholipid-bylayer.jpg" ], [], [] ]
4fy94e
why and how is it an accepted notion that in quantum physics, particles exhibit different properties when observed as compared to not being observed?
Is it not common logic to believe that anything will follow a common pattern, that has been previously observed, even when it is not observed?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fy94e/eli5why_and_how_is_it_an_accepted_notion_that_in/
{ "a_id": [ "d2cz51f", "d2czide", "d2czw0o" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "This may be a better question for /r/askscience. But the basic answer is that no one is really sure why quantum physics works the way it does. We've got a good understanding of the general behaviors o...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment" ], [] ]
1yb3tc
Why do babies say double-syllable words like "mama" and "dada" when one syllable would seemingly be easier?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1yb3tc/why_do_babies_say_doublesyllable_words_like_mama/
{ "a_id": [ "cfj018f", "cfj121p", "cfj5bl7", "cfjbac6", "cfjddyx" ], "score": [ 1420, 89, 43, 2, 10 ], "text": [ "It depends on what stage of language development the kid is at. \n\nAs children age, they go through distinct stages of learning, and they acquire the a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15110725" ], [] ]
2jkwmx
Where does the energy go when two apposing wavelengths of light cancel each other out?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2jkwmx/where_does_the_energy_go_when_two_apposing/
{ "a_id": [ "clcslm4", "clcwhce" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Deconstructive interference at one place requires the constructive interference of the wave somewhere else—so you don't lose the energy, the books only don't balance when you include absorption and emission, but then somethi...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/search?q=interference+energy&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all" ] ]
43l7ml
If I shone a very bright infrared or UV (non-visible EM waves) flashlight into my eyes, would I notice it? And could my eyes be damaged by it?
Since staring at the sun or a bright flashlight can damage your eyes, I'm wondering if non-visible light will do the same, and if I would notice any immediate effects if it happened.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/43l7ml/if_i_shone_a_very_bright_infrared_or_uv/
{ "a_id": [ "czj4cut" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Yes, your eyes can be damaged by high-intensity light exposure, whether visible, UV, or IR. For example [snow blindness](_URL_0_) is an example of UV damage to the eye.\n\n\n-\n\n\nWhether you would notice any immediate effects would depend on t...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/photokeratitis-snow-blindness" ] ]
17xlmv
Does climate science predict we've warmed the earth in the first place?
We hear a lot about temperature reconstruction in the past up to the present. Ostensibly, the temperature has been increasing, and this is often said to be what climate models predicted. But is it? My only evidence for doubting this is this figure: _URL_0_ This shows the expected value of total anthropogenic radiat...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/17xlmv/does_climate_science_predict_weve_warmed_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c89shq7", "c89sjbc" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Those aren't standard deviations, they are 90% confidence intervals. The graph indicates that the available data suggests the total anthropogenic forcing is somewhere between +0.6 and +2.4 W/m^2, with a 10% chance that they...
[]
[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Radiative-forcings.svg", "http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/31977/climate-change" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/tssts-2-5.html" ] ]
42n40o
What is the consensus among historians regarding the origins of the "second serfdom" in Tsarist Russia?
Modern Russian serfdom is completely outside of my wheelhouse, but I have done some limited reading about the so-called "second serfdom" that was implemented during the early modern era in Eastern Europe. I have read some explanations, largely by Marxist or Marxist influenced historians, and am genuinely curious what c...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/42n40o/what_is_the_consensus_among_historians_regarding/
{ "a_id": [ "czc0u6o" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "I'm not sure that a consensus of the sort you are looking for actually exists. But you might find informative [Enrico Dal Lago's 2009 article \"Second Slavery, Second Serfdom, and Beyond: The Atlantic Plantation System and the Eastern and Southe...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.jstor.org/stable/41427475" ] ]
1p4j3e
How did you kill an armoured knight?
I understand now that plate armour protected a person to a ridiculous degree, but those knights still died. What would it take to crack open that armour and kill the person inside? Better yet, how did two armoured knights go about killing each other?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1p4j3e/how_did_you_kill_an_armoured_knight/
{ "a_id": [ "ccynh4l", "ccypt80" ], "score": [ 4, 5 ], "text": [ "With maces. You can hit an armored knight with a mace, and do a lot of significant damage to the knight inside without having to penetrate the armor.\n\nEdit: Hammers, mauls, and other such weapons as well. The point is th...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1wyslw
if i delete some files on flash storage (e.g a pen drive), how is the data still (partly) recoverable?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wyslw/eli5_if_i_delete_some_files_on_flash_storage_eg_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cf6ltky", "cf6lv3e", "cf6mjk0" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Because you're not actually deleting the data, you're deleting the reference to the data.\n\nIf your drive is a library, you're removing the information that says the book is there, not the book itself....
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.piriform.com/recuva" ] ]
28ee69
why do towels get rough when dried outside on a line?
When I dry the sheets, clothes, rags on the line, they're fine. But towels can never be dried on the line without getting stiff/rough. Why?!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28ee69/eli5why_do_towels_get_rough_when_dried_outside_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cia5dlt" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Hard water deposits not being rubbed/softened by tumble dry action." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
e1j12c
Could beneficial bacteria from probiotics form antibiotic resistance too?
I realize one of the major problems with taking antibiotics is that it also kills healthy bacteria in the gut microbiota. So it got me thinking, if stopping antibiotic treatment early can lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria, would the same logic also apply to good bacteria? If we worked out a correct probiotic supple...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/e1j12c/could_beneficial_bacteria_from_probiotics_form/
{ "a_id": [ "f8s878m" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Yes, they can and do. The problem is that you then have those genetics in your gut which can easily be transferred horizontally to pathogens when they arrive allowing them to develop resistance far more quickly then they otherwise would have." ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9pjxtm
what is madness?
