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43r5cj
why does it take so long to exonerate criminals through dna testing if the evidence is right there?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/43r5cj/eli5_why_does_it_take_so_long_to_exonerate/
{ "a_id": [ "czkajwp" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It's a real simple answer. Perhaps you've seen the Shawshank Redemption, everyone claims to be [innocent.](_URL_0_), so there's a plethora of people claiming to be innocent. \n\nJudges, prosecutors and the cops aren't in a hurry to reinvestigate ...
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[ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt75VjvRW34" ] ]
ppmc4
why does thinking require so much energy?
A few hours of intense studying leaves me feeling exhausted. Why does this type of mental work wear me out?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ppmc4/eli5_why_does_thinking_require_so_much_energy/
{ "a_id": [ "c3r8pbj", "c3r8yx1", "c3r9bqf" ], "score": [ 11, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "To add to this question: what is physically happening when we think and where is the energy going? I know our brain has synapses and works with a lot of electrical signals. Does concentrating require ...
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[ [], [], [ "http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-does-the-brain-need-s", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3046985/?tool=pubmed" ] ]
231urh
Is it possible to infinitely half the distance between two objects? Is there a point at which objects become so close that if they are moved any closer, they touch?
I get that two objects never actually touch because of the electrons repulsing one another. They way I think about this question is like this: I can keep moving closer and closer to a wall, but at some point, I'm going to break my nose when I hit it. Where (when?) is the point when I am so close to the wall that any fu...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/231urh/is_it_possible_to_infinitely_half_the_distance/
{ "a_id": [ "cgsobd9", "cgsp0k3", "cgt5vtr" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "So electrons don't have a physically defined volume - rather, they are expressed by something called a wavefunction, which encodes all of the quantum information about the electron. However, let's pret...
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[ [], [], [] ]
8344rz
how do free games (like fortnite) make profit? especially for a 3d game which employs alot of artists, developers, etc. how do they pay all of these people and still earn enough money to keep the company moving forward?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8344rz/eli5_how_do_free_games_like_fortnite_make_profit/
{ "a_id": [ "dvf0ppl", "dvf0pwc", "dvf15qp" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Microtransactions. They offer a bunch of stuff in game that you can buy. A lot of mobile games get ad revenue as well, but it's mostly in game purchases. ", "Microtransactions and ads. Most of the g...
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[ [], [], [] ]
3ooooc
Why does the word "queue" contain 4 vowels, yet only utilizes the sound of the first letter?
what is the origin of this word/why is it spelled this way?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3ooooc/why_does_the_word_queue_contain_4_vowels_yet_only/
{ "a_id": [ "cvz8zu6", "cvzsvrb" ], "score": [ 86, 3 ], "text": [ "['Queue' comes from 'cauda'](_URL_0_), the Latin word meaning 'tail'. The French took it (originally spelled 'cue') and made the word we see today. In the 1500's, Middle English used it metaphorically to talk about a line o...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=queue" ], [] ]
5mkash
if i have a source of light like a flashlight in a dark room, how can i see things that, when the light beam bounces off them, it doesn't reach my eyes?
For example, if I'm holding a flashlight in an otherwise dark room, which I'm pointing at a wall at an angle, how can I see the wall?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5mkash/eli5_if_i_have_a_source_of_light_like_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dc46xq5", "dc4731c", "dc47414" ], "score": [ 9, 14, 2 ], "text": [ "The light that reaches your eyes did bounce off into your eyes.\n\nSurfaces don't perfectly reflect light. Then they would all be mirrors!\n\nThe light bounced off in all sorts of directions. Some of t...
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[ [], [], [] ]
2cz5bv
why does spraying on aftershave stop little cuts from bleeding?
It was taught to me as I started shaving and for the most part, it works. If you nick yourself shaving, a dab of aftershave on the offending spot will stop the bleeding almost instantly. Sure, it stings, but that's better than walking around with an open wound. I happened to cut myself this morning as I was preparing...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cz5bv/eli5_why_does_spraying_on_aftershave_stop_little/
{ "a_id": [ "cjkhlbw", "cjkip4o" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "My best guess would be something like the alcohol causes the blood to clot near the surface. Alcohol dehydrates substances due to its low enthalpy of vaporization (the energy required to change something from a liquid to a g...
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[ [], [] ]
3mkktj
does a company forcing you to change your password every 6 months (for example) actually increase security? as far as i'm concerned it just causes me to forget my password.
Edit: since I'm taking a beating because this is a question that is able to be answered with yes or no... I'll add to it: "then why do companies and websites force you to change them?" or "how does it make it more secure if I change it from apples1 to oranges2?" (Even though most of you already answered accordingly...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mkktj/eli5_does_a_company_forcing_you_to_change_your/
{ "a_id": [ "cvfq1r8", "cvfqdgl", "cvfqkhw", "cvfqp4s", "cvfsnr0", "cvfsqr7", "cvfswnj", "cvft3kx", "cvftnu1", "cvfu23u", "cvfu49j", "cvfub9t", "cvfunz3", "cvfuq32", "cvfvgbu", "cvfwrcp", "cvfwz94", "cvfx78u", "cvfxdgi", "cvfxpy3", "c...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=7&ved=0CCQQFjAGahUKEwjJv9Cgq5fIAhWJFx4KHUZFAlA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cl.cam.ac.uk%2F~rja14%2Fshb10%2Fangela2.pdf&usg=AFQjCNF2qjKUOmB600bflIQ3SRHk0p3_Ow" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], ...
2608ab
could a canadian billionaire just give 1 million to every person in canada, cure poverty, and still be filthy stinkin' rich or would it shatter the economy?
I'm curious, in theory, because it could in fact be done what effect would this have on a country? ..The world?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2608ab/eli5could_a_canadian_billionaire_just_give_1/
{ "a_id": [ "chmeisa", "chmel2x", "chmem6s", "chmesxc" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "wouldn't he lose all his money after 1000 people?", "1 billion = 1000 million\n\n\ngiving money doesn't create wealth or expand economy.\nsomehow OWS/Keynesian type ppl can't g...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
g3d7y
Why does being out in the sun (heat) make me thirsty even though I do not sweat?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/g3d7y/why_does_being_out_in_the_sun_heat_make_me/
{ "a_id": [ "c1kmjs7" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "You are still sweating. The sweat is just evaporating." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
186ry7
if police do the most vehicle chasing, why don't they have the fastest cars?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/186ry7/eli5_if_police_do_the_most_vehicle_chasing_why/
{ "a_id": [ "c8c3r11", "c8c3ror", "c8c3yr4", "c8c4ax6", "c8c4juz", "c8c4kw2", "c8c4vh2", "c8c5rnf", "c8c6gfh", "c8c7x4b", "c8c9yvv", "c8caqp0", "c8cau0y", "c8ccmu7" ], "score": [ 34, 18, 9, 10, 7, 11, 58, 9, 4, 3, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1pa4v8
why didn't the usaf intervene during the battle of mogadishu?
It would've been very easy for them to turn the tide. Why didn't they?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pa4v8/eli5_why_didnt_the_usaf_intervene_during_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cd09ssw", "cd0ejhi" ], "score": [ 5, 5 ], "text": [ "Because conducting airstrikes in the middle of an extremely crowded urban area would have been an absolute PR nightmare and jeopardized the entire mission there. Bear in mind that at the time it wasn't at all clear that they...
