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1izq1a
How does memory store? does your brain remove old memory to make space for new ones?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1izq1a/how_does_memory_store_does_your_brain_remove_old/
{ "a_id": [ "cb9r41w" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "This question has been asked several times before. Here are some related posts/answers:\n\n_URL_4_\n\n_URL_1_\n\n_URL_3_\n\n_URL_0_\n\n_URL_2_\n\nBecause of the high volume, lots of really great questions and answers get buried. One excellent way...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/m9jsw/physically_speaking_what_is_a_memory/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/dffcr/whats_the_current_most_accepted_theory_on_how/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1cfaf3/neuroscience_how_do_our_brains_physically_store/", "htt...
28bivd
Why is it impossible for Mercury be the core of a gas giant with its atmosphere blown off?
There are a lot of strange things going on at Mercury that there aren't answers to, such as why it shrunk and why its crust is so thin especially when compared with its massive iron core. We know that in other solar systems gas giants do get close; so-called "hot jupiters." Wouldn't it be possible for solar wind to...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/28bivd/why_is_it_impossible_for_mercury_be_the_core_of_a/
{ "a_id": [ "ci9g3uh" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Mercury is too far from the Sun for stripping by the solar wind ('sputtering') to have eroded the atmosphere of a Jupiter-scale planet that much. It's a common misconception to attribute a huge amount of atmospheric loss to stripping by the solar...
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[]
[ [ "http://faculty.washington.edu/dcatling/Catling2009_SciAm.pdf" ] ]
mz67m
can someone eli5 how a kettle works?
Just wondering why a kettle knows when water is boiling? Can someone explain it to me, please?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mz67m/can_someone_eli5_how_a_kettle_works/
{ "a_id": [ "c350lyf", "c351mlq", "c351nx8", "c350lyf", "c351mlq", "c351nx8" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "When the water is boiling, the pressure in the kettle increases. This causes air to be forced out of the spout, which is designed to pr...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1q40sa
How does a homozygous mutation of MTHFR A1298C (GG) affect the human body?
Advances in genetic testing are helping increase understanding of the human body. Can someone explain how a specific mutation of the MTHFR A1298C gene affects the body, both in the technical terms and with a "TL;DR" in layman's terms?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1q40sa/how_does_a_homozygous_mutation_of_mthfr_a1298c_gg/
{ "a_id": [ "cd91z9s" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The long version can be found in the OMIM database (online mendelian inheritance in man) by searching for [MTHFR](_URL_2_) and selecting \"table of contents\" on the right hand side and selecting \"allelic variants - [Table View](_URL_0_).\" You...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://omim.org/allelicVariant/607093", "http://omim.org/entry/607093#0004", "http://omim.org/entry/607093" ] ]
127wha
Does cracking your windows actually help them from being blown out during a hurricane?
If keep a few of my windows cracked during hurricane Sandy will it actually help keep them from shattering? I've thought about this and am really torn between pressure differences acting as force across the area of the closed window vs the wind gust's pressure against the window will make that difference in pressure ne...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/127wha/does_cracking_your_windows_actually_help_them/
{ "a_id": [ "c6sx6c7", "c6sx7o8", "c6szl9n", "c6t0i4s" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The best protection you should do is simply cover them in plywood. Sudden large pressure changes are more a tornado thing than with hurricanes.", "TL;DR: It's best to board up ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" ], [], [] ]
a1tlk0
what is a po (purchase order) and how do they work?
My manager has asked me to arrange a purchase order for a few invoices and would like to know how they work and what they're for. Thanks everyone
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a1tlk0/eli5_what_is_a_po_purchase_order_and_how_do_they/
{ "a_id": [ "eask40u" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Purchase orders are really just authorizations from the company to purchase a specific set of products. It is an assurance to your vendor that you have permission to place the order, so the vendor can bill you later for the purchase.\n\nHow your...
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[ [] ]
1rghfy
why do certain accents sound different in real life than how they're portrayed in movies?
For example: if you talk to someone from Russia, they sound nothing like what a Bond villain would sound like. Also, an Italian speaking English sounds nothing like what you might hear in, say, Boardwalk Empire (think typical New York Italian accent). Is it that the italian accent has changed over the years? Same wi...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rghfy/eli5why_do_certain_accents_sound_different_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cdn1oy4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Because actors are fallible and don't always spend weeks with a dialect/accent coach to get it right?" ] }
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[ [] ]
8esjpl
why is it so much easier to converse with people, strangers or friends, online than in real life?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8esjpl/eli5_why_is_it_so_much_easier_to_converse_with/
{ "a_id": [ "dxxoxyh", "dxxp57f", "dxxpwxn", "dxxrxkw" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "On the computer you have time to come up with and think about all your responses. In real life you don’t have that luxury. You’re also probably more nervous in real life which show...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
59i419
how do djs get the individual song component tracks (synths, beats, melody, etc) to make unofficial remixes that modify all of these?
I searched before posting and either the question isn't answered well, or people say the DJs get the track components from the studio with a contract -- but I'm asking new or aspiring DJs, not those that already have a contract. Is there a DAW or software setup that can extract the individual tracts from a song for he ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/59i419/eli5_how_do_djs_get_the_individual_song_component/
{ "a_id": [ "d98lexa", "d98lgaj", "d98lwot", "d98w314", "d98xf9v", "d98xnd7", "d98xzps", "d98zoal", "d992aho", "d99jicw" ], "score": [ 59, 3, 22, 3, 7, 6, 3, 2, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Most of the time, DJs get access to the origin...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "https://splice.com/mattlange/consider-this-stems#" ], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4c5suz/eli5_how_do_djs_get_the_acapella_vocals_to_remix/e" ], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
35bfc4
If I let soda water sit in a perfectly smooth glass cup that has no imperfections or uneven surfaces on which bubbles could form, will the soda water still go flat?
I know that bubbles form in sparkling drinks because of nucleation sites, which are just small cracks, imperfections, specks of dust, etc. But are these nucleation sites singly responsible for my drink losing its carbonation?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/35bfc4/if_i_let_soda_water_sit_in_a_perfectly_smooth/
{ "a_id": [ "cr3eqi8" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Yes. Diffusion will still occur according to Fick's laws which will deplete the CO2 eventually, it's the same way bubbles grow once formed. The only difference will be that the process isn't \"accelerated\" by the thermodynamic favoring of a dram...
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[ [] ]
8dci52
Why did Japan abolish slavery in 1590?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8dci52/why_did_japan_abolish_slavery_in_1590/
{ "a_id": [ "dxn54um" ], "score": [ 97 ], "text": [ "They did? That's news to me.\n\nToyotomi Hideyoshi banned the buying and selling of Japanese people by Portuguese merchants in 1587. He seemed to have had no problem with his soldiers abducting Koreans as slaves to be shipped back to Japan. Didn...
