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1rrjtp
What is the evolution of the Ambassador position?
I was just reading a post about our embassies and was wondering when countries and peoples started using a single man as an ambassador to foreign lands? When did countries allow for an embassy? I know of Medieval times, and if I remember correctly, as far back as Greek and Roman rule? Egyptians? Thanks in advance.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1rrjtp/what_is_the_evolution_of_the_ambassador_position/
{ "a_id": [ "cdqc24c" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "I do not know the exact answer but here is some information.\n\n\"...after 1000 A.D. secular trends began to undermine both the decentralization of feudalism and the universalization of Christianity. Commerical activity expanded into larger geogr...
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[ [] ]
2e2s6d
why is it that soccer players seem to get injured so often and for such long durations yet "rougher" sports like rugby seem to have less injuries?
Edit: Would just like to clarify that I was asking about actual injuries, not "faked" injuries players often use to get free kicks and penalties. Players like Robben, Pato and Walcott seem to spend the majority of their time healing Edit2: How you know the Americans have woken up _URL_0_
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2e2s6d/eli5_why_is_it_that_soccer_players_seem_to_get/
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[ "http://i.imgur.com/2BTuEGI.png" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://i.imgur.com/rpMrs5A.jpg" ], [], [], [ "https://busycowboy.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/david-busst.jpg" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], ...
2zfix0
Independent land ownership in High Middle Ages
Roughly how prevalent was independent land ownership, or allodial land owning, especially among free peasants and common knights in 11th-13th century Western Europe?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2zfix0/independent_land_ownership_in_high_middle_ages/
{ "a_id": [ "cpikz17" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "I can answer for Sweden, Finland (then part of Sweden), Denmark and Norway. I don't know if you consider them western European, but they can serve as a reference.\n\nCountry|Crown|Peasants|Nobility|Church\n:--|:--|:--|:--|:--\nSweden|6%|52%|21%|2...
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[ [] ]
18xdxf
why are we still using gas powered vehicles
Seems like we have enough brain power to do away with gas and it's high prices. And the fact it's not great for the earth.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18xdxf/why_are_we_still_using_gas_powered_vehicles/
{ "a_id": [ "c8ityti" ], "score": [ 23 ], "text": [ "Cause they're awesome.\n\nIn order to do work, you need energy. Energy isn't a *thing,* but rather a property of matter. Some matter has lots of energy stored in it, other matter has only a little … some matter actually has none at all, and can'...
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[ [] ]
1h95o6
Why does the speed and wavelength of a wave decrease when it enters a region of higher refractive index?
Why does the speed and wavelength of a wave decrease when it enters a region of higher refractive index?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1h95o6/why_does_the_speed_and_wavelength_of_a_wave/
{ "a_id": [ "cas104g", "cas13qx" ], "score": [ 3, 5 ], "text": [ "The speed of light in some medium is a function of the permittivity and the permeability of that medium. The permittivity and permeability basically just mean how well electric and magnetic fields hold up in the medium.\n\nM...
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[ [], [] ]
13nksq
how can countries that are geographically close and have the same language family , develop vastly different languages?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/13nksq/how_can_countries_that_are_geographically_close/
{ "a_id": [ "c75hxlj" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Mass transportation and communication are relatively new inventions. For most of history, people lived and died without travelling more than 10 miles form their homes.\n\nAdd in a geographical feature, like a big river or a mountain range, and t...
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[ [] ]
3coymj
Equipment differences in the Korean War?
How different is the equipment of a U.N soldier (U.S in particular) compared to a Chinese one?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3coymj/equipment_differences_in_the_korean_war/
{ "a_id": [ "csxldss" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I think it would help if you specified which U.N. country as there were several involved with a great variety of equipment." ] }
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4x7x9k
Are there more neurons in the CNS or the PNS?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4x7x9k/are_there_more_neurons_in_the_cns_or_the_pns/
{ "a_id": [ "d6db09k", "d6dj628" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "More neurons in cns. Peripheral nerves can grow to a meter in individual length at times and a lot of them are responsible for simple 'to and fro' conduction ( like lower motor neurons that arise in the lumbar spinal cord an...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
6pxdpx
Did the Germans/ Prussians have a plan for a single front war with the Russians?
Most armies have contingency plans, and the Germans are famous for the years of planning that went into the Schlieffen Plan. But what if Germany went to war against just Russia with no France involved? We're any plans drawn up for such a war? What tactics would the Germans have employed for such a war? If they didn't h...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6pxdpx/did_the_germans_prussians_have_a_plan_for_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dkt5a7z" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "The period you are referring to is one of massive technological advances as well as a rapid evolution of army doctrines, so it's hard to answer this in a broad stroke.\n\nI can tell you that in the case of the early 20th century they did consider...
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1pw99h
why do some people consider obama a communist/socialist/hitler, and what exact powers does he have?
I know this is very controversial, but try to keep answers unbiased, please. I've seen countless "Like if you think Obama is worse than Hitler" posts on Facebook, and I've overheard people stating he's some sort of socialist or communist. I'm confused as to why people think that. I haven't been politically aware for a...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pw99h/eli5_why_do_some_people_consider_obama_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cd6ovkc", "cd6pqnu", "cd6sg2n", "cd6teid", "cd6tq34" ], "score": [ 10, 14, 6, 11, 8 ], "text": [ "The President is always a scapegoat for all of our problems, because people want to blame someone because it makes them feel better. Then, people love exag...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
7bkd81
Was the Marquis de Sade renown in his lifetime? What led to his detention at the Bastille until shortly before it was liberated? Was the presence of a figure of his rank there in itself extraordinary, and who did the jailing (I assume this predates any sort of modern policing)?
Was he anything more than an early Romantic with better press than Shelley or Byron?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7bkd81/was_the_marquis_de_sade_renown_in_his_lifetime/
{ "a_id": [ "dpiwv6k" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "I can answer some of this. The long and short of it is that he was ill-renowned in his life enough to invoke comment from both King Louis XVI and Napoleon Bonaparte. \n\nPlease note that much of this answer comes from [my book](_URL_0_)\n\nDonat...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.amazon.com/Annals-Pornographie-How-Porn-Became/dp/1311042458/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" ] ]
2okcam
Any examples of a foreign, or domestic power succeeding and dismantling an insurgency permanently?
I was thinking about it before, iraq, vietnam, both unsuccessful examples of america trying to dismantle an insurgency, when america pulls out of Afghanistan, the taliban will re-take over. Are there any examples of a government successfully dismantling an insurgency?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2okcam/any_examples_of_a_foreign_or_domestic_power/
{ "a_id": [ "cmnymt8" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "There are plenty. I've written about this plenty of times before, but one case I want to refer you to in particular is the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) which is usually seen as the textbook example of a successful counterinsurgency in modern war...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1cbmo9/why_was_the_american_intervention_in_vietnam_such/c9ey30p" ] ]
3qycc8
did every culture have a breakfast/lunch/dinner before the world was connected?
