q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 3 301 | selftext stringlengths 0 39.2k | document stringclasses 1
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values | url stringlengths 4 132 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
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hp9lu | Is it possible to have a source of EM radiation that emits an "overtone series", analogous to some sources of sound? Elaboration inside. | Say you have an ideal string that's fastened at both ends. It can create standing waves that lie in its harmonic series, i.e. with wavelengths relative to the length of the string like 1/n, where n is a natural number. It can vibrate in any superposition of these frequencies, thus emitting multiple waves simultaneously... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/hp9lu/is_it_possible_to_have_a_source_of_em_radiation/ | {
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"text": [
"A string *itself* is not a source of sound. A string is a resonator which, when excited (usually by an arbitrarily broad spectrum of frequencies), will continue to oscillate at its resonant frequency and harmonics thereof. But the harmonics have ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6lb21s | the physical effects of ptsd | What physical happens in the victims brain when they have PTSD? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6lb21s/eli5_the_physical_effects_of_ptsd/ | {
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"Not much really. They may have a Traumatic brain injury from the incident but ultimately PTSD is just very vivid memories and reactions.\n\n\nThere's no real physical effect on th... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2op14y | If multiplication is repeated addition, then what repeated operation is addition? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2op14y/if_multiplication_is_repeated_addition_then_what/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmpdni2",
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"I've never answered an AskScience question before, so I hope this response is up to standard. I'll give it a shot!\n\nIn mathematics, there are statements called axioms which are elemental statement... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://mathworld.wolfram.com/PeanosAxioms.html"
],
[
"http://www.maa.org/external_archive/devlin/devlin_06_08.html"
],
[]
] | ||
c0ijph | I recently became aware of Laconic Phrases and was wondering why it came out of style and if there were any specific ways in which it was taught to the youth of Sparta? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/c0ijph/i_recently_became_aware_of_laconic_phrases_and/ | {
"a_id": [
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"We don't really know if it was ever in style and whether youths were taught to speak in pithy one-liners. Mostly, the surviving laconic phrases reflect outsiders' fascination with how strange the Spartans were as a result of their strict upbringi... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8wy1ku/were_spartans_really_as_witty_as_we_portray_them/e20m1mb/"
]
] | ||
9w8j8d | would an acid dumpster work ? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9w8j8d/eli5_would_an_acid_dumpster_work/ | {
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"text": [
"Every single piece of reactant trash you put in would neutralize the acid solution by a little bit, until the solution would no longer do anything. The cost of acid by the million... | [] | [] | [
[],
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3c55dz | why is the weather app on my iphone always wrong? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3c55dz/eli5_why_is_the_weather_app_on_my_iphone_always/ | {
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"text": [
"It gets its data from Yahoo, so that's were the problem lies, the newer iOS versions use The Weather Channel.",
"Do you have the location set wrong?"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
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equyve | How connected were the passage of the Canada Act 1982, Australia Act 1986 and the New Zealand Constitution Act 1986? | Was there a push from the UK to end their constitutional links with the old "settler colonies" in the 80's?
Did the leaders of these 3 countries consult each other on how to approach these issues?
Or did the 3 counties independently seek to become totally independent and its just a coincidence that they achieved it... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/equyve/how_connected_were_the_passage_of_the_canada_act/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The push was from the dominions themselves. The acts were essentially passed to eliminate any last vestiges of residual legal authority that Britain might have, either via arcane constitutional or case laws. It needs to be seen as a gradual proce... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4ymozx | when a server experiences too much traffic and goes down, what exactly do the server owners change to make it work again? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ymozx/eli5_when_a_server_experiences_too_much_traffic/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Usually nothing. All that is needed is to stop allowing new connections/requests, flush out the existing ones and then put the server back online. The whole part where you wait around is sometimes just to get people to lose ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5wi5h5 | how are cults of personality formed? how are they maintained? and how can they be destroyed? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5wi5h5/eli5_how_are_cults_of_personality_formed_how_are/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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8,
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"text": [
"Aka how can I become a cult leader?",
"It's pretty complex and it varies from culture to culture. A good (non-controversial) example to mention would be the Kim dynasty of North Korea.\n\nBetween t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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25jpna | Can anybody help identify these people? Circa 1944-45 | Here is the [picture](_URL_0_). I received it from my girlfriend's grandfather, who served as a Marine in the Pacific front. Thanks in advance! | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/25jpna/can_anybody_help_identify_these_people_circa/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The caption gives away one of the figures--\"Dug Out Dug\" was the moniker given to General Douglas MacArthur when he retreated to the island of Corregidor during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. This island was a fortress, unlike the B... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/M31uTER"
] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_M._Wainwright_\\(general\\)"
]
] | |
20npln | Is there a difference between water that was heated in a microwave and water that was heated on the stove? | A lot of people swear that microwaved water has a different taste and makes worse tea than its stove heated counterpart. Is there any science to back this up?