What also comes into this question also is the realities of mad people in our society. Do they see another reality apart from ours? Or do they just hallucinate?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9pjxtm/eli5_what_is_madness/
{ "a_id": [ "e8280ar" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Its kinda like asking “what is sickness?” It is not being well, with specific emphasis on mental state. “Madness” covers an enormous number of conditions with a huge variety of symptoms, and is not at all a strict of protect term.\n\nYou could lo...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
22y6d5
If the gene that codes for six digits is dominant, why do so few people have six digits?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/22y6d5/if_the_gene_that_codes_for_six_digits_is_dominant/
{ "a_id": [ "cgrl649", "cgrldf4" ], "score": [ 17, 28 ], "text": [ "Because very few people have that gene.\nA person with 6 fingers will likely have 1 copy of the 6 finger gene, and one copy of the 5 finger gene. That means they have a 50% chance of passing that on to a child. \nIf they d...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
9gilom
A question for historians versed in the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and Unit 731
A documentary about Unit 731 in r/Documentaries sparked my line of thinking below and I hope someone here can assess the likelihood of it being true. An answer along the lines of, "No way, that's not that likely to occur or haha, you're insane" would be best. & #x200B; My grandfather (father's step father) was a ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9gilom/a_question_for_historians_versed_in_the_japanese/
{ "a_id": [ "e64fpmx", "e64vxlu", "e65k1su" ], "score": [ 7, 19, 6 ], "text": [ "One more clue (?): my colleague just pointed out my grandfather escaped China when the *Communists* came to power. Meaning he was ok under the the KMT even if viewed as a collaborator. It is my under...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://web.archive.org/web/20150807215132/http://hirukawamura.web.fc2.com/731/731.htm" ] ]
2z4wq1
why is shooting a deer in the head a bad shot?
I'm not a hunter, but I'm dating someone from a family of avid hunters, and I wanted to know why a headshot is considered a "bad shot." I understand aiming for the lungs is a pretty much guaranteed kill, large area to aim for, etc. Modern power rifles would have no problem getting a kill when hitting a headshot, so...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2z4wq1/eli5_why_is_shooting_a_deer_in_the_head_a_bad_shot/
{ "a_id": [ "cpfojp6", "cpfolvh", "cpfoouy", "cpfp0vb", "cpfp4zu", "cpfpf2p", "cpfpvbz", "cpfqd0k", "cpfqize", "cpfqjdl", "cpfv1fu", "cpfwlgy", "cpg3529", "cpg3m2m", "cpg406t", "cpga9mg" ], "score": [ 9, 3, 5, 31, 183, 17, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
4gb8yd
why can you see the dot of a laser when you shine it in the sky at night
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4gb8yd/eli5_why_can_you_see_the_dot_of_a_laser_when_you/
{ "a_id": [ "d2g212p", "d2g2qdi", "d2g50iw" ], "score": [ 6, 5, 4 ], "text": [ "The dot? Or the line? Because if you're pointing at the night sky, you shouldn't be able to see the dot unless I'm missing something. As for the line, well that can be a lot of things, but yes, I'd go w...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1lzmsl
Were there actually any soilders that could kill dozens of people in battle?
It seems in every battle scene in the movies, there's always a few soldiers who are incredibly gifted and go through the enemies like nothing. It just seems impossible to survive longer than a minute surrounded by people swinging swords at you. 300 and Troy are great examples. Ancient Rome to the Middle Ages is the tim...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1lzmsl/were_there_actually_any_soilders_that_could_kill/
{ "a_id": [ "cc4fzmy", "cc4mrum" ], "score": [ 7, 3 ], "text": [ "According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, at Stamford a giant Norseman armed with an axe held the bridge alone, buying time for the rest of Harald's army to form a shield-wall. The Chronicle claims that he killed 40 men, alth...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6nu32s
Does nicotine addiction permanently change the brain?
I'm three months into quitting smoking cold turkey, so all traces of nicotine should have gone from my body, and from what I've read it seems my nicotine receptors should have returned to the state of a non-smoker too ( < as you might be able to tell, I'm not entirely sure what this means, just something I read). I ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6nu32s/does_nicotine_addiction_permanently_change_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dkcgunc" ], "score": [ 50 ], "text": [ "There is a reason many drugs have such high relapse rates with some, like methamphetamine, having over 90% relapse rates. The memory of the drug is very powerful. Not only do you have the reward associated with the drug itself, and its effect...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
40s72i
why forward slash is two words but backslash is one word.
I don't know if we have many linguists on here but I figured someone may know. Bit of a dumb question but I'm just curious if there's a reason.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40s72i/eli5_why_forward_slash_is_two_words_but_backslash/
{ "a_id": [ "cywmfkd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Because its real name is \"solidus\" but that didn't catch on.\n\n\"Backslash\" as much of a descriptive term as it is a name. It's one whole word because we use \"back\" as a prefix a lot, in words like backdraft, backgammon, or backward itself....
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1jtpli
Did the Scandinavian vikings influence the British culture in a major way as a result of their conquests.
Had some trouble formulating the question, I hope it's clear now
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1jtpli/did_the_scandinavian_vikings_influence_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cbiazxi", "cbie9p7", "cbijcya" ], "score": [ 50, 10, 6 ], "text": [ "Absolutely. Iona Abbey, perhaps the most important Christian site in all of Britain was attacked several times, eventually causing some of the monks to flee south towards Ireland, where they'd go on t...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Heptarchy", "http://www.norden.org/en" ], [ "http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=4710" ], [] ]
4g85nb
Why were pre-firearms european armies so small? Why was there no exception to this, which might have conquered all of Europe with troop numbers that were more common in ancient times? Why are there generally so few or no great conquerors in Europe post Rome?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4g85nb/why_were_prefirearms_european_armies_so_small_why/
{ "a_id": [ "d2fmtjt" ], "score": [ 84 ], "text": [ "'Pre-firearms' would appear to be a rather difficult periodization to make. There is evidence of gunpowder weaponry such as handgonnes being used as early as the late 14th century. But, assuming you mean the 16th century with the so-called 'mili...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2zdfli
why do water bottles have 2% calcium?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zdfli/eli5_why_do_water_bottles_have_2_calcium/
{ "a_id": [ "cphvmys" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Calcium is one of the minerals added to the water to improve its flavor. They add enough of it that it shows up on the nutritional information." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4x1a85
what determines what limbs will stop working after a spinal inury?
