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ag90r1
when is something redox / reduction / oxidatio reaction
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ag90r1/eli5when_is_something_redox_reduction_oxidatio/
{ "a_id": [ "ee4f1x4", "ee4pw98" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "OILRIG\n\nOxidation is loss, reduction is gain\n\nIf something is oxidised it loses electrons, if something is reduced it gains electrons.", "Technically, everything involving reduction/oxidation is also redox.\n\nREDOX ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
dlm7eg
what makes honey unspoilable?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dlm7eg/eli5_what_makes_honey_unspoilable/
{ "a_id": [ "f4rnmu0", "f4rqa4y", "f4rrvro", "f4rtog7", "f4s3ny5", "f4so1se" ], "score": [ 26, 5, 265, 11, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Honey is only about 15% water which makes it very hard for microbial growth. In addition, honey is pretty acidic largely due to bee ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/inspection-technical-guides/water-activity-aw-foods" ], [], [], [] ]
vj1dx
Is it possible that there may be a deeper underground cave system that is deeper than the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean?
To clarify, it would be accessible from land, and would reach closer to the Earth's core than the Trench. Where might it feasibly be found, and what would conditions be like at that depth without water?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/vj1dx/is_it_possible_that_there_may_be_a_deeper/
{ "a_id": [ "c54y5h6", "c54ybgn" ], "score": [ 37, 47 ], "text": [ "I can't speak to the possibility of its existence, but if there were such a thing, the conditions would be hot. The deepest underground mine is the [TauTona Mine](_URL_0_) which at 3.9 km is about 36% of the depth of the M...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TauTona_Mine" ], [ "http://sktj.pl/epimenides/rys/lampo.gif" ] ]
11wer7
If photons are quantized, then how is a truly continuous light spectrum emitted?
I am in quantum mechanics now, and I think it has something to do with Schroedingers equations. Still, it doesn't make sense that if there are a finite number of level transitions you can have infinite wavelengths of light necessary to have a truly continuous spectrum. Is it because even though there is only one wavele...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11wer7/if_photons_are_quantized_then_how_is_a_truly/
{ "a_id": [ "c6q6bcy", "c6q6bvo", "c6q6cab" ], "score": [ 3, 18, 4 ], "text": [ "Think of it this way: every emission feature has a certain width. The minimum width is the natural linewidth given by the time-energy uncertainty principle. On top of that you have numerous broadening ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galilean_invariance" ] ]
7knj2l
how do eye dilation drops inhibit the parasympathetic nervous system?
What exactly do the dilation drops do in the parasympathetic nervous system? I've seen a post about it not to long ago but it didn't go into much detail. Could someone please explain it in more detail? Thanks!
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7knj2l/eli5_how_do_eye_dilation_drops_inhibit_the/
{ "a_id": [ "drfqpz5" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The pupil is closed by ciliary muscles (round muscles around the eye), which are stimulated to contract and close the pupil by parasympathetic innervation. This signal is sent through certain receptors (muscarinic receptors). The chemical agent i...
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[]
[ [] ]
3e1mlk
Is the Google deep dream program only possible for images or could something similar be applied to sound?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3e1mlk/is_the_google_deep_dream_program_only_possible/
{ "a_id": [ "ctb6wxd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The approach can be applied to anything that they've trained a neural network on. Since Google uses neural networks to do voice recognition, there is no reason why something similar couldn't be applied to sound. You could also do it for machine t...
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[]
[ [] ]
20b2ix
Can you give me an example of an organism gaining genetic information through mutation which creates a new and beneficial function for that organism?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/20b2ix/can_you_give_me_an_example_of_an_organism_gaining/
{ "a_id": [ "cg1ngje" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I understand that you're posting here based on suggestions from /r/DebateAnAtheist/ and they're right. If you want to talk about a subject, best to do so with subject matter experts. \n \nNeither you nor I would go into /r/medicine and ask them c...
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[ [] ]
f7t0x2
how is a nation’s debt tracked?
How are all the deficits, debts and loans of a nation tracked, and do they know the exact balance? I might be very naive to how all of this works.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f7t0x2/eli5_how_is_a_nations_debt_tracked/
{ "a_id": [ "fifd5zi", "fifeuo7" ], "score": [ 10, 6 ], "text": [ "Well every borrower must be matched with a lender. The borrower might like to conveniently forget how much they borrowed but the lender is definitely not going to be of the same mind. \n\nMost countries, companies maintain ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
58kicm
why do cars make a ticking sound for a few minutes after turned off?
I'm a car guy myself, and even I don't really know the answer to this.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/58kicm/eli5_why_do_cars_make_a_ticking_sound_for_a_few/
{ "a_id": [ "d914vkj", "d919eia", "d91besp", "d91bwy2", "d91cjlg", "d91j5ci", "d91onoh", "d9222p1" ], "score": [ 536, 328, 6, 2, 18, 2, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "It's contraction of the various metal bits that were heated by combustion, and are now ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
33d8wj
Some say Nanking had about 300000 people before the massacre during WWII therefore the estimate that 300000 died is not accurate? To what extent is this true/false?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/33d8wj/some_say_nanking_had_about_300000_people_before/
{ "a_id": [ "cqjvs14" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "This is one of those stupid responses that Japanese apologists and certain far right-wing groups use to deny the Nanking Massacre. First off, ignoring the entire \"Genocide Olympics\" argument, while the city proper may have had anywhere from 2...
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[ [] ]
2623tv
how do info-mercial companies that have t.v. products ever make any money? is there some kind of catch to the low prices?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2623tv/eli5_how_do_infomercial_companies_that_have_tv/
{ "a_id": [ "chmx6uq" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Shipping fees. \"Act now and we'll send you a second item for free [shipping/handling extra]\" ^$79.95" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1upp85
why can't we just gargle an antiseptic to get rid of a sore throat?
I understand it may help a little, but why doesn't it completely help?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1upp85/eli5_why_cant_we_just_gargle_an_antiseptic_to_get/
{ "a_id": [ "cekg68b", "cekgd8l" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because the source of your sore throat is not lying around on the surface of your throat, but within the soft tissue surrounding it. Its like saying that washing your chest with a bar of soap should alleviate a chest cold. "...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3x0ay7
why do body parts get that sudden shocking feeling after hitting it on something.
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3x0ay7/eli5_why_do_body_parts_get_that_sudden_shocking/
{ "a_id": [ "cy0mqak" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I would imagine it's a combo of shocking the local nervous system along with a return of blood flow after being forced out of that local body part. Much like the pins & needles feeling you get in a limb with limited circulation. " ] }
[]
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[ [] ]
835zfh
If you were on a circular space station that was spinning so that it produced artificial gravity, and you ran opposite to the spin at the same speed would you still feel the affect of the artificial gravity?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/835zfh/if_you_were_on_a_circular_space_station_that_was/
{ "a_id": [ "dvfmpjg", "dvfpwzf", "dvftoyl", "dvfwzpy", "dvgykee" ], "score": [ 431, 26, 8, 4, 4 ], "text": [ "No. (And conversely if you ran spinward you would get \"heavier.\") The force of \"gravity\" you feel is the floor of the station accelerating you inward a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
2ug6gt
why don't people buy playstations and rig them for use as a computer by using linux or windows?