I know the myth about microwaved water killing plants is false, but is there any, even minor, differences? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/20npln/is_there_a_difference_between_water_that_was/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Probably not.\n\nThe heating of the water is absolutely not going to impact how it tastes. \n\nIf there is a taste change, that indicates a change in the chemical makeup of the water. The only way that I can think of that... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
14joll | What is the yield of the largest H bomb explosion possible? | This is a question that I have had for some time. I am aware of the largest nuclear device detonated, which was the Tsar Bomba tested during the Cold War. The Tsar was designed to be 100 megatons but it was only made to be 50 to reduce fallout. Is there an absolute zero, if I may be so bold, for the H-bomb as far as ye... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/14joll/what_is_the_yield_of_the_largest_h_bomb_explosion/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Weapons designers generally consider that there is no real practical limit to the yield that could be achieved with a staged Ulam-Teller thermonuclear warhead. However, it's more destructive to use smaller warheads in a multi-warhead MIRV design... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
a55on8 | In the film/book: Master & Commander, lots of the ships officers were children. How accurate is this? | During the Napoleonic Wars, how would children end up on navy ships in this time period? What kind of families did they come from (rich or poor)? What part did children/teenagers play in the navy? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a55on8/in_the_filmbook_master_commander_lots_of_the/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Just a minor point of clarification: the book *Master and Commander* is not the book the film *Master and Commander: The Far side of the World* is based on -- the film is based on the book *The Far Side of the World.* But both do depict the Roya... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2b42u0/during_the_napoleonic_wars_how_young_were_naval/",
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/29f3s7/how_does_the_royal_navys_organisation_command/"
]
] | |
64jk9g | Which Baroque composers were actually famous and renowned while they were alive? | Sorry if this has been asked before, I searched before I posted. Every time I learn about a Baroque-era composer, it seems his music was discovered and celebrated after his death (Bach and Vivaldi are the best examples). Which Baroque composers actually enjoyed success and fame during their lives? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/64jk9g/which_baroque_composers_were_actually_famous_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"dg2rlwi"
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"text": [
"I think you need to scootch your definition of a “successful” Baroque composer down a little bit! I’d consider both Bach and Vivaldi very successful. They made a comfortable amount of money and were known and respected for their musical work amo... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://blog.counterpointspublishing.com/2011/02/how-to-handle-spelling-handel/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2enhk8/why_werent_there_more_women_composers_in_the_age/"
]
] | |
7ztl2w | During a recent debate with a friend, I mentioned that for most of human history, childbirth was the runaway leading cause for death among women. My friend asked for a citation or evidence for that claim, and when I googled it, I found basically nothing. What is the evidence for, or against this? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7ztl2w/during_a_recent_debate_with_a_friend_i_mentioned/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Maternal mortality is no joke now or in the past. And even in the West, a significant drop in a mother's chances of dying during or because of childbirth didn't occur until the later 19th century--in part thanks to advances in medical care and s... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
zhgf0 | Is the term "Light Year" relative? | Since our conception of time is relative to the amount of "time" it takes for the Earth to revolve around the Sun one time and at the rate at which the Earth rotates itself, wouldn't the term "light year" be relative as well? If we base the term light year as the amount of distance it can travel in one Earth year, then... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/zhgf0/is_the_term_light_year_relative/ | {
"a_id": [
"c64me0a"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
" > ... then wouldn't it tend to lose its definition when you take Earth out of perspective?\n\nThe \"year\" is simply a unit of measure. It doesn't matter what unit we use - just like a kilometer doesn't magically \"lose its definition\" if you ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3wn2ww | How is gas ionized in a Geissler tube? | There has been a long discussion about this while studying chemistry for an exam and after a whole lot of googling we still are not quite clear on the exact mechanism.
We are aware that "gas is ionized under the influence of an electric field" but why? Keep in mind we are talking about a Geissler tube, so 10-100Pa of ... | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3wn2ww/how_is_gas_ionized_in_a_geissler_tube/ | {
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"text": [
"I thought I understood it intuitively, but I had to do some googling too to clear up some things.\n\nGenerally electrons are accelerated by the electric field and ionise gas molecules when they collide with them. As is described in [this wikipedi... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_discharge_in_gases"
]
] | |
6qu6xb | why is it that when i'm driving and i stop at a light or whatnot it appears i am moving in reverse when i'm not moving at all? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6qu6xb/eli5_why_is_it_that_when_im_driving_and_i_stop_at/ | {
"a_id": [
"dl01i7v"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"This is a variation of what's informally known as the [Waterfall effect](_URL_0_).\n\nBasically what it is is your brain trying to make sense of continuous motion, and to a point, trying to compensate for it. \n\nIf that motion stops, your brain... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_aftereffect"
]
] | ||
f7k6g1 | why do large tomatoes have lots of seeds and a core, but cherry tomatoes are totally seedless and coreless? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f7k6g1/eli5_why_do_large_tomatoes_have_lots_of_seeds_and/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"At its most simple.. they're entirely different species of tomato. Cherry tomatoes aren't just small regular tomatoes. They're a different thing altogether.",
"Cherry tomatoes are not seedless. Just look at [this photo](... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQV9TpkQlmv4FtdBD5oK7C6VE8S0b-2E4FR1VqmtK3jRoeX9yGq&s"
]
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32nyln | How much has the sea level risen in the last 100 years and in the 100 years before that? | What part of these rises are due to anthropogenic climate change? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/32nyln/how_much_has_the_sea_level_risen_in_the_last_100/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"As a starting point, the wikipedia entries on [current sea level rise](_URL_0_) and the more general one on [sea level](_URL_3_) are reasonably detailed. For the last ~150 years, we have a relatively robust record of sea level rise from [tide gau... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise#/media/File:Trends_in_global_average_absolute_sea_level,_1870-2008_%28US_EPA%29.png",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_sea_level_rise#/media/File:Post-Glacial_Sea_Level.png",
"http://en... | |
sr9v2 | How can you determine a spaceship's mass in deepspace? | Trying to determine appropriate ways to solve for F=MA for a software project I'm working on (a game). This started out as a thought experiment and I hope to work it in to the gameplay if reasonable.