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[]
[ [] ]
grcml
Why do microwaves have hot spots?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/grcml/why_do_microwaves_have_hot_spots/
{ "a_id": [ "c1pp7y3" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "A [standing wave](_URL_1_) is setup in the microwave cavity because the microwaves reflect inside the cavity and interfere. Where they interfere constructively, you get anti-nodes, the hotspots, and where they interfere destructively, you get nod...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Standing_wave_2.gif", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_wave" ] ]
1p89lp
why can't neutron stars collapse just because they're made of degenerate matter?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p89lp/eli5_why_cant_neutron_stars_collapse_just_because/
{ "a_id": [ "cczqvy5", "ccztawk" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "I'm not sure what you're asking -- why don't they collapse into black holes, or why don't they collapse into nothing?\n\nFor black holes, a star has to start out with a certain mass within a certain size (technically, a cert...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
3rnaju
why can't we 'store up' sleep?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3rnaju/eli5_why_cant_we_store_up_sleep/
{ "a_id": [ "cwpjjj2" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "No expert here, but I can give this a shot.\n\nBecause the body doesn't just immediately go into a good nights sleep. Your body goes through different cycles of sleep, and it takes time to get to them.\n\nThis explains the sleep cycles fairly dec...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.sleepdex.org/stages.htm" ] ]
hnn8q
Can different types of alcoholic beverage get you 'more' drunk?
My friends insist that Tequila gets them 'more drunk' than Vodka, even if the % Alc/vol is the same. I'm pretty sure they're wrong, since alcohol is alcohol, regardless of the type. So, assuming identical alcohol content, could one beverage get you 'more drunk' than another? Bonus Round: People I know also like to c...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/hnn8q/can_different_types_of_alcoholic_beverage_get_you/
{ "a_id": [ "c1wu30q", "c1wubvo", "c1wuqx1", "c1wv727", "c1ww7g5" ], "score": [ 9, 3, 2, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "It is definitely the case that different drinks are more or less likely to give you a hangover. Spirits which have been distilled with less care often have a ...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldschl%C3%A4ger" ], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12814909", "http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1717-champagne-does-get-you-drunk-faster.html" ], [ "http://www.jamesdui.com/factors-affecting-alcohol-absorption/" ] ]
a7vh98
do genetics affect our intelligence, personality or habits/hobbies? if so, how much?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a7vh98/eli5_do_genetics_affect_our_intelligence/
{ "a_id": [ "efna1fl", "ec6442l", "ec67p1v" ], "score": [ 2, 14, 3 ], "text": [ "This is old, but in my wheelhouse and I'm addicted to the topic, so... \\^\\^'\n\nThe heritability of personality and intelligence has been studied with so-called twin studies - these involve taking a ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
cqliq0
how does ice freeze upwards?
I made a tray of ice cube yesterday at work, and when I pulled the tray out, 2 of the cubes had a spike rising at a diagonal plane. No one moved the tray and it sat perfectly flat in the freezer.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cqliq0/eli5_how_does_ice_freeze_upwards/
{ "a_id": [ "ewx785n" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It would be best explained in drawings representing steps of the process, but I'll try do without:\n\nIt is known fact that ice is lighter than water - icebergs float only partially sunk. \n\nIt is also known fact, that if you put the water in a ...
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[ [] ]
2pb8s0
Would helium in your ears make everything sound high pitched?
In a similar way to how breathing in helium makes you voice sound high pitched.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2pb8s0/would_helium_in_your_ears_make_everything_sound/
{ "a_id": [ "cmvn6nd" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "While the other posters are correct that the frequencies that you hear wouldn't change, a few effects would occur if your ears were filled with helium.\n\nFirst off, things would get quieter because the difference in the air outside and the heliu...
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[ [] ]
5jov6m
why do we "smile" when we cry? isn't smiling a way to show happiness?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5jov6m/eli5_why_do_we_smile_when_we_cry_isnt_smiling_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dbhul5p", "dbhztaa", "dbi3sdp" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Whenever this happens to me, it's usually because I'm feeling a mixture of things all at once and it can be quite overwhelming. Things like happiness, reward, relief, sadness, excitement, and maybe even...
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[ [], [], [] ]
5kq70i
how does swallowing ssris or any medication get the chemicals into your brain or other body part where it's required?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5kq70i/eli5_how_does_swallowing_ssris_or_any_medication/
{ "a_id": [ "dbpqo8k" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It is the same way food is processed. It is broken down and absorbed by the digestive tract, then distributed throughout your body via your bloodstream. Medications do not target a specific region. " ] }
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1o5hol
What makes sulfur smell so bad?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1o5hol/what_makes_sulfur_smell_so_bad/
{ "a_id": [ "ccp1v17" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Its a biological mechanism to protect living things from consuming rotting material, which is toxic, if not unhygienic, and often hides pathogens. One thing is that as organic material decomposes, it often releases hydrogen sulfide or sulfur cont...
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[ [] ]
93aqld
I learned as a kid, as soon as you see lightning, you count Mississippi's and whatever number you get up to when you heard the thunder, that's supposedly how many miles away the lightning struck. Is this scientifically accurate?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/93aqld/i_learned_as_a_kid_as_soon_as_you_see_lightning/
{ "a_id": [ "e3c7ec1", "e3g3ffv", "e40qw70" ], "score": [ 43, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Unless you count very slowly, you probably have to divide the number by 4 or 5 first. In the end, the accuracy of the estimate depends on how fast you count, but the general principle of counting the t...
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[ [], [], [] ]
asf0pz
what does it mean to plea “no contest?”
What does it mean when someone pleas no contest in court?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/asf0pz/eli5_what_does_it_mean_to_plea_no_contest/
{ "a_id": [ "egtst24", "egtsvqc" ], "score": [ 10, 5 ], "text": [ "Basically it means, \"I'm not pleading guilty, but I can't or won't fight the charges.\" Functionally, the court operates as if the defendant plead guilty, but the plea can not be used against them in any future proceeding...
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[ [], [] ]
a6x19v
how does a brain aneurysm kill you?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a6x19v/eli5_how_does_a_brain_aneurysm_kill_you/
{ "a_id": [ "ebyoki0", "ebyq4rp" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "Oxygen is like food for cells. They start dying really quickly when there's no oxygen. See how long you can hold your breath for. Now, we are our cells, if they start dying so do we.\n\nBlood transports oxygen to your cells....
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[ [], [] ]
38leqj
what events led up to the tiananmen square massacre
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38leqj/eli5_what_events_led_up_to_the_tiananmen_square/
{ "a_id": [ "crvxu9r", "crvyr0t" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The Soviet Union collapsed without triggering a bloody revolution. Despite the efforts of the communist party in China, word spread about the Soviet collapse and it became common knowledge. In China, the idea that the comm...
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[ [], [] ]
44g3qx
if you saw a picture of a waveform, could you recreate the audio?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/44g3qx/eli5_if_you_saw_a_picture_of_a_waveform_could_you/
{ "a_id": [ "czpxtmt", "czpxzmj", "czq7eg0" ], "score": [ 3, 15, 2 ], "text": [ "There was a point when I could, in a limited way. Not anything specific like speech or complex sounds like that; but for a while I worked producing video, and I could tell a note from looking at the wa...
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[ [], [ "https://youtu.be/En__V0oEJsU?t=6m24s" ], [] ]
9dyren
why do microscopic images always look cartoonish?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9dyren/eli5_why_do_microscopic_images_always_look/
{ "a_id": [ "e5kwvnp" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Depending on the type of microscope, they are often false color, or use a contrast dye. The shallow depth of field tends to make borders stand out looking more like outlines. There's also just not that much stuff in the field of view compared to ...
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[ [] ]
4ex6rv
Do each of our nerves have separate connections to the brain or do signals travel up a common pathway?
For the moment I'm considering our senses of touch, hot, cold... If the signals merge into some kind of central line then they would have to have some method of telling the brain where they originated. Otherwise, there must be a TON of wiring going up there!