Playstations hardware wise are pretty cheap compared to what they're capable of. So I was thinking, wouldn't it be beneficial to rig them up for PC use and just use the hardware? Why don't people do this instead of buying traditional PC's? Is it not possible, hard to do or?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ug6gt/eli5why_dont_people_buy_playstations_and_rig_them/
{ "a_id": [ "co8300p", "co83hm7", "co83itx", "co83oxj", "co84t1e" ], "score": [ 11, 2, 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because they don't have standard hardware. Their processors are custom and so are their video chips. Thus they would need special versions of Windows or Li...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105767-U-S-Air-Force-Finishes-PS3-Supercomputer-of-Epic-Proportions" ], [], [], [] ]
6o8cgj
why are performances of shakespearean plays almost never set where shakespeare set them?
I remember [The Onion made fun of this.](_URL_0_) I could see it being a novel artistic statement the first few times, but surely the novelty's worn off by now? What did the 1999 *A Midsummer Night's Dream* movie gain by being set in 19th century Italy rather than ancient Greece?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6o8cgj/eli5why_are_performances_of_shakespearean_plays/
{ "a_id": [ "dkfe7um" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Shakespeare wrote centuries ago. Our lives are very different than those of his audiences. His understanding of the human condition speaks across the centuries, but the context and the settings less so. Thoughtful recontextualization lets modern ...
[]
[ "http://www.theonion.com/article/unconventional-director-sets-shakespeare-play-in-t-2214" ]
[ [] ]
ff0pzm
why do both diesel and petrol pumps have the same shape nozzle?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ff0pzm/eli5_why_do_both_diesel_and_petrol_pumps_have_the/
{ "a_id": [ "fjtytib", "fjtzn2p", "fju0bsu", "fju3kdx" ], "score": [ 12, 9, 5, 6 ], "text": [ "Because most people aren’t total imbeciles, quite simply. Of those who put gas in their car, a good deal of them can both read and comprehend the writing on the pumps", "Diese...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
7egps0
why do the air from air conditioners smell different when you turn it to fan mode?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7egps0/eli5_why_do_the_air_from_air_conditioners_smell/
{ "a_id": [ "dq4w8h3" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "Humidity. \n\nEver wonder why farts stink so bad in the shower? Humidity. \n\nAir conditioners take humidity out of the air, so you can't smell the scents in the air as well. When you switch to fan mode, no humidity is lost, so you can smell all...
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[ [] ]
14z2w2
why is black friday so far away from christmas?
I'm just wondering why it isn't in December or something.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/14z2w2/why_is_black_friday_so_far_away_from_christmas/
{ "a_id": [ "c7hr8ki", "c7hsg5j" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Because it is the Friday after Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving happens in November. The days closer to Christmas do not need any extra marketing, people will shop on those days anyway.", "People like to focus on one holida...
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[ [], [] ]
4ni259
What were the circumstances around English migration to Barbados in the 17th and 18th century?
I posted this question last week but didn't get a response, so I'm giving it another shot. I've been doing some genealogical work, and found that my great-great-(etc)-grandfather was born in England, his son was born in Barbados in the late 1600s, and *his* son in what would later become Maine (the father died there, ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4ni259/what_were_the_circumstances_around_english/
{ "a_id": [ "d44hfhg" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The first thing to note is that Barbados in the mid-to-late 17th century was the wealthiest, most populous, and most economically productive colony in the Anglo-American world. It was one of the most important destinations for English migrants; a...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Winthrop" ] ]
w5892
why carriers care about data amount transferred--why charge us more for 5gb than 1gb? isn't all data equal?
Basically, I sit here at the computer, accessing the network, using up many gigs a month. I don't see a need to regulate how much data there is on a smartphone. Explain, please.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/w5892/eli5_why_carriers_care_about_data_amount/
{ "a_id": [ "c5ac18f", "c5acf2e", "c5aciw8", "c5acl7f" ], "score": [ 8, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because they have to pay for the data transfer. Bandwith isn't free by any stretch of the imagination. Any time you want to send information anywhere, it costs money, bandwith co...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
5y1n4f
the vault 7 cia leaks
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5y1n4f/eli5_the_vault_7_cia_leaks/
{ "a_id": [ "demh5mb" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Is there anything specific you want to know about? It's a very big leak and one that people are still sifting through - there is a lot of misinformation going around though and I'd love to help people understand where I can to stem that.\n\nTLDR:...
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[]
[ [] ]
1vsq4s
Is it possible to make a laser beam that doesn't spread out as you increase the distance the light travels?
Can this be done? If not, is it possible that the photons are actually repelling each other in transit? Do different wavelengths spread out quicker than others?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1vsq4s/is_it_possible_to_make_a_laser_beam_that_doesnt/
{ "a_id": [ "cevkx5v", "cevlc60" ], "score": [ 8, 8 ], "text": [ "No it is impossible. The limiting physical property that makes this so is the [**diffraction**](_URL_0_) of light. \n\nDiffraction has nothing to do with photons repelling but rather with a general property of wave propagati...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction" ], [] ]
3ulv7h
how microwaves work, such that my leftover gravy boils on my plate while my lump of cold mashed potatoes stays cold?
Eating leftovers, obviously.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ulv7h/eli5_how_microwaves_work_such_that_my_leftover/
{ "a_id": [ "cxfv9im", "cxfxiro", "cxg5c2g" ], "score": [ 10, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "Microwaves are at the right frequency to cause water molecules to vibrate, increasing the temperature of the food. Gravy contains more water than mashed potatoes, which are relatively dry, so gravy hea...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_wave" ], [] ]
59upvm
can a human survive eating only dog food?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/59upvm/eli5_can_a_human_survive_eating_only_dog_food/
{ "a_id": [ "d9bke66" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Physiologically speaking, appetite fatigue isn't a thing. As long as your diet has the nutrients to sustain you, you will live - psychologically speaking, however, you may say \"fuck it\" because you're eating dog food, and start humping legs for...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
xvpom
In WW1, why wasn't artillery the decisive factor in battles?
I'm no expert on these matters, so apologies if any of this is a dumb question. What I'm wondering is, since artillery was basically the only form of long range attack during WW1, why weren't battles simply decided by who had the best/longest range artillery, much like modern battles are frequently decided by who has ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/xvpom/in_ww1_why_wasnt_artillery_the_decisive_factor_in/
{ "a_id": [ "c5pzedh", "c5pzf3m", "c5pzo8x", "c5q2rz5", "c5q3i2t", "c5q6sgw" ], "score": [ 53, 10, 2, 2, 5, 4 ], "text": [ " > I'm no expert on these matters, so apologies if any of this is a dumb question.\n\nAsking \"dumb questions\" is how you learn the ...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1km27d
how does electric power turn into mechanical force which rotates gears and operates our machinery?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1km27d/eli5_how_does_electric_power_turn_into_mechanical/
{ "a_id": [ "cbqb5oy" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The flow of electric charge creates magnetic fields. For example, if you make a circular loop of wire and run a current through it, it makes a magnetic field that's in the same shape as a bar magnet.\n\nSo, a motor works by simply exploiting that...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.miniscience.com/projects/magnet_motor_kit/Magnet_Motor_LL.jpg" ] ]
6gwugq
why do paper mills smell so awful?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6gwugq/eli5_why_do_paper_mills_smell_so_awful/
{ "a_id": [ "ditsa9y" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "A lot of that smell is from effluents from the bleaching process and the busting down of cellulose process. Caustic chemicals and highly corrosive salts are used to turn tree pulp into pillowy soft sheets for your ass. The resulting mess is dange...