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[ [], [] ]
60nhwv
How did British troops get to France and have the time to dig trenches in WWI?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/60nhwv/how_did_british_troops_get_to_france_and_have_the/
{ "a_id": [ "df8xpy6" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The British Expeditionary Force arrived in France by boat, arriving shortly after Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, General Sir John French crossed to France on 14 August with detachments o...
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[ [] ]
1o2fj7
Is there any truth to the whole "Lose one sense and the others become better"?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1o2fj7/is_there_any_truth_to_the_whole_lose_one_sense/
{ "a_id": [ "ccoaf44", "ccog2dp", "ccohfbt" ], "score": [ 8, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "I'll have to look up citation, but there is some developmental biology to support this. If you never you use a sense, that area of the brain is not fully utilized. It has also been found that these ar...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
38i2uy
duty free shops
What incentive does a country have to allow duty free shops if they can't earn tax revenue off it?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38i2uy/eli5_duty_free_shops/
{ "a_id": [ "crv6mzc" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "You have a customer who wants to buy, say, some alcohol which they will drink in their destination country after their journey. If they buy it duty-free in the country they're leaving, it's now a shop in that country making profit on the sale and...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
8km7f7
if there's anything bad with jehovah witnesses?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8km7f7/eli5_if_theres_anything_bad_with_jehovah_witnesses/
{ "a_id": [ "dz8q055", "dz8q201", "dz8qeu2" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "I'm not religious at all so this may not be the answer your looking for. I've know many Jehovah's witnesses in my life and have no problem with them but lots of people consider them to be cult like, if ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
y591q
why do things like stone, cloth, wood etc. change colour when it comes into contact with water?
Just something I've always wondered but never got around to finding out the answer.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/y591q/eli5_why_do_things_like_stone_cloth_wood_etc/
{ "a_id": [ "c5sg2st" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "When light hits an interface between two media, it has a chance of scattering. This chance is dependent on the angle of incidence (which we can ignore for simplicity's sake), and the difference in indices of refraction. The bigger the difference...
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[ [] ]
1mtd12
Have there ever been "the good old days?"
As in, has there ever been a generation, or series of generations, whose quality of life was significantly better than the ones that followed?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1mtd12/have_there_ever_been_the_good_old_days/
{ "a_id": [ "cccg748" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The peoples of the America's had much better lives in the century or so before Columbus than those that lived in the century after. Disease brought by europeans (I've read speculation that malaria may have arrived with Columbus) killed as much as...
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[ [] ]
6svgj9
why do some roads sound different than others?
For example, I-75 in Michigan has a louder sound than I-75 in Ohio. I know that is because of different agencies/contractors using different materials, but is it the composition of the material, how it is laid down, its age, or some other factor?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6svgj9/eli5_why_do_some_roads_sound_different_than_others/
{ "a_id": [ "dlfy899" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "it's a combination of how hard it is and the texture of its surface. age can affect both, especially with different environmental factors in different areas" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2j14zy
How does a DNA sequence form its output?
Recently I've been intrigued by the idea of there being a coding language based off of DNA. It seems like DNA is a biological coding language, so how does that code translate in to physical output?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2j14zy/how_does_a_dna_sequence_form_its_output/
{ "a_id": [ "cl7fdgi", "cl8a2ta" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "[This](_URL_0_) figure explains it pretty well.\n\nBasically, you've got adaptors, tRNAs which recognize the ~~DNA~~ mRNA sequence. Each codon (a set of three nucleotides) is recognized by a different tRNA, and each tRNA is ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-cw-m10Krvw/SJjTuUSxDbI/AAAAAAAAAHs/SLUPrfMRA9g/s320/translation.gif" ], [] ]
h4ztb
Why does my phone camera intensify the brightness of reflections so much?
I've seen that phone cameras can detect infrared light such as that emitted by a remote control, and I believe I heard in a physics lecture that reflected light is polarized. I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the light frequency, but would polarization really have anything to do with it? I haven't studied anyt...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/h4ztb/why_does_my_phone_camera_intensify_the_brightness/
{ "a_id": [ "c1sr6ly" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "See the tag? Not an imaging scientist. But some experience with light and perception.\n\nI think what you're noticing is the intrinsic dynamic range limitation of photographic gear. The human eye can take as input a single scene with a wide varia...
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[]
[ [] ]
d4ugwz
How did the Islamic Revoloution become Islamic?
Hey everyone. So I recently read *No God but God* by Reza Aslan and he mentioned that the during the early stages of what would become the Islamic Revolution, there were a wide variety of movements such as conservatives, proponents of liberal democracy, and Marxists. He implies that the Islamist faction was fairly smal...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/d4ugwz/how_did_the_islamic_revoloution_become_islamic/
{ "a_id": [ "f6zqad4" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The primary reason why the Islamic Revolution became Islamic was that there was a lack of cohesion between the various groups you mentioned, from the paramilitary leftist organizations to ultra-conservative religious groups. Initially these group...
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[]
[ [] ]
da3j8a
why some pills like nitroglycerine need to be desolved under tongue
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/da3j8a/eli5_why_some_pills_like_nitroglycerine_need_to/
{ "a_id": [ "f1myd42" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "They don't have to, but for the purposes they're used for, relieving chest pains, the quicker the release of the medication, the better. Sublingual administration (under the tongue) is one of the fastest ways to administer medications outside of ...
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[]
[ [] ]
5jltkh
why isn't space always full of light?
"Visible light is a form of electromagnetic (EM) radiation, as are radio waves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and microwaves. Generally, visible light is defined as the wavelengths that are visible to most human eyes" Given that there are so many stars that have been sending light in every directio...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5jltkh/eli5why_isnt_space_always_full_of_light/
{ "a_id": [ "dbh4l7d", "dbh6cj0", "dbhath7", "dbhdwx7" ], "score": [ 4, 5, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "And you see these stars as... points of light. There's a lot of them once you get away from the Sun's glare. And in between them is... nothing. \"Filled with light\" is merely a me...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
5gv2mr
the patterns seen from lights with glasses off.
When I have my glasses off (I have a -6.5 prescription) and look at a light, I see a pattern in the light. The light appears as a bigger area of the same color, but with a pattern. This seems to be exaggerated when in a dark area with smaller lights (think led on a TV in a dark room). What is this pattern, and why is...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5gv2mr/eli5_the_patterns_seen_from_lights_with_glasses/
{ "a_id": [ "davbdog" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Behind your pupil and iris of your eye, there is a clear disk-like structure called the crystalline lens. This lens is connected to muscles that stretches the lens so that we can change our focus from far away to close.\n\nOn both sides of the cr...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.oculist.net/downaton502/prof/ebook/duanes/graphics/figures/v1/071b/005f.gif" ] ]
25oqfc
how does the wii u manage to stream to two screens without latency and lag?
And the fact that it's last gen... makes no sense. [I own one btw]
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/25oqfc/eli5_how_does_the_wii_u_manage_to_stream_to_two/
{ "a_id": [ "chj9fg4" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "1) the processing for the Wii U is inside the console itself, not the remote/controller. The streaming to the TV is (from an electrical engineering standpoint) free.\n\n2) the streaming of visual output from the console to the Wii U remote screen...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
8pn3md
why does bread stop expanding while it bakes?