I've recently become friends with a person who is staying in a private hospital near my house and receiving physiotherapy. He is paralysed from the abdomen down (due to a car accident). I've met many people who have had spinal injuries (through my dad's work) and so I got to thinking, why can some people move their ar...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4x1a85/eli5_what_determines_what_limbs_will_stop_working/
{ "a_id": [ "d6blz2t", "d6bqji0" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It depends where along the spine the injury to the spinal cord occurs. If the cord is damaged low down, then signals can still make their way from the brain to the arms, abdomen, and so on, but the leg function and other mu...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
7bgacs
For a guy with a generally benign reputation in office long ago, Woodrow Wilson provokes fierce criticism, including charges (promoted spying on your neighbors, was relatively pro-kkk, and was eager to jump into the Great War, unnecessarily) that sound very un-American. How fair are his critics?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7bgacs/for_a_guy_with_a_generally_benign_reputation_in/
{ "a_id": [ "dphxoga" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This question has popped up before, there's a pretty good discussion of it [here](_URL_0_)\n\nMaybe someone else will post their thoughts. I would suggest that humans tend to like all our heroes totally heroic, all our villains totally villaino...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1mlogj/why_is_woodrow_wilson_historically_considered_a/" ] ]
tb8vb
Perhaps it is time to entertain a discussion of the top military leaders of all time?
I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in an 'AskHistorians' effort to come up with a list of individuals who this subreddit feels should be in a group of the top military leaders of all time. Perhaps anyone would like to participate can either nominate and a candidate or provide reasons for and against that pers...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/tb8vb/perhaps_it_is_time_to_entertain_a_discussion_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c4l5o4a", "c4l6yts", "c4l74ks", "c4l79d9", "c4l7dpw", "c4l7l6t", "c4l7tth", "c4ledq6", "c4lh2t6", "c4lxiyy" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 3, 2, 5, 4, 9, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I like diving around Military History a bit and ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gr%C3%B6faz" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Andreas_Barclay_de_Tolly" ], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_%C5%BDi%C5%BEka" ], [] ]
2cmpwi
[SOURCE REQUEST] Where can I find diaries kept by people during historical time periods?
I'm looking to get a more intimate understanding of what The Troubles were like (specifically during the mid-1970s) and thought that journals and diaries kept during that time would yield the most insight. Unfortunately, I don't know where to go to get anything like that or even where to start looking. I was wondering ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2cmpwi/source_request_where_can_i_find_diaries_kept_by/
{ "a_id": [ "cjh9g4a" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Ooh you've actually got a tricky one here. The Troubles are a few decades too young for you to start getting diaries etc. available to the public. Many of the people in that event are still alive, and archives generally don't open sensitive recor...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://chronicle.com/article/Secrets-from-Belfast/144059/", "http://www.sharedtroubles.net/" ] ]
7pir1v
if media attributes a source anonymously, how does anyone know if that source is true and not just fabricated by whoever wrote/reported it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7pir1v/eli5_if_media_attributes_a_source_anonymously_how/
{ "a_id": [ "dshjy36", "dshk0x4", "dshmeg1", "dshmvx0" ], "score": [ 3, 16, 2, 10 ], "text": [ "You don't, which is why at the end of the day you're ultimately responsible for analyzing what you're reading objectively if you have any interest in getting as close to the trut...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
5kdt4k
how do stars and planets emit radio frequencies without a radio tower - like what's the source and how's that different from our 'manmade' radio towers?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5kdt4k/eli5_how_do_stars_and_planets_emit_radio/
{ "a_id": [ "dbn9epe" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Radio waves are just a frequency of electromagnetic radiation, far below the infrared.\n\nMany things are natural sources of radio waves. Think of them as either glowing or reflecting \"the color radio\" as opposed to \"the color green\" or what...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2dc71d
Looking for a (great) layperson's book about Babylon....or perhaps just a fantastic look at Babylon that isn't dry.
That's it, really. I want to learn about this culture and time.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2dc71d/looking_for_a_great_laypersons_book_about/
{ "a_id": [ "cjo6l7k", "cjoachq" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You could try *Babylon* by Paul Kriwaczek. ", "Do you want it just about Babylon, or is the whole of Ancient Mesopotamia ok? If it is I'd recommend Civilizations of Ancient Iraq by Benjamin Foster and Karen Foster. It do...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
bajyzx
how does exhaust affect engine performance?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bajyzx/eli5_how_does_exhaust_affect_engine_performance/
{ "a_id": [ "ekc1mqy" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "I'm guessing you mean how can changing the exhaust system on a car increase performance? \n\nWhen combustion happens in an engine, fuel and air is burnt in the combustion chamber, this causes an expansion which pushes the piston down. This is wha...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
27kdup
What does a bruise look like underneath the skin?
So a bruise is caused by bleeding underneath the skin right? What would that look like if you could see through the skin? If your skin just disappeared would it look like a little puddle of blood on top of your muscles?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/27kdup/what_does_a_bruise_look_like_underneath_the_skin/
{ "a_id": [ "ci1pomb", "ci1qklg", "ci1uvam" ], "score": [ 673, 32, 37 ], "text": [ "Bruises are indeed caused by blood, however, if the bruise is visible it is inside the skin and not underneath it. The skin consists out of various layers and these various layers consist out of dif...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.moondragon.org/images/bruisinganatomy.jpg" ], [] ]
cpe9lo
How well can personality traits currently be predicted using neurological measures?