E.g. did Japan have breakfast/lunch and dinner separately and so did Great Britain before countries started trading?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qycc8/eli5_did_every_culture_have_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cwjcj37", "cwjcoqj" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Anthropologists have found that breakfast is a universal common denominator. You literally *HAVE* to have a first meal of the day. Almost as common is the *last* meal of the day. Sometimes this coincides with breakfast, but ...
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[ [], [] ]
4zt9u6
When did seeking mental health services become stigmatized?
In novels and film from the 60s through the 80s, I've seen and read characters make cavalier reference to their "analyst" or psychotherapist. This nonchalant discussion of their mental health was initially surprising to me considering today's stigma surrounding these types of services and issues. So, my question is...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4zt9u6/when_did_seeking_mental_health_services_become/
{ "a_id": [ "d6yqj3h" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "I believe for this type of question to be both valid and thoroughly answered, evidence of it ever not being stigmatized is neccessary OP. Or perhaps narrowing it down to a specific culture." ] }
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[ [] ]
1r09bw
Can you infer cultural traits from history?
Recently I stumbled upon a discussion where some people exposed this opinion that Russians are naturally obedient due to some events in their history. Just two characteristic posts: > In Russia if you wanted to keep your head, you kept your head down in 1917, you kept your head down in 1905, and you kept your head do...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1r09bw/can_you_infer_cultural_traits_from_history/
{ "a_id": [ "cdijfwz" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Culture plays a definitive role in any society and by extension has a great deal of influence over the direction a group of people go in. However, it would not be appropriate to claim that a group of people are \"naturally\" prone to anything. Cu...
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[ [] ]
6dlret
why are newspapers so big? wouldn't halving the size and doubling the pages be approximately the same cost?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6dlret/eli5_why_are_newspapers_so_big_wouldnt_halving/
{ "a_id": [ "di3n7ju", "di3no8j", "di3noei", "di3szzz" ], "score": [ 10, 12, 12, 5 ], "text": [ "Even if it was, it's easier to read a larger font. \n\nEspecially in this day and age you have to make something big that catches people's attention or they ignore it. ", "I...
[]
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[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadsheet#History" ], [], [] ]
7jdq35
what makes jazz music sound 'jazzy'?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7jdq35/eli5_what_makes_jazz_music_sound_jazzy/
{ "a_id": [ "dr5j4i7", "dr5jwtr", "dr5klxh", "dr5ttjj" ], "score": [ 5, 29, 7, 4 ], "text": [ "Often jazz musicians add extended harmonies to chords, such as 7ths, 9ths, and 13ths. Basic chords are comprised of a root note, a third that makes it major or minor, and the perf...
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[ [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfibwW-bQos" ], [] ]
515376
why do some optical illusions show on camera while others do not?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/515376/eli5_why_do_some_optical_illusions_show_on_camera/
{ "a_id": [ "d79c33j", "d79da1d", "d79fm26" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, there are illusions that occur entirely in the eye, like the grey dot illusion. \n\nHeat haze however isn't so much an illusion as the hot air moving and so distorting the light, so it can be capt...
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[ [], [ "https://www.slrlounge.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/5540769474_9fea9c71e4_b-800x534.jpg" ], [] ]
af88uv
How do geologists track the Earth's magnetic field?
[A recent Nature Journal Article indicates that the Earth's magnetic north pole is shifting toward Siberia.](_URL_0_) How is this tracked? Does this phenomenon occur on other planetary objects?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/af88uv/how_do_geologists_track_the_earths_magnetic_field/
{ "a_id": [ "edwenwu", "edwgies", "edx01dw", "edxjy1l" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Magnetic North (and Magnetic South) are constantly being tracked. There are many operations, including underwater operations, including geophysical seismic and submarine operation...
[]
[ "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00007-1" ]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.coolmagnetman.com/images/maghow32.jpg" ], [] ]
fhwks6
how exactly does physical exercise make our immune system stronger?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fhwks6/eli5_how_exactly_does_physical_exercise_make_our/
{ "a_id": [ "fkdpwpa", "fkdt18h", "fkduh7k" ], "score": [ 16, 5, 12 ], "text": [ "Basically, stronger is stronger. No one part of the body improves without dragging the rest along with it. Run alot and your legs get stronger, but so does your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Als...
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[ [], [], [] ]
2giaje
Was the 1951 invasion of Tibet purely ideologically motivated?
I know very little about the history of Tibet. Was the goal just to 'make China whole', as it were? Or were there economic, political, or military (buffer zone?) reasons for the Chinese to want Tibet under their control? It just seems like kind of a pointless acquisition.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2giaje/was_the_1951_invasion_of_tibet_purely/
{ "a_id": [ "ckji4v4", "ckjnndp", "ckjrn3r" ], "score": [ 13, 4, 25 ], "text": [ "Another related question: how independent was Tibet on the eve of the invasion, and for how long had that amount of independence persisted?", "As a follow on, I had a professor once state that a m...
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[ [], [], [] ]
ci7at1
does dyslexia only effect reading and writing, or visual input in general? either way, how?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ci7at1/eli5_does_dyslexia_only_effect_reading_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ev23850", "ev24hoe", "ev5davr" ], "score": [ 4, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Sort of, your brain interprets the image wrong to fit what it thinks is a better match something you may already know, you see the interpretation not the actual , so new words and images can be confus...
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[ [], [ "https://www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/article.htm#what_causes_dyslexia", "https://www.readingrockets.org/article/dyslexia-and-brain-what-does-current-research-tell-us" ], [] ]
ky0wn
why are other primates considered as non-human, and not as an indigenous tribe of humanity?
This question is not an affront to indigenous tribes, rather, it just got to me that if most primates can utilize tools and go in groups, why are they considered as non-human primates? What consitutes a genetic cousin, ignoring skin covered with hair (which a number of humans has anyway). And what constitutes a human t...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ky0wn/eli5_why_are_other_primates_considered_as/
{ "a_id": [ "c2o5yov", "c2o60ny", "c2o5yov", "c2o60ny" ], "score": [ 4, 8, 4, 8 ], "text": [ "They are a different species genetically. You could not successfully have a child with an orangutan.", "Some people have defined a *species* as a a group of organisms that natu...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
4y0u0k
what are these terms as simple as possible, and how do they interact? -computer -server -database -network -router -modem -wifi -packets
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4y0u0k/eli5_what_are_these_terms_as_simple_as_possible/
{ "a_id": [ "d6jzlx7", "d6k35vn", "d6k39hv", "d6k3eyp" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Computer: box that does some stuff. Usually stuff that only exists inside the computer. It's kinda like it's OEM entity that can interact with other computers and people.\n\nServer...
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[ [], [], [ "amazon.com" ], [] ]
dsjtfy
how do large area wlan networks work?
For example the WLAN in a Uni or in a convention center. Are there like 50 routers with the same Login data? How does your phone know to switch to a different WLAN source?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dsjtfy/eli5_how_do_large_area_wlan_networks_work/
{ "a_id": [ "f6prozf" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "exactly like you suggested.\n\nThere are a lot of Access Points (not routers) that broadcast the same network (ESSID), with the same security settings.\n\nEvery Access Point has a unique ID (BSSID), which a client also sees.\n\nSo your PC or phon...