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[ [] ]
7a4ugk
Why is the sky purple on the opposite horizon to the sunset?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7a4ugk/why_is_the_sky_purple_on_the_opposite_horizon_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dp7za7w" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Good observation! What you're seeing is called the [Belt of Venus](_URL_0_). Really, it's the shadow of the Earth.\n\nAfter the sun sets, its light still passes through the atmosphere over your head. It lights up the sky to the east with a ban...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_of_Venus" ] ]
biofuu
how do modern vehicle speedometers work? tire rotations per minute?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/biofuu/eli5_how_do_modern_vehicle_speedometers_work_tire/
{ "a_id": [ "em1utfa", "em1y54t", "em25p8m", "em2iosw" ], "score": [ 68, 5, 13, 3 ], "text": [ "Yep, tire rotation. Knowing the diameter of the tire and multiplying that by pi gives you the distance traveled per rotation. That means that if you do anything to increase the d...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/bimebt/should_i_trust_the_spedometer_of_my_car_or_the/em2gvbz/" ] ]
24ehb3
how are segmented voices (those on gps's, automated phone responses, etc.) recorded?
Does a female literally just speak phrases/numbers into a microphone for hours on end?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/24ehb3/eli5_how_are_segmented_voices_those_on_gpss/
{ "a_id": [ "ch6bjmq" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ " > Does a female literally just speak phrases/numbers into a microphone for hours on end?\n\nYes. Or a male.\n\nIn fact, [you can make your own](_URL_0_) if you've got a microphone and a lot of free time on your hands. You record however many sen...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.circumreality.com/TTS.htm" ] ]
18rjtp
Why can't electricity recharge a battery as fast as it can flow through a conductive material?
I'm curious what is happening when a battery is being charged? What is taking so long that a battery can take hours to charge if electricity can move around at nearly the speed of light over a copper conductor? I imagine as electric vehicles become more popular, this is an important issue to solve. Have there been...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/18rjtp/why_cant_electricity_recharge_a_battery_as_fast/
{ "a_id": [ "c8hcucz", "c8hcw08", "c8hfcwr", "c8hhw9m", "c8hlbgr" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The \"speed of electricity\" has little to do with how fast a battery can be recharged.\n\nFor example, imagine a long tube of marbles. If I push in a marble ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_double-layer_capacitor" ], [], [], [] ]
5mdslz
how does out brain manage hormones?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5mdslz/eli5_how_does_out_brain_manage_hormones/
{ "a_id": [ "dc2zhpc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Most hormones are stored throughout the body IE insulin pancreas, adrenaline kidneys. The brain monitors the levels of these hormones in the body, when a hormone release is required the brain essentially fires an electrical impulse that triggers...
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[ [] ]
n7gq6
how stuxnet worked, and what it may mean for either america/israel or russia to be behind it
Seems very interesting, but even the [TED talk](_URL_0_) muddled it a bit for me.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/n7gq6/eli5_how_stuxnet_worked_and_what_it_may_mean_for/
{ "a_id": [ "c36uw6b", "c36z7io", "c36uw6b", "c36z7io" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Stuxnet was custom-designed software specifically created to work for a Siemens centrifuge system. It worked by periodically changing the rotation rate of the centrifuge (increasi...
[]
[ "http://www.ted.com/talks/ralph_langner_cracking_stuxnet_a_21st_century_cyberweapon.html" ]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
21pfmi
How come conquistadors are always depicted as wearing the distinctive Morion style helmet?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/21pfmi/how_come_conquistadors_are_always_depicted_as/
{ "a_id": [ "cgfcfrh" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "The morion style helmet became popular in the early 1500s and was widely used by the Spanish in Europe as well as in the New World.\n\nIt is probably anachronistic to apply it to the early conquistadors such as Cortez. It had not become common a...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/theconquest/a/09armsconquest_2.htm", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morion_(helmet)" ] ]
4uvplu
How did titles like 'The Black Prince' or King Alfred 'The Great' come about?
I was looking through a list of noble office holders on wikipedia (which I infuriatingly cannot find) where I found a number of people with titles like "The Black", "The Great", or "The Red", and I haven't been able to find any explanation for them. My question is, where did such titles come from? Were they nicknames ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4uvplu/how_did_titles_like_the_black_prince_or_king/
{ "a_id": [ "d5tioqi" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "It can be a combination of all three of them, a lot times they are in fact nicknames for people vaguely from the time period. One of the better known ones being Charlemagne (Charles the Great), which crops up pretty rapidly after his death in 814...
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[ [] ]
pw58q
Do man-made objects sent to the Moon and Mars run the risk of infecting them with life from Earth?
If so, how big is that risk and what measures are taken to counteract that risk?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/pw58q/do_manmade_objects_sent_to_the_moon_and_mars_run/
{ "a_id": [ "c3spgm6", "c3spmur", "c3spn7c", "c3spo14" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 16, 3 ], "text": [ "Given that neither the moon or Mars have environments that are very hospitable to most earth-based life this seems unlikely.\n\nThere might be some extremophile bacteria that may ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade", "http://www.hulu.com/watch/76164/pbs-specials-phoenix-mars-mission-ashes-to-ice" ] ]
5ahcfe
when we look at stars/planets, are we actually looking into the past?
ELI5: This has always confused me. Since the view of the star is traveling at the speed of light, it has taken many years to reach Earth.. So for all we know, that star/planet could be long gone, correct? If this is the case, how is the information we are receiving from things light years away reliable at all?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ahcfe/eli5_when_we_look_at_starsplanets_are_we_actually/
{ "a_id": [ "d9ggohc", "d9ggsyw", "d9gh0lz", "d9gsn9x" ], "score": [ 2, 10, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Something weird TOTALLY COULD have happened and that distant star blew up or something, and we just haven't seen it happen yet.\n\nWe assume the information is reliable though bec...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
427mca
the water crisis in michigan
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/427mca/eli5the_water_crisis_in_michigan/
{ "a_id": [ "cz88c09", "cz88gx3" ], "score": [ 11, 2 ], "text": [ "Flint used to get water from Detroit (which gets the water from Lake Huron). \n\nPoliticians wanted to save money and use the Flint River instead. Despite a study that said it was not a good idea, they got switched to Fli...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
cejzmc
what is happening when the computer loading bar takes way longer to complete the final 1% during the installation process.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cejzmc/eli5_what_is_happening_when_the_computer_loading/
{ "a_id": [ "eu328ld", "eu32mt7" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Generally, a progress bar doesn't work how you think it does (and each different bar may be measuring different things).\n\n & #x200B;\n\nGenerally the ones that stick at the last 1% are cleaning up whatever was downloaded. ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1dl62x
in public-key cryptography why can the message encrypted with the public key not be decrypted with the same public key?