Are there combinations of neurological traits that are known to predict a large amount of variance in some personality traits?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/cpe9lo/how_well_can_personality_traits_currently_be/
{ "a_id": [ "ewu75rc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "We know that changes in certain brain areas can be associated with certain personality characteristics. This doesn’t mean we can look at someone’s brain and guess their personality, we are still very far from that.\n\nReduced volume and interconn...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1nf6e1
Chemistry:How do you figure out what something is?
I'm quite curious as to how you can figure out the shape and compostion of an unknown molecule of a chemical. Here is an example problem to explain my question. Here is asparagus. It makes your pee smell funny. We know there is a chemical/compound that makes your pee smell funny when you eat asparagus. We have know i...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1nf6e1/chemistryhow_do_you_figure_out_what_something_is/
{ "a_id": [ "cci1biv", "cci1cpb" ], "score": [ 3, 5 ], "text": [ "Check out these [past threads](_URL_0_) regarding structural determination. In short, modern methods of NMR, mass spectrometry, and x-ray diffraction are more than sufficient in determining the character of a particular mole...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/search?q=shape+molecule&amp;restrict_sr=on" ], [ "Chemspider.com", "http://Chemspider.com" ] ]
1qcyrx
How did so many Japanese businesses end up involved in so many different industries?
It's almost a stereotype at this point, something even [parodied by The Simpsons](_URL_0_). Seems like in Japan, there are more than a few companies that have their fingers in a lot of pies - Yamaha makes keytars and motorcycles, Mitsubishi makes cars and is a bank (among about 100 other things), and so on and so forth...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1qcyrx/how_did_so_many_japanese_businesses_end_up/
{ "a_id": [ "cdbkxdn", "cdboww5" ], "score": [ 7, 4 ], "text": [ "I recommend you to read more about the zaibatsu. The answer to your question lies all in the zaibatsu. Especially Mitsui and Mitsubishi group. Those companies were so dominant that it just made sense to produce \"everything\...
[]
[ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnaLRbbc-54" ]
[ [], [] ]
15ieyg
how long does the earth have left before it becomes uninhabitable?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/15ieyg/eli5_how_long_does_the_earth_have_left_before_it/
{ "a_id": [ "c7mqa9d", "c7mr8s6" ], "score": [ 17, 5 ], "text": [ "Check out this Wikipedia [Future timeline of Earth](_URL_0_)\n\n* In about 600 million years the Sun's increasing luminosity begins to disrupt the carbonate-silicate cycle; Carbon dioxide levels begin to fall. Photosynthesi...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_timeline_of_Earth" ], [] ]
4tf4r7
why rockets are sometimes launched at night?
I was watching the SpaceX video from last night's launch. What is the value of launching at night? It seems like the loss of visual contact would be a problem, wouldn't it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4tf4r7/eli5why_rockets_are_sometimes_launched_at_night/
{ "a_id": [ "d5gr5pz", "d5gr693" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Rockets launch whenever is necessary to make sure their payload ends up in the proper orbit. Sometimes that's at night, and so they launch at night.\n\nRockets are actually a lot easier to spot at night, because they're spe...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3u9rd0
why do some osx programs have to be dragged and dropped into the applications folder, while some have installer packages?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3u9rd0/eli5_why_do_some_osx_programs_have_to_be_dragged/
{ "a_id": [ "cxd3ctf", "cxd3dm0" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Same reason why some windows programs are just simple exes and others require an installer\n\nThe ones that need an installer usually have some other dependencies or modify the system in some way.", "On Mac OS X, most pr...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2d2v2j
why humans can walk up and down stairs without having to look down at them.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2d2v2j/eli5_why_humans_can_walk_up_and_down_stairs/
{ "a_id": [ "cjlje0i" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Also, stairs are required to be a standard step height and minimum tread width. When you find non standard stairs you will look down, guaranteed. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
ugwyg
Is the wheel a mandatory invention/discovery for the advancement of a civilization?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ugwyg/is_the_wheel_a_mandatory_inventiondiscovery_for/
{ "a_id": [ "c4vao3z", "c4vb2ga", "c4vbloh" ], "score": [ 2, 6, 6 ], "text": [ "I would say it depends on the geographic region of the civilization. Snow covered regions would benefit more from a ski like invention. ", "There are civilizations that have no wheels.\n\nCanals are...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3ec82t
What was going on in Austria during the Cold War?
I'm curious as to what happened to Austria post-WWII up until around the end of the Cold War, so between 1946-1988 roughly. During this time Germany was split up, Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe was completely under Soviet control, but I never hear anything about Austria. Could anyone help out and shed some ligh...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ec82t/what_was_going_on_in_austria_during_the_cold_war/
{ "a_id": [ "cte597m", "cte9nwq" ], "score": [ 5, 13 ], "text": [ "Austria/Vienna were jointly occupied by the four powers, just like Berlin. Unlike Germany, in 1955 the powers agreed to end their occupation on the condition that Austria stay neutral. That's why Austria never joined NATO....
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
199sb0
how are the us and chinese economies linked?
And what would be the repercussions if one of them crashed
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/199sb0/eli5_how_are_the_us_and_chinese_economies_linked/
{ "a_id": [ "c8m3qay" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "How are they linked? \n\nWell quite simply trade, the USA imports around $400 billion worth of goods every year from China while it only exports around $111 billion. So every year the USA is on the bad end of a $300 billion deficit, which is not ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/its2012_e/its12_appendix_e.htm" ] ]
g2ei3o
if all the ants in the world came together to lift one two month old baby, would they be able to?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/g2ei3o/eli5_if_all_the_ants_in_the_world_came_together/
{ "a_id": [ "fnkxrjf" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Pretty sure if all ants in the world came together they'd be able to lift way more than just a baby" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1spgbh
Is it really necessary to read the Cambridge Chinese history?