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4ex6rv/do_each_of_our_nerves_have_separate_connections/
{ "a_id": [ "d24akod", "d24hpzr", "d24iysq", "d24lpi9" ], "score": [ 3, 8, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Simple explanation: Some travel individually, some have a common pathway. For example, if someone touches you at the same level of your back, but on both sides of your spine, equid...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
81prg9
If heavier elements 'sink' towards the core of a star, why does fusion still occur there?
Wouldn't the Hydrogen and Helium primarily used for fusion be in the outer layers, with the inner layers being mostly unfusionable elements?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/81prg9/if_heavier_elements_sink_towards_the_core_of_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dv4hcvf", "dv4nyhf", "dv6hj1h" ], "score": [ 19, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "The core of the star is the only place with enough pressure and heat for fusion, it doesn’t happen in the outer layers because it isn’t hot enough there.\n\nIn stars that fuse hydrogen like our Sun the...
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[ [], [], [] ]
fwiwdo
Did Emperor Ashoka really exist?
Note -: This is a repeat question that I asked a few weeks back. But I didn't get any answer. So I am reposting it. I am from India and Emperor Ashoka Maurya is a known name here. Our national emblem comes from the Ashoka Pillars at Lion Capital found in Sarnath. But I haven't found any conclusive, solid proof that ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fwiwdo/did_emperor_ashoka_really_exist/
{ "a_id": [ "fmp07d5" ], "score": [ 375 ], "text": [ "Great to see a question about an interesting time and figure! I’ve been doing a lot of research on Ashoka and the Maurya Empire lately, and I currently have an article on the collapse of its currency system under review by a journal. \n\nOur wr...
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[ [] ]
2y2pio
why does being upset mentally cause physical symptoms of sickness?
Like diahorrea, headaches , loss of appetite and body aches etc
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2y2pio/eli5why_does_being_upset_mentally_cause_physical/
{ "a_id": [ "cp5odx9" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Mental upset causes your body to release stress hormone. Prolonged presence of stress hormone triggers shut down of digestive functions which causes the diarrhoea, loss of appetite, inappropriate reaction to certain foods, ect. It also alters bra...
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[ [] ]
3l7y72
why is inflation not tied to population?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3l7y72/eli5_why_is_inflation_not_tied_to_population/
{ "a_id": [ "cv3yef8" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This is a pretty complex question, as inflation is a pretty in depth topic. I'll try to address it the best I can in a Reddit post.\n\nAt a high level, some inflation is _good_ for an economy, regardless of population. You want goods to slowly ...
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[ [] ]
ujo1z
The idea of "beauty" has changed drastically over the centuries. What underlying reasons are there for this shift of what it means to be "beautiful"?
Obviously, beauty is subjective. I want to understand what causes society as a whole to think that a certain body type, eye color, etc. are more beautiful than another. For example: [A painting of a women in the 1700s](_URL_1_), versus [an actress today](_URL_0_).
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ujo1z/the_idea_of_beauty_has_changed_drastically_over/
{ "a_id": [ "c4w2ow4", "c4w5o2w", "c4w90o7" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "This is a wonderful question, and one for which I can't offer much of a response. I'd like to suggest that anyone considering answering this question focus on his/her own area of knowledge rather than t...
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[ "http://www-hollywoodlife-com.vimg.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/050411_jennifer-aniston2110504132504.jpg", "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tORAB9LZyNQ/TkWm2C__ohI/AAAAAAAAsMc/newpMYldh2o/s400/1761%2BMarie-Gabrielle%2BCapet%2B%2528French%2Bartist%252C%2B1761-1818%2529%2BSelf%2BPortrait%2B1783.bmp" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
3wizve
why have global oil prices tanked so dramatically?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3wizve/eli5_why_have_global_oil_prices_tanked_so/
{ "a_id": [ "cxwjovy", "cxwvu51" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "The main reason is a massive increase in oil production. In America, oil production had been decreasing for years. Oil prices had been going up and up. Then in 2013-4, a new technology, called hydraulic fracturing, for extra...
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[ [], [] ]
61pxrg
when people thought that the earth was the center of the solar system, how did they explain planets moving behind the sun?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/61pxrg/eli5_when_people_thought_that_the_earth_was_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dfgdtas", "dfgdv2p", "dfge2pr", "dfggavj", "dfghkel" ], "score": [ 30, 2, 9, 3, 5 ], "text": [ "If I am remembering correctly, the understanding was that the order went something like this:\n\nEarth - > Moon - > Sun - > \"Stars\" (including planets w...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
m8c88
Why is it so difficult to solve the Schrodinger Equation for multi-electron species?
In our inorganic chemistry class, we learned about how the solution of the Schrodinger equation leads to the shape of the atomic orbitals for Hydrogen, and other single electron species. Why is it so hard to solve for species that have more than one electron? Is it the math itself, or some other physical constraint? ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/m8c88/why_is_it_so_difficult_to_solve_the_schrodinger/
{ "a_id": [ "c2ywsg7", "c2ywxi8", "c2yxw44", "c2yylka", "c2ywsg7", "c2ywxi8", "c2yxw44", "c2yylka" ], "score": [ 6, 4, 8, 3, 6, 4, 8, 3 ], "text": [ "It isn't an issue of Schrödinger equation it is an issue of the three-body problem. Basicall...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-body_problem" ], [], [], [ "http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1998/kohn-lecture.pdf" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-body_problem" ], [], [], [ "http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1998...
28tyoo
why do planes need a billion buttons and switches in the cockpit?
I've been in one of the pilot school simulators before and it seemed like the only important things were radio, lights, landing gear, flaps, engine speeds, tail rudder, and the steering wheel. What do the rest do and why are they important?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28tyoo/eli5_why_do_planes_need_a_billion_buttons_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ciegvyo", "cieh6jd", "ciei8dg", "cielpoi", "ciels9r", "cien3mm", "cieo0tw", "cierayf", "ciergoo", "cietcg0", "cievf7o", "cif0zkz" ], "score": [ 133, 4, 63, 10, 8, 25, 3, 2, 2, 2, 16, 2 ], "text": [ ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.quora.com/Airplanes/What-do-all-the-controls-in-an-airplane-cockpit-do" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cuJ9C1x7EI0/TkX8ER45PpI/AAAAAAAAKG8/N-akWc1MOdM/s1600/Cessna+172+Interior+%25285%2529.jpg" ], [ "http://www.wired.com/2011/1...
3t3k5d
how do illegal immigrants apply for welfare if they dont have any social security card or formal identification?