Environment/Conditions/Assumptions
* The ship is in deepspace, not near any large body
* Force output by the ship at ... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/sr9v2/how_can_you_determine_a_spaceships_mass_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4gav53",
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"score": [
3,
3
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"text": [
"If your engine was to be calibrated so that it's exact thrust is known, then all you need is an accelerometer like the ones found in an Iphone, to give you a value for acceleration, then you can find the mass of the ship",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
bganhn | Does having a prosthetic limb reduce the effects or feelings of phantom pain? | Additionally, does phantom pain last indefinitely, or does it get better/worse in any way? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/bganhn/does_having_a_prosthetic_limb_reduce_the_effects/ | {
"a_id": [
"ell8pkm"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The answer to both is 'it depends'. Phantom pain syndrome is incredibly variable in both it's severity and treatment. So, some people might have a reduction or elimination of PPS in response to a prosthetic, but others might have no change at al... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
72rqds | why is the spinal cord so difficult to attach? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/72rqds/eli5_why_is_the_spinal_cord_so_difficult_to_attach/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
2,
8
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"text": [
"Nerves in the spinal cord and brain scar for reasons we do not understand, causing a blockage for connections to otherwise form. \n\nAlso blood is actually toxic when placed directly on nerve cells so if you got spinal traum... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
4im7un | what is the difference between the wto and nafta? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4im7un/eli5what_is_the_difference_between_the_wto_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2zd0az"
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"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"The World Trade Organization is a membership based institution with 162 member states. The goal is to regulate international trade by setting standards, reducing trade barriers, and settling disputes between member nations. \n\nNAFTA is a regiona... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
7m2tf7 | why does the temperature at which you cook your food matter? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7m2tf7/eli5_why_does_the_temperature_at_which_you_cook/ | {
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4
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"text": [
"Most cooking methods involve blasting the outside of the food with heat, so the inside of the food is insulated from the heat. If you cook at too high a temperature, the outside will start to burn before the inside is full... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5lpohy | why does it seem that when consuming alcohol you need to use the bathroom far more frequently than if you were drinking a comparable amount of non-alcoholic liquid? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5lpohy/eli5_why_does_it_seem_that_when_consuming_alcohol/ | {
"a_id": [
"dbxioru"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"That's because it doesn't just seem like it, you **do** have to go pee more often. Alcohol plays around with your brain a little, causing a gland to stop producing a hormone that regulates the levels of fluid in your body and causes you to \"open... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://youtu.be/0kfhqR1mJ_0?t=8m50s"
]
] | ||
3szudx | what causes that crackling sound when you walk on hardwood floors? | It's not full-blown creaking, but whenever I step on the floor it has this light noise it makes. It sounds a bit like snapping, crackling, popping, if you will. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3szudx/eli5_what_causes_that_crackling_sound_when_you/ | {
"a_id": [
"cx1vjcl",
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"score": [
4,
3
],
"text": [
"Well hardwood floors are typically made of multiple pieces of wood, and you can only be so precise when laying the hardwood. By some fraction of an inch, the floor is probably misaligned or uneven. ",
"Are you talking ab... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
7uhdn6 | why are the survival methods when encountering a black bear different from encountering a brown bear? | One you have to be aggressive and loud, and the other you need to lie down on your stomach and put your arms on your neck.
What is the reason for this, and how are the bear personalities' contributing to this difference in reaction? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7uhdn6/eli5why_are_the_survival_methods_when/ | {
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10,
5,
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"text": [
"Black bears are much, much smaller than brown bears. Brown bears include grizzly bears. So you can intimidate a black bear much more e... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1pse2m | why is it that data is always unavailable for greenland? | When you look at Wikipedia articles for the Human Development Index or Economic Freedom Index or any of the sort, Greenland is always listed as "Data Unavailable". Very few other places are listed as such, including North Korea, Somalia and South Sudan.