Similarly how does it "know" when to start turning brown? Watching time lapses of bread baking it inflates for a while, stops, then gets the golden brown outer color. Why does this happen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8pn3md/eli5_why_does_bread_stop_expanding_while_it_bakes/
{ "a_id": [ "e0cibyx", "e0cjwoo" ], "score": [ 16, 2 ], "text": [ "Bread expands because the yeast in it is burping out gasses as it eats sugars. \n\nWhen you cook bread, the yeast dies.\nDead things can't eat. \nSo the yeast stops eating sugar, thus it stops burping.\n\n\nThe browning hap...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
2qv6r5
What is literal potato quality? What is the maximum computing power available through use of a potato as a power source?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2qv6r5/what_is_literal_potato_quality_what_is_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cn9xxv5" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "I can't believe I am actually going to spend the time to answer this, but it's a legitimate, and actually interesting question:\n\nAt first you might make the assumption that a potato, simply by its virtue of being a potato, and not a computer, c...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landauer%27s_principle", "http://www.maxwellsci.com/print/rjaset/v8-9-19.pdf" ] ]
aaxm8h
What is the minimum population count for a species to have enough genetic diversity for them to continue existing?
I read about the extinction of a white rhino and I read somewhere that even if the male were to survive, there would be lack of genetic diversity for the species to continue to thrive?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/aaxm8h/what_is_the_minimum_population_count_for_a/
{ "a_id": [ "ecwwmfl", "ecx706u" ], "score": [ 9, 4 ], "text": [ "There's something called the 50/500 rule, which is just a basic rule of thumb that is by no means an absolute, but it means that 50 is the minimum effective population size to avoid the effects of inbreeding and 500 is the m...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
46a2s0
why do some countries require tourist visas if you're from specific countries?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/46a2s0/eli5_why_do_some_countries_require_tourist_visas/
{ "a_id": [ "d03k8pc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "If you are from a rich and/or friendly country, you a generally considered less likely to cause trouble, and have little trouble getting visas. People from poorer countries are more of a danger to stay illegally, and typically have to show that ...
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[ [] ]
besk80
why are cherry blossom trees different in germany from the ones in japan although they come from the same source?
According to various sources, TV Asahi in Japan planted Sakura (Cherry Blossom) trees in various cities in the west. But, the Sakura trees in Germany are much bigger and the petals of the flowers are much more pink. The ones in Japan and China are more white than pink. Any idea why is that?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/besk80/eli5_why_are_cherry_blossom_trees_different_in/
{ "a_id": [ "el88mdc", "el8d43d" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "In Washington, Japan sent 12 different species of cherry trees [[ref](_URL_0_ )].\n\nIt's unclear what species was planted in the location you're looking at, but the notion that all Japanese cherry trees are the same is mist...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/history-of-the-cherry-trees.htm" ], [ "https://dcist.com/story/19/03/28/peak-bloom-may-be-fleeting-but-it-lasts-a-little-longer-at-the-national-arboretum/" ] ]
12em4w
Is it possible to use sound waves to shape or mold physical material?
I remember hearing once that Tesla was able to shake his New York laboratory using sound waves. I am wondering if there is a way to mold or shape a material using sound waves. For example could you take a hunk of silica and shape it into many spherical parts?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/12em4w/is_it_possible_to_use_sound_waves_to_shape_or/
{ "a_id": [ "c6uopof", "c6ufl5g" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Have you seen what happens when you [vibrate a mixture of corn starch and water?](_URL_0_)", "There's [ultrasonic plastic welding](_URL_0_) and [sonication](_URL_1_). And when pouring concrete, a heavy-duty vibrator (see...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zoTKXXNQIU" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasonic_welding", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonication", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humidifier#Other_types", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrator_(mechanical)" ] ]
7at3xu
how come the electricity doesn't conduct through the person getting tased to the people supporting him during taster training?
For example, in this video, _URL_0_
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7at3xu/eli5_how_come_the_electricity_doesnt_conduct/
{ "a_id": [ "dpckgo2", "dpckizk", "dpckjke" ], "score": [ 8, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Elektricity is lazy and always takes thé shortest route back. Meaning from pin 1 of the taser to pin 2 of the taser", "Electricity will take the path of least resistance to complete the circuit. The...
[]
[ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsXCJl0hh34" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
u15vf
Questions about a solar array that would be big enough to power the US.
I have heard that a 100^2 mile array could be built in the desert that could supply the US with all the power it needs. With current technology: What is the actual size we would need? What are the technical limitations/bottlenecks to creating this? What would be the cost of a project like this? Are there any pla...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/u15vf/questions_about_a_solar_array_that_would_be_big/
{ "a_id": [ "c4rfpu5", "c4rfqsy", "c4rfzi5", "c4rg0ue", "c4rl2ai" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "I don't know the answer to all your questions but in terms of limitations solar cell technologies require materials that are not abundant enough to build an a...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/feb/18/al-gore/al-gore-optimistic-about-solar-energy-and-pretty-a/" ], [], [], [ "http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=power+consumption+of+the+United+States" ] ]
1ezin2
how does a venus flytrap work?
I can't get my head around a plant that can trap and eat insects without a 'Brain'. How can it tell the difference between an insect and a leaf or even a strong wind? Can someone explain it to me?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ezin2/eli5_how_does_a_venus_flytrap_work/
{ "a_id": [ "ca5awfc" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "It responds to stimulation of hairs inside its trap, which causes it to close (the signal is transmitted via an action potential, similar to nerves in animals). This step can be triggered by any direct contact. I used to have one in a pot that y...
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[ [ "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Dionaea_muscipula_closing_trap_animation.gif" ] ]
3kog67
why is it typical to see different punt formations in college versus the nfl?
In college you often see a handful of players about halfway between the punter and the line of scrimmage. Why is this prevalent in college and not the NFL? What is the strategy behind it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kog67/eli5_why_is_it_typical_to_see_different_punt/
{ "a_id": [ "cuz5hnd" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "There are different rules for the \"ineligible player downfield\" penalty. In the NFL, only the players at the side of the formation, known as gunners, are allowed to run toward the punt returner as soon as the ball is snapped. All the people c...
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9pbrfp
how does thermogenesis in the body work when eating?
Does it have a major effect on metabolism or not really?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9pbrfp/eli5_how_does_thermogenesis_in_the_body_work_when/
{ "a_id": [ "e818mal" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Depends what kind of food. That’s why eating too many eggs won’t cause weight gain as easily as eating too many cookies." ] }
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[ [] ]
3diqee
What were the events that led to slavery becoming a thing of race in the U.S?
From what I understand is that slavery in its earliest form (before the U.S) was based on religion and social economic status. I also read that the start of slavery in the U.S was started with indentured servants of both European and African descent. So if all of this is true then my question is why did slavery become ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3diqee/what_were_the_events_that_led_to_slavery_becoming/
{ "a_id": [ "ct5tppa" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "From the European perspective, or at least the English, the emergence of a racially defined slave system depended on three factors: new understandings of personhood and rights in industrializing England; a high land-to-labor ratio in the Americas...
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[ [] ]
2hwpff
Does pushing on an object propagate through the object at its speed of sound?