I hear a lot of talk in the American debates about illegal immigration constantly and how they are using welfare. How is this possible if they dont even have the right credentials to sign up for welfare? I cant even get my new drivers license without several forms of ID.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3t3k5d/eli5_how_do_illegal_immigrants_apply_for_welfare/
{ "a_id": [ "cx2sgl3", "cx2suoh", "cx2tn51", "cx2uvd7", "cx32sa7", "cx396nz" ], "score": [ 15, 2, 5, 6, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Under circumstances where you are eligible for such a program, there are usually alternatives to a Social Security Number. For example,...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "mmp.opr.princeton.edu" ] ]
aoony5
The areas controlled by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union composed many different ethnicities aside from Russians. During war, did all ethnicities serve in the same units, or was there segregation? What attempts were made to integrate all these various peoples into a single military force?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/aoony5/the_areas_controlled_by_the_russian_empire_and/
{ "a_id": [ "eg3zmio", "eg3zr9u" ], "score": [ 18, 14 ], "text": [ "(1/2)\n\n The short answer is no, neither Imperial Russia, nor USSR adopted segregation, due to distrust of non-Russians. \nLonger answer: History of the Russian Imperial army can be divided in to the two major periods 1...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasys_Ra%C5%A1tikis" ], [ "https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/reports/2008/R2640.1.pdf", "https://journals.openedition.org/pipss/3770#text" ] ]
59j6if
what is the point of throwaways?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/59j6if/eli5_what_is_the_point_of_throwaways/
{ "a_id": [ "d98ufte" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "No. If you say something like \"I intentionally ruined my best friend's life\", and then later (or at an earlier time) posted your personal information, people will know. The point of a throwaway is to use ONLY for telling how you ruined your bes...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1wjcb4
with evolution, if human beings are always evolving from one generation to the next, at what point in the future are people no longer human beings?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wjcb4/with_evolution_if_human_beings_are_always/
{ "a_id": [ "cf2is0w" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "By definition they will no longer be homo sapiens when they cannot successful procreate with homo sapiens.\n" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
580uq4
What is this WWII Document?
I was given this by my grandmother because I am the only one in the family that loves this stuff. It was one of the things that he saved from WWII. He was in the US Navy from1938 - 1946. In 1941 he was stationed in Hawaii. [WWII Documents](_URL_0_)
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/580uq4/what_is_this_wwii_document/
{ "a_id": [ "d8wmg2q" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "Here is a transcription of the handwritten portion, which refers to the message above it. Left page:\n\n > This shows a message as we receive them to make our write-ups from and lets you know what some of the letters numbers and words mean & n...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/gallery/CsPGs" ]
[ [] ]
54ip2y
what are the differences between different types of missiles/rockets?
I have often hear of Ballistic Missiles, Cruise Missiles, Rockets, and other types of similar weapons. To me, they all represent a weapon that flies threw the air and destroys a target. What are the differences between these, and other types of similar weapons? Honestly, I am having difficulty wording this question ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/54ip2y/eli5_what_are_the_differences_between_different/
{ "a_id": [ "d8279zi", "d828bfc", "d82dnv2", "d82hs5a" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2, 6 ], "text": [ "Rocket vs missile is sort of based on who you are talking to. In general a missile is a guided weapon that can make course corrections as needed. A rocket is aimed at launch and ge...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://imgur.com/a/hyFHl", "http://imgur.com/a/9DlHM", "http://imgur.com/a/HjJj9" ], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Sidewinder", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_independently_targetable_reentry_vehicle", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-9_R...
7sp33x
how would the billionaires of the world "end poverty" ?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7sp33x/eli5_how_would_the_billionaires_of_the_world_end/
{ "a_id": [ "dt6eo2r", "dt6f08b" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I think allot of the money would go towards building infrastructure so that people can support themselves, it definitely wouldn't be a over the night type of thing and a good amount of work will end up in failure but with en...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
8v63yb
Why were Wisdom, Judith, and twelve other books removed from the Protestant Bible? What was the rationale? Was it a controversial decision, and what was the justification given?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8v63yb/why_were_wisdom_judith_and_twelve_other_books/
{ "a_id": [ "e1lo4nv", "e1ltwrw", "e1lz6xe", "e1m06ks", "e1mb10u", "e1ncxzx" ], "score": [ 5, 9, 6, 33, 8, 6 ], "text": [ "And where can I read them?", "Can you list the other 12 books please? As far as I know Protestantism only removed 7 (plus some chap...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo_Geniza" ], [], [ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Eglwys_Llanycil_Church%2C_Bala%2C_Gwynedd_%28033%29.jpg/180px-Eglwys_Llanycil_Church%2C_Bala%2C_Gwynedd_%28033%29.jpg", "https://www.creeds.net/Westminster/c01.htm" ...
2d3fy8
Who came up with the idea of pricing items a cent under the dollar ($9.99 instead of $10), and how did it become so universal?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2d3fy8/who_came_up_with_the_idea_of_pricing_items_a_cent/
{ "a_id": [ "cjlz65n", "cjm6y0k" ], "score": [ 4, 13 ], "text": [ "As for how did it become so universal, see these askscience threads:\n\n* _URL_0_\n\n* _URL_1_", "In Made In America, Bill Bryson points out that the first cash register, Ritty's Incorruptible Cashier, patented 1883, ra...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1vpftk/are_there_any_studies_that_show_that_x99_sells/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1jcmxa/are_x99_pricing_schemes_still_effective/" ], [ "http://books.google.com/books/about/Made_In_America.html?id=XMKkEh9JHncC" ] ]
1ebpq1
regular expressions in programming
Really have no idea where to even begin with these.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ebpq1/eli5_regular_expressions_in_programming/
{ "a_id": [ "c9yom6t" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Regular expressions are patterns that a computer can understand and compare with a given piece of text or numbers.\n\nThey are helpful when you want to make sure a text matches a specific pattern. For example to validate email address or credit c...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
6js8h8
If the virtual particles exchanged to create forces don't really exist, then what are forces made of?
Hi, other /r/askscience posts I've read, such as [this one](_URL_0_), and [this comment](_URL_1_) seem to imply that the virtual particles that are supposedly exchanged are more mathematical abstractions than literal objects. If that is the case, what are forces made of?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6js8h8/if_the_virtual_particles_exchanged_to_create/
{ "a_id": [ "djgl86l", "djgvx2f" ], "score": [ 25, 4 ], "text": [ "The \"forces\" -- in the sense that there are any -- are, like everything else, made of quantum fields. Strictly speaking, there aren't any forces in the sense of instantaneous interactions à la Newton; there are only field...
[]
[ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/14qa1n/if_photons_are_the_force_carriers_between_magnets/?st=j4fix84s&sh=18e4b480", "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/14qa1n/if_photons_are_the_force_carriers_between_magnets/c7fvtq4/?st=j4fj1lqx&sh=d3302148" ]
[ [], [] ]
1jjomp
How well received was the Aaron Burr biography "Fallen Founder"?
I've had this book sitting around for a while now, but I'm about to dig into it. Most people see Aaron Burr has a villain of sorts of early American history, but this book paints a sympathetic picture by doing a bit of digging. Was this well received by modern historians, or is this propaganda that I should just pass u...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1jjomp/how_well_received_was_the_aaron_burr_biography/
{ "a_id": [ "cbfhdpc" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Nancy Isenberg is a perfectly legitimate historian. And most biographies are sympathetic. It's hard to write a biography without at least exposing a \"villain\"'s humanity. It wouldn't be a good biography if it didn't do that, I think. \n\nI read...
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[]
[ [] ]
1komcl
What's up with Comet ISON? Can you guys help explain these three distinct pieces?
Hey guys, So I've been following comet ISON for a while, just being interested in it, mostly because of it's luminosity and hell, its a interesting spectacle! Recently, some information has come out that has me very confused. **Hubble pictures of the comet show nothing unusual- such as this beautiful picture** _URL...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1komcl/whats_up_with_comet_ison_can_you_guys_help/
{ "a_id": [ "cbr6skl" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I don't think those two bars are real, I think they're just pointers to locate the comet which for some reason have been included in that image. Although I'm quite puzzled as to why they were put into the .fits image, that doesn't really make muc...