Greenland obviously isn't the most advanced nation in the world,... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pse2m/eli5_why_is_it_that_data_is_always_unavailable/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Greenland isn't an independent country, for starters. It's still part of Denmark. Considering that it has a population of 60,000 people, using the same data as for Denmark proper wouldn't be an accura... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4e0w26 | Alexander The Great died young, but do we know anything of what his ambitions were? What was he planning to do in the rest of his life provided everything went smoothly? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4e0w26/alexander_the_great_died_young_but_do_we_know/ | {
"a_id": [
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13,
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"text": [
"Part of the problem for Alexander studies is that almost all of his intentions are mysterious. Any words about what Alexander wanted are at one remove from Alexander, even at the best of times.\n\nE... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_t27.htm",
"http://www.attalus.org/translate/alexander3d.html"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
9aopir | Medical historians: when and why did dentistry evolve as a separate discipline from medicine/surgery, instead of as a specialty such as ophthalmology or ENT? | I'm interested in why medicine and dentistry (and, to some extent, podiatry) seem to be considered so distinct. Why is there a difference in medical education (medical school and M.D./D.O. vs. dental school and D.D.S.)? Did early physicians practice both medicine and dentistry? If there was a split where the two practi... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9aopir/medical_historians_when_and_why_did_dentistry/ | {
"a_id": [
"e4ykrk9"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Dentistry originated from the barbershop interestingly (as did surgery). You see dentistry and surgery split from each other in Middle Ages France.\n\n\\ > A **Guild of Barbers** is established in France. Barbers eventually evolve into two group... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/about-om/history",
"https://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-history-and-presidents-of-the-ada/ada-history-of-dentistry-timeline"
]
] | |
61trnz | how did we go from speaking like shakespeare to how we speak now? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/61trnz/eli5_how_did_we_go_from_speaking_like_shakespeare/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfh6sdx"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"From the Google\n\n > \"Shakespeare's sonnets are written predominantly in a meter called iambic pentameter, a rhyme scheme in which each sonnet line consists of ten syllables. The syllables are divided into five pairs called iambs or iambic fee... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
7znmi4 | open source: why are so many people willing to write software to give for free? also, why is it in similar areas, eg game dev or digital media design, open source is much less common? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7znmi4/eli5open_source_why_are_so_many_people_willing_to/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Reasons to develop open source:\n\n1) Because other people can use it and therefore it is useful for human progress.\n2) Because people can then customize it for their own use, and look through the source code to ensure that they are not being sp... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1zv84b | Do brain cells still produce insulin in type I diabetics? | I recently learned that [the brain produces insulin and related proteins](_URL_0_). Type I diabetes results from the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas (which produce insulin)... **but does this affect the brain's production of insulin at all?** | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1zv84b/do_brain_cells_still_produce_insulin_in_type_i/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfxupr5"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It perhaps doesn't happen all that often, but sometimes you can answer a question by the information in the question itself. You have provided enough information to do that. And I plan to show you how, and if you still think there needs to be mo... | [] | [
"http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/20838.php"
] | [
[]
] | |
3a26tc | what is at & t next and should i do it | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3a26tc/eli5_what_is_att_next_and_should_i_do_it/ | {
"a_id": [
"cs8kqns",
"cs8kvm3"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Instead of buying it in full or getting a subsidized price for 2-year contract, you pay $0 down and instead have monthly payments on top of your bill. You can upgrade your device at any time, you just have to pay the remaini... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1xt1z1 | how is the comcast/time warner merger legal, but the at & t/t-mobile blocked by the doj? | It seems like Comcast would have the biggest of monopolies if this deal were to go through. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xt1z1/eli5_how_is_the_comcasttime_warner_merger_legal/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfecljm",
"cfecm7c"
],
"score": [
4,
5
],
"text": [
"The merger hasn't been approved yet. It's very possible that it'll be blocked.",
"The DOJ hasn't ruled yet on whether the merger is legal.\n\nThe way it works is that the companies work out the financial details of the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
941vty | Was the USA necessary for a victory against the axis powers in WW2 | Assuming they kept supplying the allies with weapons would the victory one the western front have been possible. | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/941vty/was_the_usa_necessary_for_a_victory_against_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"e3hq5oq"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"I'm not sure exactly what the question means -- maybe you mean, could Germany have been defeated anyway, even if the US had not contributed troops but had kept up the same level of supply?\n\nAnd there's not a clear thing to search for in previou... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ku09p/in_ww2_who_had_greater_industrial_capacity_the/cv0m243/?context=3"
]
] | |
2lhad1 | why do i not smell perfume i've sprayed on me but other people do? | I love wearing different perfumes so it's not like I'm used to the same fragrance. Once the fragrance sets in, I never smell it unless I bring my shirt or wrist up to my nose but people around me will tell me I smell good. Why can't I enjoy the damn fragrance I spent so much money on?! :P | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lhad1/eli5_why_do_i_not_smell_perfume_ive_sprayed_on_me/ | {
"a_id": [
"cluriqe",
"clurnzo"
],
"score": [
8,
3
],
"text": [
"Why don't you see your nose? It's within your vision.\n\nYour brain filters out your nose, because it's always there, and likewise, it filters out smells that are \"always there\". \n\nThe phenomenon is called [sensory ada... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_adaptation"
],
[]
] | |
47v73k | why are organic foods cheaper in some countries (like sweden) as opposed to others? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/47v73k/eli5_why_are_organic_foods_cheaper_in_some/ | {
"a_id": [
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"d0fur88",
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"d0gj9lb"
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"score": [
31,
4,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"I think there's two simple economic explanation that should answer your question:\n\n* Because Swedish like to buy organic food, there's a higher demand for it, so many businesses... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6igf20 | is there a limitation to how small can human being get? can you shrank a person to a size of an ant while keeping all vital organs proportions the same? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6igf20/is_there_a_limitation_to_how_small_can_human/ | {