If I hit one end of a long rod for instance, the sound wave travels down the rod at its speed of sound, caused by the electromagnetic force affecting successive molecules pushing against one another. If I instead slide to the rod forward, the pressure applied to one end of the rod sends a wave through the material via ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2hwpff/does_pushing_on_an_object_propagate_through_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ckwvtjt" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Yes, it does. Any disturbance at one end of a body will not be instantly noticeable at the other end, but travel through it at the speed of sound. It is important that the speed of sound can be pretty fast in solids, up to 12'000 m/s in diamonds....
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[ [ "http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/sound-speed-solids-d_713.html" ] ]
a8p01c
why does water vapour come off of stuff that you pull out of the freezer?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a8p01c/eli5_why_does_water_vapour_come_off_of_stuff_that/
{ "a_id": [ "ecchjoy", "ecd6u59" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "The frozen item chills the air around it. This causes the water vapour already in the air to precipitate out as fog. So, the vapour isn't coming off the item, it's coming from the air around it.", "When a freezer is cool...
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[ [], [] ]
1umd1x
What was considered "junk food" in the early 1900's?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1umd1x/what_was_considered_junk_food_in_the_early_1900s/
{ "a_id": [ "cejmwe6" ], "score": [ 208 ], "text": [ "[Edit: Sorry, I've written a pretty disorganized post here, and I've played with it a bit; apologies for the messiness.]\n\nI can answer this for Britain; other Anglophone and European countries followed some of the same patterns, but with impo...
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[ [] ]
2hyxu0
Does the infinite multiverse theory assume that in addition to every possible scenario existing, every impossible scenario also exists?
I'm having a hard time reconciling the concept of infinity with the idea of complete improbability. According to (one of the many) multiverse theory, there should exist an **infinite** amount of alternate universes, thus there must be one for every conceivable outcome to have taken place since "the beginning". Foll...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2hyxu0/does_the_infinite_multiverse_theory_assume_that/
{ "a_id": [ "ckxli5p", "ckxna2k" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The short answer is no. If a particular scenario is by definition *impossible* then it *cannot* come about. However, given enough time, *improbable*, but still possible, events can take place.\n\nBut to understand why this i...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boltzmann_brain", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poincar%C3%A9_recurrence_theorem" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Everett_III", "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/g8fuo/many_worlds_interpretation/"...
1nl02g
why if i sleep with the fan on i wake up with a sore throat?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1nl02g/eli5_why_if_i_sleep_with_the_fan_on_i_wake_up/
{ "a_id": [ "ccjj3ce", "ccjm2bv", "ccjno1r" ], "score": [ 10, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "I think its because you keep air circulating that it will become dry, as a result when you breathe in it will dry out your throat, making it sore in the mornings, take a glass of water to bed with you ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
2ogh4j
How frequently were handgrenades used in both World Wars?
Usually in movies the soldiers rarely use hand grenades, though especially in WW1 the german Sturmtruppen were issued many grenades. How frequently did the soldiers actually use their grenades?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ogh4j/how_frequently_were_handgrenades_used_in_both/
{ "a_id": [ "cmmw4l6" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Hand Grenades were used *constantly* in combat, and unlike in the movies, are a necessity both for offensive and defensive combat.\n\nThere are various mentions in WWII of 'Hand Grenade Duels' and sharp exchanges would often occur between infantr...
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[ [] ]
26ali8
i've noticed that most cultures in the world have loose and flowing clothes, how come we've come to accept "western" clothing
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26ali8/eli5_ive_noticed_that_most_cultures_in_the_world/
{ "a_id": [ "chp7i7e" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Colonialism. Specifically British colonialism. " ] }
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[ [] ]
8jxk49
what is an electric boogaloo?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8jxk49/eli5_what_is_an_electric_boogaloo/
{ "a_id": [ "dz38gdd", "dz3j0kd" ], "score": [ 48, 3 ], "text": [ "It's a reference to the 80's movie *Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo*, the sequel to the breakdancing film *Breakin'*. The was widely considered to be awful, and the subtitle \"Electric Boogaloo\" is now used by people to den...
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[ [], [] ]
25mszt
How did people in periods like Ancient Greece achieve such muscular and "sculpted" builds without as much knowledge of nutrition and fitness? (I assume they also didn't just "work out" but rather gained their builds by just working?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/25mszt/how_did_people_in_periods_like_ancient_greece/
{ "a_id": [ "chir7wb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "First you have to take into account that the bodies represented by antique sculptures ([1)](_URL_0_) are representations of an ideal and not the physique of your average ancient greek.\n\nThen, the Greeks (at least the wealthy citizens of the cit...
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[ [ "http://i.imgur.com/ro82rbF.jpg" ] ]
1ko6x2
Photons: do they "go on forever," and do they "experience" time?
When the Hubble Space Telescope performed its "deep field views," that is, pointed its telescope at dark spots in space for extended periods of time, it was able to collect enough low frequency radiation to generate photographs of galaxies nearly 13 billion light years away (as they appeared 13 billion years ago). This...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1ko6x2/photons_do_they_go_on_forever_and_do_they/
{ "a_id": [ "cbqwx8t", "cbqyb9e", "cbqyqie", "cbqzxe1", "cbr0d0w", "cbre5c5" ], "score": [ 65, 7, 48, 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Photons do not spontaneously decay; if they interact with something they can be absorbed. Time does not pass for photons, but really i...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
194qlu
inflation and the age of the universe
This statement was posted earlier in r/science: "The universe is expanding, which means that in the past, the universe was smaller. Calculating from the expansion rate gives an approximation to the moment all matter was together in a single point. Of course, this is just a raw approximation, there is lots more work in ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/194qlu/inflation_and_the_age_of_the_universe/
{ "a_id": [ "c8krnlp" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Because even though inflation did increase the size of the Universe significantly, it lasted only an extremely short period of time. Or put another way, even though inflation made the Universe many orders of magnitude bigger than when inflation ...
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xy2np
Could you use the vacuum of space to create a vacuum on earth that sucks up dust and smaller objects up into space?
If a geosynchronous satellite were to extend a tube down to the earth's surface so that one end of the tube ended up in space (or high orbit) and the other end ended near the ground, could the pressure difference be used to create a vacuum that sucked things up into space? Or would the tube be too long to maintain stru...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/xy2np/could_you_use_the_vacuum_of_space_to_create_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c5qky7n" ], "score": [ 15 ], "text": [ "Picture the atmosphere around Earth. It is already exposed to the vacuum of space. There is no significant suction that draws out all the air in the atmosphere - that's because gravity is keeping the air down (with the exception of a few of the ...
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[ [] ]
1et9m8
Is it possible to observe human history if we send telescopes far away enough?
Suppose sometime in the future, we've come up with FTL speed space travel, would it be possible, if we send extremely powerful telescopes tens of thousands of light years away, would be possible to see everything on Earth happening again because the light emitted tens of thousands of years ago from Earth is still trave...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1et9m8/is_it_possible_to_observe_human_history_if_we/
{ "a_id": [ "ca3klix", "ca3m1w7", "ca3oxps", "ca3yage" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "If you're looking at something 10,000 light years away, then yeah, you're seeing it as it was 10,000 years ago. But you would need a *huge* telescope to see details on a planet.", ...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.theculture.org/rich/sharpblue/archives/000089.html" ], [ "http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr05/pr0512.html" ], [] ]
aibbay
After how many weeks can you easily tell a human embryo from other mammals?
