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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y7jei | Rational floating point computations | Computers calculate floating point math using a Mantissa and exponent, that is an integer showing a value, plus another integer showing where to move the decimal point. What if, instead one used two integers that represented a ratio? More accurate math? Faster execution times? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/y7jei/rational_floating_point_computations/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5t1idc",
"c5t3j57"
],
"score": [
6,
6
],
"text": [
"More accurate? Not necessarily. A floating point number is usually stored in memory using 32 bits. Integers are often stored using 16 bits. So if you take two integers, you still have only 32 bits available. You can only sto... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
e7qmcu | How is the CMB be the most distant thing we can see when there is a cosmic horizon? | Hi r/askscience!
I'm watching the PBS Spacetime series on the Cosmic Microwave Backround and something's nagging at me that I was hoping you could resolve. I get the gist of the following facts:
1. Because of the speed of light, when we look out into space we are actually looking into the past. So when we're looking ... | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/e7qmcu/how_is_the_cmb_be_the_most_distant_thing_we_can/ | {
"a_id": [
"fa38vap",
"fa3csa4",
"fa3dp8c"
],
"score": [
12,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"The CMB we saw a billion years ago (well... would have seen) was emitted by matter closer to us. In a billion years we'll see the radiation from matter so far away that we can't see its radiation yet. ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3kynl1 | do i have to charge my new phone battery to 100%? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kynl1/eli5do_i_have_to_charge_my_new_phone_battery_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cv1neyr"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"short answer: no, you don't have to charge a new phone battery to 100% before use. that's a guideline meant for nickel-based batteries, which do need a full charge before use. the lithium batteries used in today's phones don't need to be fully ch... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1kuux4 | Is it possible to have a Pi amount of some object, or would it be infinite? | The question at hand comes from a discussion with a friend about if you can have a Pi amount of any object. A Pi amount of stones, coffee beans, yarn ect...
Would you technically have a infinite amount, since the number never ends, or would you eventually fall into some aspect where the fraction is so miniscule that i... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1kuux4/is_it_possible_to_have_a_pi_amount_of_some_object/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbsu6e3",
"cbsu8p2",
"cbsua1h",
"cbsv2yy",
"cbsvmt9"
],
"score": [
3,
5,
12,
2,
13
],
"text": [
"If you had a pi amount of stones, then you would have 3 stones, and one part of a stone (about one-seventh). Pi = about 3.14. Why would you have infinite st... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
9mf628 | with gravity being tied to mass, if you were in the exact center of an earth sized object in a protected sphere, would you be weightless or experience intense pressure? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9mf628/eli5_with_gravity_being_tied_to_mass_if_you_were/ | {
"a_id": [
"e7e514d",
"e7e516b"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Both.\n\nIf you're in the center of a uniform hollow shell - which ultimately this is, although the walls of it are very thick, you will be weightless, because the gravity in any given direction will be cancelled out by all ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
u6dle | how do rivers flow continuously? | I understand the water cycle in that water is evaporated, condenses, and precipitates which puts water back into the ecosystem, but how does a river continuously flow millions of gallons of water when it eventually empties into an ocean? Where does all the water come from to keep it going nonstop? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/u6dle/eli5_how_do_rivers_flow_continuously/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4sowci",
"c4sp9or",
"c4svo71"
],
"score": [
13,
12,
2
],
"text": [
"The water in a river comes from many different sources. Let's try to think of a few. There are springs, where the water bubbles out of the ground. There is rain, where the water precipitates, or fa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
bzpycb | could we build nuclear power plants underground? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bzpycb/eli5_could_we_build_nuclear_power_plants/ | {
"a_id": [
"eqv0i6v",
"eqv15ye",
"eqvz8hg"
],
"score": [
8,
5,
3
],
"text": [
"Must look at the tectonics of the potential site. Unstable tectonics could lead to a disaster",
"Yes, look up the LFTR, or liquid fluoride thorium reactor. We built one at ORNL and operated it under... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
97y6aa | Are our pinky and ring fingers mechanically linked? | I can put my ring finger down by itself, no problem. But whenever I try to put my pinky down, the ring finger wants to come along with it. Why is that? How come it doesn't work vice versa? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/97y6aa/are_our_pinky_and_ring_fingers_mechanically_linked/ | {
"a_id": [
"e4c1syf"
],
"score": [
23
],
"text": [
"The tendons that go to these fingers are attached to the same muscle (FDS, FDP). With the tendons being adjacent to one another, it makes it difficult to flex one tendon/finger via muscle contraction while keeping the other tendon/finger complet... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3bg6q8 | the role of queen's guard | What exactly do they do? Are they just for tourists or do they have a real role in the UK. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3bg6q8/eli5_the_role_of_queens_guard/ | {
"a_id": [
"cslu14n",
"cslu6vh",
"cslue9j",
"csluywv",
"cslvu4i",
"csm0wpb"
],
"score": [
12,
6,
8,
4,
3,
4
],
"text": [
"It's right there in the name. They are active soldiers who have a duty to guard the royal residences in the UK. They are not for tour... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Unknowns"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2qdms3 | why are the borders of car windshields dotted? | The black border around a car windshield, it always fades away into dots. Why? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qdms3/eli5_why_are_the_borders_of_car_windshields_dotted/ | {
"a_id": [
"cn54xeb",
"cn5681t",
"cn56oi2",
"cn57b10",
"cn59825"
],
"score": [
17,
20,
6,
52,
12
],
"text": [
"The idea is to have a gradual fade in shading sunlight, but the varying size dots can achieve that without the trouble of tinting the glass. Making comple... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/1xsoea/what_are_these_black_dots_on_the_edge_of_panes_of/"
],
[]
] | |
d7bpov | If water erodes coasts, why is there still land? How does land grow back into sea? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/d7bpov/if_water_erodes_coasts_why_is_there_still_land/ | {
"a_id": [
"f0z7f1o",
"f0zj5en",
"f1073oq",
"f12hdrk"
],
"score": [
20,
9,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Well, even fast erosion processes are relatively slow from a human perspective, with some exceptions such as parts of coastal England. You have to remember that even in extreme ca... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
h40lf | George Church, Prof. of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Personal Genome Project, will answer your questions | More information can be found on the [main post at IAmA](_URL_1_). Please ask your questions there, though I will check this thread as well before I send him the questions just in case.
edit: Hey askscience, since this whole thing was started from a request here, and since the original thread is pretty crowded, i'l... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/h40lf/george_church_prof_of_genetics_at_harvard_medical/ | {
"a_id": [
"c1seafa",
"c1sefd2",
"c1sefni",
"c1sf9hd",
"c1sfdut",
"c1sgm5c",
"c1sh4qo",
"c1shljj"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
3,
3,
2,
2,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"Spread the message everyone!",
"Thanks for organizing this!\n\n*ps. please crosspost thi... | [] | [
"http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/hklqs/george_church_has_answered_your_questions/",
"http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/h40at/ask_george_church_prof_of_genetics_at_harvard/"
] | [
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskScienceAMA"
],
[
"http://www.pnas.org/content/107/30/13294.full"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
25r14i | What was life like for WW2 German prisoners of war in Britain, after release? | How were they treated, and seen by both the government and public?