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[ [] ]
83642g
When and how did the US dollar become the gold standard (so to speak) of international currency? Was there a previous national currency that was the recognized standard? How has the presence of an alternate, universally accepted currency affected national sovereignty in other countries?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/83642g/when_and_how_did_the_us_dollar_become_the_gold/
{ "a_id": [ "dvfycuy" ], "score": [ 45 ], "text": [ "Lets tackle the \"how\" first. One of the major structural changes of modern markets is the deterritorialization of money and the configuration of a global currency space. In the past, we had neatly confined maps of divided territorial currencie...
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3a0jce
Constantine's conversion to Christianity has been described as a "quasi-conversion"...Why?
What evidence or support is given for his "quasi-conversion"? The term is used in a general summation of Constantine's life, but not elaborated on. Here is the source quote, in bold. I included the entire paragraph for context. > **The Christianization of the Roman Empire is typically divided into two phases, befo...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3a0jce/constantines_conversion_to_christianity_has_been/
{ "a_id": [ "cs8963e" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "I don't think there's any particularly strong evidence supporting the view that it was a 'quasi-conversion'. I outlined the circumstances for his conversion [here](_URL_0_). I didn't really take a stance on this issue in that answer, but currentl...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2umisy/why_exactly_did_constantine_convert_it_seemed/" ] ]
22tbs2
What caused McCarthyism die out in the late 1950s?
Obviously people during the Cold War did not just all of a sudden stop worrying about communism but McCarthyism did not last throughout the entire time period. Why is that?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/22tbs2/what_caused_mccarthyism_die_out_in_the_late_1950s/
{ "a_id": [ "cgq71q8", "cgqltxn" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "And as a followup question, how were outspoken opponents of McCarthyism seen/treated by other members of society?", "McCarthyism should be seen as distinct from, albeit related to, anti-communist sentiments. McCarthyism...
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[ [], [] ]
516k5t
When did the scientific method become a philosophy distinct from natural philosophy?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/516k5t/when_did_the_scientific_method_become_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d79xgzi" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "While I cannot speak for all of natural philosophy, hopefully this gives some insight into when chemistry became a science.\n\nBefore the turn of the 18th century (particularly 1699), the shift to distinguish what some call chymistry into the two...
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[ [] ]
6gsnmr
why do some animals like hummingbird want to have such high metabolism?
Wouldn't it be disadvantageous for them having to search for food almost constantly or they'll die of starvation within hours.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6gsnmr/eli5_why_do_some_animals_like_hummingbird_want_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dissc8o" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Hummingbirds have to have a super high metabolism because they beat their wings so fast, and they have to beat their wings so fast because they have to hover to get the nectar inside flowers that bloom on stems that won't support their weight. A...
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[ [] ]
c771jq
how does the nba salary cap work?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c771jq/eli5_how_does_the_nba_salary_cap_work/
{ "a_id": [ "esdzywh" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Simple answer. Each team is allotted 107 million dollars to fill 13 roster spots. This, in theory, encourages parity and avoids the pitfalls the MLB has with teams like the Yankees and dodgers, who can simply buy whatever players they want due to...
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[ [] ]
1bazh3
Neuroscientists of reddit, is there evidence that our mind is something more than just our brains?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1bazh3/neuroscientists_of_reddit_is_there_evidence_that/
{ "a_id": [ "c9589bf", "c958btd" ], "score": [ 13, 5 ], "text": [ "Our mind is what our brains do, not what our brains are.\n\nIn other words, mind is a process. The question is a little like asking \"is there evidence that walking is something more than just our body?\"", "Short answ...
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[ [], [] ]
9yoxfw
What does it mean that a photon has an oscillating magnetic field perpendicular to an oscillating electric field?
I’m speaking particularly about the common representation of a photon as two in-phase sine waves at right angles to each other. **What** exactly is oscillating? A couple places said it was the magnitude of each respective field, which I think refers to the strength and length(?) of the field lines “generated” by the fi...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/9yoxfw/what_does_it_mean_that_a_photon_has_an/
{ "a_id": [ "ea3hxi9", "ea4tcwp" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ " > I’m speaking particularly about the common representation of a photon as two in-phase sine waves at right angles to each other.\n\nThat's a classical electromagnetic wave which is not the same as a photon which is the qua...
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[ [ "https://cnx.org/contents/eg-XcBxE@8.41:hz9NeKA0/16-2-Plane-Electromagnetic-Waves", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(radio\\)#/media/File:Dipole_xmting_antenna_animation_4_408x318x150ms.gif", "cnx.org", "https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/90646/what-is-the-relation-between-electrom...
2i5z3p
PHYSICS : Has time distortion actually been proven experimentally or is it just a theoretical concept?
WRT distortion of time and space to be more specific.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2i5z3p/physics_has_time_distortion_actually_been_proven/
{ "a_id": [ "ckzbhfw" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "Do you mean time dilation and length contraction according to special relativity?\n\nYes, these are observed experimentally.\n\nA nice experiment that demonstrates time dilation is detecting cosmic-ray muons near sea level.\n\nThese are particle...
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[ [] ]
b1k5ll
sex ed not being taught in some schools while it is taught in others
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b1k5ll/eli5_sex_ed_not_being_taught_in_some_schools/
{ "a_id": [ "eim92z5", "eim9kb8", "eimaaww" ], "score": [ 4, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Public school curriculum in the U.S. has traditionally been decided at a very local level. There may be some things that the state or even federal government mandates, but for the most part every school...
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[ [], [], [] ]
35ggll
Why did Maximilien Robespierre suggest the self-denying ordinance?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/35ggll/why_did_maximilien_robespierre_suggest_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cr474ea", "cr4cvii" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "he was trying to cut off every member of the previous legistlation council from joining the new one. unfortunately the next council was even more incompetent in the long run.", "_URL_0_\n\nThis article argues that the ma...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/fhs/summary/v025/25.4shapiro.html" ] ]
bg0n7f
why do some forms of pain, like stretching a sore back or picking a scab, feel so incredibly satisfying ("hurts so good")?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bg0n7f/eli5_why_do_some_forms_of_pain_like_stretching_a/
{ "a_id": [ "elho42q", "elhu30m" ], "score": [ 16, 8 ], "text": [ "I don't think there's a simple, single explanation to all of the situations you're asking about, but in regards to stretching a sore muscle, your movement pushes your body to the pain threshold, which draws your attention t...