I have decided to take a more organized approach to reading Chinese history and have come to the conclusion that the Cambridge History of China series is highly regarded. However, these 15 volumes have an asking price of more than £100 per volume (and around £50 used). Is there a cheaper alternative series? Would it be...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1spgbh/is_it_really_necessary_to_read_the_cambridge/
{ "a_id": [ "cdzx6bi", "cdzyjcc" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The Cambridge Illustrated History of China, also published by Cambridge University Press, is a less dense text that covers the basic outline of Chinese history (plus it has pictures!). Amazon is selling it for a little over ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
bx7g4n
why is it easier to see weak light, when not looking directly at it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bx7g4n/eli5_why_is_it_easier_to_see_weak_light_when_not/
{ "a_id": [ "eq40ipo" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Your peripheral vision is designed to see changes in dark/light while your central vision is designed to see color and detail. You can see dim lights better with your peripheral because that is what it’s designed to do." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1rc8ba
why is it that whenever i am not suppose to or cant touch my face, it always starts to itch?
Why is it that whenever I am not suppose to or cant touch my face, it always starts to itch? Like if I am at work and as soon as I wash my hands and put gloves on, my face with start to itch and I can't scratch it because its unsanitary. It's like as soon as my body knows I can't or am not suppose to touch my face its ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rc8ba/eli5_why_is_it_that_whenever_i_am_not_suppose_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cdlqodk", "cdlr4f2" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I don't have an answer for you, but can you imagine being an astronaut with one of those fishbowls on your head for hours at a time? Fuck, I get itchy just thinking about it.", "You're nervous about it itching which caus...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
8akbse
Ottoman-Bulgarian relations during the First World War
During the First and Second Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, Bulgaria and other states finally broke the Ottoman Empire’s frail grip over the Balkans. In both conflicts, the Ottomans fought against Bulgaria, and atrocities were committed by each side. Just over 2 years later, the Ottomans and Bulgarians were fighting on the ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8akbse/ottomanbulgarian_relations_during_the_first_world/
{ "a_id": [ "dx006so", "dx0711f" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Besides the short fighting in Romania, i don’t believe ottoman/Bulgarian Troops ever worked in tandem, and even then, they where kept separate, Bulgaria had to manage and help oversee Romania and Serbia whilst the ottomans h...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3ymli5
what prevents people with server access at a bank or payment processor to "spawn" themselves in money?
Besides federal laws existing, what would prevent someone from doing that?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ymli5/eli5_what_prevents_people_with_server_access_at_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cyeqc86", "cyeqg5j" ], "score": [ 7, 5 ], "text": [ "Auditing. Lots and lots of auditing.\n\nIt may surprise you to learn that banks are super serious about money and keeping track of money. So if some money just randomly appears they get pretty suspicious.", "Financial in...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4rpnqa
Is there a positive correlation between age at which mating occurs and length of life in humans?
There was a study done on fruit flies in the 1970s that got the flies to live "significantly longer" within 12 generations. I was wondering: (1) what "significantly longer" means, especially in terms of proportionality, and (2) have we been seeing these effects in humans? Has the experiment been performed on any ot...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4rpnqa/is_there_a_positive_correlation_between_age_at/
{ "a_id": [ "d53k7n6", "d55greg" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ " > what \"significantly longer\" means, especially in terms of proportionality\n\nI don't know the paper you're referring to, but significance in this context almost certainly means statistical significance (i.e., p-values)...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6thaho
what the fuck happened/is happening at charlottesville ?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6thaho/eli5what_the_fuck_happenedis_happening_at/
{ "a_id": [ "dlkn0kc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Group A protests for their more extreme conservative views.\n\nGroup B protests Group A.\n\nBoth Group A and Group B exchange inflammatory statements.\n\nBoth Group A and Group B might've engaged in physical altercations.\n\nPerson O accelerates ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3nun8f
quantum darwinism
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nun8f/eli5_quantum_darwinism/
{ "a_id": [ "cvrdsjr" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "In Layman's terms, this is what the wiki sais:\n\nIn QM, the components of the universe exist in an unknown quantum state. Something causes these probability functions to leak information into our universe. This is information we can measure by ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5ijnqv
what technological advances would be needed to make a pharmaceutical cure for obesity/prevention of fat gain possible, and why isn't it possible?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ijnqv/eli5_what_technological_advances_would_be_needed/
{ "a_id": [ "db8nsaz" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The problem is, if you binge eat and your body doesn't process it, you have to shit it out. If your body is just sending it on through you are going to shit RIGHT after you eat (or even before you're done), and it won't even look like shit but r...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
26btct
Will spiders use already formed webs that they have found (whether the web is from the same species or not) or do spiders only use webs that they themselves have made?
If a spider happens on another web, perhaps abandoned, will that spider use that web rather than going through the work of building a new one? Does the web have to be made by a member of the same species for this to happen or, for example, will a black and yellow garden spider use an american house spider's web? Also, ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/26btct/will_spiders_use_already_formed_webs_that_they/
{ "a_id": [ "chptd3i" ], "score": [ 175 ], "text": [ "I did a bit of research, and I want to offer an expanded and more in depth answer.\n\nAs I mentioned in my first post, web building spiders tend to build and rebuild there webs. This is true, but not all web building spiders; some spiders, once...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1d3fgy
Would combining isopropyl alcohol with hydrogen peroxide create a more effective antiseptic?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1d3fgy/would_combining_isopropyl_alcohol_with_hydrogen/
{ "a_id": [ "c9mhvvj" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I am speaking from a biology background, so I can't comment much on the chemical implications of mixing isopyopyl alcohol and peroxide. Note, however, that hydrogen peroxide is fairly reactive.\n\nThat said, swabs of multiple antiseptics are used...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/Disinfection_Sterilization/acknowledg.html" ] ]
1wlpuu
if quantum physics was created to deal with light, how can it be used with other waves/particles?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wlpuu/eli5_if_quantum_physics_was_created_to_deal_with/
{ "a_id": [ "cf35vhd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "One of the key understandings of quantum physics is that light doesn't just act like a wave, it also acts like a particle. **It isn't really either one**, it just sometimes acts like them. It is something that we have a hard time understanding, ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9oohq0
How could the practice of performing excorcisms in the Catholic church survive for so many centuries? Are there credible cases where it worked?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9oohq0/how_could_the_practice_of_performing_excorcisms/
{ "a_id": [ "e7wdjqp" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "When you're asking \"where it worked\" do you mean where someone had an ailment that was actually found to have been caused by demons or demonic possession who were actually, literally expelled by exorcism, or where someone just felt better after...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4fk36p
how does a smartphone keep track of a timer set when you restart or reset your device?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fk36p/eli5_how_does_a_smartphone_keep_track_of_a_timer/
{ "a_id": [ "d29hh6n", "d29hyzz" ], "score": [ 7, 3 ], "text": [ "Two basic ways (phones, computers, etc.)\n\n1. a battery! there is a little clock with a dedicated battery.\n\n2. the network (cell network, internet, etc.) provides the time (time servers, domain controllers etc, for compu...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3h4bux
Can someone help me find records of a pilot who died during WWII?