I've seen from some pictures that in early-stages, most mammal embryos look kinda the same. After how many weeks do you get to see the defining features stand out? [_URL_0_](_URL_0_)
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/aibbay/after_how_many_weeks_can_you_easily_tell_a_human/
{ "a_id": [ "eeos1vp" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Mammals are a class, the third degree of specification down the taxonomic tree. Past that, humans fall into the primate order. Since embryo development very generally follows taxonomic history, so this is where you could see the first difference....
[]
[ "https://01a4b5.medialib.edu.glogster.com/O23lDoV79UQshGL4iGbR/media/d4/d41188dccd80bfc2139e75b3249463fefaca7a0a/science-of-evolution-109.jpg" ]
[ [] ]
5ppui9
why do some sodas (like coke) produce a lot of foam when it's poured into a cup, from say, a can, while other sodas (like sprite) don't produce nearly as much?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ppui9/eli5_why_do_some_sodas_like_coke_produce_a_lot_of/
{ "a_id": [ "dcsvvah", "dct7vte", "dctamto", "dctdhi4" ], "score": [ 24, 17, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "the most important factor in how \"foamy\" a soda acts is which of its ingredients raise or lower surface tension. Aspartame promotes the formation and persistence of bubbles, as...
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[ [], [], [], [ "https://mad-rabbit.com/a-russian-trick-to-use-the-coca-without-foam/" ] ]
2hsqto
Are there currently any leading contenders to explain neutrino oscillation?
Also, do they fit into the standard model? If so, how, and why do other fermions not oscillate? (Or do they?)
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2hsqto/are_there_currently_any_leading_contenders_to/
{ "a_id": [ "ckvs2hu" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ " > Are there currently any leading contenders to explain neutrino oscillation?\n\nNeutrino oscillation is a natural consequence of neutrino mixing and non-zero neutrino mass.\n\n The weak force interacts with flavour eigenstates. However, particl...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabibbo%E2%80%93Kobayashi%E2%80%93Maskawa_matrix", "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/73/Oscillations_electron_long.svg/320px-Oscillations_electron_long.svg.png", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontecorvo%E2%80%93Maki%E2%80%93Nakagawa%E2%80%93Sakata_matrix",...
3ooam8
how come each language seems to have 10 digits?
Well, I'd imagine not ALL of them.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ooam8/eli5_how_come_each_language_seems_to_have_10/
{ "a_id": [ "cvz0qab", "cvz1jvw" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "The man reason that so-called \"Arabic numerals\" have risen to prominence in almost every language uses a base-ten counting system, which was originally used with those numerals. Some languages still have their own distinct...
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[ [], [] ]
c42ic5
How do (some) natural gas deposits come to contain helium?
My understanding is that natural gas, like other fossil fuels, comes from the breakdown of buried biological matter. Helium has no involvement in biology that I know of, and being so light you wouldn't expect it to randomly make its way underground. How did it get there?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/c42ic5/how_do_some_natural_gas_deposits_come_to_contain/
{ "a_id": [ "erv28sr" ], "score": [ 18 ], "text": [ "Radioactive decay.\n\nAn alpha particle is a helium nucleus, and primordial radionuclides inside our planet like uranium and thorium are alpha emitters. Over the years the helium so emitted accumulates, bubbling up and/or getting stuck among nat...
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[ [] ]
1fauz1
how are pregnancy test never 100% accurate?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fauz1/eli5_how_are_pregnancy_test_never_100_accurate/
{ "a_id": [ "ca8h1uu" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "So first there is the obvious \"I took it too soon.\" This comes from the fact that the placenta makes human chorionic gonadotropin, which is the hormone detected by the test. If you take it before it is high enough to be detected, the test will ...
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[ [] ]
qfahg
high pressure systems and low pressure systems
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qfahg/eli5_high_pressure_systems_and_low_pressure/
{ "a_id": [ "c3x5wzg" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Hi, I will answer this properly since it hasn't been done so far...\n\nThe H and L on a weather map do stand for areas of High and Low pressure. By low pressure they mean the air has a natural tendency to rise due to several possible effects. T...
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[ [ "http://ridge.icu.ac.jp/biobk/deserts.gif" ] ]
2n9aji
preferred stock
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2n9aji/eli5_preferred_stock/
{ "a_id": [ "cmbmmj5" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There's more than 2 attributes to a stock. There's common vs preferred sure, but there's also voting vs non voting, an ones that guarantee a dividend vs those that don't, along with other attributes.\n\nPreferred shares are commonly paired with ...
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[]
[ [] ]
dvl88i
with deepfake voices now sounding almost indistinguishable from human voices, why do computer voices (tts, google maps, etc) still sound like garbage?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dvl88i/eli5_with_deepfake_voices_now_sounding_almost/
{ "a_id": [ "f7dd1fl", "f7dd7cr" ], "score": [ 25, 5 ], "text": [ "Because they're not deep-fake voices. \n\nThey're deliberately kept out of the uncanny valley by remaining obviously computerized. That way, nobody gets weirded out by an almost human voice.", "There are a couple of fac...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
7eibjh
how exactly do the pens that claim to have special ink help prevent check fraud?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7eibjh/eli5_how_exactly_do_the_pens_that_claim_to_have/
{ "a_id": [ "dq53zzr", "dq5az8y" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Without specific details on the pens in question, some guesses will be made.\n\nI will assume the pen is using an ink with a dye that chemically reacts/binds with the paper, leaving a mark that can not be erased. This pre...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
51gi8c
problems with cryopreservating humans
I know some very very basic stuff, like the problem of blood expanding when frozen, or the diffiulty of unfreezing, but what are the major problems that keep this technology from being used?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/51gi8c/eli5_problems_with_cryopreservating_humans/
{ "a_id": [ "d7bqvek", "d7brivo", "d7c6pnw" ], "score": [ 6, 6, 2 ], "text": [ " > but what are the major problems that keep this technology from being used?\n\nMainly because we don't have any good way of bringing someone who has been pumped full of antifreeze back to life. Even ...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.cryonics.org/", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics" ] ]
5yn6p3
After the Aztec Empire
This post is making the rounds: [link](_URL_0_) How true is it?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5yn6p3/after_the_aztec_empire/
{ "a_id": [ "derctti" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Hi, there was a recent post on this subject - you may want to join the conversation here \n\n* [I recently heard that from 1603 onwards Samurai arrived to Mexico to work as guardsmen and mercenaries. How true is this?](_URL_0_) " ] }
[]
[ "https://i.redd.it/alr7pt5z0iky.jpg" ]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5wt1eh/i_recently_heard_that_from_1603_onwards_samurai/" ] ]
11z396
Will it ever be possible to artificially create petroleum?
I have a pretty basic understanding on how oil is created in that zooplankton and other organisms decompose while undergoing several geochemical process to create it. Even though this process takes thousands of years, would it ever be possible to replicate this process through man-made measures?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11z396/will_it_ever_be_possible_to_artificially_create/
{ "a_id": [ "c6qryke" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It already is possible to make oil, you can either get bacteria to create oils \n\n_URL_1_\n\nor directly make them with heat and carbon dixoide and water.\n\n_URL_0_" ] }
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[]
[ [ "http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1361814/Scientists-make-diesel-fuel-using-sun-water-carbon-dioxide.html", "http://www1.umn.edu/news/news-releases/2011/UR_CONTENT_314387.html" ] ]
18il6x
how come i cannot control my brain enough for me to tell it to stop doing things that i dislike (e.g. diabetes, where it tells the beta cells do something that is harmful to my body, pimples, etc.)?