[]
[ "http://topnews.ae/images/Hubble-Space-Telescope-Captures-Comet-ISON.jpg", "http://hla.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/display?image=hlsp_ison_hst_wfc3_130430_f606w_v1&autoscale=&title=Ison+130430+WFC3+F606W", "http://imgur.com/gJFHTAj", "http://imgur.com/rSnxBR5" ]
[ [ "http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2013/24/video/a/", "http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/videos/hs-2013-24-a-1280x720_quicktime.m4v", "http://imgsrc.hubblesite.org/hu/db/images/hs-2013-14-c-pdf.pdf", "http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/ison/ISON-30Apr-sc-m.jpeg" ] ]
1tmyns
Does nicotine have any merit as a pharmaceutical drug?
From what I've been reading on Wikipedia, nicotine can provide a stimulating effect, as well as acting as a depressant. More reported effects, which come with the last two I assume, are pain reduction and arousal. Should these reported effects be proved true, would nicotine (in varying doses) be a suitable replacemen...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1tmyns/does_nicotine_have_any_merit_as_a_pharmaceutical/
{ "a_id": [ "ce9lpa4", "ce9lv0o", "ce9z59f" ], "score": [ 18, 15, 5 ], "text": [ "**Development of nicotinic drug therapy for cognitive disorders**:\n\n > Nicotine, as well as other nicotinic drugs, may provide useful therapeutic treatment for a variety of cognitive impairments inc...
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[]
[ [ "http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/psychiatry/research/cns/upadhyayareferences/Levin_2000.pdf" ], [], [] ]
6av093
What did medieval Christians think about the idea of an apocalypse?
I've been wanting to read more about how people saw themselves and the world in medieval Europe, and one thing that has interested me is whether people believed in an impending apocalypse at any point - in particular, around the times of the crusades, and later, the height of the Black Death. One person who stuck out ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6av093/what_did_medieval_christians_think_about_the_idea/
{ "a_id": [ "dhhy82o" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Yes, apocalypticism in general starts to take root in western Europe in the eleventh century (although you can find some interesting earlier sprouts--the Pseudo-Methodius text that really kickstarts Antichrist mythology was translated into Latin ...
[]
[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emicho#First_Crusade" ]
[ [] ]
3m1f8e
Did pirates wear eye patches for better vision in the dark?
I once heard that pirates wore eye patches, not because they had lost an eye, but rather because during a siege with another ship it was beneficial to see in the dark of the below decks. Therefore, a pirate would wear a patch over one eye and upon descending into the below decks would switch the patch to the other eye ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3m1f8e/did_pirates_wear_eye_patches_for_better_vision_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cvb84wb" ], "score": [ 132 ], "text": [ "**If you're new to the thread, please don't post the Mythbusters episode again. Mythbusters is entertaining but it's not history (or more specifically, it's not historical proof of anything.)**\n\nThe short answer is no, not that we know of. /u...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/36dyap/how_did_sailors_in_the_golden_age_of_piracy_deal/crdp88j" ] ]
74py7b
how do programmers incentivize ais
I often see it stated with little explanation in articles about AI research that programmers use incentives to get Artificial Intelligences to do certain tasks. They never say what the incentive is or how it works. How exactly does one go about giving an AI an incentive and what would that incentive be?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/74py7b/eli5_how_do_programmers_incentivize_ais/
{ "a_id": [ "do07wr2", "do07wtu", "do07z7k", "do0aysq" ], "score": [ 5, 11, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Incentives are basically what the AI wants. It’s usually expressed as a number and the AI is just finding ways to maximize(or minimize) that number. Let’s say you are making an ...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/search?q=ai+reward&restrict_sr=on" ], [], [] ]
zn7cc
what are the rules for craps? (the dice game)
I've watched games of craps go on and the rules are still foreign to me. How do you play?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zn7cc/what_are_the_rules_for_craps_the_dice_game/
{ "a_id": [ "c6631ta" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The basic rules are this: \n\nThe player rolls the dice - on the first roll if he or she gets a 7 or 11, it's a winner. 2, 3 or 12, it's a loser. Anything else becomes the \"point\". If the game goes beyond the first roll (that means if a point...
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[ [] ]
16bo4h
How close were the Nazis to developing 'wonder' weapons?
I have read a little in to these so called weapons and i can never find much useful information. What sort of weapons were they trying to develop and what would they have been used for?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/16bo4h/how_close_were_the_nazis_to_developing_wonder/
{ "a_id": [ "c7ulmp2", "c7um9z0", "c7uns9t", "c7uuozo" ], "score": [ 2, 10, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Wikipedia has a pretty decent list of German WWII-era [wonder weapons](_URL_0_).\n\nExamples that were used with some success include the V2 ballistic rocket which had a 200 mil r...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wunderwaffe" ], [ "http://books.google.com/books?id=QFuZ11OyrbgC&pg=PA231&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false", "http://books.google.com/books?id=3j-Aq1hAgJEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&a...
10ikzo
How does sunlight break down objects that are exposed to it for too long?
Like if I put a book on my dashboard for a long time, it will become faded and brittle. What's happening there? In my line of work (waterproofing and caulking) overexposure is something I deal with constantly. Foam insulation board is the most noticeable, after a few weeks in the sun the outside layer starts turning ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/10ikzo/how_does_sunlight_break_down_objects_that_are/
{ "a_id": [ "c6dslpi" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This has been discussed before on here, but to make a long story short - UV degradation. The UV rays have enough energy to cause photochemical damage to certain chemical bonds in materials. This can change both its material properties as well a...
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[]
[ [] ]
8e3vrt
what exactly happens when (in movies) the police trace a call and why can't they do it if the call is less than a minute long?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8e3vrt/eli5_what_exactly_happens_when_in_movies_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dxs5vt3", "dxs5w4u", "dxs5wi8", "dxs5z1b", "dxs6sn7" ], "score": [ 9, 2, 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It's just a movie plot device. The phone carrier knows immediately where the call originated from. The police would get a warrant and the phone company would ...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_exchange#History" ], [], [] ]
rivpj
Are we going to get to a point in genetics were scientists can change the composition of genes?
This has always intrigued me. I am curious if, with what we know now of genes, there will ever be a point where we can alter what's in our genes or the genes of future generations. This also leads to some hard questions of whether we would use it to enhance society to make a 'superhuman' race. Obviously not too science...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/rivpj/are_we_going_to_get_to_a_point_in_genetics_were/
{ "a_id": [ "c466c2d", "c466kfu", "c466s5v", "c467lxx" ], "score": [ 9, 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes we certainly can, and have, engineered and installed genes in living organisms. Genetically modified crops are commonplace and a bit controversial. Gene therapy had an explosi...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.jcvi.org/cms/press/press-releases/full-text/article/first-self-replicating-synthetic-bacterial-cell-constructed-by-j-craig-venter-institute-researcher/" ], [ "http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10132762" ], [] ]
whkco
what is supposed to happen astronomically on december 21,2012?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/whkco/eli5_what_is_supposed_to_happen_astronomically_on/
{ "a_id": [ "c5ddajs", "c5ddz51" ], "score": [ 13, 6 ], "text": [ "NOTHING\n\nThe Mayans were going to introduce a new calendar. Full stop. However, they did not survive long enough to need one, so their current calendar just sort of. . . stops. So then white people interpreted this as ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ldflrUD4qQ&gt" ] ]
fhc2dq
What did people think of the horrors that went on when cities were sacked in the ancient world?