Hey everyone, I'm trying to find some records for my dad about a pilot who died in WWII. From the info my dad is giving me, his name is Pearson (possible Person), Gregg. However, Gregg may have been his commanders name. He was either in the Navy or AAF, as he was a pilot who was killed at what seems to be the Battle of...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3h4bux/can_someone_help_me_find_records_of_a_pilot_who/
{ "a_id": [ "cu4bkef", "cu4isja" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Have you checked out this site - _URL_0_? \n\nSince your information is iffy, it may take some searching - but I learned a lot from them - ", "Do you know what state they were from? The lists are broken down here at the...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.asp" ], [ "http://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww2/navy-casualties/index.html" ] ]
e3vqc7
when radio stations say they have 12 million listeners, how do they know?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e3vqc7/eli5_when_radio_stations_say_they_have_12_million/
{ "a_id": [ "f95577i", "f95cotd", "f95e6rc", "f95et6d", "f95g6m1", "f95gas8", "f95hwyz", "f95j5yk", "f95kdp6", "f95n3pe", "f95r5ly", "f95w7dh", "f96crkq", "f96xcya", "f96xpn0", "f97xgwq", "f98kzt1" ], "score": [ 4340, 288, 4, 42, ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audience_measurement", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audience\\_measurement" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_Audio" ], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
7nofy9
what makes something microwaveable or non-microwaveable? is all food microwaveable?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7nofy9/eli5_what_makes_something_microwaveable_or/
{ "a_id": [ "ds3a6fc", "ds3am09", "ds3cz65", "ds3gc4f", "ds3hhs4", "ds3jxgq", "ds3kns6", "ds3qfef", "ds45u5b", "ds4oyid" ], "score": [ 264, 27, 22, 6, 3, 2, 2, 27, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yeah, all food is microwaveable (well, unle...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
54mj5v
Why did the victors of WW1 give Danzig to Poland and cut off part of Germany?
As the title said, why was Danzig given to Poland? It just seems odd to spilt off Germany like that.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/54mj5v/why_did_the_victors_of_ww1_give_danzig_to_poland/
{ "a_id": [ "d8399af" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I tackled this question [with an answer back in December.](_URL_0_)" ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3x5w6n/why_did_the_league_of_nations_pick_danzig_gdansk/" ] ]
19epiz
How does a historic researcher go about finding a topic to work on?
I've been interested in doing research on cold-war topics for a while now, but I always have a tough time even finding a topic to get started on.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/19epiz/how_does_a_historic_researcher_go_about_finding_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c8ndxwa", "c8nhwo1" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Find journals from your area of expertise. Read the most recent editions. Find out what the prominent questions and debates are. Select a relevant subject. \n\nEdit: I found [this](_URL_0_). ", "Like the others, I sugges...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/cws/" ], [] ]
10r8ev
Is psychopathy advantageous from an evolutionary perspective?
.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/10r8ev/is_psychopathy_advantageous_from_an_evolutionary/
{ "a_id": [ "c6fyq5e", "c6g0rcg", "c6g1tte" ], "score": [ 13, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Reid Malloy submitted a paper in 2011 suggesting just that. Predators in the wild must be able to identify the weakest and easiest target or they will not eat. Malloy argues that psychopaths share that...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
7yux9i
how do cuts on the inside of your mouth, on your cheek, tongue and lip not get super infected by all of our nasty mouth germs?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7yux9i/eli5_how_do_cuts_on_the_inside_of_your_mouth_on/
{ "a_id": [ "dujblrf", "dujd3vz", "dujd528", "dujjg5c", "dujjsjj", "dujkdtj", "dujlmkq", "dujot4s", "dujpyaj", "dujwnui", "dujxwd3", "dujzitd", "dujzp9c", "duk26bj", "duk4f6n", "duk6hcw" ], "score": [ 170, 8153, 12, 3, 1942, 6...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1kalfa
antenna theory
How they work, why there are directional antennas, and most importantly how certain antennas can only be used with certain frequency ranges.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1kalfa/eli5_antenna_theory/
{ "a_id": [ "cbn209z", "cbn277y" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Think of an antenna like a piece of water pipe. We can send a pressure wave into one end of the pipe, and it will flow through the pipe, hit the cap on the other end, and bounce back. \n \nNow, instead of doing that once, ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_wave" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yagi_antenna", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonance", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnet", ...