I understand that the sender of the message encrypts it with the recipients public key, which can be freely accessible by anyone. Why can the same public key used to encrypt the message not be used to undo / reverse the algorithmic function that encrypted the message? From what i understand the sender uses an asymmet...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1dl62x/eli5_in_publickey_cryptography_why_can_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c9rcnx5", "c9riymg" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "think of very long oval track, and think of each step around that track as coding the message... but it does it in such a way that when you get all the way around the track back to the start, the message is back where it sta...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
42ih1m
can you climb from earth to space on a cable?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/42ih1m/eli5_can_you_climb_from_earth_to_space_on_a_cable/
{ "a_id": [ "czakw5h", "czalrik" ], "score": [ 10, 3 ], "text": [ "hypothetically, yes. but we don't possess the technology to achieve this. what you're talking about is basically a space elevator.\n\n_URL_0_", "Yes, assuming such a cable exists. You could achieve escape velocity cli...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator" ], [] ]
yv2pb
Have dinosaur bones been found by previous civilizations (Romans)?
Thought this might be an interesting topic. What did they think they were if they found them?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/yv2pb/have_dinosaur_bones_been_found_by_previous/
{ "a_id": [ "c5z5cgc", "c5z81hx" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Do you want just the Romans, or any previous civilizations? I have often heard that mythological creatures were thought up as a way of reconciling the discovery of dinosaur bones or the bones of other animals that were eithe...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://humanexperience.stanford.edu/feature-dragons" ], [ "http://books.google.ca/books?id=MXCQKJwLGS4C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_vpt_reviews#v=onepage&q&f=false" ] ]
16j9l3
Do they need to replenish air on the ISS?
It seems like they'd lose a little air with each spacewalk and shuttle docking/undocking. Do shuttles replenish the air along with supplies, or do they vacuum out chambers before exposing them to space? Or is the amount lost so negligible that it hasn't been an issue yet?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/16j9l3/do_they_need_to_replenish_air_on_the_iss/
{ "a_id": [ "c7wl3jy" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "They probably do, but I would think that the oxygen that is used up by the people on board would be much more than any lost through docking etc.\n\n[Here's](_URL_0_) a link about how they make oxygen on the ISS" ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "http://science.howstuffworks.com/oxygen-made-aboard-spacecraft1.htm" ] ]
3ez3tb
why stores like the 99¢ store are able to sell products that you can find at regular grocery stores, but much cheaper?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ez3tb/eli5_why_stores_like_the_99_store_are_able_to/
{ "a_id": [ "ctjrnuh", "ctjrvmz", "ctjyxol", "ctjz7zi", "ctjzpe7", "ctk0gmu" ], "score": [ 9, 16, 3, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Their costs are lower for one. They don't stock premium brand names. They also sell smaller packages of products. They also hav...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
19ofmn
what happens if: i lose a court case, and i'm ordered to pay the opposition lawyer's fees but i'm completely broke?
By broke I mean, no money, no assets, nothing. What happens to the lawyer's fees?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/19ofmn/eli5_what_happens_if_i_lose_a_court_case_and_im/
{ "a_id": [ "c8pvl5i", "c8pxw7o" ], "score": [ 7, 6 ], "text": [ "First of all, there's insurance available for this. So if you win the case, you'd pay some degree of your winnings to the insurance company, while if you lose the case, they cover your costs.\n\nOtherwise, you're going to ha...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4danmf
why do americans not trust their police?
Here in the UK I very much trust the police to do their job and as far as I know they're not corrupt at all. From what I gather in the US the police always seem to try and screw you over? Is this true?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4danmf/eli5_why_do_americans_not_trust_their_police/
{ "a_id": [ "d1p7gtw", "d1p7okm", "d1p7phb", "d1p8tnf", "d1p8xrh", "d1p9msc", "d1paoz4", "d1pg9dn", "d1px0u8", "d1q0wa3" ], "score": [ 15, 4, 6, 4, 17, 7, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It really really depends. \n\nI've personally ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.gallup.com/poll/183704/confidence-police-lowest-years.aspx" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
5c0t86
Historical use of "buffcoats" for infantry
Yearly, i do historical reenactment as a regiment of 17th century Danish musketeers. This year, one of my fellow reenactors decided to buy himself a brown, leather buffcoat, appealing to me that it had provable historical uses with the infantry. It ended up being word against word (we both found examples showing both l...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5c0t86/historical_use_of_buffcoats_for_infantry/
{ "a_id": [ "d9tkl5y" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Swedish infantry used moose, goat or deer leather buffcoats (kyller), long vests (kamisol) and short pants (knäbyxor) both during the 17th and 18th centuries.\n\nBefore the carolean army raised by Karl XI received new uniforms and standardised eq...
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[]
[ [] ]
29q6hw
What position, if any, did the Nazi Party in power of Germany have towards non-Hochdeutsch dialects spoken throughout the nation?
From my recent trip to Germany and staying with a family, the elderly man who we stayed with doesn't speak Hochdeutsch, but instead Plattdeutsch. He told us how only Hochdeutsch is used in schools and it's what all the young people in the area speak now, instead of dialects from the area, and that when he was at schoo...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/29q6hw/what_position_if_any_did_the_nazi_party_in_power/
{ "a_id": [ "cinfbkc" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "I found an article (in German) about Low German Nazi Propaganda [here](_URL_1_).\nI assume that Plattdeutsch was not banned nor removed; I guess that the prevalence of Hochdeutsch over Plattdeutsch has deeper roots and Nazi power did not substant...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/lingua-del-fascismo_%28Enciclopedia_dell%27Italiano%29/", "http://www.akens.org/akens/texte/journal/nsplatt.html" ] ]
fw1yi7
how do trees decide when and where their branches grow?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fw1yi7/eli5_how_do_trees_decide_when_and_where_their/
{ "a_id": [ "fmls3kv", "fmltpvi", "fmlv79g", "fmm70c2", "fmmaysk", "fmmd0k8", "fmmer0p", "fmmfoko", "fmmg79h", "fmmgyax", "fmmkmlk", "fmmt54q", "fmmtwwp", "fmmv5sa", "fmn2ppd", "fmn37uu", "fmnv6ci", "fmo7hy7", "fmohywc", "fmoxaun" ], ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/nature-golden-ratio-fibonacci.html" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2jlsvx
Is it true that during WW1 airplane pilots were not issued parachutes because that would have hurt their will to fight?
So, as part of the hundredth anniversary of WWI, my town organized three conferences with local scholars about how the war unfolded in our region and what it meant for the people that lived here. Yesterday's conference was about aerial warfare, but one thing the speaker said didn't convince me: he said that working par...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2jlsvx/is_it_true_that_during_ww1_airplane_pilots_were/
{ "a_id": [ "clczoas", "cld156w" ], "score": [ 5, 4 ], "text": [ "Yes, it's true. It seems mad in retrospect but one must remember that planes were a relatively novel technology, especially in regards to their military use. It also took some time before cars came with seatbelts, and many...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
cgzq2o
Is there any scientific reason why the magnetic north/south has to correspond with extreme temperature?
I suppose what I'm asking is if the rotation of a planet is always aligned with its magnetic field. For example, would it be possible for the equator to run north to south?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/cgzq2o/is_there_any_scientific_reason_why_the_magnetic/
{ "a_id": [ "eunh6yd", "euonego" ], "score": [ 13, 2 ], "text": [ "A planet's rotation rotation is part of what powers the dynamo effect that creates its magnetic field. It's a complicated system, but basically a rotating body with a hot, fluid, conducting core creates currents that create...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.newsweek.com/uranus-magnetic-field-switches-open-and-closed-daily-basis-630215" ] ]
3be8z1
how will i be affected by the greek bailout refusal?