I recently discovered my great grandfather was a German prisoner of war, named Kurt Wagner (I am not totally sure on the name/spelling). He had raped my Romani great grandmother when she was thirteen, in Essex, and left. I'd be grateful for any help in... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/25r14i/what_was_life_like_for_ww2_german_prisoners_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"chkbv8v"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"One ex POW you may have heard of was Bert Trautmann who became the goalkeeper for Manchester City and famously played on in a Cup Final despite breaking his neck.\n\n*Trautmann's Journey -from Hitler Youth to FA Cup Legend* by Catrine Clay (Yello... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
132kkz | How did ancient soldiers keep from dying of exhaustion in long battles? | I've seen accounts of battles lasting many hours. Did they have canteens and snacks on hand to eat during the action or were there always significant breaks enough that they could refresh? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/132kkz/how_did_ancient_soldiers_keep_from_dying_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"c709ai0",
"c709s3w",
"c70lmug"
],
"score": [
39,
10,
3
],
"text": [
"Appian wrote the quote below about the 43 BC Battle of Forum Gallorum during the civil war between Octavian and Mark Antony.\n\nBasically, two lines of men would smash into each other. They would shov... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1ybo9j | how is it possible that our entire universe exists in a black hole in another universe? | I understand the concept of a singularity, but I don't understand how our entire universe could exist in the singularity of a black hole. I am reading the latest National Geographic issue and I can't seem to make sense of some of it. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ybo9j/eli5_how_is_it_possible_that_our_entire_universe/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfj37yq",
"cfjnru3"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"We don't know. It's a musing by a few scientists. ",
"Most scientists think the answer is no. This is because physical laws in our universe operate very differently on different scales. The forces that hold an atom tog... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1gf4lg | how do autistic people see the world? | I've always wondered. how do the autistic physically and literally view things? I've known people who are autistic, in fact I grew up next door to two autistic children one of which was born a year before I was so we played together how children play, etc. His sister who also was born autistic was worse off than he wa... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1gf4lg/eli5_how_do_autistic_people_see_the_world/ | {
"a_id": [
"cajlnm0",
"cajlri9",
"cajncqn",
"cajqe8y"
],
"score": [
3,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"with thier eyes",
"They're not schizophrenic, which seems to be what you're describing. They only see the world differently in a metaphorical sense. In other words, they may pe... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://ianrowe.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/calvin-and-hobbes-space1.gif"
],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9eATBV-_lg"
]
] | |
24hqj3 | Other then the green house effect, what effects does an excess of CO2 have on the environment? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/24hqj3/other_then_the_green_house_effect_what_effects/ | {
"a_id": [
"ch78vwp",
"ch78ygc"
],
"score": [
11,
2
],
"text": [
"[Ocean acidification](_URL_0_) is a major additional adverse effect of excess CO2.",
"The other big effect I know of is that the oceans become more acidic. [Ocean acidifcation is a problem.](_URL_0_) There's an equilibr... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_acidification"
],
[
"http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification"
]
] | ||
eko4qh | How far back in history do you have to go before the world's major languages are no longer intelligible to modern speakers? | For instance, I understand that modern English ceases to be mutually intelligible with historical English at some point in the medieval period. When did this transition take place with the world's other most commonly spoken languages (or any language you happen to know about)? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/eko4qh/how_far_back_in_history_do_you_have_to_go_before/ | {
"a_id": [
"fdhg6ic"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Looking at English, Shakespeare wrote about 500 years ago, and the language in his books, while not particularly easy, is intelligible to the modern ear with a bit of effort. Chaucer wrote about a hundred and fifty years before that, and his wor... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2eeiqq | why don't psychologists and psychiatrists work in tandem? | If psychologists made the diagnosis and psychiatrists reviewed it, the entire process would be more comprehensive. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2eeiqq/eli5_why_dont_psychologists_and_psychiatrists/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjypfki",
"cjyplk2",
"cjyq4uz",
"cjyvjih"
],
"score": [
57,
5,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"Psychologists and psychiatrists normally work together, more or less. A counseling psychologist will refer a patient to a psychiatrist if they feel the patient needs help beyond ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1satve | how come a hot tub still puts off steam in the winter, even when it isn't hot enough out to evaporate the water? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1satve/eli5_how_come_a_hot_tub_still_puts_off_steam_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdvr2j9"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Believe it or not, it's because it's not hot out that you can see so much steam. The physics behind this phenomenon is identical to cloud formation, where hot, moist air meets cold, dry air. The steam you see is actually water coming out of evapo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
33y7bx | How far would the earth need to be from the sun during it's red giant phase to be at the same temperature it is now? | Follow up question: is it in the realm of possibility to create a giant reflective-like fabric we could roll out in space that would bounce away the excess light. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/33y7bx/how_far_would_the_earth_need_to_be_from_the_sun/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqphpkw",
"cqpmawx",
"cqq1fil"
],
"score": [
13,
5,
7
],
"text": [
"There are a couple of ways to *deal* with our star becoming hotter and larger as it ages. One would be, as you suggest, shielding the Earth from some of the sun's light. The shield wouldn't have to b... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_tractor"
],
[],
[]
] | |
to543 | Why can't we create life in a laboratory? | Why haven't scientists been able to create living organisms in a laboratory by mixing chemicals under conditions, similar to what the Earth was like several billion years ago. I guess in my mind I'm picturing something akin to the power puff girls. Where a scientist mixes a bunch of chemicals together, and *poof* out c... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/to543/why_cant_we_create_life_in_a_laboratory/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4o9jfe",
"c4o9tfa",
"c4oa0mr",
"c4od9fd"
],
"score": [
3,
38,
18,
2
],
"text": [
"I know it's pretty debate-able on whether viruses count as life and this is not *exactly* what you were talking about, but some viruses have been created from scratch in labs by ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://women.webmd.com/news/20020712/polio-virus-created-from-scratch-in-lab"
],
[
"http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller%E2%80%93Urey_experiment"
],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia",
"http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/gg6vj/weve_had_an_magnum_opus_of_a_thread_about_t... | |
bkyl7h | I want to learn Mediaeval History of Italy | I am graduate student in Turkey and I want to research History of Italy especially in medieval times. So where should I start to learn about their history. What could you suggest to me? I can read in English and Italian. | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bkyl7h/i_want_to_learn_mediaeval_history_of_italy/ | {
"a_id": [
"emkd084"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"The difficulty with the historiography of medieval Italy is it is fragmented in case studies of specific cities. This variety makes for an incredibly rich historiography, but an intensely varied one. As far as general, introductory texts, I'm mor... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
fz6nc4 | Since photons have no charge, what force or mechanism causes them to deflect/scatter when coming into contact with matter? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fz6nc4/since_photons_have_no_charge_what_force_or/ | {
"a_id": [
"fn5xv1o",
"fn3di3q",
"fn3xgp5",
"fn45yvu",
"fn4oh1q"
],
"score": [
2,
1814,
57,
136,
23
],
"text": [