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27jt55
I want to read a bit more about medieval Eastern European histories. What are some of the best books that would give me a general overview of the region and cultures and general history etc?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/27jt55/i_want_to_read_a_bit_more_about_medieval_eastern/
{ "a_id": [ "ci1hzme" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Malcolm Barber's *The Two Cities: Medieval Europe* is fairly good. \n\nYou might find it useful to the check out the [Europe/Middle Ages section of the book list](_URL_0_) as flaired users have added book recommendations to it for exactly that pu...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/europe#wiki_middle_ages" ] ]
xrmmw
why bills like sopa and acta keep coming back when they seem to get beat by a large margin every time they're voted upon.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/xrmmw/eli5_why_bills_like_sopa_and_acta_keep_coming/
{ "a_id": [ "c5oyvp1", "c5oywh3", "c5p1qje", "c5p5mpo" ], "score": [ 9, 3, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Because there's very powerful moneyed interests which want them to pass, and they lose little by trying. It worked in the past on many occasions. ", "Because the huge corpora...
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313cp2
how do the self check out scanners at the library work?
After scanning your library card, you put your stack of books on the scanner and it just knows what they are. you can put a stack of like three books or whatever, one on top of the other, how does it know?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/313cp2/eli5_how_do_the_self_check_out_scanners_at_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cpy351o" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "**R**adio **F**requency **ID**entification (RFID) tags.\n\nThese are cheap microchips (often in sticker form) that can respond to a radio frequency signal requesting information. In most cases, the chips are powered by the wireless signal itself,...
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cerh4r
Why did the soviets leave austria?
Why didn't the soviet union just keep their part in the occupied austria? They could do something like west germany which could help them to expand the iron curtain. So why would they leave austria peacefully?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cerh4r/why_did_the_soviets_leave_austria/
{ "a_id": [ "eu4mkog" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ " > This is a deeply complex topic, but one well addressed by /u/kieslowskifan in [their response](_URL_0_) to \"Why did Austria not wind up behind the Iron Curtain?\" in this subreddit. Several other responses they made in that thread give excel...
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[ [ "https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3e0to1/why_did_austria_not_wind_up_behind_the_iron/" ] ]
1gm8vt
Is coffee a "natural antibiotic"?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1gm8vt/is_coffee_a_natural_antibiotic/
{ "a_id": [ "calljxk" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Antioxidant, antibiotic, and antiseptic are all totally unique compounds.\n\nAntioxidants are substances that inhibit a particular class of chemical reactions called 'oxidation reactions'. Recently there has been massive speculation that these ef...
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2tcadf
Is possible to reduce all mathematical operations into sums?
Considering the sum as the most basic mathematical operation (?), is possible to reduce all operations, formulates, equations, laws, (etc) to simple sums, no matter the necessary number of them? For example: a multiplication is just a sum performed a specific number of times (2 x 3 = 2 +2 +2). Is this applicable to th...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2tcadf/is_possible_to_reduce_all_mathematical_operations/
{ "a_id": [ "cny5hfu" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "The [hyperoperations](_URL_0_) can do this. At least so long as they are restricted to the integers. They are defined recursively, starting at the successor operation (*S*(*n*) = *n* + 1). In this sense, addition is not the most basic operation.\...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperoperation" ] ]
3zni8w
is it just luck or some other reason why germs that spread easily aren't nearly as deadly as harder to contract germs (like aid's or rabies or the like).
The Flu spreads like wildfire but generally isn't deadly, yet rabies and AID's have very specific ways of spreading, and don't "randomly" or "easily" spread among a population and both are extremely deadly, much more so than the cold or flu. Is there a reason for this? Why hasn't some super virus killed us all?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zni8w/eli5_is_it_just_luck_or_some_other_reason_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cynjm86", "cynjuil", "cynk2h2" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "You're comparing different things. Virus, germs, bacteria etc are all different things. Aids is a virus that is spread in a specific manner. Do those things and it is terrible easy to get. Rabies is als...
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b51xcj
why ads like mcdonald's aren't considered misleading advertising, despite the fact that the product showed isn't even something like the offered product?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b51xcj/eli5_why_ads_like_mcdonalds_arent_considered/
{ "a_id": [ "ejalyy3", "ejaou5i", "ejarp66" ], "score": [ 11, 9, 2 ], "text": [ "The product shown is the optimal, best case scenario version of the food they make. All of the food you see in a McDonald’s commercial is actual McDonald’s food cooked in an actual McDonald’s Kitchen. ...
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8dk3ad
Do man made magnets affect the Earth's magnetic field?
I just learned that we've made much stronger magnets than Earth's own magnetic field. The largest magnet reaches 25 tesla but Earth only puts out about 0.000065 tesla. Do they interfere with Earth's? Why does Earths magnetic field reach so far but ours don't? Does that play a role in it?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8dk3ad/do_man_made_magnets_affect_the_earths_magnetic/
{ "a_id": [ "dxo16e4" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "Magnetic fields generally fall off as the inverse cube of the distance from the 'source'. You have to define that, since it's not a point charge like EM fields. The core of the Earth is huge, so the source is very different from your regular dip...
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1pe5d2
Were the people of Vietnam displaced by the Vietnam War, and if so did the United States Government ever reimburse them?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1pe5d2/were_the_people_of_vietnam_displaced_by_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cd1pjlv" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "If you're talking about contemporary compensation by the US to individuals in South Vietnam then the answer is yes and sort of. Internal displacement, both organic in response to conflict and managed as part of the counterinsurgency strategy, we...
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5n66hm
How different is the brain of people who have good memory?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5n66hm/how_different_is_the_brain_of_people_who_have/
{ "a_id": [ "dcaey2t", "dcanj3y" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The real answer here is we don't *really* know what makes memory good/better/pretty good. Memory is a very complicated combination of neurons and hormones. But usually, you can tell if a person is trained to remember somethi...
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352bjc
why do race for life only allow women to enter? aren't they losing out on thousands of potential donations?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/352bjc/eli5_why_do_race_for_life_only_allow_women_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cr0akpm" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's likely that because of it being a woman only event, more women are likely to feel comfortable about competing since they're on a more equal playing field (men tend to be larger, have more muscles, and thus more likely to win), and also becau...
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6ko5ic
what does it mean that new jersey & maine government has 'shut down'?
Is it a big deal? What are the implications/how are people affected?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ko5ic/eli5_what_does_it_mean_that_new_jersey_maine/
{ "a_id": [ "djnhvkw", "djnkc1n", "djnosdw" ], "score": [ 7, 17, 4 ], "text": [ "The New Jersey government is shut down. All non-essential services are not going to be provided until the budget problem is fixed. There are still essential services (police, prisons, ...), but other...
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1txfa7
Did a Japanese Admiral during WWII really say "We've awaken a sleeping giant"? and if he did, did he completely forget about WW1 or was he talking about our Navy?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1txfa7/did_a_japanese_admiral_during_wwii_really_say/
{ "a_id": [ "cecf2ti", "cecfqn0" ], "score": [ 26, 9 ], "text": [ " The quote is widely attributed to Admiral Isoroko Yamamoto, the man who designed the Pearl Harbor attack and the poorly conceived Midway campaign 6 months later. The specific quote, \"I fear all we have done is to awaken a...
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[ [], [] ]
7wt5wy
Does the size of an object passing through the sound barrier have an effect on the force of the shock wave?