The extension was refused, so what will the effects be on everyday life? Will products within the eu be more expensive the next coming weeks, or will we get things cheaper since massive amounts of money isn't thrown away?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3be8z1/eli5_how_will_i_be_affected_by_the_greek_bailout/
{ "a_id": [ "csldpeg" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The price of Baklava is going to fall dramatically, but expect a sharp increase in the trading price of Feta." ] }
[]
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[ [] ]
1yvfmn
How exactly does a forceful collision of objects create light?
I read that a meteorite has smashed into the moon recently with so much force that a bright flash can be observed from Earth. How exactly does that happen? What is the underlying mechanism?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1yvfmn/how_exactly_does_a_forceful_collision_of_objects/
{ "a_id": [ "cfohk98" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This is called Blackbody Radiation. Basically, when something gets really very hot, it can start to emit lots of radiation in the visible part of the spectrum. Think of a hot piece of metal, it glows red hot, doesn't it? That is blackbody radi...
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[]
[ [] ]
1grktb
what does "reality is a social construct" mean?
Since the question is obviously one a 5 year old wouldn't understand, the answer doesn't have to be for a 5 year old. Hear this idea associated with Marx, Engels, Nietzsche, and Mannheim a lot. What does it mean??
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1grktb/eli5_what_does_reality_is_a_social_construct_mean/
{ "a_id": [ "can356v", "can87cp", "canangl" ], "score": [ 23, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "If you drop a bunch of strangers on an island, they will begin to adopt certain roles. For example, a Nurturer, a Kid Sister, a Leader, an Outcast, a Planner, etc. People gravitate towards certain ro...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
17epib
what's the relationship between beer and root beer?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/17epib/whats_the_relationship_between_beer_and_root_beer/
{ "a_id": [ "c84syeg" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Root beer was originally just beer made from a particular kind of root rather than the grains beer normally comes from. Now, root beer is almost always nonalcoholic, and the root (which we know causes cancer now) is replaced with artificial flavo...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1o209c
Why does electron orbitals sometimes create hybrids, but sometimes not?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1o209c/why_does_electron_orbitals_sometimes_create/
{ "a_id": [ "cco5wk9", "cco6bmy", "cco79tg" ], "score": [ 10, 15, 3 ], "text": [ "Let me add to what others have said:\n\nThe actual laws of nature lead to unsolvable mathematics in all but the simplest molecules and atoms. This is why we need to simplify and approximate if we want...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://imgur.com/AShwDjB" ], [] ]
4zpasl
how are us state government programs/projects funded?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4zpasl/eli5_how_are_us_state_government_programsprojects/
{ "a_id": [ "d6xqcd7", "d6xr7i6" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Whew! This is a lot to unpack, as government accounting is kinda a tricky bitch. \n\nYou have a few sources, and these vary by state. Some programs are funded directly by sales taxes (Police, roads, schools, paying for bonds...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6okiuk
What would an average American man in the 1920's carry with him on a day-to-day basis?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6okiuk/what_would_an_average_american_man_in_the_1920s/
{ "a_id": [ "dki7idg" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "As a followup question, what would an average American woman in the 20's carry with her on a day-to-day basis?\n\nAlso, would these items vary depending on the age and race of the person?" ] }
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[ [] ]
jeakr
If falling from a great height, what is the most survivable landing position?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jeakr/if_falling_from_a_great_height_what_is_the_most/
{ "a_id": [ "c2be0mx", "c2be1rm", "c2be0mx", "c2be1rm" ], "score": [ 2, 6, 2, 6 ], "text": [ "I have to assume it is the parachute landing technique. It is tha same technique used by most parque (sp?) or free runners.\n\nIt is basically a land into a summersault.", "I'...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
ok3v4
Hand sanitizers claim to kill ~99% of bacteria. Does this mean that 1% of the population of all strains survive? Or does it mean that 1% of the strains of bacteria will always be impervious to alcohol?
Let me try to clarify using completely arbitrary figures: 1) Say I have a bacterial population of 1,000,000 on my hands. 2) That 1,000,000 figure includes 100 strains of bacteria (strains 1-100). 3) Each strain has 10,000 bacteria. 4) I use an ethyl-alcohol based hand sanitizer as directed. Will the sanitizer ki...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ok3v4/hand_sanitizers_claim_to_kill_99_of_bacteria_does/
{ "a_id": [ "c3hx95i", "c3hxd1o", "c3hximl", "c3hxjp2", "c3hy9of", "c3hzngy", "c3i07jj", "c3i07ka", "c3i0kxt", "c3i0mfc", "c3i35sr", "c3i3qx8" ], "score": [ 21, 1055, 13, 12, 5, 9, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-172X.2003.00457.x/full", "http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/", "http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/0471143030.cb0103s00/abstract" ], [], [], [ "http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2009/12/01/consumer-hand-sanitizer-cbc-tests.html", ...
39r6jq
When and why did humans start growing and maintaining lawns?
Ed Begley said on Real Time with Bill Maher last night that lawns were a remnant of feudal lords basically showing off how wealthy and non-dependent they were on food by growing grass with nothing on it, like they could support themselves so well that they could afford to have land with just grass. Is this true? If n...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/39r6jq/when_and_why_did_humans_start_growing_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cs5xxvl", "cs63f07" ], "score": [ 74, 8 ], "text": [ "hi! there's always room for more info, but you can get started on the FAQ\n\n* [Lawns & lawn maintenance](_URL_0_)", "Reminder to commenters:\n\nPlease keep the [rules of the subreddit](_URL_0_) in mind when leaving r...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/dailylife#wiki_lawns_.26_lawn_maintenance" ], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules" ] ]
3sqizd
how do those reflective emergency body blankets actually keep you warm?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sqizd/eli5_how_do_those_reflective_emergency_body/
{ "a_id": [ "cwzkudb", "cwzkyjp" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "You radiate heat away constantly in the infrared spectrum. The reflective blanket, as you might guess, reflects all that right back to your body.", "It's a trick of physics that the more reflective a material is the less...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_emissivity" ] ]
2j5ycn
How did Islam go from being the religion associated with some magnificent artworks to one that supposedly "forbids art"?
If you travel through Turkey, Middle East and much of northern India, you are mightily impressed by the Islamic art and architecture. You also hear about the famous poets and artists patronized by Islamic courts. Overall Islam has had a very rich and diverse artistic heritage and a tradition of court patronage to artis...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2j5ycn/how_did_islam_go_from_being_the_religion/
{ "a_id": [ "cl8pqdt" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Thats a misrepresentation of Islamic Theology, its incorrect to say shariah forwns on art of any form. I want you to think for a moment about all the Islamic art you have ever seen or heard. I bet you are mostly thinking of beautiful buildings li...
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[ [] ]
5txzm5
how did conservative politics come to include more support for police and military. isn't that just inherently more government?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5txzm5/eli5_how_did_conservative_politics_come_to/
{ "a_id": [ "ddpw6k5", "ddpwazh", "ddpwbc6", "ddq0hjj", "ddq0ho2", "ddq1aoo", "ddq1b39" ], "score": [ 54, 21, 26, 3, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Conservatives are not necessarily anti-government, they are usually anti-government when it comes to the econom...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
6eeqkt
Is Old English more German or Danish?