ixa8y
When I have a hangover, why do the symptoms come in 'waves'?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ixa8y/when_i_have_a_hangover_why_do_the_symptoms_come/
{ "a_id": [ "c27esuu" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Dehydration. \n\nIt's your body's way of saying it hates you for being awesome last night." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2dz1cz
the purpose of a $1 salary
Just read that Mark Zuckerberg is on a $1/year salary....how and why?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dz1cz/eli5_the_purpose_of_a_1_salary/
{ "a_id": [ "cjug6or", "cjugcua", "cjuh03d", "cjuhfy1", "cjulmdl", "cjuvl5h", "cjve681" ], "score": [ 69, 58, 2, 2, 2, 2, 6 ], "text": [ "It's a tradition among the tech giants in silicon valley to have a $1 a year salary. \n\nThey own such a big sha...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexmorrell/2014/04/01/facebooks-mark-zuckerberg-now-among-billionaire-ceos-earning-1-salary/" ], [], [] ]
1p4ka3
what was the appendix used for before it became obsolete?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p4ka3/eli5_what_was_the_appendix_used_for_before_it/
{ "a_id": [ "ccynu0v", "ccynydd", "ccyoim8", "ccypmxy", "ccyqsmx", "ccyuas5", "ccyutf1", "ccyv75o", "ccz4zzn" ], "score": [ 9, 118, 11, 36, 25, 12, 7, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "There's still quite a bit of debate as to its actual function an...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
9ylmh3
what factors contribute to whether you need to have a/some limbs amputated? is it damage to bones? muscles? nerves?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9ylmh3/eli5_what_factors_contribute_to_whether_you_need/
{ "a_id": [ "ea2b83a", "ea2eq5l", "ea2gs7e", "ea2jzjq", "ea2pbhs" ], "score": [ 7, 2, 2, 29, 2 ], "text": [ "The major factors are necrosis and infection. If the tissue has largely died or has a very bad infection, then the person will almost certainly die unless yo...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
33dpgx
What are the consequences of vacuums being created within an atmosphere?
I'm writing a fantasy story and wanted to include a magic system that allowed for some creativity and science to be included. One of the powers I wanted to include was the ability to generate vacuums of various sizes and then hold or release them at will. What are some of the things that would happen if a vacuum of a...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/33dpgx/what_are_the_consequences_of_vacuums_being/
{ "a_id": [ "cqk0e84" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ " > In a river so that water was forced to run around it?\n\nNot sure what you mean by this; \"nature abhors a vacuum\" and will not flow around it.\n\n > Around a plant and left there for a few minutes?\n\nI'm not sure about the biology, but in ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
20iz8l
What is known about the golden 'cap(s)' that adorned the tops of the Great Pyramids?
Often it is mentioned that the Great Pyramids were adorned with a pure gold(?) cap, so that it would shine bright, visible from miles away. I've tried some basic research into this and have mostly come up dry. What all is known about these massive metal works? These would have theoretically weighed TONS, is there any...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/20iz8l/what_is_known_about_the_golden_caps_that_adorned/
{ "a_id": [ "cg3u7ys" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "A fragmented inscription found near the pyramid of Udjebten mentions a gilded capstone (bnbn.t). \n\nNo known pyramidions from the old and middle kingdom exist that have a mechanism for a metal coating. So it is more likely that the inscription r...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
jkfp1
Slugs. Where are they?
I can find slugs around my house in the shade (when there is shade) and they are in great numbers. they don't seem to bother me and I don't seem to bother them. Here's my question: Where do slugs go when we don't see them? Is there some sort of million-slug orgy going on somewhere that I don't see? related: where...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jkfp1/slugs_where_are_they/
{ "a_id": [ "c2cw18r", "c2czshl", "c2cw18r", "c2czshl" ], "score": [ 7, 2, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "They are probably outside dispersed under rocks and things. Check places that are damp. And there's always a bunch in the hosta :(\n\nButterflies shelter from rain under leaves a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
acqsj7
when and how did greek/roman mythology slowly shift from a religion to mythology
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/acqsj7/eli5_when_and_how_did_greekroman_mythology_slowly/
{ "a_id": [ "eda29g0", "eda38ig", "eda4qwq", "edaw5d0", "edb1x1o" ], "score": [ 130, 21, 64, 9, 3 ], "text": [ "It happened as the people of those regions converted to other religions, primarily when they converted to Christianity. ", "Probably only in earnest f...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
3ralyz
why do phones have enough battery to show you the picture saying that they're out of battery?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ralyz/eli5_why_do_phones_have_enough_battery_to_show/
{ "a_id": [ "cwmcy9z", "cwmcyib", "cwmd17c" ], "score": [ 5, 5, 4 ], "text": [ "Because most cellphone batteries are Lithium Ion, and it will [hurt the battery's capacity to hold electricity](_URL_0_!) if you let it empty all the way. ", "Modern phones don't let their batteries...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://conetrix.com/Blog/dont-completely-discharge-those-lithium-ion-batteries" ], [], [] ]
3ca84x
Do items floating loosly in the ISS (such as astronauts when they aren't touching anything) add to its overall weight?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3ca84x/do_items_floating_loosly_in_the_iss_such_as/
{ "a_id": [ "cstpb66" ], "score": [ 20 ], "text": [ "In orbital mechanics, the mass of a spacecraft (like the ISS) makes no difference in the way It orbits a body (like the Earth). This means that the total mass (Which is proportional to weight) of the ISS makes no difference in the orbital proper...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
28ygz1
Does a photon "leaving" the sun (yet close to it) move slower because it's affected by its gravity?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/28ygz1/does_a_photon_leaving_the_sun_yet_close_to_it/
{ "a_id": [ "cifpdzk" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "As near as we can tell, photons are massless particles (which makes more sense if you consider light as an EM wave instead of a particle). Gravity does not change the speed at which light propagates, but it can change its frequency ([gravitation...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/28u5rs/can_the_speed_of_light_slow_down/ciel0y7", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_redshift" ] ]
4l2z29
how do mobile devices charge while they are in use?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4l2z29/eli5_how_do_mobile_devices_charge_while_they_are/
{ "a_id": [ "d3jwnom", "d3jwruh", "d3jxsv5" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 6 ], "text": [ "I see it says 2 comments but the comment section is empty. Anyone else see that? ", "There's a circuit called a battery manager that takes input power at a specified voltage, and converts it to the ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
us6sv
My uncle gave this to me when he died.. What is it?