I know from the Space Shuttle that the length of the vehicle produced a double shock wave. What - if any - would be the difference between, say, a baseball crossing mach 1 versus a Range Rover?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7wt5wy/does_the_size_of_an_object_passing_through_the/
{ "a_id": [ "du30x9x", "du32thz", "du346ak", "du37i9j", "du386i7", "du3h7lx" ], "score": [ 26, 5, 2, 8, 207, 2 ], "text": [ "Are you asking about the amplitude or the shape? The shape of the object determines the shape, and larger objects will in general lea...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2wto6x
why is the body so dehydrated after a full body deep tissue massage?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2wto6x/eli5_why_is_the_body_so_dehydrated_after_a_full/
{ "a_id": [ "cou0ptl" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "I don't think it's necessarily dehydrated. They tell you to drink lots of water because the act of massaging the muscles releases lactic acid. The water intake helps to flush this out of the muscle tissue because otherwise it will cause you to ...
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il0q1
Would it be possible to make an object that is invisible when viewed in visible light and visible in other wavelengths?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/il0q1/would_it_be_possible_to_make_an_object_that_is/
{ "a_id": [ "c24lbcu" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Earth's atmosphere, for example, is transparent to visible light and mostly opaque in many other wavelengths. This is a primary reason why we evolved to see this section of the EM spectrum. Also things like glass and water are transparent to vis...
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1p1g1s
If a bird is inside a box, but it's flying, does the box weigh the same as it would if the bird was standing on the bottom.
I was staying with one of my buddies at his grandmothers house for a few days, and somehow we got onto this question. To me and my buddy, it seemed simple. If the bird is flying the box would weigh less because the weight of the bird is being supported by the bird itself so it's not combined with the weight of the bo...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1p1g1s/if_a_bird_is_inside_a_box_but_its_flying_does_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ccxrqo8", "ccxrqv0", "ccxrr7w", "ccxss1g", "ccxt51a", "ccxxiag", "ccxyqdq", "ccxytns", "ccxyvyh", "ccy0k1b", "ccy0ldz", "ccy0wps", "ccy118z", "ccy1n0a", "ccy1rue", "ccy1zkk", "ccy2ea8", "ccy2xkc", "ccy3axe", "ccy3k8e", "c...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2007/04/episode_77_birds_in_a_truck_bi.html" ], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inviscid_flow", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isentropic_process#Isentropic_flow", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...
38end0
can insects really make a home for themselves inside a human's ear canal?
I saw this video and was wondering if this really is possible? [NSFL] _URL_0_ Or is this just a hoax?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38end0/eli5_can_insects_really_make_a_home_for/
{ "a_id": [ "crugi1j", "crujo9e" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes. Yes they can. There are also blowfish which can lay eggs in your eye and then grow maggots inside your eyesocket. There are also 3 foot long nematode worms which can get into your feet, grow into your leg, and then spen...
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[ "http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b97_1432926848" ]
[ [], [] ]
1p72s8
why does the internet not come together and rally for a 4th party candidate for the next us presidential elections?
ELI5: why does the internet not come together and rally for a 4th party candidate for the next US Presidential elections
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p72s8/eli5_why_does_the_internet_not_come_together_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cczdx52", "cczdxrf" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Well a 3rd party candidate would be good for a start. But the problem is that the way US elections are set up, voting for a third party candidate tends to work against your own interests. Imagine this:\n\n* There are 2 mai...
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27gxs1
if the dosages on otc medicine are for the average person, how dangerous would it be to increase the dosage slightly?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/27gxs1/eli5_if_the_dosages_on_otc_medicine_are_for_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ci0olmg", "ci0qvlr" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "For legal reasons I don't think anyone here can safely give you medical advice. You should probably just ask your doctor/pharmacist.", "_URL_0_\n\nDr. Cox, answering all your questions!" ] }
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[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlzEJ-GdQfY" ] ]
29r209
how does a pulse width modulated digital to analog converter work?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29r209/eli5_how_does_a_pulse_width_modulated_digital_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cinqm5y" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The converter produces a pulse train at a fixed frequency, but with a variable ratio of on to off time. It is easy to manipulate the on/off ratio digitally, with good precision. Now consider the average value of the pulse train.\n 100% ON f...
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3v25ut
how does the map app on my ipod (which has no cell phone function) track my course when it is not connected to wifi? it accurately tracks down to a few meters.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3v25ut/eli5how_does_the_map_app_on_my_ipod_which_has_no/
{ "a_id": [ "cxjnq0i", "cxjobbp" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "iPods are integrated with Google Maps and use nearby wireless signals to locate themselves. You don't have to connect to a wifi network for the iPod to identify it and use the signal to find it's location.", "The magic b...
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[ [], [ "http://www.ghacks.net/2014/10/29/add-_nomap-to-your-routers-ssid-to-have-it-ignored-by-google-and-mozilla/" ] ]
65tgfj
why do you see individual pixels in small droplets of water on an led screen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/65tgfj/eli5_why_do_you_see_individual_pixels_in_small/
{ "a_id": [ "dgd3ok2" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The droplets form a kind of lens which magnifies the screen under them, showing the colored segments which make up the pixels of the screen." ] }
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aleudh
why does it feel so damn weird to walk after running on a treadmill
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aleudh/eli5_why_does_it_feel_so_damn_weird_to_walk_after/
{ "a_id": [ "efdhumi", "efdksg7" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Your muscles are used slightly differently on a treadmill vs running on solid ground. This is caused by the moving belt, you aren't propelling yourself forward in the same way compared to running on the ground. \n\nIt may al...
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169nol
What was gun control like in Nazi Germany?
Did the Nazis enact any types of firearm laws while they had control over Germany? If so, what were the laws like? I ask because here in the United States gun control is a huge issue right now. Also because I have heard people before tell me something along the lines of Jews in Germany being disarmed by the Nazis bef...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/169nol/what_was_gun_control_like_in_nazi_germany/
{ "a_id": [ "c7u0z5n" ], "score": [ 17 ], "text": [ " > Did the Nazis enact any types of firearm laws while they had control over Germany?\n\nYes they did in 1938. Up to this point the situation has been rather confusing:\n\nThe Verssailles treaty not only wanted to disarm the german army, but al...
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2e0st5
how did people more than a thousand years ago handle epidemics?
Medicine and knowledge wasn't all that advance way back then. With that, shouldn't epidemics wipe out a vast majority of life a thousand years? So how were the diseases stopped? How did people deal with epidemics?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2e0st5/eli5_how_did_people_more_than_a_thousand_years/
{ "a_id": [ "cjuy9ab" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "They died. The black plague wiped out something like a third of Europe. Even 100 years ago, the Spanish flu killed more people than combat did in World War One" ] }
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3o29wx
why our bodies can recover from common cold and then forget how to next year?