So we all know that the Anglo-Saxons invaded what is modern day England many many years ago, but my question is that is that should we consider Old English more Danish or German? The Anglo tribes came from the very Northern part of Germany but primarily from the center of Denmark. I think Old English looks more like Da...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6eeqkt/is_old_english_more_german_or_danish/
{ "a_id": [ "di9oz2z" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "This is more of a linguistic question, but English and German are both West Germanic languages, while Danish is a North Germanic language. So, English is closer to German than Danish. In fact, Low German is, next to Frisian, one of the closest l...
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[]
[ [] ]
41jsxm
why do older generations tend to "double click" everything on computers?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/41jsxm/eli5_why_do_older_generations_tend_to_double/
{ "a_id": [ "cz2uqr2" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Have you ever gone to open a file on your desktop? Open up a file in your hard drive? All of those require double clicks.\n\nAnd now that I said that, I think you might be referring to then constantly clicking something after the first double cli...
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[]
[ [] ]
2o2ijp
Does our eyes have optical image stabilization (OIS) like camera or the shakiness is corrected by our brain later?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2o2ijp/does_our_eyes_have_optical_image_stabilization/
{ "a_id": [ "cmj3yos" ], "score": [ 35 ], "text": [ "The [vestibulo-occular reflex](_URL_1_) corrects for head movements. The inner ear detects head movements, and the extraocular muscles move the eyes in the opposite direction of the head movement to stabilise the image. This is an important refl...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsaccade", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibulo%E2%80%93ocular_reflex", "http://www.quora.com/What-do-you-think-is-the-importance-of-microsaccades-in-vision", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23954428", "http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v275/n5682/...
9oikft
What role did the Gulf War and its consequences play in the Israel/Palestine conflict?
I've been doing research into the history of the Oslo Accords and I often see the claim that the PLO's decision to back Saddam (and the fallout from that after Saddam was defeated) was what forced them to the negotiating table with Israel in regards to the Oslo Accords. However, I cannot find any good sources for thi...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9oikft/what_role_did_the_gulf_war_and_its_consequences/
{ "a_id": [ "e7vzm47" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Absolutely! This is a really interesting subject, because it is in my opinion quite understudied. We hear often of the involvement of large, international players, such as the EU, US, UN, or Soviet Union (and later Russia to a much smaller extent...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.jstor.org/stable/4328660", "http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ssfc0005/The%20Rise%20and%20Fall%20of%20the%20Oslo%20Peace%20Process.html" ] ]
aoe9d3
why does cracking your knuckles under water seem to amplify the sound it makes?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aoe9d3/eli5_why_does_cracking_your_knuckles_under_water/
{ "a_id": [ "eg080o4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "When you make a sound, you compress the molecules around into waves. These waves hit your ear, and you perceive it as sound.\n\nAir is a lot less dense than water, so when you create these waves, a lot of the energy is soaked up by the molecules ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
snatw
A question about organic chemistry...
I'm studying for an organic chemistry test tomorrow and my teacher asked the class why nature favors carbon rings 5 or 6 carbons long. So I ask upon you, my fellow redditors for an answer. Why does Nature favor carbon rings 5 or 6 carbons long?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/snatw/a_question_about_organic_chemistry/
{ "a_id": [ "c4fdboi", "c4fdea1" ], "score": [ 2, 4 ], "text": [ "3 and 4 rings have bonds that are strained and higher energy, so they are more reactive. 5 or 6 rings are closer to the natural bond angle of carbon and are more stable.", "Nature favors rings of five or six due to therm...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
197tnp
Has violence really been in a relatively consistent decline throughout recorded history?
Occasionally, I'll hear people make comments about how violent and cruel the modern world is, with technology enabling far more bloodshed than was possible in ancient conflicts. I can see how this is true in certain specific cases (such as the American Civil War, where I've been told that advances in military technolog...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/197tnp/has_violence_really_been_in_a_relatively/
{ "a_id": [ "c8lxdsm" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "**TL;DR:** It certainly seems that way, but estimating past homicide rates and comparing them with today has a number of issues, namely that improved medical care changes the rate at which people die. In addition, [as Tyler Cowen points out in th...
[]
[ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ramBFRt1Uzk" ]
[ [ "http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/06/long-term-trend-in-homicide-rates.html", "http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/history/postgraduate/ma_studies/mamodules/hi971/topics/interpersonal/long-term-historical-trends-of-violent-crime.pdf" ] ]
27hnyv
What is the difference between built in Graphics card memory and RAM that connects straight to the motherboard?
For example, if i were to buy a high spec Graphics card with lets say, 12GB built in GDDR5 RAM (GTX TITAN Z) and placed it on a motherboard with 1GB RAM, would it be better or worse than if i had 1GB GDDR5 built in to the graphics card, and 12GB directly on the motherboard. Better or worse as in the FPS and 3D gaming p...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/27hnyv/what_is_the_difference_between_built_in_graphics/
{ "a_id": [ "ci1q356", "ci1qw9t", "ci2vabx" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "They are used for different things. Graphics memory is used for calculations inside the GPU while regular memory is used for stuff done on the CPU. Because it takes time to send data to the GPU the grap...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BmBr2mwCIAAhJo1.png" ] ]
dr3rfa
Given that cats see different wavelengths than us, do cats see televisions and screens the same way humans do?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/dr3rfa/given_that_cats_see_different_wavelengths_than_us/
{ "a_id": [ "f6gl8l2" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "cats can see all the same wavelengths as us plus maybe some infrared, but i’d like so see a source for where you say that. but the tv emits mostly visible light so not really. maybe a faint glow of infrared which would have some color we can’t ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
33pyxh
Earth's atmosphere is about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. If the nitrogen was replaced with another nontoxic gas (like helium) would we still be able to breathe it?
Also: Would there be any long- or short-term consequences for breathing this air?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/33pyxh/earths_atmosphere_is_about_78_nitrogen_and_21/
{ "a_id": [ "cqol74c" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Yes - but it depends on the gas. It would need to be something inert so no chemical reactions in the body. Helium-oxygen mix is actually used for deep Scuba as nitrogen becomes narcotic at high pressure. Nitrogen is inert enough at normal atmosph...
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[]
[ [] ]
1o6ser
what would happen to the global economy if several asteroids of solid gold crashed into earth effectively increasing the available gold by 100x?
Just Curious what some economists might think would be the effect.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1o6ser/what_would_happen_to_the_global_economy_if/
{ "a_id": [ "ccpa2w1", "ccpa5tv", "ccpa63o", "ccpaapb" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "If gold were more abundant, would its value decrease?\n\nI'm not an economist, so I won't speculate how it'd effect the economy... ", "The world uses fiat currencies. That's mo...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
2jknw5
in and of itself, why is sodomy illegal?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jknw5/eli5_in_and_of_itself_why_is_sodomy_illegal/
{ "a_id": [ "clclvpf", "clcly4k" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Moralism in law. It's viewed as sexual deviancy and is legislated against on that basis alone. No practical reasons. ", "At least in the U.S. it is not illegal. The supreme court ruled that making it illegal violates the...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_v._Texas" ] ]
1r6t6c
Can I get some history help?