Is there a way to fix this?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18il6x/how_come_i_cannot_control_my_brain_enough_for_me/
{ "a_id": [ "c8f5f1o", "c8f5yyy" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "Is this a real question from a 5 year old because I'm having a tough time deciphering the question. If you are asking \"why can't i control everything that happens in your body?\" then...\n\nYour body is like a car. It's ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
bi8xx4
why do orchestras have multiple players with the same instrument?
Is it because they are playing slightly different notes or a different pace? Or is it to amplify the sound and effect?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bi8xx4/eli5_why_do_orchestras_have_multiple_players_with/
{ "a_id": [ "elyvudb", "elyvxk6", "elz1hdu" ], "score": [ 12, 9, 2 ], "text": [ "It amplifies the sound and effect. If you had one person clapping to a beat compared to fifty it would give it alot more umpf ya dig.", "Orchestras were around before microphones.\n\nBy having mult...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
movdj
What will happen when the James Webb Telescope gets hit by a micrometeoroid?
I know that a meteroid is name only for asteroids which enter (Earth's) atmosphere but I don't see the word micro-asteroid being used anywhere so please forgive me if I used the wrong term. If a simple 10km wire will statistically get hit and cut by a micrometeoroid within a mere 5 hour time period how come that the H...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/movdj/what_will_happen_when_the_james_webb_telescope/
{ "a_id": [ "c32n917", "c32n9zm", "c32nbgr", "c32nf9j", "c32nmqj", "c32nv18", "c32qp5l", "c32n917", "c32n9zm", "c32nbgr", "c32nf9j", "c32nmqj", "c32nv18", "c32qp5l" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 10, 9, 5, 9, 2, 5, 3, 10, 9, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point#L2" ], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point#L2", "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydbbd-4oEds" ], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point#L2" ], [], [], [ "http://en.wik...
dlauwt
why does taking the derivative of a function give you the slope?
So I understand the limit definition of a derivative, it's like the slope formula: f(x+h) - f(x)/h as the h gets closer and closer to zero the difference between f(x+h) and f(x) becomes super tiny, until you're basically finding the slope of a single point. Now the line is a tangent. [_URL_0_](_URL_1_) Here's what ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dlauwt/eli5_why_does_taking_the_derivative_of_a_function/
{ "a_id": [ "f4owap0", "f4oz8lh", "f4p0k1t" ], "score": [ 10, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "The most useful thing I was ever taught by a math teacher was that if you don’t know if/how something works, try it with simpler numbers. Take the equation y = 6x. Obviously your slope is 6, but how di...
[]
[ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Derivative\\_GIF.gif", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Derivative_GIF.gif" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
4fkg4r
Was there a single point in time where the Indian Removal Act could have been prevented or was it unavoidable?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4fkg4r/was_there_a_single_point_in_time_where_the_indian/
{ "a_id": [ "d29rw08" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This is not my field of expertise, but I think I've read enough on the topic to attempt an answer. Somebody more knowledgeable can feel free to correct me if I overlook anything.\n\nThere were many single points in time where the Indian Removal A...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Jackson-His-Life-Times/dp/1400030722" ] ]
5z9u6c
can the brain really change the function of the body's organs?
Is it possible? I've read somewhere a while ago (don't remember where) about the brain reassigning the functions of the body's organs to different tasks, such as when one or more of the organs fail to fulfill a certain function. For example, if the Liver is forced to take on the role of one of the failed Kidneys as we...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5z9u6c/eli5_can_the_brain_really_change_the_function_of/
{ "a_id": [ "dewh8zt", "dewk0st" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "As far as I'm aware? No. \n\nYour organs are all super specialized, and so are the cells that make them up. You can't turn a liver into a kidney for the same reason you can't turn a banana into an apple, they're different th...
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[ [], [] ]
1e8zg1
Soviet pilots in the Korean War
I have heard that many people suspected, and that defectors confirmed, that during the early parts of the Korean War that the Mig 15 was piloted by experienced Soviet pilots in secret. What would have been the consequences if this was actually confirmed, say one was shot down and captured by the UN forces. Were the S...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1e8zg1/soviet_pilots_in_the_korean_war/
{ "a_id": [ "c9y2u75", "c9y2yv7" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "The Soviet pilots were not to overfly any enemy territory, so none were captured, -- look up the location of \"Mig Alley\". \n\nAlso, I read this from certain Chinese source: some of the Soviet pilots were given Chinese or ...
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[ [], [] ]
4gu1lo
what happens as we grow up that makes us stop liking people of this age and instead like people closer to a different age, and why does this not happen for pedophiles?
EDIT: Sorry for any confusion, meant sexually attracted to
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4gu1lo/eli5_what_happens_as_we_grow_up_that_makes_us/
{ "a_id": [ "d2kogu5", "d2kp6qm", "d2kplgj", "d2ktaw5" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Your question seems somewhat confused.\n\nWhat happens as you grow up is you continue to like people of around your own age. As you get older, so do the majority of your friends. O...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1bvy3u
Was the reading aloud of books/written texts (as opposed to reading silent) a universality in all ancient cultures? (also noneuropean) and if yes; how come ?
I recently was stumbling upon the assertion - as it is reflected in this article(see the link below) - that reading silently is a very young phenomenon. Subsequently i was wondering if there are further sources that speak for or against the assumption that (in ancient times) written text in general was seen not really...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1bvy3u/was_the_reading_aloud_of_bookswritten_texts_as/
{ "a_id": [ "c9akxus" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Until 15 years ago it was, indeed, widely assumed that all reading in Greco-Roman antiquity was done aloud. This assumption was almost entirely based on the Augustine passage that is cited in your link.\n\nHowever, a couple of studies published i...
[]
[ "http://www.stanford.edu/class/history34q/readings/Manguel/Silent_Readers.html" ]
[ [ "http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/eurip/hippol.htm", "http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/eurip/iphi_aul.htm", "http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/aristophanes/knightsweb.htm", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/10f13m/shift_from_reading_out_loud_to_reading_silently/c6cwrim", "http://www....
46xuro
What's the point in creating new elements? Would anything further in the periodic table be stable?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/46xuro/whats_the_point_in_creating_new_elements_would/
{ "a_id": [ "d08pi01", "d08s6m9" ], "score": [ 14, 10 ], "text": [ "The point is to learn more about how atomic nuclei work. Some people are not interested in this, some are. Generally there can be practical applications of synthetic isotopes, like in radiation therapy for cancer, or as ca...
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[ [], [] ]
1jwoa7
half life (not the game). 'what' has been covered, can anyone tell me how / why?
Through this subreddit and google, I have read that the 'half life' is the time a radioactive substance will take to decay to half of its initial value. My question is this: why do 1/2 of the atoms live x, 1/4 live 2x, 1/8 live 3x, etc. You have 8 atoms. Atoms a,b,c, & d decay in the first week, e & f in the next, g ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jwoa7/eli5_half_life_not_the_game_what_has_been_covered/
{ "a_id": [ "cbj0se4", "cbj0zp0" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "Forget about atoms for now.\n\nFill a shoe box with quarters - let's play a game. You know coins have 50/50 chance of being heads and tails. You put these coins into the box, close the lid, and shake it up. You open the lid,...