Also, why don't we get stuck in a loop of infecting ourselves over and over during the sickness. Do we get some kind of temporary resistance? what makes it go away?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3o29wx/eli5why_our_bodies_can_recover_from_common_cold/
{ "a_id": [ "cvtdreg", "cvtebbf", "cvtej3c" ], "score": [ 5, 4, 5 ], "text": [ "The common cold is not one disease. It's *hundreds* of different diseases. Once you're over a cold, you're now immune to that specific strain of the virus, but you can still be infected by a different...
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[ [], [], [] ]
b6pk73
Is there an Asian "version" of Marco Polo? Who were the first people from East Asia to visit the West? Do we have first person accounts of their travels?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/b6pk73/is_there_an_asian_version_of_marco_polo_who_were/
{ "a_id": [ "ejmcl9v" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "Though I'm not sure which person was the exact first, I wrote an possible answer about a week ago to [the similar question thread](_URL_0_) to OP's." ] }
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/b3v1on/european_travelers_into_china_and_the_far_east/" ] ]
46dvle
Did the French aristocracy really invent the idea of having a lawn?
I saw [this amusing post on imgur](_URL_0_) which explains that lawns were created as a status symbol by people who were basically saying "I am so wealthy I can invest time and resources into an entirely useless crop". How true is this?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/46dvle/did_the_french_aristocracy_really_invent_the_idea/
{ "a_id": [ "d04f33g", "d04z9fh" ], "score": [ 12, 4 ], "text": [ "I don't think anyone can claim to have 'invented' a patch of decorative grass as such, but a commonly cited example is Louis XIV's expansion of the Palace of Versailles out of marshland and surrounding it with decorative ga...
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[ "http://i.imgur.com/NDlNkV7.jpg" ]
[ [], [] ]
19sb7m
Why does the Higgs boson interract with electrons but not photons? Is there some property subatomic particles have which determine the 'level of interactivity'?
As I understand it, interraction with the Higgs field via the Higgs boson is what determines a particle's mass. If this is the case, is there any specific known property subatomic particles have which determine to what extent they interract with the Higgs field?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/19sb7m/why_does_the_higgs_boson_interract_with_electrons/
{ "a_id": [ "c8qxe20", "c8qxr17" ], "score": [ 13, 8 ], "text": [ "Actually the mass is what determines the extent of their interaction with the Higgs field. It's not that the Higgs field determines a particle's mass; rather, the existence of the Higgs field simply makes it possible for ot...
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[ [], [] ]
123ia1
Is quantum tunneling a valid theory past the molecular level?
I got into a debate with a guy I work with yesterday. He stated that a red bull can could pass through a desk using quantum tunneling(although he didn't use the term until later). I told him that I thought it was impossible and even if it was possible, it would be very improbable to happen. After we finished, I went to...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/123ia1/is_quantum_tunneling_a_valid_theory_past_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c6rugw5", "c6rulxz", "c6run5f" ], "score": [ 9, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I'm not going to lie- it would be virtually impossible to solve [Schrodinger's equation](_URL_1_) (the equation that explains exactly how a particle will behave) for a group of protons and electrons arr...
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[]
[ [ "http://chemistry.beloit.edu/Stars/images/orbitals.jpg", "http://www.phy.duke.edu/~kolena/modern/schrodin.gif", "http://panda.unm.edu/Courses/Finley/P262/Hydrogen/WaveFcns.html", "http://panda.unm.edu/Courses/Finley/P262/Hydrogen/img93.gif" ], [], [] ]
3p14hb
the current situation with the kepler space telescope and what it might have found.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3p14hb/eli5_the_current_situation_with_the_kepler_space/
{ "a_id": [ "cw29azk" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "With regard to the star KIC 8462852, it's important because while it is over 1,400 light years away, it has been the focus of astronomers because Kepler had been watching it for planets. It does this by measuring the flux (how much the intensity...
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9mkyau
the keto diet and how it is different from actually starving
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9mkyau/eli5_the_keto_diet_and_how_it_is_different_from/
{ "a_id": [ "e7fegau", "e7fgtbo" ], "score": [ 14, 4 ], "text": [ "Starving you don't eat. Keto you eat a higher percentage of fat and a lower percentage of carbs to change the way your body produces energy. You have a caloric deficit usually, but the higher fat foods make you feel more fu...
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5t99ee
- health insurance companies have grown exponentially over the past 15 years and post record profits year after year - why do premiums and out of pocket expenses keep rising?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5t99ee/eli5_health_insurance_companies_have_grown/
{ "a_id": [ "ddl2v0t" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "1) Hydraulic despotism. Our country runs medicine as a business, and so it allows capitalist businessmen the power of life or death. If you let someone have control over a resource people need in order to live (like medical care) they can charg...
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4agu36
the transition from greek gods to their roman counterpart?
Did the Romans and Greeks develop their beliefs at the same time? And why they were so similar.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4agu36/eli5_the_transition_from_greek_gods_to_their/
{ "a_id": [ "d109bvc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The Greek pantheon emerged first as Greece developed earlier.\n\nRome though did have a sort of animalistic, spiritualist religion. Very observant of family and household gods, and the spirits that dwelt all around them in almost anything and hey...
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2f8hsb
why do we get paid by the hour/salary instead of getting paid for how much work you get done?
Would a system where you get paid for how much you help a company work better or worse than the current system where people get paid for their time on the clock?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2f8hsb/eli5_why_do_we_get_paid_by_the_hoursalary_instead/
{ "a_id": [ "ck6vqsh", "ck6vs6e", "ck6vsff", "ck6vucr", "ck6vwv1" ], "score": [ 3, 5, 7, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "For lack of better words, there are people with no skills that still need to feed their families ", "Some places do that. It's called working for commissi...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
d5w8ik
is water infinite?
I know technically it isnt infinite- but from earths perspective, could we ever truly Consume every last drop of water? Wont rain just keep refilling the lakes/oceans/etc?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d5w8ik/eli5_is_water_infinite/
{ "a_id": [ "f0obpif", "f0op679", "f0oxbm3" ], "score": [ 24, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Water is a constant, rather than being infinite. Through normal use, the amount of water on earth stays constant over time; it just relocates, or gets turned into ice, or vapour. \n\nThe only exception...
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2ycouk
why is "pounds" shortened "lbs"?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ycouk/eli5_why_is_pounds_shortened_lbs/
{ "a_id": [ "cp89smh", "cp89t8r", "cp8dzo9", "cp8eane", "cp8f7d2", "cp8g26l" ], "score": [ 17, 1586, 16, 4, 17, 2 ], "text": [ "Lb is short for the Latin Libra, meaning scales.", "\"Lb is an abbreviation of the Latin word libra. The primary meaning of li...
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[ [], [ "http://mentalfloss.com/article/52058/why-are-%E2%80%9Cpound%E2%80%9D-and-%E2%80%9Counce%E2%80%9D-abbreviated-%E2%80%9Clb%E2%80%9D-and-%E2%80%9Coz%E2%80%9D" ], [], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/13uh66/why_is_the_weight_unit_pounds_abbreviated_lbs/", "https://...