So I have a DBQ for A.P. U.S History and really need help. The full question is "reform movements in the united states sought to expand democratic ideals." Assess the validity of this statement with specific reference to the years 1825-1850 I have absolutely no clue where to begin. I am lost. I am very in this time reg...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1r6t6c/can_i_get_some_history_help/
{ "a_id": [ "cdk856k" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "From the rules of the Subreddit: \n\n\"Our users aren't here to do your homework for you, but they might be willing to help. Remember: /r/AskHistorians helps those who help themselves. Don't just give us your essay/assignment topic and ask us for...
[]
[ "http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ushist_frq_02_10359.pdf" ]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/y7f8f/meta_schools_in_a_brief_reminder_of_our_homework/" ] ]
s7w8a
CIA links to anti-left fascism in Italy post 1918
I remember listening to a **Noam Chomsky** lecture in which he mentioned the **American** backed **persecution** of the **Labour Movement** in **fascist/post WWI**. From a Google search I found [the Turin Massacre](_URL_0_) and [this wiki page](_URL_1_), both may be relevant. I'd appreciate any elaboration and/or sourc...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/s7w8a/cia_links_to_antileft_fascism_in_italy_post_1918/
{ "a_id": [ "c4bsmem", "c4buz5m", "c4bwzrs" ], "score": [ 11, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "I guess this statement by Chomsky would have been debatable had CIA not been founded in 1947, almost 30 years after the end of WWI. Are you sure he said CIA?", "It's entirely possible that the Unit...
[]
[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1922_Turin_Massacre", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascist_and_anti-Fascist_violence_in_Italy_\\(1919%E2%80%9326\\)" ]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gladio" ] ]
bvnmcy
how does the body rid of heavy metals?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bvnmcy/eli5_how_does_the_body_rid_of_heavy_metals/
{ "a_id": [ "epqwp5e" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The body *doesn't get rid of them* and that's the problem.\n\nThey cause all kinds of problems because they're poisonous, and the body has no way to get rid of them, so they accumulate in your tissues until you die." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2w6476
Aside from hunting/eating/sleeping/having sex, what did people in prehistoric ages do on a 'typical day'?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2w6476/aside_from_huntingeatingsleepinghaving_sex_what/
{ "a_id": [ "conyyvk", "conzdsl" ], "score": [ 7, 58 ], "text": [ "What time period and location?", "Doesn't 'prehistoric' definitionally fall outside of the purview of historians? Perhaps /r/askanthropology " ] }
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2521l2
Is it possible for the Earth to "catch" and acquire a new moon?
Could a passing body be trapped by Earth's gravity and become a new satellite of Earth? If so, what would the consequences be?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2521l2/is_it_possible_for_the_earth_to_catch_and_acquire/
{ "a_id": [ "chcw46a", "chdi0pn" ], "score": [ 25, 3 ], "text": [ "Well, it's not easy for that to happen. The passing object would reach Earth's proximity with enough speed to go back to the same distance it came from. It takes another body to absorb that energy.\n\nHowever, a gravitation...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
66776i
Is there a difference between human nerve endings?
I was thinking about how the clitoris or penis can send so many signals of arousal and pleasure but another part of the body with a lot of nerve endings like the finger tips don't send any feelings of arousal. Do humans have different types of nerve endings at different places in the body that can only send signals of ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/66776i/is_there_a_difference_between_human_nerve_endings/
{ "a_id": [ "dggg8n9" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Definitely! Free nerve endings are all over the body and, although most are classified as nociceptors (pain), some are also classified as thermoreceptors and mechanoreceptors. As far as different organs, remember that there are many different typ...
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[ [] ]
1wlin9
the amanda knox appeal
Can anyone give a general rundown on the appeal which has just ended with Amanda Knox being found guilty again? I don't fully understand the Italian court system (who am I kidding, I don't understand it even slightly) and I also don't understand the evidence that was presented.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wlin9/eli5_the_amanda_knox_appeal/
{ "a_id": [ "cf48son", "cf4k61w", "cf5ua8h", "cf7qtr6", "cfbuuet", "cf35srf", "cf3d610", "cf3mhv8", "cf3otsz" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 6, 6, 2, 34, 14, 2, 28 ], "text": [ "ELI5 Why does anyone care about this case? Do people actually care...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
6uowln
Do radios work in Faraday cages? Could you theoretically walkie-talkie a person standing next to you while in one, or do they block radios altogether?
And would a Faraday cage prevent radio signals from OUTSIDE reaching the inner radio? EDIT: If there was a hole or break in the Faraday cage could radio signals leak in?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6uowln/do_radios_work_in_faraday_cages_could_you/
{ "a_id": [ "dlub4v5", "dludnsb", "dlufiu2", "dluhtjn", "dlujwi9", "dlumwkn", "dluv7n5", "dluybup", "dlv0rqe", "dlv1ml6", "dlv3spy", "dlv8c3t", "dlv9rx6", "dlvg1s4" ], "score": [ 97, 2125, 278, 39, 11, 16, 3, 4, 3, 6, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.testandmeasurementtips.com/basics-of-magnetic-permeability/", "https://people.maths.ox.ac.uk/trefethen/chapman_hewett_trefethen.pdf" ] ]
20yui3
string theory
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20yui3/eli5_string_theory/
{ "a_id": [ "cg812qm", "cg81hcw", "cg82mg2", "cg82ydc", "cg834ik", "cg83zv8", "cg8468f", "cg84a5t", "cg84e1a", "cg84rcj", "cg84w31", "cg8576m", "cg859lq", "cg85bub", "cg85lbr", "cg85xi5", "cg86rso", "cg8737n", "cg876aw", "cg87pu7", "c...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://superstringtheory.com/index.html", "http://www.nuclecu.unam.mx/~alberto/physics/string.html", "http://theory.tifr.res.in/~mukhi/Physics/string.html" ], [], [ "http://www.amazon.com/String-Theory-Dummies-Andrew-Zimmerman/dp/047046724X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395379544&sr=8-1&a...
3vex33
Why is it that the moons gravity is able to direct masses of water in different directions but yet we, ourselves cannot physically feel the affect of the moon's gravity?
^
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3vex33/why_is_it_that_the_moons_gravity_is_able_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cxmwo8c", "cxn2oej", "cxn3bxd", "cxn6724", "cxn8ttm", "cxn9teo", "cxnc3xw", "cxnd2rq", "cxnd8mk", "cxnpjor", "cxnsatt" ], "score": [ 3133, 22, 196, 5, 3, 47, 11, 3, 2, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Tidal forces are e...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://youtu.be/pwChk4S99i4" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwChk4S99i40" ], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwChk4S99i4" ], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton%27s_law_of_universal_gravitation" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
64av8q
why does the heat in death valley c.a. stay only there?
Why is it localised to that area. What keeps all of C.A. from boiling like it does there?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/64av8q/eli5_why_does_the_heat_in_death_valley_ca_stay/
{ "a_id": [ "dg0pn9h", "dg0u37h" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Death Valley, in particular, is in a deep basin from which air has a hard time escaping. So, it tends to sit there and just get heated up hotter and hotter by the sun's rays.\n\nAir is a pretty good heat insulator. Heat do...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2ytvov
Did the Romani genocide (Porajmos) easy to facilitate due to local collaboration?