The heart of my question is in the title, but to provide a little info on what time periods I'm thinking of in particular here's some context; I was listening to a podcast(Hardcore History) about the sacking of Carthage by Scipio Africanus of Rome. I was shocked to hear the details of how exactly it went down. I mean ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fhc2dq/what_did_people_think_of_the_horrors_that_went_on/
{ "a_id": [ "fkb2vvx" ], "score": [ 15 ], "text": [ "So, I'll start by linking [this thread](_URL_0_), which includes both u/Iphikrates talking about the military side in the Greek context and me talking about the civilian side in the Hebrew context. Both of those responses are more about the psy...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/eaupqm/did_ancient_civilians_get_ptsd_what_do_we_know_of/", "http://classics.mit.edu/Euripides/troj_women.html" ] ]
jwbr3
hiv, aids and how are they related to each other?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/jwbr3/eli5_hiv_aids_and_how_are_they_related_to_each/
{ "a_id": [ "c2fmskk", "c2frvr2", "c2fmskk", "c2frvr2" ], "score": [ 17, 3, 17, 3 ], "text": [ "HIV is a bug that causes AIDS. AIDS is a sickness where the bits of your blood that hunt down other sicknesses stop working. Those bits are your T cells. HIV can sneak into T-cel...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
xpb8f
Is there any validity at all in the concept of 'sweating out' an illness?
It has always seemed to me that there couldn't possibly be, but I thought I'd ask people who might actually know, and have facts to back them up.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/xpb8f/is_there_any_validity_at_all_in_the_concept_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c5oe6kp" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "The reason you get a fever is as a defense against invading pathogens. While harmful to your body the fever is also harmful to the pathogen, and hopefully your body can take the punishment while it cannot. It is a \"shotgun\" approach.\n\nSo incr...
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[ [] ]
5orrvu
tesla released all its patent on their car in 2014 so that anyone can use them. why isn't there any other car co. using them atm?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5orrvu/eli5tesla_released_all_its_patent_on_their_car_in/
{ "a_id": [ "dclj87h", "dclmtg7", "dclsvgf" ], "score": [ 7, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "There is no way to know they aren't. There are a lot of patents and licensing that you would have no way to check on who is using what and How.\n\nAlso using a Patent doesn't mean it will look like Tesl...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
21j0vc
What happens if water vapor is compressed while kept at a temperature greater than 100 degrees Celsius? Can it turn into liquid form?
Sorry if this is a dumb question.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/21j0vc/what_happens_if_water_vapor_is_compressed_while/
{ "a_id": [ "cgdl9jg" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Yes, it can. The boiling point of water is only 100 deg. C at a pressure of 1 atmosphere. At lower pressures the boiling temperature is lower and at higher pressures the boiling point is higher. You may have experienced this if you've ever gon...
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[]
[ [ "http://cft.fis.uc.pt/eef/FisicaI01/fluids/h2o_phase_diagram.jpg" ] ]
ayesem
what do we know about the original purpose of the rise of tax-paid, compulsory schooling that became widespread?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ayesem/what_do_we_know_about_the_original_purpose_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ei179vq" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "One of the things we know for sure is that every place that has created a tax-payer funded, compulsory system of education has followed its own timeline and had its own purpose. That purpose differed between countries, states, and towns and in ma...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9jfjat/modern_education_system_was_designed_to_produce/e6rmo15/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9jfjat/modern_education_system_was_designed_to_produce/e6sfnzc/" ] ]
1gz69v
Could there be any evidence of life on a planet after 4 billion years?
If life evolved on mars 4 Billions years ago in the oxygen rich environment that was present could there be any evidence of its existence left for us to find today?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1gz69v/could_there_be_any_evidence_of_life_on_a_planet/
{ "a_id": [ "cap8lq6", "cap92ks" ], "score": [ 13, 6 ], "text": [ "There are fossils on earth over 3 billion years old, and that is with numerous activities on our planet that can disturb them such as the actions of water, plate tectonics, and life itself. \n\nIt does not strike me as unre...
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[ [], [] ]
cscz2f
what changes in how the engine works when switching between different driving modes like eco, sport, etc.?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cscz2f/eli5_what_changes_in_how_the_engine_works_when/
{ "a_id": [ "exe22j2", "exe3p65" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Nothing much really, between normal and sport(+) the only difference is that your car will shift later up open the exhaust valve to make more noise(if you have a sport exhaust) stiffen up the suspension. You don’t habe over ...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://youtu.be/1cr4uIzkD0k" ] ]
83oedp
why is fusion considered the holy grail of energy?
I have a degree in engineering and read a lot of science material, and my own reading has shown: "The power output of the core of the Sun is about 276.5 watts per cubic metre — that's almost three of the old 100W light bulbs. On a power/volume basis, it's a lot less than your body emits (about 100 W) and around the sam...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/83oedp/eli5_why_is_fusion_considered_the_holy_grail_of/
{ "a_id": [ "dvjbxpf", "dvjc991", "dvjds9u", "dvjef0y" ], "score": [ 22, 9, 5, 3 ], "text": [ " > So, that being said, what is the use in creating a reactor that - albeit will generate a net positive power - will only output such a piddling small amount?\n\nThe fusion outp...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
3ag6y9
why does the backslash key have a special position on the keyboard?
It doesn't see nearly as much use as Backspace and Enter, in my experience. Is there some interesting history I'm missing?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ag6y9/eli5_why_does_the_backslash_key_have_a_special/
{ "a_id": [ "cscbwzp" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Mostly for writing code. Even though it's used differently in various coding languages, it's used very often in most of them. (Such as in C an example would be \\n to start a new line)\n\nFor the same reason that the straight line (**|**) is righ...
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[ [] ]
6wl5v4
If electrons surround a nucleus in a cloud, can they collide, and if they can, what happens?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6wl5v4/if_electrons_surround_a_nucleus_in_a_cloud_can/
{ "a_id": [ "dm8y2u6", "dm94svv", "dm97i24", "dm9eglv" ], "score": [ 6, 20, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "No. You're thinking of the Bohr model of atomic structure which depicts circular, 2D orbits, which also violates the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Electrons are configured in ...
[]
[]
[ [ "physics.stackexchange.com", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_orbital#/media/File:Neon_orbitals.JPG", "https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/200536/why-dont-electrons-collide-among-themselves" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_capture", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
4sbm86
What is the energy average density in the universe/a galaxy and its composition?
I am interested about the average (total) energy density within a galaxy (say ours, but general numbers are fine as well) and especially its composition from different contributions. Ideally you could even give me an idea how to measure/constrain the given quantities. I already found some values in different publicati...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4sbm86/what_is_the_energy_average_density_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d580891" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "So yours is at the level above that of the typical askscience question, so I've got to know, what's your level of background in cosmology and general relativity? What's your comfort level with Lambda-CDM and GR?" ] }
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[ [] ]
42picr
how did stores work before barcodes and computers?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/42picr/eli5how_did_stores_work_before_barcodes_and/
{ "a_id": [ "czc3b43", "czc3ea8" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "The grocer would literally tag every single item (and/or keep a ledger on a nearby desk) that would have the prices of everything for sale. When someone brought it up, the grocer would input the prices it into a till that wo...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
5ad4uh
artificial rain or cloud seeding
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ad4uh/eli5_artificial_rain_or_cloud_seeding/
{ "a_id": [ "d9fie45" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Water needs a surface that isn't gas on which to condense. The technique of cloud seeding is to provide small particles to make this surface, to allow water vapor in the air to condense, which can result in suspended liquid water or ice particles...