"Photons do carry energy. That energy is defined by their wavelength, the shorter their wavelength the more energy they carry. Now, when a photon collid... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
4iw0me | why do movie theaters charge seperate fares for different age groups? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4iw0me/eli5_why_do_movie_theaters_charge_seperate_fares/ | {
"a_id": [
"d31jkw4",
"d31jvzf"
],
"score": [
10,
6
],
"text": [
"To encourage (or discourage!) those groups.\n\nKids are cheaper because if you get a kid to come you're also getting their parents. It's a 2 for 1 deal as far as the theater is concerned. Families also buy more concession... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
58gl06 | [Physics] If strong force is strong enough to keep protons together, why do atoms need neutrons to keep the protons from tearing apart? | I was watching Crash Course Chemistry and watched the lateral SciShow video about how quarks are held together with strong force, which keeps protons together and also ties together the whole atom through nuclear force. When I got back to the video on the nucleus, however, Hank stated that neutrons are important becaus... | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/58gl06/physics_if_strong_force_is_strong_enough_to_keep/ | {
"a_id": [
"d90de97",
"d90eaui"
],
"score": [
13,
3
],
"text": [
"You might be tempted to say that the Coulomb force is what prevents all-proton nuclei from existing (except hydrogen-1 obviously). But that's not the full story.\n\nIn fact, if you replace all the protons with neutrons, the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
rdwhf | If Europeans never settled in the Americas and never took the land from the Natives. How long would the native tribes take to technologically advance and keep up with the rest of the world? | Would they be as powerful as the US and Canada today? I'm curious what the scene would be like when you see both industrialized European and industrialized Native meet each other for the first time without the barbarity | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/rdwhf/if_europeans_never_settled_in_the_americas_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"c451bct"
],
"score": [
12
],
"text": [
"I've just finished reading Jared Diamond's *Guns, Germs and Steel*. According to the thesis he explains, the Native Americans would probably never have become industrialised - unless they borrowed or stole technology and animals & plants from ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
63hil7 | how do companies like trivago and webjet actually make money? | If they get discounted prices and just skim off the top of that, what incentive do airlines and hotels have to provide them with those prices. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/63hil7/eli5_how_do_companies_like_trivago_and_webjet/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfu69oo"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"In reality, these places aren't getting any real special rates... they're typically getting the same discount off \"rack rate\" all travel sites, and even the hotel websites show. These websites act as online travel agencies -- they are referred ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3mzkqd | Why do people faint because of low blood sugar when they haven't had a meal for a long time if the body can turn stored glycogen into glucose? | It can also synthesize glucose from protein or fat, but why won't the body do it? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3mzkqd/why_do_people_faint_because_of_low_blood_sugar/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvjmi53",
"cvjmv9n",
"cvjn95v"
],
"score": [
57,
3,
10
],
"text": [
"This shouldn't happen. If it does, it's a sign that something's wrong with glucose control. One way in which a person can go hypoglycemic is too-high an insulin level or 'ringing' insulin (high then... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
55lq4h | penis envy | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/55lq4h/eli5penis_envy/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8bpt3h",
"d8bpz5u",
"d8br5rj"
],
"score": [
19,
17,
6
],
"text": [
"Basically it was Sigmund Freud's theory that women secretly wish to be men.\n\nAlong with a lot of Freud's other theories on child sexual development, its been largely discredited.",
"The idea is ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
952f10 | Why is Sun Yat-sen still so revered in China, if he's the founder of the Republic of China, which still opposes the current PRC? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/952f10/why_is_sun_yatsen_still_so_revered_in_china_if/ | {
"a_id": [
"e3pxqyk"
],
"score": [
60
],
"text": [
"The Mandate of Heaven. Let me explain. The Mandate of Heaven stipulates that dynasties start with the right to rule and then become increasingly incapable, until disasters begin to occur, signalling the need for a renewal of the dynastic cycle. ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
6o62lr | During the height of the Cold War, how would full-scale nuclear war have been carried out? | For instance, had the Cuban Missile Crisis ultimately escalated beyond diplomatic solution, and the U.S government had turned to a first-strike as the necessary option, what would have occurred? What would the first move have been for the U.S, how quickly would response have come from the USSR, and what was likely to h... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6o62lr/during_the_height_of_the_cold_war_how_would/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkfd06c"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"What you are asking for is the \"order of battle\" — obviously such things are speculative but one can, with some effort, line up the various forces and doctrines and come up with things that are at least plausible. Robert Norris has been doing t... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/2012_10_24_Norris_Cuban_Missile_Crisis_Nuclear_Order_of_Battle.pdf"
]
] | |
3v611v | There is no/less Russian spy novel of cold war period? | I've read lots of books by English authors blaming KGB,SMERSH and making themselves heroes and innocent. But didn't find books on the same thread against USA secret policies. I searched many threads in goodreads but get nothing on this very topic. Don't know whether I missed or there's no such series (like James Bond) ... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3v611v/there_is_noless_russian_spy_novel_of_cold_war/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxkoiv3"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"There are actually some Warsaw Pact versions of Bond. The most famous is by Bulgarian author Andrei Gulyashki. His character Avakum Zahkov is a counter-espionage agent with above-average intelligence and devotion to the system. Many of his mis... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3nhe23 | Why did we have the dark ages? After so much forward thinking by the ancient Greeks and technological advances by the Roman Empire- did everyone just forget it? Shun it for some reason? Could we be any more advanced of the dark ages never happened? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3nhe23/why_did_we_have_the_dark_ages_after_so_much/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvo48yj",
"cvojh1w"
],
"score": [
42,
14
],
"text": [
"At a basic level, we kind of didn't have them. Despite what a lot of common knowledge (including this infamous [chart](_URL_1_)) would have you believe, the world didn't just slip into barbarism when Rome fell. The idea is... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/darkages#wiki_the_.22dark_ages.22",
"http://commonsenseatheism.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/darkages.gif"
],
[]
] | ||
1gmk19 | Where does the classic image of the Roman Infantry shield come from, how much variation in pattern was there? | I have seen re-enactors displaying various patterns on their scutum and wondered where the classic image with 4 symmetrical lightning bolts and wings came from. Did every legion have it's own pattern? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1gmk19/where_does_the_classic_image_of_the_roman/ | {
"a_id": [
"calo8wa",
"calofi2"
],
"score": [
8,
4
],
"text": [
"The classic image of the Roman shield, or *scutum*, is one of the most iconic images of the Roman Empire. It was one of the biggest contributors to the success of Roman legions on the battlefield due to its invaluability in ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.amazon.com/Roman-Warfare-Smithsonian-History/dp/0060838523",
"http://home.golden.net/~eloker/im/shield.gif",
"http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/$(KGrHqF,!oUFB0VfBy50BQeGpUJT6w~~60_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F)",
"http://romanrecruit.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/3/3/3433372/8676528.jpg?171"
... | |
9ag26l | why does ground coffee not coagulate like other powders? | I'm not sure whether to flair as chemistry or physics. Other fine powders like hot cocoa mix will clump together, but even fine ground espresso does not. What causes some powders to coagulate and others not to, and why?