2lpbve
if i do something illegal that becomes legal the next day, am i still guilty of the crime? why or why not?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lpbve/eli5_if_i_do_something_illegal_that_becomes_legal/
{ "a_id": [ "clwvich", "clwvv7t", "clwvwj8", "clwy4rq", "clwzc2h", "clx3oed" ], "score": [ 21, 2, 7, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes. \n\nPeople in jail for marijuana posession etc are still in jail in the states that legalized it.", "You're still charged with...
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7ouff3
engine oil ratings
I know there are different standards to which engine oil is rated for gas, diesel, motorcycle/atv and I am wondering about effects of using let's say a car oil in a motorcycle or vice versa.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ouff3/eli5_engine_oil_ratings/
{ "a_id": [ "dscf59n" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This question has many answers. I can answer the car/motorcycle one with authority: motorcycles use wet clutches (engine oil lubricates the clutch). Most modern car oils have friction modifiers which decrease friction between parts. If you used o...
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2je8bo
How is an ebola patient treated?
In a hospital setting, what are the methods of treatment that we have for patients here in the US? Are they very successful? In addition, how crucial is it that one gets treated as soon as they are symptomatic? Could Thomas Duncan, patient zero, have lived if he was admitted and treated for ebola the first time he went...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2je8bo/how_is_an_ebola_patient_treated/
{ "a_id": [ "clax7w1", "clbv7bw" ], "score": [ 9, 2 ], "text": [ "Ebola is treated symptomatically - meaning that you don't use a drug to wipe the virus out from the body (there is no available drug for the treatment of ebolavirus), but that you treat symptoms as they appear.\n\nPatients a...
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[ [], [ "http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/" ] ]
fy5k3k
the effect of regular exercise on bone health.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fy5k3k/eli5_the_effect_of_regular_exercise_on_bone_health/
{ "a_id": [ "fmyfl1n" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Exercise makes good bones. The best type of exercise for bone health is what's called resistance training, but any exercise that requires you to 'use your bones', essentially, is great. For this reason, a lot of aqua-based exercise isn't optimal ...
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3dgcxp
why do some people who wear costumes paint black around their eyes?
I was just watching a Star Wars Episode VII behind the scenes trailer and noticed that Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) had black makeup all around his eyes, even though he would be wearing the full Chewbacca suit. I remember also seeing this in one of the Jackass movies (where one of the guys dressed up like a gorilla in the ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dgcxp/eli5_why_do_some_people_who_wear_costumes_paint/
{ "a_id": [ "ct4v8f7", "ct4vdxm" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "The eye holes of the costumes show some of the actor's skin, so it's best to paint the area around the eyes a similar color to prevent any human features from slipping through and breaking immersion.", "The costume doesn...
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1q4esa
in computer networking, what is the difference between a port and a socket?
I've googled this but get mostly very technical explanations and I'm no programmer.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q4esa/eli5_in_computer_networking_what_is_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cd91mgt", "cd950lz", "cd96vjh", "cd9aze4" ], "score": [ 11, 2, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "If your computer were an apartment building, with programs living in the apartments, the address of the building would be your computer's IP address, and the apartment numbers wou...
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[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_sockets" ], [], [] ]
3cf4gk
what happens when you blank-out whilst driving and realise 5 minutes later you haven't paid attention, but also haven't crashed?
This is a really hard thing to ask unless it's happened to you (and I am sure that it has). So you're driving a car. One minute you are paying complete attention to the road/traffic/etc, the next some thought forms in your head, or you just go blank and after getting side-tracked, you suddenly realise that you haven't...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3cf4gk/eli5_what_happens_when_you_blankout_whilst/
{ "a_id": [ "csuwll7", "csuwzyn", "csv624v" ], "score": [ 6, 47, 3 ], "text": [ "Forming new memories requires two mechanisms to work properly and run in sync. Your short term memory has to pay attention to the thing, and your long term memory has to think it's important and file i...
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3rkkg1
Is there any truth to the claims that Marshal Michel Ney managed to fake his execution and emigrate to the USA?
I recently read a fascinating yet unsourced piece postulating Ney's escape to America and living under a false name. _URL_0_ Does the historical community believe that there is a basis in fact for this story?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3rkkg1/is_there_any_truth_to_the_claims_that_marshal/
{ "a_id": [ "cwoyry4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "So, generally there is a large lack of sources to verify this.\n\nThis is from the Essay \"The Bravest of the Brave\" by Brigader (Ret'd) Peter Young.\n\n > On December 7, 1815, condemned by his peers, he appeared before a firing squad at the Car...
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[ "http://www.napoleonicsociety.com/english/neya.htm" ]
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1ykfa7
The slaughter of French prisoners at the Battle of Agincourt: How did this happen and how common was the mass killing of prisoners in battle?
I'm curious to know how the prisoners were executed, because it would seem that beheading them all would take a long time. How come they didn't rebel as they saw they'd be killed since they outnumbered the English? Secondly, was this a common feature of battle in the high medieval period?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ykfa7/the_slaughter_of_french_prisoners_at_the_battle/
{ "a_id": [ "cflf2ks" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The accounts of how the massacre exactly happened are contradictory. One simply says that the English killed all of their prisoners except for a few deemed \"illustrious\" enough to spare. This does not specify exactly how the killings were admin...
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23aj9f
What are some widely respected historical overview-type books that cover British history throughout the medieval period? (650-1550). Something that is easy/entertaining to read is a plus.
I hope this question is specific enough for the sub-reddit's standards. To give some background info that might help you tailor your response, I should mention that I am a graduating English/Early Modern Studies major that will be undertaking a Masters degree at Oxford University this fall. As a student of literature...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/23aj9f/what_are_some_widely_respected_historical/
{ "a_id": [ "cgv67d1", "cgv8ziu", "cgvqsrg" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "A professor of mine who specializes in medieval Britain had us read \"The Anglo-Saxon Age: a Very Short Introduction\" by John Blair. It is not kidding about being very short--seriously, this thing is ...
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[ [], [], [ "http://econstudentlog.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/a-brief-history-of-life-in-the-middle-ages" ] ]
9fmxnn
how do autoimmune diseases work?
What causes the immune system to differ from that of a healthy person? Relatedly, are autoimmune diseases like the opposite of cancer (overactive vs underactive immune systems)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9fmxnn/eli5_how_do_autoimmune_diseases_work/
{ "a_id": [ "e5xokmq", "e5xr0lk", "e5yqqsd", "e60fhsr" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Autoimmune diseases come in two flavors: “kill everything” and “nah, bro.” We don’t know why it happens, but they’re starting to understand how they work. ", "Your immune syste...
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19p3wm
how is it possible for gopro to capture those video shots where the camera is rotating around the person mid-action?