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[]
[ [] ]
2alh38
how does the digestion of whey protein differ from protein in various meat sources?
I've heard that continuous use of whey protein in forms such as protein shakes and bars can be bad for you versus meat isn't. How does they differ?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2alh38/eli5_how_does_the_digestion_of_whey_protein/
{ "a_id": [ "ciwcijy" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "All of what follows is nonsense if you're talking about hydrolyzed or otherwise pre-digested whey protein. If you're digesting it on your own, one way they differ is allergenicity and ease of digestion:\n\nMeat is not meant to be given to any oth...
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[ [] ]
8qrsri
how do you tell the difference between being depressed, unmotivated, and lazy?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8qrsri/eli5_how_do_you_tell_the_difference_between_being/
{ "a_id": [ "e0lgnb9" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "You don't. \n\nYou go to a professional and explain the situation, follow their instructions, and with a bit of luck they'll be able to determine which it is. " ] }
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[ [] ]
nzh6y
Assuming I am on the same spot on earth. How far is my current position away from my position 365.256363 days ago?
I imagine precise calculations of planet orbits use center of mass of solar system as the coordinate origin. Let's also do that here. What would be the major contribution of the movement? Perturbation from the moon? I am satisfied with an order-of-magnitude answer. As a blind guess, anywhere between 10m to 1000km se...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/nzh6y/assuming_i_am_on_the_same_spot_on_earth_how_far/
{ "a_id": [ "c3d5zv0", "c3d625o", "c3d6f2y", "c3d6ix8", "c3d74t5", "c3d7hev", "c3dex5g" ], "score": [ 11, 22, 35, 53, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I'm assuming relative to the solar system, correct? because in reality, Our galaxy is FLYING through space, so...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_orbit#Future" ], [], [], [], [], [ "http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi" ] ]
2pzu4z
How was Germany able to finance the war machine during WWII? How come they were able to stay strong against multiple military powers (in terms of industrial and manpower resources). How did they provide the fuel needed for the wehrmacht etc?
Germany is a rather small country compared to the allied countries grouped together. How come they were so successful during WWII?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2pzu4z/how_was_germany_able_to_finance_the_war_machine/
{ "a_id": [ "cn1mj9m" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "While it doesn't necessarily cover the entirety of your questions, /u/vonadler wrote [a great post](_URL_0_) about how the Germans financed their war effort." ] }
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1vm96f/how_did_the_nazis_monetarily_fund_their_military/cetqlj9" ] ]
y4ip7
What causes the warm and cold spots in lakes?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/y4ip7/what_causes_the_warm_and_cold_spots_in_lakes/
{ "a_id": [ "c5s9yel", "c5sk2ou" ], "score": [ 14, 5 ], "text": [ "I am not a physical oceanographer, but my broad understanding is that the two mechanisms that would cause temperature differences between areas in any given lake are the formation of a [thermocline](_URL_0_) and redistribut...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocline#Other_water_bodies", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekman_transport" ], [] ]
c0oxm9
how can fizzy drinks go flat if shaken before opening despite having probably been shipped in from overseas and/or jostled around in the back of a truck for days??
Or am I missing something here? I just had a thought as I was carrying a huge crate of pressurise soda cans to my car. The liquid was sloshing around back and forward inside and I was thinking about how if I opened one now it would probably explode everywhere, but I’m not sure whether shaking them in transit means that...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c0oxm9/eli5_how_can_fizzy_drinks_go_flat_if_shaken/
{ "a_id": [ "er6cf8q" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Shaking doesn't make go flat unless you open them in the shaken state. It you let them sit, all the bubbles of pressurized gas consolidate into the top of the can, and the pressure forces a larger amount of CO2 into solution with the liquid (mak...
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[ [] ]
3fmhwy
there's always allegations about sportsmen 'doping' before an event. why not allow doping so everyone has the same advantage?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3fmhwy/eli5_theres_always_allegations_about_sportsmen/
{ "a_id": [ "ctpxfh8", "ctpxg94", "ctpxiao", "ctpygws", "ctq07k6", "ctq3r0k", "ctq54pb", "ctqfofm" ], "score": [ 3, 11, 134, 5, 7, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because it isn't \"natural\", and players who do not want to be a part of the huge expens...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
an8vyz
why does champagne fizz up so much more when poured into an empty glass than when it's poured into a glass with champagne already in it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/an8vyz/eli5_why_does_champagne_fizz_up_so_much_more_when/
{ "a_id": [ "efrl9wy" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "The carbon dioxide, the bubbles, is a gas at RT. Pouring it into an empty glass means the liquid falls from a higher distance, when it hits the bottom of the glass the impact provides enough energy for the gas to escape. Not only does the liquid ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
61yiaf
dictators and why people see to blindly believe in them?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/61yiaf/eli5dictators_and_why_people_see_to_blindly/
{ "a_id": [ "dfia8wz", "dfiav38", "dfibe3x" ], "score": [ 9, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "The simple answer is that by the time someone can be called a dictator, they've taken over the media, silence dissidents, censored the internet, murdered/jailed the opposition party and control informat...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://mises.org/library/road-serfdom-0" ] ]
2c42aw
why did the us storm heavily defensed normandy why not somewhere else?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2c42aw/eli5_why_did_the_us_storm_heavily_defensed/
{ "a_id": [ "cjbq2wn", "cjbq5c7", "cjbq7lr", "cjbq9cb" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "If you're thinking the USA did it alone need to have a talk with your history teacher. The UK and Canada were also there in force.", "Well they invaded Italy before Normandy.",...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
j5ip6
explain to me, like i'm five, why some economists believe the current of chinese economic growth is dangerous and unsustainable
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j5ip6/explain_to_me_like_im_five_why_some_economists/
{ "a_id": [ "c29bu1o", "c29cd3c", "c29cizk", "c29bu1o", "c29cd3c", "c29cizk" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 18, 4, 2, 18 ], "text": [ "The economic growth of China is made mainly through State. Right now, almost 50% of all the money china makes in one year (GDP) is for...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://mpettis.com/" ], [], [], [ "http://mpettis.com/" ] ]
hesrl
How far away, in terms of knowledge and technology, are we from keeping a brain fully functioning outside of a human body?
I feel like I worded that oddly but here's what I'm getting at. I tend to look at our body as a support mechanism for our brain. I know it's not that simple but indulge me for a moment. The lungs collect oxygen, the circulatory system distributes it, the hands interact with objects the brain is interested in, and so...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/hesrl/how_far_away_in_terms_of_knowledge_and_technology/
{ "a_id": [ "c1uusak", "c1uv8gt" ], "score": [ 2, 25 ], "text": [ "Just going by various similarly worded threads from the past, the consensus is that we know very, very little about the specifics about the brain. Until someone with actual knowledge fills in, i'm going to take a fair guess...
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[ [], [] ]
2hoyi4
Do historians know if James Buchannan was gay?
I remeber reading somewhere about how there are many personal facts about James Buchanan that suggest he was homosexual. Does this idea have any basis, and is it accepted by historians today?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2hoyi4/do_historians_know_if_james_buchannan_was_gay/
{ "a_id": [ "ckus2k1" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It can never really be known with certainty - Buchanan never married, the only president so far to remain a bachelor. He courted one woman named Anne Coleman and was briefly engaged to her before she died. Afterwards he didn't do this or show any...