Edit: to be clear, I'm talking about coagulation, i.e. when you pour boiling water over coffee grou... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9ag26l/eli5_why_does_ground_coffee_not_coagulate_like/ | {
"a_id": [
"e4v5nth",
"e4vgi19",
"e4wry9r"
],
"score": [
84,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"So coagulation only applies to fluids, solid powders cannot coagulate by definition. I believe what you're referring to is clumping, which is almost always due to moisture. The powder will stick to wet... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
97jc4q | As we get older, we “lose” telomeres - does this mean a child born to a dad that was 80 as opposed to the same dad at 40 would have shorter telomeres? | That sounds like it doesn’t make sense, or as the human race aged each generation would have shorter and shorter telomeres, so are new ones created during early development and if there is an actual mechanism that lengthens telomeres when we’re young is there something we can do to replicate that in older people? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/97jc4q/as_we_get_older_we_lose_telomeres_does_this_mean/ | {
"a_id": [
"e49rc56",
"e49tlns"
],
"score": [
19,
3
],
"text": [
"As organisms age, their telomeres get shorter. However, there's an enzyme called \"telomerase\" that can repair telomeres and fill them out to full length again. Telomerase is normally only active in a few regions of the (a... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/expert-answers/paternal-age/faq-20057873",
"https://academic.oup.com/biolreprod/article/92/2/53,%201-11/2434251"
],
[
"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4691947/",
"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17363630?ordinalpos... | |
2azbgz | why do some people cross the number 7 like a lowercase t? where did this come from? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2azbgz/eli5why_do_some_people_cross_the_number_7_like_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cj08e6l",
"cj08qi6",
"cj0ak12",
"cj0jhzx"
],
"score": [
4,
3,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Because some people's 7s look like 1s - Most do it so others won't mistake their 7 for a 1.",
"A lot of people, myself included, cross 7's because they have less than perfect h... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2fq5aj | in the islam religion do women pray in mosque's or only men? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fq5aj/eli5in_the_islam_religion_do_women_pray_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckbmsqd",
"ckbmv1y",
"ckbn5ju",
"ckbn8gd",
"ckbxfut"
],
"score": [
8,
2,
9,
8,
3
],
"text": [
"Women have a seperate section in Mosques it's like second floor for them put it other words they've got the balcony of theatre. That\ns in theory, in practica... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://islamqa.info/en/983"
]
] | ||
pi57c | How is the FDA able to approve certain drugs without knowing the exact mechanism of action? | Certain drugs are available for which the specific MOA is unknown, yet they have been approved by the FDA.
How is this possible? If we don't know the exact mechanism of certain drugs and how they specifically operate at the molecular level, how could we possibly know whether or not they are *truly* safe? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/pi57c/how_is_the_fda_able_to_approve_certain_drugs/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3pjmxl",
"c3pk5zz",
"c3pl2ri",
"c3pm8ku"
],
"score": [
12,
3,
3,
4
],
"text": [
"If there is a pill that is shown to cure cancer and cause minimal side effects does it matter if we know how it works or not? Let's say we find out through extensive testing it c... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3q0y78 | Why do we record 4k in 4:4:0 instead of 1080p at 4:4:4? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3q0y78/why_do_we_record_4k_in_440_instead_of_1080p_at_444/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwbat39",
"cwbc8f2"
],
"score": [
13,
19
],
"text": [
"[1080p](_URL_0_) and [4k](_URL_1_) both refer to video resolutions. In contrast, 4:4:0 and 4:4:4 are both [chroma subsampling](_URL_2_) schemes.\n\n4k at 4:4:0 is completely different from 1080p at 4:4:4. The former is a h... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4K_resolution",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroma_subsampling"
],
[]
] | ||
87oddc | when kim jong un is having talks with president xi of china, do they speak a common language, or do they have interpreters? if interpreters are used, who's vetting the translation? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/87oddc/eli5_when_kim_jong_un_is_having_talks_with/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwegm0f"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"They most likely use translators. Kim Jong Un’s foreign language skills are in English, which he learned going to an English-language international school. Xi Xinping probably speaks some English from time he spent in the USA in the 1990s, but is... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
7abujp | why is a decreasing population considered a bad thing for a country? | Why is a decreasing population seen as a negative for industrialized countries? Doesn't increasing automation technology mean that with less people everyone will have more? Surely cities being less crowded with higher average wealth is a positive?
What am I missing? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7abujp/eli5why_is_a_decreasing_population_considered_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dp8ndsy",
"dp8ojoh",
"dp8pdsb",
"dp8rbku",
"dp8w86l",
"dp8wwjv",
"dp8xfi7",
"dp91it4",
"dpa2rkj"
],
"score": [
11,
4,
235,
36,
9,
2,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Because it means in future years there will fewer people to tax an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1g921b | Why can something you normally like taste bad because you expected it to be something else? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1g921b/why_can_something_you_normally_like_taste_bad/ | {
"a_id": [
"cai2c96"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"NOTE: NOT A SCIENTIST, JUST SOMEONE WHO ENJOYS SCIENCE\n\nI believe it's probably more psychological than anything. The expectation of one result, with a different actual result, creates surprise, which, in combination with it being a food produ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2hgdco | What happened to Peers from the colonies after the American Revolution. | I was wondering if all those with hereditary titles living in the Colonies after the American Revolution left or if any gave up their titles and stayed. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2hgdco/what_happened_to_peers_from_the_colonies_after/ | {
"a_id": [
"cksmanq"
],
"score": [
72
],
"text": [
"They left, yes. Most were not permanent residents in the first place, so they were simply returning home.\n\nAs far as giving up titles goes, that didn't/couldn't happen. The title itself belongs to the person regardless of their country of resi... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
11qyto | On the recycling of electronics. | E-Waste is a big enviromental problem which is sure to increase in severety over the next years. During my research of the topic I kept running into the notion that materials like tantal are hard to extract because they are used in miniscule quantities in electronics.