"a_id": [
"dj67d2g",
"dj6ceov"
],
"score": [
5,
16
],
"text": [
"No. You can't just make something orders of magnitude smaller because ultimately organs functionality relies on cells, and cells function on a molecular level, and molecules have a fixed size. There is wiggle room in the nu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square-cube_law",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number"
]
] | ||
p7e50 | Where did the first anaerobic bacteria on earth come from? | I'm reading Origins by Tyson and Goldsmith and the first anaerobic bacteria on Earth are mentioned in the first chapter, but not where they come from. Based on commonly accepted scientific theories, where did these simple anaerobic bacteria come from and how did they end up on Earth? Were these bacteria present in th... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/p7e50/where_did_the_first_anaerobic_bacteria_on_earth/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3n3v2t"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Early life (if not the first life) on Earth would have all been anaerobic due to the lack of oxygen in the Earth atmosphere until roughly 2 billion years ago when oxygen became prominent via production by cyanobacteria which are photosynthetic. \... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenesis",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Oxygenation_Event"
]
] | |
3g6kug | when i'm touching my skin with my finger, does my finger feel my skin or does the skin feel the finger? or does it both? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3g6kug/eli5_when_im_touching_my_skin_with_my_finger_does/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctvc34n"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Both! There are some areas of the body that are more sensitive than others though. Lightly rub your fingers across your lips. You'll feel a lot of sensation on your lips but little on your fingers. Then run your finger across the bottom of yo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2csgo6 | Cold War Foreign Policy: The Soviet point of view | So... in Western Media and culture, we're often presented with the common narrative that the Soviets were aggressors intent on conquering Western Europe, and that if we didn't spend money on a big military, nukes, or support for NATO, that we'd all be speaking Russian today. Generally, the Soviets were the "baddies" a... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2csgo6/cold_war_foreign_policy_the_soviet_point_of_view/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjimy8v",
"cjinm0c"
],
"score": [
33,
4
],
"text": [
"The irony of all of it is that the Eastern Bloc was just as, if not more, abhorrent towards the idea of war. The idea of a war was very frightening to the leaders, especially those who had seen 27 million of their countryme... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Days_to_the_River_Rhine",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_war",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_arms_race#D.C3.A9tente"
],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslovakian_parliamentary_election,_1946"
]
] | |
3qulo9 | how and why does dickbutt exist? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qulo9/eli5_how_and_why_does_dickbutt_exist/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwig9z1"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Origin\n > On July 2nd, 2006, artist K.C. Green published a webcomic in his titled “Tree. You’ve Been Good to Us\" as part of the Horribleville[1] series, which featured an artist who illustrates the Dick Butt character after being scolded for wa... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/dick-butt"
]
] | ||
2tfo2a | If the Greeks and earlier knew about the earth being round, why did no one sail west out of Europe before Columbus? | Discounting the Vikings in Greenland. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2tfo2a/if_the_greeks_and_earlier_knew_about_the_earth/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnyv4sp",
"cnz5ixb"
],
"score": [
15,
2
],
"text": [
"It's worth remembering that not only did the Greeks know that the earth was spherical, but they also had a pretty accurate idea of how large it was. Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth to within about ten... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1kamwc | How long would I have to soak a teabag in water before all of the caffeine is dissolved? | How does this compare to the solubility of the tea flavour? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1kamwc/how_long_would_i_have_to_soak_a_teabag_in_water/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbn2duj",
"cbn2nvo",
"cbncra9"
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"score": [
2,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Interesting question. I suppose you would have to run this experiment yourself. An HPLC can be used to determine amounts of caffeine in a substance. You would have to leave the teabag in boiling wate... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
cnwq2f | How were African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native and Muslim prisoners treated in Nazi Germany's POW Camps? Were they treated more harshly when compared to their caucasian counterparts? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cnwq2f/how_were_african_american_asian_hispanic_native/ | {
"a_id": [
"ex1u0ik"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It depended quite heavily on what army said prisoners belonged to. For example, Jews who were part of the Red Army were usually summarily executed, others were sent to death camps such as Sobibor or Auschwitz. Outside of death camps, huge numbers... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/obituaries/anthony-acevedo-who-documented-his-holocaust-ordeal-dies-at-93.html",
"https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/blacks-during-the-holocaust-era"
]
] | ||
b5b23p | When lighting a gas grill or heater, why must you hold the valve down for several seconds before the flame will stay lit? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/b5b23p/when_lighting_a_gas_grill_or_heater_why_must_you/ | {
"a_id": [
"ejcg8iy"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Could be one, of two reasons. First, you need to purge the line, and make sure the gas is flowing. So as you hold down the button, gas is pushing out. This is before it’s lit. Second, after it’s lit, you need to hold it down to heat up the thermo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
82cqx3 | why do properties in the starting corner of monopoly such as park place or boardwalk have a lower chance of being landed on than others? | I just played a game, and I landed on St. James multiple times while my opponents rarely landed on my hotel'd Boardwalk. What's the math behind this? Or do I just have bad luck? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/82cqx3/eli5_why_do_properties_in_the_starting_corner_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"dv95cd0",
"dv97ypc"
],
"score": [
2,
8
],
"text": [
"I don't remember the game that well, but I do remember that you occasionally restart from Go or Jail or other spaces when you land on chance or community chest. Spaces that are closer to restart points and those points will ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
8mumym | Is the democracy as it is understood today the same democracy as it was understood during the Foundation of the US? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8mumym/is_the_democracy_as_it_is_understood_today_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dzqhuy5"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"If I understand you right, you're asking if the Founding Fathers would recognize the core of what they created in the US political system as it existed in 1998 (you know, 20-year rule and all), is that correct?"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3pb1lj | why is china's economic growth dipping below 7% such a big deal? | Just read about this on WSJ (_URL_0_).