Expanding on that, it is a given that much ethnic hate on a widespread and personal level against the Jews before the Holocaust already existed. Did the same levels of hate and fear work in favor for the Romani genocide on the ground? How would civilians view the Romani?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ytvov/did_the_romani_genocide_porajmos_easy_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cpdzb2v" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "In short, yes.\n\n\nRoma, Sinti and related groups had been the subject of prejudice based on scientific racism and older prejudice before the Holocaust. Seen as either racially undesirable and/or in the wake of European nationalism as social out...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.romasintigenocide.eu/media/neutral/Der%20Nationalsozialistische%20Volkermord%20an%20den%20Roma.pdf", "http://www.radoc.net/radoc.php?doc=art_e_holocaust_porrajmos&lang=en&articles=" ] ]
9z4a37
Is there an altitude on Venus where both temperature and air pressure are habitable for humans, and you could stand in open air with just an oxygen mask?
I keep hearing this suggestion, but it seems unlikely given the insane surface temp, sulfuric acid rain, etc.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/9z4a37/is_there_an_altitude_on_venus_where_both/
{ "a_id": [ "ea67eml", "ea67w7f", "ea6csgc", "ea6ile4", "ea6k9we", "ea6kn2n", "ea6l37q", "ea6novq", "ea6okyx", "ea6p93h", "ea73xev", "ea7vwlv", "ea7zlwe", "ea807f9" ], "score": [ 966, 5494, 100, 141, 500, 120, 5, 11, 15, ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://phys.org/news/2018-10-nasa-humans-venus-brilliant-idea.html" ], [ "https://www.universetoday.com/15570/colonizing-venus-with-floating-cities/" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ5KV3rzuag" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
3097il
why didn't the british get involved in the american civil war?
Just wondering
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3097il/eli5_why_didnt_the_british_get_involved_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cpq8sg8", "cpqa84n", "cpqaezu", "cpqamq6", "cpqda5t", "cpqglfb", "cpqjgx6" ], "score": [ 7, 23, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It was a tough call for them. \n\nOn the one hand, the British Empire outlawed slavery in the 1770s - many of the...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlottetown_Conference" ], [], [], [], [], [] ]
khi8p
Question about CO2 levels in the atmosphere, past and present.
I've been thinking about the CO2 we're releasing by burning fossil fuels and I'd like the opinions of people who are more educated on the subject. Firstly, the CO2 we're releasing comes from CO2 that already existed in the atmosphere which was covered by plants in to carbon, so at one point in history millions of year...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/khi8p/question_about_co2_levels_in_the_atmosphere_past/
{ "a_id": [ "c2kcjt8", "c2kcjt8" ], "score": [ 5, 5 ], "text": [ "Waaaay back in the beginning (4.5 billion years ago) the Earth's atmosphere was ~25% CO2, ~70% N2, and the remainder was primarily CH4 and NH3. Water was in the atmosphere, and quickly condensed to form the oceans. The initi...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.skepticalscience.com/co2-higher-in-past.htm", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phanerozoic_Carbon_Dioxide.png" ], [ "http://www.skepticalscience.com/co2-higher-in-past.htm", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phanerozoic_Carbon_Dioxide.png" ] ]
bc30bg
how/why do your eyes stabilize when you move your head?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bc30bg/eli5_howwhy_do_your_eyes_stabilize_when_you_move/
{ "a_id": [ "eknnxha" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The nerves that control the muscles in the eye receive information from the vestibular system (one that senses your position in space)\n\nSo when you turn your head left, the neurons in the left vestibular system fires to a nerve called the abduc...
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[]
[ [] ]
ciut3v
how are national surveys such as pew research so accurate, especially since they interview only a few thousand people?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ciut3v/elif_how_are_national_surveys_such_as_pew/
{ "a_id": [ "ev9axx7", "ev9dooc" ], "score": [ 10, 2 ], "text": [ "Statistics is a branch of mathematics that addresses questions like this. Put simply, if you choose a representative sample from a much larger population, the opinions on the sample group align tightly with the opinions of...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
r8dvw
How do emissions along the entire energy production chain compare between gasoline, hybrid, and electric vehicles?
I am currently looking into a new vehicle, and the thought came to mind of 'going green' with my new vehicle. I do understand that when looking only at the vehicle itself, the emissions rank gas > hybrid > electric in terms of total. However, I am curious about the emissions spread over the whole chain of energy prod...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/r8dvw/how_do_emissions_along_the_entire_energy/
{ "a_id": [ "c43r0gp", "c43s1av" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "This is a great question!\n\nThe short answer is that a pure electric vehicle will have the smallest carbon footprint, even considering the fact that electricity generation in the US is still substantially dependent on fossi...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://imgur.com/G1DMK" ], [ "http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=electricity_in_the_united_states", "http://gm-volt.com/2010/11/24/official-2011-chevrolet-volt-epa-fuel-economy-released/", "fuelly.com", "http://www.nirs.org/climate/background/sovacool_nuclear_ghg.pdf", ...
4rte1l
We're samurai generally honorable?
Or were ronin touring the countryside taking whatever they could from peasants? We often hear tales of knights' chivalry, but they often became analogous to marauders. Were the Samurai actually held to uphold bushido or were they as romanticized as the knights of Europe?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4rte1l/were_samurai_generally_honorable/
{ "a_id": [ "d54202b" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Clearing the initial misconception that a code, bushido, existed during the time in which people generally place the samurai (Sengoku, warring, etc.) - I poke around in that a bit [here](_URL_0_), but essentially whilst the main tenets and influe...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3mq5p2/how_much_influence_did_bushido_have_outside_of/" ] ]
3x6jll
how is an area of a country/city is calculated?
How do Wikipedia, Google, etc come up with those numbers?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3x6jll/eli5_how_is_an_area_of_a_countrycity_is_calculated/
{ "a_id": [ "cy1z6iq" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The boundaries of both countries and cities are usually fairly well defined. It's what keeps surveyors employed. Once you know where the boundary of the city or country is then it's just one more math problem to calculate how much land.\n" ] }
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[ [] ]
7cyku3
since people with higher metabolisms are turning more energy stores into usable energy, do they have more energy?
Confused about this
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7cyku3/eli5_since_people_with_higher_metabolisms_are/
{ "a_id": [ "dpto7s2" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "There's a lot of confusion evident in this question.\n\nFirst of all, you're using the word \"energy\" in two different ways. \"Energy stores\" and \"usable energy\" both use the word in the same way, i.e., chemical energy generated by the body f...
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[ [] ]
df7ofm
how do they make eye glasses for infants?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/df7ofm/eli5_how_do_they_make_eye_glasses_for_infants/
{ "a_id": [ "f31gug1", "f31kgyn", "f31r6us", "f326k11" ], "score": [ 3, 11, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "I saw a post on Reddit today, looked like less than a year old", "At just a few weeks old, a baby with healthy eyes will track you, moving their head and eyes to follow you. I...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
3nur1s
Is the size of DNA proportional to the complexity of the organism?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3nur1s/is_the_size_of_dna_proportional_to_the_complexity/
{ "a_id": [ "cvrupzj", "cvrur3g", "cvsll6j" ], "score": [ 2, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "[Here](_URL_0_) is a short list of different species with their chromosome counts. One example of a fairly simple animal, the Agrodiaetus butterfly, has one of the highest chromosome counts of any mult...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organisms_by_chromosome_count" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-value#Variation_among_species" ], [] ]