My question is if anyone in r/askscience can shed... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11qyto/on_the_recycling_of_electronics/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6ou1aa",
"c6oxq70"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"My post may not have enough details, but I once worked for a company that recycled old computers. The good ones went to schools while the broken or very old ones were recycled. I was told that motherboards and circuitry was ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.ehow.com/how_4610058_recycle-gold-computer.html",
"http://www.ehow.com/how_6642677_extract-precious-metals-computers.html"
],
[]
] | |
5rmlj7 | how can the us senate change their own rules as they go along? | If they can do that, what's the point of rules at all? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5rmlj7/eli5_how_can_the_us_senate_change_their_own_rules/ | {
"a_id": [
"dd8eoz1"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"If there is not a quorum (for the Senate this is a supermajority of 60%) but all those that are present unanimously vote to disregard that requirement they are able to continue voting on issues. This is not \"changing the rules\" really as it is ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
fm8a8 | If the universe is quantum fluctuation, why is it so big? | If the universe is a mind bogglingly unlikely quantum fluctuation that is kind of inevitable according to anthropic reasoning, then did it really need to be so big? Surely anything beyond the galaxy isn't required for intelligent life to evolve. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fm8a8/if_the_universe_is_quantum_fluctuation_why_is_it/ | {
"a_id": [
"c1gyol1",
"c1gyyi6"
],
"score": [
3,
5
],
"text": [
"It was already mindbogglingly big. The quantum fluctuation was a change in state from being extremely/infinitely dense to much much less so.",
"I'm not sure specifically what kind of quantum fluctuation models you're tal... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1k7bis | different funds. hedge funds, mutual funds, etc. | I hear these terms all the time and have never received a decent explanation | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1k7bis/eli5_different_funds_hedge_funds_mutual_funds_etc/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbm4icg",
"cbm568e",
"cbmdt75"
],
"score": [
9,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"To understand these you have to have basic information of the stock market. today Apple (AAPL) is valued at $462.81 per share; Google (GOOG) is $884.80 Yahoo is $27.86. You can't just buy one share of a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5n9ehk | have any technologies peaked? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5n9ehk/eli5_have_any_technologies_peaked/ | {
"a_id": [
"dc9p6cv",
"dc9pch0",
"dc9r53o",
"dc9twep",
"dca43e1",
"dcamv2k"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
4,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
" > anything we still use\n\nThat would imply that many technologies have peaked. Are you asking whats next?",
" Since almost anythin... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6ivu7j | It seems like up until the middle of the 20th century most cities in the U.S. were laid out in a grid pattern, then that idea was abandoned. Why? | I live in Denver and the parts of it laid out up to what I guess is the 1950s are mostly a coherent and easily navigable grid pattern, with some exceptions. But everything after that time is just a meandering non-sensical jumble of roads. But its not just Denver its every city I've ever lived in. What happened? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6ivu7j/it_seems_like_up_until_the_middle_of_the_20th/ | {
"a_id": [
"dj9u9yk"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"In Denver, and most other cities of the American West, the difference is primarily on the residential \"side streets.\" The grid of section-line roads at one-mile intervals (92nd Ave., 104th Ave., 120th Ave., 136th Ave.; Chambers, Buckley, Tower... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://nationalmap.gov/small_scale/a_plss.html"
]
] | |
1y9pnb | Critiques of historical dictionaries | I'm a lexicographer by trade, but some of my colleagues in the history department have been asked to do a historical dictionary of the country where we live. I tried a simple Google Scholar search, but what I found were critiques or analyses of dictionaries that documented languages as they have evolved (e.g. the *Oxfo... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1y9pnb/critiques_of_historical_dictionaries/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfioto5"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"A simple research on « “historical dictionary” review » can offer you several interesting examples, especially if you happen to have access to JSTOR (you may also try to search for specific dictionaries followed by the same word). More specifical... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1alu1p | What was the state of cryptography during WWII? What codes had the Allies and the Axis broken? How was that information used? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1alu1p/what_was_the_state_of_cryptography_during_wwii/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8yqawd",
"c8yvcui"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"In brief, what I am aware of includes:\n\nThe British had a whole cryptology department at Betchley Park whose sole job was to decrypt German communications.\n\nOne of the rumours from the Battle of Britain was that the Luft... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1iy11r | how come we sometimes all of a sudden start nosebleeding? | I also wonder, how is it so much blood up there? And where exactly does it come from? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1iy11r/eli5_how_come_we_sometimes_all_of_a_sudden_start/ | {
"a_id": [
"cb96x3b",
"cb9a4cx"
],
"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"I'll try and share what little knowledge I have. I used to be a long sufferer of constant nose bleeds that were quite rapid. According to doctors that I saw regularly, the bleeding was caused and is commonly caused by a vein... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
6j15pm | In the Ancient world tin was an extremely rare (and important) resource and England was famous for being a source of the metal. What was life like for those miners before the advent of modern mining techniques? How did they mine and transport tin? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6j15pm/in_the_ancient_world_tin_was_an_extremely_rare/ | {
"a_id": [
"djao0cb"
],
"score": [
17
],
"text": [
"First to pick a couple of nits: ancient tin mining in Britain was during a period before the term \"England\" had a meaning; and - to save you from an angry Cornish mob - tin mining occurred in Cornwall, which most Cornish regard as distinct fro... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2p1o9r | why can't they restore the area around the nazca lines? | _URL_0_ TL;DR- Greenpeace, in an effort to send out an eco message, possibly permanently destroys an ancient wonder of the world. I do a lot of bunker raking for a living, and I don't see why the area can't be restored by some meticulous landscaping. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2p1o9r/eli5_why_cant_they_restore_the_area_around_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmsjfqc"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"There is so little wind erosion, and there is virtually no water erosion. Every footprint, tire print, and the like will last for centuries if not millennia. No matter how meticulous we are in landscaping we cannot undo all of that because the la... | [] | [
"http://imgur.com/gallery/rxR57"
] | [
[]
] | |
2a5g0c | How accurate is Marco Polo's account of the Mongolian empire? | I recently read his book and I was wondering if it was as grand as he claims or if he was under pressure to make it seem more spectacular than it was. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2a5g0c/how_accurate_is_marco_polos_account_of_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cirntxf"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"First of all, I should mention that one of the biggest critiques of Marco Polo comes from Frances Woods, *Did Marco Polo Go to China*? Among other glaring issues, Polo never mentions the Great Wall of China and a number of other items that one wo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
kkx3n | What is the mechanism that controls seasonal fur growth in mammals? | Howdy guys.
I'm interested in what causes an animal to grow a thick winter coat and then shed it in the summer. I'm assuming that the same mechanism applies to all mammals who change their fur seasonally, but if it is caused by different mechanisms in different mammals lets use a fox as an example to simplify things... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/kkx3n/what_is_the_mechanism_that_controls_seasonal_fur/ | {
"a_id": [
"c2lp2l7",
"c2lp2l7"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"There have been studies to suggest that melatonin levels are responsible for seasonal cycles in animal systems. Melatonin levels increase during periods of higher levels of darkness. Basically, longer nights = more melaton... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1lza7p | why was the change from cellular 3g to 4g such a complicated thing, when 2g to 3g happened with no fuss? | Until Sprint came out with the HTC EVO 4G in 2010, no one really seemed to use 3G/4G as a big selling point for phones, and clearly at some point we went from 2G to 3G without any fuss; however, Sprint's 4G WiMax rollout was a complete disaster, with many people paying a premium for a speed they would never see, especi... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lza7p/eli5_why_was_the_change_from_cellular_3g_to_4g/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc49e7o"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Because when 3G first rolled out the term smart phone didn't exist and most people hadn't heard of data plans. 4G on the other hand is rolling out as mobile data usage is exploding."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2cinvd | - how do touch screens work? how can i use a stylus on my 3ds, but not on my iphone? | My kids have been asking, and I don't have a good response for them... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cinvd/eli5_how_do_touch_screens_work_how_can_i_use_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjfunce",
"cjfutvp",
"cjfxu4e",
"cjfyb1j"
],
"score": [
4,
4,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"There are two types the one for the 3ds works through touch from anything either a finger, stylus, stick ect. The other works via electricity such as your finger to an iphone scree... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitive_sensing"
],
[],
[]
] | |
bliug4 | how do birds find new bird feeders so quickly when there was never a bird feeder remotely close to that before? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bliug4/eli5_how_do_birds_find_new_bird_feeders_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"empnvv2"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Birds are hunters and foragers and are pretty observant. Crows can remember people and will give warning calls if they see a person who they feel threatened by. The local birds in your neighborhood probably watch the goings ons quite a bit and of... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
103d6c | Why was New England so different from the Chesapeake region? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/103d6c/why_was_new_england_so_different_from_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6a1auo",
"c6a1dgy",
"c6a1isy"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Complicated answer, but the short of it is the type of people that immigrated to New England vs the rest of the United States ( and the rest of 13 colonies were similar to Virginia not to NE). The commu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/educ/exhibits/founding/html/charter.html",
"http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/amerbegin/settlement/text4/BaltimoreInstructions.pdf"
],
[]
] | ||
4jqanm | why does the body store fat (or so much of it) if we can not realistically live off what the fat cells provide, why not have a cut off point? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4jqanm/eli5_why_does_the_body_store_fat_or_so_much_of_it/ | {
"a_id": [
"d38n61i",
"d38n9mo"
],
"score": [
4,
7
],
"text": [
"People can live off what fat cells provide. If you are severely obese you can live months without eating anything. However that is not suggested because you will start to miss some minerals and vitamins that you need. But it... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2xgo71 | How do we know if someone really has synesthesia? | Or on a more basic level, how do we know that synesthesia is a real phenomenon?