Assuming economic growth and GDP growth are synonymous, isn't 6.9% growth still great compared to the US GDP growth? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3pb1lj/eli5_why_is_chinas_economic_growth_dipping_below/ | {
"a_id": [
"cw4seml",
"cw4y33x"
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"For starters, China's economy is run by its politicians, so nobody believes that 6.9% number is real. All anybody knows is that the lower government numbers mean the real number is also getting lower, and investors and analy... | [] | [
"http://www.wsj.com/articles/china-economic-growth-falls-below-7-for-first-time-since-2009-1445221368?mod=djemalertNEWS"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
550y0d | To what extent can we accept that galaxies are accelerating away from each other since the existence of universe, considering that we have observed only a fraction of time of the universe's lifetime (or behaviour of galaxies) so far? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/550y0d/to_what_extent_can_we_accept_that_galaxies_are/ | {
"a_id": [
"d87tkkk",
"d87w2q0"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"We observed [galaxies](_URL_3_) out to a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. The Universe is roughly 13.8 billion years old, so we have seen the vast majority of the fraction of the age of the Universe, not a small... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubble%27s_law",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_energy",
"http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/features/cosmic/farthest_info.html",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_microwave_background"
],
[]
] | ||
2ix6e6 | Can the argument "America was the reason the Allies won World War 2" be made? If so, how? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ix6e6/can_the_argument_america_was_the_reason_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl6c6h4",
"cl6dgxl",
"cl6wivp"
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"score": [
17,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"My answer is ignoring the Pacific theatre. \n\nNo more than the statement \"The Soviet Union was the reason the Allies won World War 2\" can be made. The United States contributed a great deal to the m... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
550o5f | What is special about aqua regia that it's constituents can't do on their own, and what is the physical/chemical explanation? | 1/3rd nitric acid and 2/3rds hydrochloric acid, aqua regia is known for its ability to dissolve relatively stable elements like gold and platinum. Can nitric acid, or hydrochloric acid on their own not do so? If not, what physically and or chemically changes to make this possible? If so, why make aqua regia at all? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/550o5f/what_is_special_about_aqua_regia_that_its/ | {
"a_id": [
"d87gnxw"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"According to the [description here ](_URL_0_), it's a matter of the combination of the two acids using different processes simultaneously that bypass the individual limitations of each. Nitric acid can react with metallic gold, but because it pro... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqua_regia#Dissolving_gold"
]
] | |
1m98qj | russia- communist, secular, religious, democrazy? what's their deal? | A quick Google search yielded too many detailed and long explanations that I simply don't have time for. Essentially, **can someone give me Russia's political history for the past ~100 years in a few sentences?**
I'm confused. They *WERE* secular and without religion for a while, but now they are orthodox or something... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1m98qj/eli5_russia_communist_secular_religious_democrazy/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc6yo1z",
"cc6zbmj"
],
"score": [
6,
11
],
"text": [
"Autocratic empire until 1917, then communist for nearly 75 years. The USSR collapsed in 1991, and Russia has been an increasingly autocratic semi-democracy since then. Russia is absolutely **not** a communist state any mor... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3y1g27 | Has the sun ever set on the american empire. | So we know that with her few remaining colonies, the sun has yet to set on the British empire. But given that america has military bases globally, could they start making a similar claim? When did the sun last on american soil? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3y1g27/has_the_sun_ever_set_on_the_american_empire/ | {
"a_id": [
"cy9ok8d",
"cy9rtx4"
],
"score": [
2,
8
],
"text": [
"Does a military base count as american soil?",
"The expression \"the sun never sets on the X empire\" has been famously used in reference to a number of empires, but it's generally taken to indicate the expansiveness of ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_sociopol/globalmilitarism58_14.jpg"
]
] | |
238cd2 | How can there be two lunar eclipses within one month if it takes the moon a month to orbit? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/238cd2/how_can_there_be_two_lunar_eclipses_within_one/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgurx7a"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"It takes the moon 29.5 days to complete a cycle of phases. This is called the *synodic month.* Calendar months aren't tied to lunar cycles and most have 30 or 31 days."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5gowgs | Whу іs саrtіlаgе sо slоw tо rераіr? | Соuld іt bе duе tо сhоdnrосуtе рrоlfіеrаtіоn bеіng lоw, оr mаtrіх sуnthеsіs bеіng lоw, оr іs іt sоmеthіng еlsе whісh іs саusіng іt tо hеаl sо slоwlу? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5gowgs/whу_іs_саrtіlаgе_sо_slоw_tо_rераіr/ | {
"a_id": [
"datziuv",
"dau00ww"
],
"score": [
4,
30
],
"text": [
"In general it is because there is lack of blood supply.\n\nMost of the blood supply to cartilage actually doesn't reach the cartilage directly, and instead all nutrients must diffuse across extracellular space and membranes... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.themichelicenter.com/revolutionizing-the-acl-surgery/"
]
] | |
71dkvf | how many planes, vertices, edges and faces does a sphere have? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/71dkvf/eli5_how_many_planes_vertices_edges_and_faces/ | {