He didn't give really any information. It's a bit heavy, but it only weighs 3 pounds. It has a weird looking person on it, (I believe it is an Aztec God of some sort. Part of the name is scratched out, I can't read it.) and the person is silver and gold. (Real materials unknown.) It has a diamond eye, and it is real. (...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/us6sv/my_uncle_gave_this_to_me_when_he_died_what_is_it/
{ "a_id": [ "c4y2lqz", "c4y2neo", "c4y6g5h" ], "score": [ 7, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Itzamna is the name of the Mayan sky god. In Google images, there is an image of Itzamna from the Dresden codex that looks just like the image on your object. ", "Wiki...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/a/s7kxp" ]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itzamna" ], [] ]
5a9quu
how pepe the frog went from "feels good man" to a conservative political symbol
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5a9quu/eli5_how_pepe_the_frog_went_from_feels_good_man/
{ "a_id": [ "d9es6s5", "d9etm02" ], "score": [ 4, 4 ], "text": [ "He didn't. Pepe is still just a frog meme. He's no more conservative political symbol than any other meme. He's more popular on 4chan than Reddit, and 4Chan is more alt-right than Reddit, so that could be why he got mixed up...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://gimletmedia.com/episode/77-the-grand-tapestry-of-pepe/" ] ]
e0m44n
PTSD in the American War of Independence
I am researching about the American War of Independence, and starting to research for a project of mine. One thing I have been wondering about is PTSD in the American Revolution. I mean, we have accounts of it dating back to Marathon, so there has to be evidence of it in this war. I am focusing more on accounts in camp...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/e0m44n/ptsd_in_the_american_war_of_independence/
{ "a_id": [ "f8kpskz" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I recently picked up the audio book of Atkinson's *The British Are Coming*. It is the first part of a trilogy on the military history of the revolution. There are a number of officers and enlisted accounts that he includes from the Canadian campa...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2txr7f
What was the first status automobile that a well to do American would have bought when they started to be popular with the rich and famous?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2txr7f/what_was_the_first_status_automobile_that_a_well/
{ "a_id": [ "co4bwb6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "/u/theshowisnottheshow gave a good background. The early automobile market was so flooded with different marques and manufacturers (Over 5,000 marques are listed between 1895 and 1942 in the *Standard Catalogue of American Cars* - most of them ne...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://i.imgur.com/aXB3sqq.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/bK9xPog.jpg", "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/1915_Stutz_H.C.S._Roadster.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/TtPcqWX.jpg", "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/1899Winton.jpg", "http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/...
5mkhth
how the "helicopter effect" happens in a car when you have a window open.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5mkhth/eli5_how_the_helicopter_effect_happens_in_a_car/
{ "a_id": [ "dc49sv7", "dc4bk8w", "dc4cxmj", "dc4dbsx", "dc4e5ym", "dc4f0h9", "dc4fzqk", "dc4g33g", "dc4gmsu", "dc4grt5", "dc4gu6t", "dc4jcao", "dc4vdl3", "dc50w6k", "dc5fecp" ], "score": [ 223, 20, 83, 7, 3703, 908, 4, 6,...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortex_shedding" ], [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmholtz_resonance", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli's_principle" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://imgur.com/fftRTtQ" ] ]
6x338l
Why does the standard deviation formula have an (n-1) instead of n?
The formula to calculate standard deviation involves adding the squares of differences between the point and mean for each data point, then dividing it by (n-1). Since standard deviation is a way to calculate spread that corresponds with mean, why isn't the sum divided by n?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6x338l/why_does_the_standard_deviation_formula_have_an/
{ "a_id": [ "dmcpjn4", "dmcqiwh", "dmdf67m", "dmdl4wu" ], "score": [ 14, 20, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The one with the n in the denominator is the [maximum likelihood estimator](_URL_0_) (see Equation 15) for the standard deviation of a Gaussian distribution.\n\nIt's a biased est...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://mathworld.wolfram.com/MaximumLikelihood.html" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessel%27s_correction#Source_of_bias" ], [], [] ]
6yn4ra
After recently watching a Kurzgesagt video about bringing a piece of the sun to Earth: Are fusion reactors truly safe when they fail?
Reference video: _URL_0_ In the video, Kurzgesagt discusses the possible results of bringing a piece of the sun, gathering from different areas, to Earth and the effects of bringing the pieces. Most of the effects basically involved large, planet affecting explosions. Fusion reactors are described as safe and don't ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6yn4ra/after_recently_watching_a_kurzgesagt_video_about/
{ "a_id": [ "dmopdji", "dmoqp9x", "dmor1ig", "dmpfb4x", "dmpw46i" ], "score": [ 80, 48, 24, 4, 2 ], "text": [ " > a piece of the sun, each the size of a house\n\nNote that the core of a star is very dense, so dense it can fuse elements at much lower temperatures bec...
[]
[ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ldO87Pprc" ]
[ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vai5S0mI9u0" ], [], [], [], [] ]
3c27gf
How can I navigate the dark so easily after just getting a momentary glimpse of my surroundings?
The title might be ambiguous, I really struggled to put this succinctly. More descriptive: It is dark, I walk to my room and turn the light on. Across the room on one of my night tables is my phone. I have to go around my bed, dresser, fan, and some other shit on the floor. I turn the light off, it's total darkness, an...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3c27gf/how_can_i_navigate_the_dark_so_easily_after_just/
{ "a_id": [ "csrukxk", "css2syp", "css5vtz" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Just so I understand this correctly, you're essentially asking how the brain generates and maintains mental maps of our surroundings right?", "It's not surprising that you are able to create a menta...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/london-taxi-memory/" ] ]
5qhf9r
why aren't there more bruce lee/ninja fighters in us mma?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5qhf9r/eli5_why_arent_there_more_bruce_leeninja_fighters/
{ "a_id": [ "dcz8490" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Basically the best martial artist in the world in a confined space is susceptible to a bull rush or equivalent. Without the space to manoeuvre they are vulnerable to very close quarter fighting." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]