I was looking at [this xkcd](_URL_0_) and wondering if it could actually work, or if something similar was used. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2xgo71/how_do_we_know_if_someone_really_has_synesthesia/ | {
"a_id": [
"cp07zcs",
"cp08wgo"
],
"score": [
5,
15
],
"text": [
"There isn't a concrete diagnosis for synesthesia, however Richard Cytowic wrote down a few guidelines that are generally displayed with Synesthetes.\n\n It must be involuntary and automatic, must be constant and generic, mu... | [] | [
"http://xkcd.com/1213/"
] | [
[],
[
"http://www.youramazingbrain.org/images/brainchanges/synesthesia.gif"
]
] | |
42w49z | do hydrogen bombs cause fallout? | Me and my friend are dum-dums, can someone explain if hydrogen bombs create fallout? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/42w49z/eli5_do_hydrogen_bombs_cause_fallout/ | {
"a_id": [
"czdkrv9",
"czdkvyi",
"czdmht5",
"czdmqkd"
],
"score": [
7,
3,
6,
4
],
"text": [
"So, the way that thermonuclear bombs (h-bombs) work in general is something like this. You have a typical nuclear device composed of your favorite fission bomb (uranium or plutoniu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3napso | in an accident, what is the paperwork, and steps that i should take if i get rear-ended, or if i hit someone else? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3napso/eli5_in_an_accident_what_is_the_paperwork_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvmd0e0",
"cvmde91",
"cvmdecj",
"cvmdy6s"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"DO NOT ADMIT GUILT! Do not say anything that could be implied as an admission of guilt. Your insurance company should have instructions somewhere in the paperwork on what to do, an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://images.findlaw.com/optimost/accident-injury-law/after-a-car-accident-3.html"
],
[]
] | ||
4baygm | why do scam emails ask people to use western union for transferring funds? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4baygm/eli5_why_do_scam_emails_ask_people_to_use_western/ | {
"a_id": [
"d17jml4",
"d17jp9t",
"d17ki55",
"d17ythq"
],
"score": [
10,
233,
23,
2
],
"text": [
"dont know if its the way it still being done but 7-8 years ago, scam worked like this. You want to buy something, seller ask to do WU transfer and email him receipt of transfer... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
61q7xb | If I was to travel back to 12th century England, would we be able to easily understand each other's use of the English Language? | Assuming I speak eloquently and not use modern slang. | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/61q7xb/if_i_was_to_travel_back_to_12th_century_england/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfghqjl",
"dfghun8"
],
"score": [
102,
18
],
"text": [
"No, you would not be able to understand the language nor would you be understood. You would be hearing Middle English, and early Middle English at that (as the transition between Old English and Middle English happens aro... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPlpphT7n9s",
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GihrWuysnrc",
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyNEhEJOr8w",
"http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/AFW5744.0001.001/1:7.2?rgn=div2;view=fulltext",
"http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/CT/1:1.1?rgn=div2;view=fulltext"
],
... | |
cetage | The negative portraying of Persian empires are usually from Greek sources. But then how about the portraying of the Greek states and their people in Persian sources? Why we never heard about those? | And what caused this one-side viewing through centuries in Western world? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cetage/the_negative_portraying_of_persian_empires_are/ | {
"a_id": [
"eu564iw",
"eu5hlnn",
"ewjso85"
],
"score": [
5,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"You never hear about Persian sources because they no longer exist. Virtually nothing survives from the Achaemenid written corpus, due in part to the destruction of major collection sites like Susa and P... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/u/Daeres/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/78eyxv/in_the_west_we_see_the_persian_empire_as_terrible/dou76h1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x"
],
[]
] | |
1el92r | why a coffee creamer that contains milk products is allowed to be called "non-dairy." | Most powdered coffee creamers call themselves "non-dairy" but actually contain sodium caseinate that was derived from milk. (The labels even say: "contains milk")
This seems fraudulent to me. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1el92r/eli5_why_a_coffee_creamer_that_contains_milk/ | {
"a_id": [
"ca1b9vx"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"When foods characterized on the label as 'nondairy' contain a caseinate ingredient, the caseinate ingredient shall be followed by a parenthetical statement identifying its source. For example, if the manufacturer uses the term 'nondairy' on a cre... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1awtmn | congratulations explain like i'm five on 250,000 subscribers! | Congratulations! We are now 250,000 strong. That's a quarter of a million people who are subscribed here.
I personally think it's just a testament to how valuable a forum where everyone can ask, answer, and understand truly is.
We have some stats for y'all.
* [Traffic data](_URL_0_)
* [Subscriber count](_URL_1_) (w... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1awtmn/congratulations_explain_like_im_five_on_250000/ | {
"a_id": [
"c91giu6",
"c91hojv",
"c91k2kd"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Congratulations ELI5!\n\nNow can you please ELI5 what \"autodefenestrate\" means! (Only joking, couldn't resist!)",
"Congratulations! I've lurked this subreddit for months, even though I've never po... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/CGqGP9g.png",
"http://i.imgur.com/zznFhQT.png"
] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5cpk2l | what do coders, programmers, and software developers do at big name companies like twitter, facebook, apple, etc all day. why are they in need and do they work round the clock. would apps survive if work discontinued? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5cpk2l/eli5_what_do_coders_programmers_and_software/ | {
"a_id": [
"d9yca0o",
"d9yckm7"
],
"score": [
3,
9
],
"text": [
"Programmers are constantly fixing bugs and developing new features. The apps will definitely survive without them, but they might stagnate as the technology and their competition move forward without them.",
" > ELI5: W... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1zyhph | planned obsolescence, what is it? | And why do we need it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zyhph/eli5_planned_obsolescence_what_is_it/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfy4ehq",
"cfy4em3"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"you come up with a complete product: take 5 features from it. every year you can release a new version with a new feature and sell 5x the products, while making your old product look old and dated (even though its only a yea... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3pj28q | marijuana solves social anxiety for me. how exactly does that work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3pj28q/eli5_marijuana_solves_social_anxiety_for_me_how/ | {
"a_id": [
"cw6za97",
"cw72bum"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Everyone who's smoked marijuana knows how it ruins your memory. It is thought that this is the reason for all the good stuff. You don't remember exactly how things taste or feel, which leads to the novelty of eating ice crea... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
21bsuo | why is fifa so against using technology in football? | Other sports (rugby, hockey, cricket, American football) use video etc - why is football lagging so far behind in terms of using tech to improve the sport? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/21bsuo/eli5_why_is_fifa_so_against_using_technology_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgbi3k9",
"cgbisps",
"cgbjgdv",
"cgbjthc",
"cgbkdpa"
],
"score": [
2,
5,
2,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Because Blatter is idiotic and corrupt. ",
"Football is one of the fastest games out there. The clock doesn't stop, there is only one break, and if the ba... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
o8iu4 | AskScience AMA Series- IAMA graduate student working with human papillomavirus (HPV) | Hey r/AskScience!