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2457fq
how do so many actors/actresses from successful television shows manage to never have to work again?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2457fq/eli5_how_do_so_many_actorsactresses_from/
{ "a_id": [ "ch3pieh", "ch3u3kj" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Maybe theyve moved on from acting. Not all people do one career for their entire life. Especially females, some go and choose to become moms instead of actresses", "Residuals, investing etc. " ] }
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[ [], [] ]
3mnzfi
why is finding liquid water on mars such a bigger deal than it being in different forms?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mnzfi/eli5why_is_finding_liquid_water_on_mars_such_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cvgmh7y", "cvgmhg9", "cvgotkg", "cvh5al1" ], "score": [ 9, 8, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Life as we know it needs liquid water. Finding liquid water outside Earth makes it more likely life or proto-life might have evolved in Mars, and more generally if liquid water is ...
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[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percival_Lowell" ], [] ]
6pz88f
why do birds such as geese or penguins have teeth on their tongues? what lead to this?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6pz88f/eli5_why_do_birds_such_as_geese_or_penguins_have/
{ "a_id": [ "dktbobn" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Geese don't have teeth on their tongues. They don't have teeth at all. \n\nGeese have a series of serrated \"teeth-like\" things on their beaks, which are primarily used to grab and rip meat/fish. \n\n[Here is a young goose chomping on my finger]...
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[ [ "http://i.imgur.com/Ih3s4Ih.jpg" ] ]
44dobm
if the second amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms, how are some parts of the usa able to require gun licenses?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/44dobm/eli5_if_the_second_amendment_guarantees_the_right/
{ "a_id": [ "czpglc8", "czpgnuy", "czph0ho" ], "score": [ 6, 9, 3 ], "text": [ "Literally the first words of the second amendment are \"Well-regulated\".\n\nRequiring a license for something does NOT infringe on the right to have something. We have a right to get married, but it r...
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[ [], [], [] ]
c71ljr
how were we able to film the explosions of atomic bombs? i would assume the sheer amount of force would blow any type of camera to dust.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c71ljr/eli5_how_were_we_able_to_film_the_explosions_of/
{ "a_id": [ "escds3g", "esch14g", "escsdrc" ], "score": [ 12, 8, 3 ], "text": [ "Because your assumption is wrong. Notice how all the footage of atomic detonations is from far away? Thats because they don’t have unlimited blast radius. You can look at one, and film it, from far eno...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "https://twitter.com/wellerstein/status/988536394330071040", "https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/" ] ]
4pehl6
why is it when you hear the same sound constantly for hours of the day, when you remove yourself from that environment you can still hear that sound?
I had a stocktake today and for 6 hours all I heard was beeping sounds of the scanners. Now I still hear them when I'm going to sleep.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4pehl6/eli5_why_is_it_when_you_hear_the_same_sound/
{ "a_id": [ "d4kis92" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Brains adapt in weird ways. Their entire goal is to find changes in the senses. \n\nThe brain deal with auditory change by filtering it out when it can predict it. After a while a sound that repeats becomes one big piece of background instead of ...
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6rd20e
Do the limitations of oral sources prevent them from being useful to historians?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6rd20e/do_the_limitations_of_oral_sources_prevent_them/
{ "a_id": [ "dl4a2tq" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Oral sources can be used but they require their own types of source criticism. The same can and must be said of written sources, by the way. All sources are suspect and should never be taken on face value. Each type of source requires its own spe...
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292q8q
Would a combustion engine like the one in my car work in zero gravity?
Theoretically, if my car were aboard the ISS and I put the key in and tried to start it, would the engine still work even though it was weightless? If not, what would cause it to not start?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/292q8q/would_a_combustion_engine_like_the_one_in_my_car/
{ "a_id": [ "cih07mz" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "On a four stroke or a diesel the only real problem you would have is lubrication. Oil is typically sprayed/splashed onto the bottom of the cylinders and allowed to drip down via gravity or by using the piston as a scraper. It is then collected in...
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1cpbvc
Why is it that I can safely eat a rare steak but eating undercooked chicken, fish, or pork could land me in the hospital?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1cpbvc/why_is_it_that_i_can_safely_eat_a_rare_steak_but/
{ "a_id": [ "c9iqhhn", "c9ix64j", "c9ixjab", "c9j51cz" ], "score": [ 227, 10, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Actually fish can be eaten raw, ever heard of sushi?\n\nPork can also can now be eaten undercooked but it doesn't taste that much better. The main problem used to be a parasite ...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichinosis" ], [], [], [ "http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/03/how-your-cat-is-making-you-crazy/308873/" ] ]
2fsnmf
Do storms move across an area naturally on its own or is it due to the Earth's rotation? What decides its path?
I'm thinking about thunderstorms but any type of storm or weather phenomenon works!
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2fsnmf/do_storms_move_across_an_area_naturally_on_its/
{ "a_id": [ "ckch2yf" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It really depends on the nature of the beast. Hurricanes move by seeking out the lowest pressure, so they naturally move into areas of the highest pressure falls. Storms associated with a cold front (squall lines, etc.) move with the cold front w...
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[ [ "http://forecast.weather.gov/glossary.php?word=Alberta%20Clipper", "http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/510155/Rossby-wave" ] ]
3gb7cv
how does my gps request a signal from the gps constellation? is there a limit on how many devices can do so?
It's just amazing to me that GPS receivers (numbering in the billions maybe?) can all interface with the satellite constellation. How is this possible? Is it like a TV or radio intercepting an EM signal?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3gb7cv/eli5_how_does_my_gps_request_a_signal_from_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ctwipr9" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "your GPS receiver doesn't interface with the GPS satellite. all it does is listen to the GPS satellite broadcast.\n\nbasically each GPS satellite is a radio station. there's no limit to how many people can listen to the same station. " ] }
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1wg9ve
why does snow in southern state cause complete mayhem?
The explanation that they simply don't know how to drive in snow doesn't really seem enough in my mind. I mean, they still have dirt roads and surly they would be extremely cautious rarely having driving in snow before. My best guess is that the vehicles simply aren't made to be driven in snow, but I really how no ide...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wg9ve/eli5_why_does_snow_in_southern_state_cause/
{ "a_id": [ "cf1onx3", "cf1oplh", "cf1os65" ], "score": [ 5, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Snow and dirt are two different terrain.\n\nSnow leads to slippery roads that the usual southern driver is not used to handling that`s why we usually have snow tires specifically to handle driving in th...
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s7n86
I'm now confused after reading some reddit comments: is being gay a choice?
In a recent comment thread in a normal subreddit, someone who said that being gay was a not an active choice people make was getting majorly downvoted and people who said it was a choice that people make was getting upvoted. I have always been certain it was the other way, so thought I'd come here for some science. Wha...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/s7n86/im_now_confused_after_reading_some_reddit/
{ "a_id": [ "c4bqpl6", "c4bqtsm", "c4bu384", "c4buiq8" ], "score": [ 2, 9, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Are you sure the claim wasn't that factors occuring after birth affect sexual orientation?", "Check out [this thread first](_URL_0_). There are apparent correlations between ge...