"a_id": [
"dn9x7vx",
"dn9xe2i"
],
"score": [
11,
6
],
"text": [
"A perfect sphere? Infinite. Every point on its surface is all of those things. 1 dimensional points have no area, so it has infinite of each on a perfect mathematical sphere.\n\nImperfect (i.e. Real) spheres have about as m... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
67ogmw | how did police, fire and ambulance become the 'standard' emergency services? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/67ogmw/eli5_how_did_police_fire_and_ambulance_become_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dgrxpvc",
"dgryay0",
"dgs2h55",
"dgs5f24"
],
"score": [
6,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"The only other \"emergency services\" are generally only needed in times of large-scale disaster - National Guard usually fills this role.\n\nYou need someone to enforce the law. T... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L0JLVDnpt4&t=3m35s",
"http://www.firefightersenemy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2010/05/IMG_1516.jpg",
"http://www.usd116.org/ums/apple/service/department/history/hydrant.html",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_medical_services_in_... | ||
e6rbec | what is the difference between nadh and nadph? | My teacher posted a quizlet but she used these 2 different terms, so I’m a little confused. Is there any real difference between the two? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e6rbec/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_nadh_and_nadph/ | {
"a_id": [
"f9sncq0",
"f9so6ys"
],
"score": [
6,
5
],
"text": [
"They are different. NADH(Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) has a chemical composition of C^(21)H^(27)N^(7)O^(14)P^(2). While NADPH(Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) is C^(21)H^(29)N^(7)O^(17)P^(3). As you can see... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1g4hwo | How quickly could a merchant from New York communicate with his clients in Cuba or South America in the mid-1850s? | I just read an interesting article about a merchant who serviced orders for people who needed goods available in New York city, but were located all over the Caribbean and South America. Were there telegraph systems in place, or would it have been a combination of letters and electronic means of communication? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1g4hwo/how_quickly_could_a_merchant_from_new_york/ | {
"a_id": [
"cagn6pt"
],
"score": [
13
],
"text": [
"Telegraph lines exploded across America in the 1850s, and a lot of early startups collapsed so that by the end of the decade there were only a few companies left standing, and the first transcontinental line was installed in 1861. \n\nThe first ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
23xuce | how do sexual thoughts trigger unconscious reactions like erections and wetness? | How is it that when you're aroused, your body knows you're aroused and prepares? I ask because unlike hand movements breathing or blinking these don't seem to be directly controlable. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23xuce/eli5how_do_sexual_thoughts_trigger_unconscious/ | {
"a_id": [
"ch1m7uz",
"ch1oxqu",
"ch1qlvp"
],
"score": [
3,
3,
4
],
"text": [
"I don't think it's possible to answer this ELI5",
"All thoughts can cause physical reactions in the body. Ever watch a thrilling movie and feel your heart race? Physically you're sitting on your b... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1j7k7h | Is there any proof that most of mankind's wars were because of (or started by) religion? | You hear this typically from anti-theists who might not know much of what they're talking about.
I did once read that only 1/4 of all wars were becaus of religion.
Of course when people think of religious war is mostly anything in the Middle East. You never hear about people listing wars in Asia caused by religion.
An... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1j7k7h/is_there_any_proof_that_most_of_mankinds_wars/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbbwee9",
"cbbwhs6"
],
"score": [
3,
19
],
"text": [
"I'll start off by admitting that I'm an antitheist. \n\nWith that being said, wars rarely have a single cause. The motivation of the leaders who take the country, nations, people, city state, whatever, into war may differ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4cesir | doctorate (doctors degree) | The non-medical degree.
Pure curiosity here, so after somebody does their Masters they can go towards their Doctorate.
What separates the two ? What are the requirements for a Doctorate dissertation ?
Edit: Thanks to all. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4cesir/eli5doctorate_doctors_degree/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1hit0n"
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"score": [
24
],
"text": [
"FWIW you don't have to have a masters degree to do a PhD. \n\nI was offered a PhD position straight out of my undergrad. Don't expect to get paid very well though...\n\n\n\n\n\n\n | Bachelors | Masters | Doctorate\n---|---|----|----\nScope | Ver... | [] | [] | [
[
"B.AG"
]
] | |
tq5c0 | For someone paralyzed from the waist down, permanently, would their life be easier if their legs were amputated at the thigh? | Sorry, this may seem like a ridiculous question, but if there is zero hope of recovery, totally severed spinal cord or whatnot, wouldn't it help them get around better and enjoy life if they were to dump so much dead weight?
Do doctors even consider something that radical? Is there a health reason why this is a bad i... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tq5c0/for_someone_paralyzed_from_the_waist_down/ | {
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"text": [
"Also, what kind of effect would does it have on the heart seeing how it has less tissue to pump to? ",
"I imagine at this point in time it would be unwise, considering how fast... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/health/losing-more-to-gain-more-amputees-once-unthinkable-choice.html?_r=1&gwh=2F209761DB40F319BAA88FDE3D150A38"
]
] | |
1gkmr1 | If a Western European at the beginning of the second millennium saw a typical city in West Africa, would they think it was advanced? Somewhat archaic? Or familiar? | Not Timbuktu or Koumbi Saleh, but a typical trade city.