I was watching [this GoPro video](_URL_0_) of the that "Hero 3" camera the other day and I have no clue how the get some of the shots where a camera pans/rotates around the person while they're doing something, but it doesn't seem to be connected to their body at all? Specifically I'm looking at 1:10-1:14, 1:25-1:27, ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/19p3wm/how_is_it_possible_for_gopro_to_capture_those/
{ "a_id": [ "c8q1s0x", "c8qbscx" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Looking at the segment as 1:10 I'd say that the camera is mounted on an arm which is connected to the snowboarders helment. Which can rotate freely. Inertia keeps the camera in the same position while the snowboarder spins a...
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[ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3PDXmYoF5U" ]
[ [], [ "http://vimeo.com/50197446" ] ]
1jyxkc
why do things take longer to cook when i make more of them?
For example, lets say I bake a potato. 45 minutes. But if I bake two, it might take an hour. Why do things take longer to cook when the temperature is still the same?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jyxkc/eli5_why_do_things_take_longer_to_cook_when_i/
{ "a_id": [ "cbjn9ei", "cbjnaon" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The temperature is not the same. If you have 250 degree oven and you drop in a 70 degree potato, the temperature dips slightly while it brings the potato up to 250 degrees.\n\nNow, if you put in ten potatoes, the temperatur...
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5brarx
Is Intrapulmonary pressure less than atmospheric pressure during a cough?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5brarx/is_intrapulmonary_pressure_less_than_atmospheric/
{ "a_id": [ "d9rj2up" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Coughing represents an event of forced expiration. For air to exit the airways, the pressure inside the airways must be higher than the pressure of the cointainer they are emptying into, in this case the atmosphere.\n\nErgo, intrapulmonary pressu...
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4vdm86
how do we know where hackers are from?
In particular I'm referencing the latest DNC hack that anylists are saying the hackers are from Russia. I don't want the politics just the technical aspects.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4vdm86/eli5_how_do_we_know_where_hackers_are_from/
{ "a_id": [ "d5xicv3" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "We don't. A good hacker (hackers who are intentionally hacking government servers) won't leave a trace. Or at least they will be behind so many proximity it'd take forever to find them" ] }
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2tv1g6
So I finally understand why the fundamental particles are "fundamental". So what IS a "field" and what is it made of?
So the question I failed to answer for myself was "what is a fundamental particle made of? How can it be made of nothing? And the answer appears to be "a fundamental particle is not a tiny "thing", it is the excitation of a field in a particular point in space. A photon, for example, is the excitation of the electromag...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2tv1g6/so_i_finally_understand_why_the_fundamental/
{ "a_id": [ "co3nnie" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ " > What is the electromagnetic field? I know what it affects and what it does, but what is it? And what are all the other fields?\n\nThe fields are fundamental. When you ask \"what *is* the electromagnetic field\", for example, I think it's instr...
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8apt6z
what is that little grey bar that moves ahead of the progress bar on a youtube video?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8apt6z/eli5_what_is_that_little_grey_bar_that_moves/
{ "a_id": [ "dx0ixve" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The grey bar is supposed to indicate how much of the video has loaded already.\nSo the red line represents the point of the video you are watching, but the grey bar represents the point till where you could watch without any connection rn." ] }
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n4d8o
Is it possible for there to be a "shell" of light/energy surrounding a black hole?
**TL/DR: If orbits are a function of gravity, and light can be affected by gravity, then is it possible for black holes to have a shell of light and energy, potentially with incredibly high temperatures?** As far as I understand with gravity, orbits, etc, there exists a gradient of effects, ranging from simply curving...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/n4d8o/is_it_possible_for_there_to_be_a_shell_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c365tle", "c365tle" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Unfortunately, the [photon sphere](_URL_1_) doesn't represent a stable orbit, so light doesn't linger there for long, let alone accumulate. [reference](_URL_0_)\n\nSpeaking of which, _URL_1_ has been marked as needing attent...
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[ [ "http://books.google.com/books?id=GUySYQaDM1cC&pg=PA187", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon_sphere" ], [ "http://books.google.com/books?id=GUySYQaDM1cC&pg=PA187", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon_sphere" ] ]
64uy22
why is it bad to eat carnivores?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/64uy22/eli5_why_is_it_bad_to_eat_carnivores/
{ "a_id": [ "dg57saz", "dg592bx", "dg5b2tf", "dg5bliq" ], "score": [ 14, 3, 2, 8 ], "text": [ "it isn't inherently bad.\n\ncarnivores that humans regularly eat in no particular order\n\nfree range chicken\n\nwild turkey\n\nsnake\n\ntuna\n\nshark\n\nalligator\n\ndog\n\nwhale...
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98nau9
Medieval Hungary was a large and powerful nation, yet the Hungary of today is a rather small and, for lack of a better term, weak. How did such a mighty nation become so small and inconsequential?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/98nau9/medieval_hungary_was_a_large_and_powerful_nation/
{ "a_id": [ "e4hhn6q" ], "score": [ 50 ], "text": [ " > No country was perished more viciously in Trianon than Hungary. But this country is dwelled by spiritually strong people, who won’t be resigned to the demolition of their country. Hungary’s dismembering is so dishonourable that no one takes ...
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9z7a3j
why is it that 12oz soda almost always comes in a tin can whereas other sizes of soda--1 and 2 liters--as well as most bottled water come in plastic?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9z7a3j/eli5_why_is_it_that_12oz_soda_almost_always_comes/
{ "a_id": [ "ea6wxkf" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "Screw-on tops.\n\nCans are great for one-use drinks, but not for very large sizes. You do see some drinks sold in larger cans, but after about 16-18 ounces you're not expected to finish them in one sitting." ] }
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28lfnx
do fifa referees in the world cup matches have to speak the language of both teams?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28lfnx/eli5_do_fifa_referees_in_the_world_cup_matches/
{ "a_id": [ "cic1jxt", "cic1ovw", "cic5d8t", "cic7pzx" ], "score": [ 7, 9, 3, 10 ], "text": [ "No. All of the referees have to have decent English to be at the World Cup. Most of the players will have rudimentary English too.", "No, they just have to speak English to gu...
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1373ge
Will Mars ever become tidally locked with respect to its moons?
I know that, on Earth, the tidal forces of the moon are causing the Earth to rotate slower and slower, and eventually will cause the Earth to become tidally locked with the moon, just like the moon is with the Earth. Now, on Mars, would this same thing happen. I know Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, but they are ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1373ge/will_mars_ever_become_tidally_locked_with_respect/
{ "a_id": [ "c71e9cs", "c71eqcf" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Without getting into the numbers, you're correct. The mass of Phobos and Deimos are far too small to tidally lock Mars before the end of the solar system.", "Not only are they too small, but both moons are in spiral orbi...
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2fr1ng
how do people photograph or take videos of mirrors?
Wouldn't you see the camera crew's reflections in the windows?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fr1ng/eli5_how_do_people_photograph_or_take_videos_of/
{ "a_id": [ "ckbwt80", "ckbwtdo" ], "score": [ 2, 5 ], "text": [ "They either shoot from an angle where the camera and operator are not visible or they are removed with editing software.", "Mirrors are never filmed head-on; usually the camera is a little to the side so that it doesn't ...
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