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[ [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/s299l/a_question_about_sexuality/" ], [], [] ]
21ajv8
Is polio still present in the environment in a place where vaccination has reduced new cases to zero?
Some diseases are in the environment, like cholera. Others are passed person to person, like flu or TB. We no longer vaccinate for small pox, so it must be in the latter category. Are most vaccines designed against transmissible diseases or endemic diseases, and why so?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/21ajv8/is_polio_still_present_in_the_environment_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cgbaeye", "cgbhfyq" ], "score": [ 9, 3 ], "text": [ "The poliovirus is transmitted by poop shedding (you poop it out other people come in contact with or you scratch your buttflaps and go touching all the stuffs spreading it) it is hard to determine what a zero incidence place...
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[ [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17923156/?i=2&from=/24639990/related", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24649864/?i=2&from=polio" ], [ "http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/175/Supplement_1/S286.full.pdf?origin=publication_detail", "http:...
21iwfs
Do humans have any plants as direct ancestors?
Or did the evolutionary tree split before that point?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/21iwfs/do_humans_have_any_plants_as_direct_ancestors/
{ "a_id": [ "cgdh27w", "cgdhidb", "cgdhjlw" ], "score": [ 22, 54, 19 ], "text": [ "Not sure what you mean by \"direct\" ancestors.\n\nIn this image you can see that animals and plants are pretty closly related in the grand scheme of things: \n _URL_0_\n\n > Or did the evolution...
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[ [ "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Phylogenetic_tree.svg" ], [ "http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/02/17/plant-and-animal-development-c/" ], [] ]
1iglmc
eli9: why can't a person/organisation/whatever display a picture of the prophet mohammed, but so many people in the world are named mohammed and there not be any backlash from the islamic community?
Were there people named "Mohammed" before he allegedly existed? Were there people named "Jesus" before him? "" - the original spelling and/or pronunciation of these names before being translated. Not the names we use for them today. Is that the reason why? Did I just answer my own question???
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1iglmc/eli9_why_cant_a_personorganisationwhatever/
{ "a_id": [ "cb48n02", "cb49gss", "cb4bhi8", "cb4bocj", "cb4clgb" ], "score": [ 6, 5, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It's not the word, it's the picture that they object to.", "The Muslim prohibition is against images of Mohammed on the grounds that pictures or statues c...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
igk5i
How do microscopic black holes behave?
When I say microscopic, I mean black holes that are small enough that they behave like quantum mechanical particles. What would such a black hole's wave function look like? Could you model their behavior as a field theory where the black holes are the excitations? Does such a theory shed light on quantum gravity?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/igk5i/how_do_microscopic_black_holes_behave/
{ "a_id": [ "c23kp60" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "In a sense, microscopical black-holes are just like very weird scattering-matrices. They form and immediately decay into many soft quanta, so they just act as scattering amplitudes for quantum processes. \n\nThe only way we can ever observe micro...
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[ [ "http://arxiv.org/pdf/1006.2466" ] ]
1ljpiu
How does soap/shampoo expire?
Noticed an expiration date on my shampoo got curious
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1ljpiu/how_does_soapshampoo_expire/
{ "a_id": [ "cbzx9yg", "cc0053g" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Is it a medicated shampoo? If so I can tell you how they determined their expiration date. Companies will run stability testing and measure the concentration of the active ingredient (Pyrithione Zinc in something like Head a...
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c0o78n
what the proposed extradition bill means for hong kong and mainland chinese citizens (please and thank you)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c0o78n/eli5_what_the_proposed_extradition_bill_means_for/
{ "a_id": [ "er6lou6" ], "score": [ 31 ], "text": [ "China and Hong Kong is under a one country, two systems type of structure where Hong Kong could do it's own thing and China wouldnt interfere, which also included criminal prosecutions. Under this proposed bill criminals in Hong Kong can be ext...
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5ko9ju
why does soda "plop" out of the bottle when you pour it?
When you pour soda, it doesn't come out in one steady stream, it pours out in a string of plops. This description isn't very good but I think you know what I mean.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ko9ju/eli5_why_does_soda_plop_out_of_the_bottle_when/
{ "a_id": [ "dbpegw6", "dbph2m5" ], "score": [ 19, 9 ], "text": [ "When the soda is pouring out the volume of space that plop used to be in needs to be replaced by an equally sized plop of air. When the soda is filling the entire opening of the bottle there is no place for the air to get i...
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[ [], [] ]
8txcir
why is an action potential called an action potenial?
I understand what an action potential does, but I don't understand why it's called that. I really don't understand what potential means in biology i.e resting membrane potential, action potential, etc.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8txcir/eli5_why_is_an_action_potential_called_an_action/
{ "a_id": [ "e1b0667" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This isn't really a biology question, more of a physics one. Although I'm not a physicist I can take a shot at answering this, but anyone studying electrostatics (although why would you willingly study this ;)) will be able to define an electric ...
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[ [] ]
d9rnky
Why was medieval Spain so prosperous compared to the rest of western Europe?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/d9rnky/why_was_medieval_spain_so_prosperous_compared_to/
{ "a_id": [ "f1lwc25" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "What period are you interested in?" ] }
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1iyxkl
How did Sailors prevent ships from sinking in the 18th century after receiving heavy cannon fire?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1iyxkl/how_did_sailors_prevent_ships_from_sinking_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cb9fb4x" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Hi there, I just answered a different question regarding ship damage in this sub -- I will link there for resources from Google books: \n\n_URL_0_\n\nRegarding cannon fire, the main concern would be actual holes in the ship's hull that were leaki...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ixwd4/just_how_detrimental_was_losing_your_mainmast_to/cb99awh", "http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/banks/17700612.html" ] ]
6a6965
fcc comments. how many are needed and how do they make a difference in policy?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6a6965/eli5_fcc_comments_how_many_are_needed_and_how_do/
{ "a_id": [ "dhc0eo0", "dhc4f9r" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "The SOPA debate led to over 500k comments on the FCC. \n\nLess than a year later, the initial mainstream net neutrality debate that followed led to over 1M comments on the FCC.\n\nSo, to answer your question - historically i...
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1x5lis
I've heard several times that the M4 Sherman tank was vastly outdated and inferior to nearly all other tanks in WW2 in every regard except quantity; how much truth is there to this? Why would the US use an obsolete tank?
Sorry if this has been asked (1000) times before, I did a quick search and found nothing. [Here is one such source from the history channel \(ugh\).](_URL_0_) Despite being... the history channel... they summarize the anti-Sherman point of view fairly well, if perhaps with unsourced numbers and one old guy ranting ins...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1x5lis/ive_heard_several_times_that_the_m4_sherman_tank/
{ "a_id": [ "cf8dp3e", "cf8fgfc" ], "score": [ 12, 18 ], "text": [ "[There was some discussion](_URL_0_) fairly recently about the merits of the Sherman.\n\nThe Sherman was not, strictly speaking, \"obsolete\" at the outset of WWII. When the M4 Sherman arrived on the scene in 1942, it was ...
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[ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns6l7sCoWX4" ]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1w6gow/why_was_the_bradleys_25mm_autocannon_able_to/" ], [] ]