I've worked with HPV the last 2 years and will be finishing up my MSc thesis soon. Hopefully we can spark some good discussion.
High-risk HPV, such as type 16, are the primary cause of cervical cancers. HPV is also responsible for many other benign and malignant lesions (ano-genital cancers, warts, ... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/o8iu4/askscience_ama_series_iama_graduate_student/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3f8cp0",
"c3f8myl",
"c3f976l",
"c3f9lsn",
"c3fa7t2",
"c3famhx",
"c3faqws",
"c3faz5i",
"c3fbaet",
"c3fbma0",
"c3fcbl3",
"c3fct43",
"c3fhaja",
"c4fubl9"
],
"score": [
16,
7,
5,
8,
4,
3,
5,
3,
3,
3,
4,
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6lufvn | What knowledge of electricity did Japan gain from the Dutch? If it was substantial, and the technology was sound, why was it not put to any practical use? | This is an area about which I know nothing. I heard a passing reference to it in a video about the history of Japan. [This link should take you to the right moment in the video](_URL_0_) - it's at 4:42. If knowledge about how electricity could be used was present in Japan, why was this knowledge not used in any prac... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6lufvn/what_knowledge_of_electricity_did_japan_gain_from/ | {
"a_id": [
"dk6ucel"
],
"score": [
15
],
"text": [
"Japanese scholars actually did make practical use and study of the electrical machinery brought to Japan by the Dutch. However, this early form of technology was very limited in its applications, and the progress they made in their studies was s... | [] | [
"https://youtu.be/Mh5LY4Mz15o?t=274"
] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elekiter#/media/File:Elekiter_replica.jpg",
"https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwja6vmisIfVAhXJ2yYKHeoZC0IQFggmMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.virginiareviewofasianstudies.com%2Fwp-content%2Fup... | |
51mdoo | Tetris was made in the USSR in 1984. How can a video game from the Soviet Union become so popular amidst a government known for censorship? Did this mean that the Soviet Union had a video game industry? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/51mdoo/tetris_was_made_in_the_ussr_in_1984_how_can_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7d5147",
"d7e1p3w"
],
"score": [
20,
5
],
"text": [
"I'm not sure I completely understand you. Are you implying that the Soviet leadership would have been opposed to video games?\n\nPersonally, I'm not certain about that at all.",
"In the 1980s, video games were getting q... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
38oe1b | Is there a method to remembering dates/locations? | For example, I know that WWI started in 1914 and ended in 1918, but I cannot remember the months or dates. It really sucks because I love history but cannot have a conversation about it with anybody because it looks like I do not know what I'm talking about. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/38oe1b/is_there_a_method_to_remembering_dateslocations/ | {
"a_id": [
"crwipco",
"crwktq8"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Honestly, dates aren't *that* important. Yeah, they're good to have in a paper, but you could easily look them up. \n\nI think the most important things is to be able to place it in context. Is it the end of the world if you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5lchat | why there was a 'leap second' added to the end of 2016? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5lchat/eli5_why_there_was_a_leap_second_added_to_the_end/ | {
"a_id": [
"dbunqjm",
"dbuotht",
"dbuoyxl",
"dbur7gi"
],
"score": [
2,
4,
44,
5
],
"text": [
"Because our calendars aren't exactly 1 year in terms of Earth's orbit/rotation. It's the same reason we have leap years, just on a smaller scale.",
"Because the Earth's rotati... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcomb%27s_Tables_of_the_Sun"
],
[],
[
"http://adminhacks.com/leap-second-bugs.html"
]
] | ||
52y1hd | Is sunlight antibacterial? | There are UV sanitizers used in various places I have been, and since the sun blasts UV out in various spectrum frequencies I wondered if this had an antibacterial effect. | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/52y1hd/is_sunlight_antibacterial/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7p9xv3",
"d7pv2ty",
"d7q29hc"
],
"score": [
2,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"UV sanitation mechanisms use high power in a relatively narrow band. A small percentage energy we receive from the sun is UV, and only a fraction of this would be in the effective band (it's mostly IR ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2193ey | how does pseudorandom works? | i googled this. and searched on eli5 (still don't understand). i really want to know how does it work. please explain like im five. edit: i know what it means but not how it works | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2193ey/eli5_how_does_pseudorandom_works/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgas0c9",
"cgas4kv",
"cgas4z9"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"True randomness isn't possible for a processor, since it's always just running input - > some function - > output. But there are functions that behave 'almost randomly'. A (bad, but easy to understand... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1kiloa | is the Geiger counter not an observer in the Schrödinger's cat experiment? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1kiloa/is_the_geiger_counter_not_an_observer_in_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbpcubm",
"cbpcuh5"
],
"score": [
7,
7
],
"text": [
"Yes. That is exactly the point of the thought experiment. Schrodinger was trying to point out how silly it was to talk about 'Observers collapsing the wavefunction' in quantum mechanics, when it is much more useful to talk a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
172ff2 | Why are single-poled magnets physically impossible? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/172ff2/why_are_singlepoled_magnets_physically_impossible/ | {
"a_id": [
"c81l7nc",
"c81njew",
"c81po77"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"Not impossible, *unobserved*. If they existed it would make some scientific theories a bit mathematically tidier.",
"They are not physically impossible, as danharaj says, they are just unobserved. I... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://users.physik.fu-berlin.de/~kleinert/files/dirac1931.pdf"
],
[]
] | ||
381910 | how do some animals get enough nutrients to survive by only eat bugs or grass? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/381910/eli5_how_do_some_animals_get_enough_nutrients_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"crrh90f"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Most animals that eat grass or other low calorie/nutrient foods spend a huge portion of their day simply eating. Cows graze all day, the amount of food they intake is massive. It usually comes down to quantity over quality. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1y0l5e | what are the long term effects of lsd use? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1y0l5e/eli5_what_are_the_long_term_effects_of_lsd_use/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfgbdt0",
"cfgduzy",
"cfggoeb",
"cfghyk7"
],
"score": [
6,
7,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"becoming a wizard",
"Calmness and an overall deeper understanding of life and the beauty of existence.",
"Okay everyone thats saying \"Happiness\" and \"clarity\" are prett... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1qoaem | how to some dogs instantly hate each other at first sight and some love each other, even though they've never met before? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qoaem/eli5_how_to_some_dogs_instantly_hate_each_other/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdf3a5o"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Just as there are manners with humans, there are manners dogs. Just like humans, some dogs don't understand these manners. \n\nThey're little things people often don't notice. They aren't supposed to look other dogs straight in the eye at first m... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1jvkdm | How come metals doesn't sublimes in very low pressures? | Non-metal compounds like H2O and CO2 sublimes when the pressure gets sufficiently low, but metals doesn't seem to do that since there are iron asteroids in space and such. How come? And when I'm at it, do all liquids boil in vacuum?