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[ [] ]
3azbt0
how does creating new money stop people from just creating fakes of the old ones
When money is updated, the old money doesn't lose any value; it can still be used. So what does updating the money do to stop people from illegally printing money when they can just print the old style?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3azbt0/eli5_how_does_creating_new_money_stop_people_from/
{ "a_id": [ "cshcatc", "cshcbqz" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "It becomes much harder to get people to believe that your crisp, newly made dollar bills aren't counterfeit when there are no more being made in that style. ", "Paper money has a relatively short life-span, and the idea ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
62h0c3
how will the recent vote on isp's right to sell data affect the rest of the world's internet users?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/62h0c3/eli5_how_will_the_recent_vote_on_isps_right_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dfmjeet" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It will not change anything.\n\nHere is the thing no one is saying about this entire thing. What actually just happened was Congress prevented an FCC regulation from *going into* affect that would prevent ISP's from selling certain data.\n\nThe F...
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[ [] ]
2a2p08
what are the point of tokens?
We put real money into a machine to receive fake money that is only usable at that establishment. We then put that fake money into another machine to play a game or something. Why not just use real money directly?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2a2p08/eli5_what_are_the_point_of_tokens/
{ "a_id": [ "ciqw3vx", "ciqx3bt" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Because once you've bought the fake money you're more likely to spend it on an impulse (and if you don't they sold you a service you never used). ", "Additionally: security.\n\nSince you can only use tokens at the estab...
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[ [], [] ]
66iaed
how in the world can the flu make me feel so freezing cold?
Yesterday while driving home from work is when it finally started getting bad. I had the windows up in sunny, 70 degree weather and the heat on max and I only barely felt warm. When I got home, I put on a winter coat and laid on the floor in my sun-baked living room under a doubled up, insulated wool blanket and shive...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/66iaed/eli5_how_in_the_world_can_the_flu_make_me_feel_so/
{ "a_id": [ "dgiog1w" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "infections/viruses thrive at our body temp, but are significantly weaker at slightly higher temperatures. a fever is your body adjusting its internal thermostat to fight infections by bringing up your internal temp. think if you were adjusting t...
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[ [] ]
j7rui
can someone please explain how ratios work
Can someone explain to me like I'm five how ratios work
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j7rui/can_someone_please_explain_how_ratios_work/
{ "a_id": [ "c29u5zo", "c29u5zo" ], "score": [ 6, 6 ], "text": [ "Let's take a single molecule of water for an example. That's two hydrogens and one oxygen. So you have a 2:1 ratio. Well if you have two molecules of water, you have a 4:2 ratio which can be reduced to a 2:1 ratio. No ma...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
29ccui
What's the best, free method for researching family history on the internet?
In the past, I've tried to research family history at libraries and on the web, but usually only come across things for _URL_0_. Does anyone here know a good resource to find things like family crests, family trees, or anything like this?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/29ccui/whats_the_best_free_method_for_researching_family/
{ "a_id": [ "cijj1x4", "cijjf7l" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "hi! while you may get some answers here, this question might attract more responses in /r/Genealogy", "There are lots of different sites which are good for specific aspects of family history - recently I researched the l...
[]
[ "ancestry.com" ]
[ [], [ "https://familysearch.org/" ] ]
aox5ot
why do online news articles have typos or grammatical mistakes, even from notable publications?
Physical newspapers and magazines have meticulous spelling and grammar. Over the past couple years, I've started to notice online news articles (even from the same companies that publish those physical publications) with glaringly obvious mistakes. Incidentally, it seems to always be exactly one mistake per article. Wh...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aox5ot/eli5_why_do_online_news_articles_have_typos_or/
{ "a_id": [ "eg45va7", "eg46zxx", "eg47qyk", "eg4a0yr" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 16, 3 ], "text": [ "Couple reasons. First, these mistakes still happened in print, but most people rarely read every word in a newspaper. That said, many times large publications have seperate online...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
fh2u78
How much did the ancient Egyptian language change through millennia?
I was wondering if early Egyptians would've been able to understand spoken or written language of the later dynasties. Also if I may, what would be the "longest lasting" language that has stayed relatively understandable to it's speakers?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fh2u78/how_much_did_the_ancient_egyptian_language_change/
{ "a_id": [ "fk9hkcr" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "## Answer to your first question\n\nThe short answer is no. An early Egyptian (say a native speaker of Old Egyptian around say 2200 BCE) would not almost certainly not understand the speech of the later dynasties (say 332 BCE). \n\n## How to ans...
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[]
[ [ "https://i.imgur.com/gCwg77V.png", "https://www.amazon.com/Beowulf-Verse-Translation-Seamus-Heaney/dp/0374111197/ref=sr_1_4", "https://www.worldcat.org/title/erzahlung-des-sinuhe/oclc/604829389", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GihrWuysnrc", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobiography_of_Har...
2xaxih
can someone please explain to me how best in show dog shows work. how does the judge pick the best? is there personal preference thrown in?
thats all
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xaxih/eli5can_someone_please_explain_to_me_how_best_in/
{ "a_id": [ "coyhm0j" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It is essentially nothing but personal preference. Essentially there is an ideal perfect prototype of each bread of dog and each dog is judged based on how close it is to this \"prototype\". (Simplification)\n\nThe judge is doing nothing but maki...
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[ [] ]
en7ccl
Why do only certain materials glow under UV light?
I know why stuff glows under UV light, there's no need to explain it to me. But why do only certain materials glow? Is it just because only these ones emit light in the visible spectrum or is there something else about it?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/en7ccl/why_do_only_certain_materials_glow_under_uv_light/
{ "a_id": [ "fdyybsk" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It’s the principle of Fluorescence. Only certain molecular structures which make up the material of interest will absorb the light of shorter wavelength like UV or X-ray and produce light of a longer wavelength say in the visible spectrum.\n\nThe...
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[ [] ]
1mfcyi
How can an electron be a a "point particle" meaning it takes up zero space and is zero dimensional, yet have a radius of 2.82x10^-15 meters?
Essentially, I'd like someone to explain what i'm getting confused about here. Thanks!
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1mfcyi/how_can_an_electron_be_a_a_point_particle_meaning/
{ "a_id": [ "cc8s9k0", "cc8sfm4", "cc8y1u6" ], "score": [ 9, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "It's very simple; the \"[classical electron radius](_URL_0_)\" is simply not the radius of an electron. The wiki article makes that clear as well: \"the classical electron radius is no longer regarded a...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_electron_radius" ], [], [] ]
1w3hg1
what makes a person sound old/ young?
It's usually pretty easy to tell the difference between a 6 year old and a 18, 40, 80, so on. What are we hearing that makes the difference?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1w3hg1/eli5_what_makes_a_person_sound_old_young/
{ "a_id": [ "ceyicke" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I'm assuming you're referring to vocal elements which make age distinguishable.\n\n1. Pitch. It's one of the big ones, and it's the reason why millions of teenage boys across the world answer the phone and get called \"ma'am\" (or their culture's...
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[ [] ]
9fpjfh
why does pain, atleast in some cases, throb rather than being a consistent stream?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9fpjfh/eli5_why_does_pain_atleast_in_some_cases_throb/
{ "a_id": [ "e5ydluk" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Pretty sure it throbs because it's your heartbeat. You're area where the damaged nerves are receives blood each throb, and sends that signal of pain even stronger to your brain.\n\nThis is just my guess." ] }
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