EDIT: ok of course they sublimes to some extent, but how come it's so extremely slower... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1jvkdm/how_come_metals_doesnt_sublimes_in_very_low/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbiqd88",
"cbiqlq8",
"cbivc46"
],
"score": [
5,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"They do. Very, very slowly. It's just that in space, it's so cold that the process takes a very long time. ",
"One of my professors once told me \"to an engineer, there's no such thing as zero, only... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_mirror_telescope",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krytox"
]
] | |
3mpvsa | what do the dilation drops actually do to your eyes and why does it make your eyes sensitive to light? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mpvsa/eli5_what_do_the_dilation_drops_actually_do_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvh1bxo"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Dilation drops open up your pupils, much like they would naturally do in the dark, to allow more light in. Helps the doctor see better when he's examining your eyes. Going outside while your pupils are dilated hurts because your pupils are alread... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
tqhxv | Is there anything in nature which can be considered as being infinite? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tqhxv/is_there_anything_in_nature_which_can_be/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4ouwg9",
"c4ov13m",
"c4ovfb2",
"c4ovswc",
"c4owg3z",
"c4p094v",
"c4p0asi",
"c4p13ft",
"c4p19qk",
"c4p36cu"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
3,
3,
56,
26,
6,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"No, we can only put lower bounds.",
"There... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HeLa"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
o7qyq | Do anti-particles produce anti-gravity? If not, what about with virtual particles? | I've never read anything about gravity and anti-matter, and I've read a bit of advanced physics (like The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene kind of books). So if both particles and anti-particles produce regular gravity, and there exists the quantum mechanical virtual particle pairs, would those pairs not exert gravity ... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/o7qyq/do_antiparticles_produce_antigravity_if_not_what/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3f2479",
"c3f25ou",
"c3f2h88"
],
"score": [
4,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Yes, clarification please.\n\nSadly I must say, while popular science books on particle physics are very entertaining they do not in any sense give you the ability to predict or in any meaningful way de... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_mass"
]
] | |
1w92gr | Can dogs or cats catch a cold virus or the flu from humans? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1w92gr/can_dogs_or_cats_catch_a_cold_virus_or_the_flu/ | {
"a_id": [
"cf06qii"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"No. It's very unlikely. Viruses tend to be species-specific, with a couple of exceptions.\n\nI'm not entirely sure about the specifics of feline respiratory viruses like influenza, however I can answer this question using FIV (feline immunodefici... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoonosis"
]
] | ||
2elv27 | How far can the Earth actually move towards or away from the Sun and still be okay? | I was always told that if it were to move even 10 feet then we would all die. I know this isn't true but what is the exact distance that the Earth's can get from the Sun and still be habitable by humans? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2elv27/how_far_can_the_earth_actually_move_towards_or/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck0q0q1",
"ck0yv6f",
"ck0z7mk"
],
"score": [
4,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"This is referred to informally as the [Goldilocks](_URL_0_) zone after the fable. It extends inward for our solar system to about Venus and extends past Mars.\n\nWhile such drastic orbital changes would... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumstellar_habitable_zone"
],
[],
[]
] | |
4f9wrd | how can car manufacturers seemingly copy features and ideas from each other without getting sued? | 10 years ago, all these fancy new features like blind spot monitoring systems, keyless/push button start, voice controlled climate systems, adaptive cruise control, backup cameras, park assist, etc, were all unheard of. Now, they're all options on virtually every car. One car manufacturer adds some new, previously unhe... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4f9wrd/eli5_how_can_car_manufacturers_seemingly_copy/ | {
"a_id": [
"d273kfm",
"d275v0e"
],
"score": [
6,
3
],
"text": [
"You can only sue for stuff like this if you have a patent. Either the originator of the feature put it directly into public domain, the patent was denied, or they are giving the other companies permission to use the feature.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3pdqy7 | explain radiation, radioactive material, and isotopes to me. literally like i'm 5. | I know all these words but have no idea what they mean other than don't touch the radioactive material.
Edit: And fusion/fission, or does that belong in another post? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3pdqy7/eli5_explain_radiation_radioactive_material_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cw5ejhv",
"cw5fasi"
],
"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Basically, atomic nuclei are made up of protons and neutrons. The number of protons determines the chemistry of the resulting atom (1 proton is hydrogen, 2 is helium, 3 is lithium, etc.). Nuclei can also have neutrons which,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
137b17 | How much did WW1, and particualry the Galipoli campaign, influence Australian views on the Britsh Empire? | Given the almost entirely European and Meditteranean origins of the war, and being under the command of such inept direction from the British in Galiopoli. Were Australian views on being in the Empire changed significantly? Or was nationalism strong prior to the war? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/137b17/how_much_did_ww1_and_particualry_the_galipoli/ | {
"a_id": [
"c71iqst",
"c71ojaq"
],
"score": [
15,
5
],
"text": [
"Okay. This is just a little bit *after* my period. But, I'm an Aussie, and I know something about this.\n\nBasically, Gallipoli didn't do much to change Australians' general views on being in the Empire. We were gung-ho Bri... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.abc.net.au/federation/fedstory/ep5/ep5_culture.htm"
],
[]
] | |
dql6cd | why does the colour black go with any other colour? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dql6cd/eli5_why_does_the_colour_black_go_with_any_other/ | {
"a_id": [
"f66a7tl",
"f66rfwt"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Black is zero. When you mix something with black, you are essentially mixing it with the darkest possible shade of itself, and shades of the same color tend to work together.",
"Black and white are shades and tints, not ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1k3o9l | When did the kings stop being warriors and stop fighting on the front like Richard lion heart and Henry V? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1k3o9l/when_did_the_kings_stop_being_warriors_and_stop/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbl2ky5"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Monarchy has gone out of fashion but there are still plenty of heads of state who come from the military and lead it directly. As recently as World War I you have Tsar Nicholas II symbolically leading the army at the front. In theory the Presiden... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2m7qsr | Between 1945-1989 when colonial powers began to lose their grip on their overseas territories was there an communist style government in Africa. | Since the end of the second world war Allied powers began to relinquish their control on overseas colonies in Africa,Asia and the Caribbean . I know that there was communist puppet states in Cuba Laos and China etc.. My question is that was there any communist/social uprising in Africa as this continent never gets much... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2m7qsr/between_19451989_when_colonial_powers_began_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cm1qng6",
"cm1r7fv"
],
"score": [
4,
3
],
"text": [
"There were quite a lot of communist governments in Africa actually. Angola and Mozambique both had civil wars in which a Western- (and SA-backed) rebel army attempted to overthrow their respective Communist Soviet-backed gov... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4403at | how is it that many american republicans are strongly against the iran nuclear deal, when it is a shining example of good democracy in european countries? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4403at/eli5_how_is_it_that_many_american_republicans_are/ | {
"a_id": [
"czm9x6d",
"czmaci4",
"czmajsl"
],
"score": [
5,
15,
11
],
"text": [
"The view it as giving Iran too much ground. Argued we should have limited them more etc.\n\nIt doesn't hurt that well republicans (the far right ones, not the more middle) look for reasons to hate Oba... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.