Ignoring culture shock. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1gkmr1/if_a_western_european_at_the_beginning_of_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cal7yiw",
"caldnpf",
"calhhmq"
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"score": [
2,
12,
4
],
"text": [
" > advanced? Somewhat archaic? Or familiar?\n\nAs mentioned in other /r/askhistorians posts, the idea of strong material progress in society, that is, the idea that society is constantly becoming more... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/zrhgk/what_did_people_in_your_area_of_expertise_think/c67haeu"
],
[],
[
"http://books.google.com/books?id=DhiPUvi1ylYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false",
"http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home... | |
2icnbq | If our sun suddenly disappeared, would the earth's direction of travel be affected before we see the drop in light from Earth? | I'm wondering whether the change in Gravity would "travel" faster than the speed of light. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2icnbq/if_our_sun_suddenly_disappeared_would_the_earths/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl0xuch"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"No, gravity 'works' (don't know the correct scientific word for it) at the speed of light. This means that earth would not change orbit until everything had gone pitch black, the 8 minutes or so that light takes to effect earth."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4w0z3o | are the individual cells of a multi-cellular organism subject to natural selection? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4w0z3o/eli5_are_the_individual_cells_of_a_multicellular/ | {
"a_id": [
"d632dlq",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"They moderate themselves, in a way, by stopping division if they find something wrong, but I don't believe they fight each other all the time.",
"Middle/High School Science teacher here, is there a flair for that?\n\n\"N... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
bcdlue | why do human need to have ears that hear up to 20khz when our human voice frequency range is between 300 to 3khz? | Was wondering why audio amplifiers need to have up to 20kHz bandwidth when we can only create up to 3kHz of sound with our voice | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bcdlue/eli5why_do_human_need_to_have_ears_that_hear_up/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Because we need to hear things that arent human. Like predators, or natural disasters or all sorts of things that could signify danger.\n\nThe ability to communicate is useful but... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
7r0k8w | why is it hard to speak when we are emotional? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7r0k8w/eli5_why_is_it_hard_to_speak_when_we_are_emotional/ | {
"a_id": [
"dst9gdx",
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"Emotions are caused by chemicals being released in the brain. These chemicals can cause love, panic, fear, nostalgia, etc. When surprising information hits your brain, it can get flooded by these chemicals and can hinder oth... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
37iuch | why is pencil writing so much easier to erase than pen ink? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37iuch/eli5_why_is_pencil_writing_so_much_easier_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"crn1tth"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Pencil writing, usually graphite, is leaving a mark on the top of the paper. It is putting stuff *on* the paper. \n\nPen ink, meanwhile, is staining the paper. It is putting stuff *in* the paper. Paper is made up of small fibers, and ink will ble... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4f38ch | when sleeptalking why do we only say snippets of the speech in our dream and not all of it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4f38ch/eli5_when_sleeptalking_why_do_we_only_say/ | {
"a_id": [
"d25jf8q"
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"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"Anecdotal: I know from my experiences that the only time people here me sleep talking is during the most intense part of the dream (either physical or emotional). Usually people will only hear me at regular volume if I'm yelling in the dream. Reg... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
z6638 | wtf is that little pi symbol doing in the bottom right corner? | Seriously. Scroll down. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/z6638/eli5_wtf_is_that_little_pi_symbol_doing_in_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"c61vibt"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"It's from the 1995 Sandra Bullock movie \"The Net\". [This should explain everything.](_URL_0_) Be sure to Ctrl+Shift "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXPXMxsXT28"
]
] | |
3q3zwk | why have remote tribes not created better/more efficient tools for themselves? are the tools available now the best they will ever be? | Possible that tools now are relatively young conpared to mankind's existence just wondering if there was any legitimate reason. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3q3zwk/eli5_why_have_remote_tribes_not_created/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwbut5v"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"\"Necessity is the mother of invention\" Advances have historically been made in response to problems. We need to carry water, we use a hollow gourd, then maybe later an oiled skin, then a bucket. We need to cut meat, we use a sharp stone, then w... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
7q95d3 | why do women’s breasts change so much after breastfeeding and not return to original condition? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7q95d3/eli5_why_do_womens_breasts_change_so_much_after/ | {
"a_id": [
"dsncge4",
"dsndo2e",
"dsnf1ke"
],
"score": [
7,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Gravity is the biggest enemy of women's breasts. Having breasts stretch to make room for milk will make permanent changes. ",
"Coopers droop. The cooper ligaments are what hold the breast shape. P... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2gjwvv | Why does blue light travel slower in glass than red light? | I understand that blue light slows by more and therefore refracts by more, but I'm not entirely sure why blue light travels slower in, say glass, than red. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2gjwvv/why_does_blue_light_travel_slower_in_glass_than/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckjtogj"
],
"score": [
55
],
"text": [
"The two parameters that govern the speed of light are the electric permittivity (epsilon) and magnetic permeability (mu) of the medium the light is traveling through. You can loosely think of these two parameters as describing how much the medi... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4nifs6 | why would someone design a virus that obviously messes with your computer? wouldn't they want it to be as subtle as possible to steal the most information? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4nifs6/eli5why_would_someone_design_a_virus_that/ | {
"a_id": [
"d445a72",
"d4463wd",
"d447mjy"
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"score": [
4,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"nowadays, that's exactly what they do: the software sneaks into a system, grabs as much information as it can without alerting whoever is in charge, then sends it to whoever created it. The more 'obvio... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3s1bq7 | how do flocks of birds and shoals of fish communicate to make instant and sharp turns in the same direction? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3s1bq7/eli5how_do_flocks_of_birds_and_shoals_of_fish/ | {
"a_id": [
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15,
3,
2,
6
],
"text": [
"To put it as simple as possible, they basically don't really communicate. They try to maintain a constant distance to the nearest neighbor at all times. So w... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
8k096g | how does a stock's price get calculated from day to day in response to supply/demand? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8k096g/eli5_how_does_a_stocks_price_get_calculated_from/ | {
"a_id": [
"dz3vmox"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"People who have shares make offers to sell at a certain price, and people who want shares make offers to buy at a certain price. When the two prices coincide, a trade is made, and that determines the reported \"share price\".\n\nIt's simply the l... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
yt2r5 | How did the ancient Greeks perceive colors? Why were their statues painted in such a tacky manner? | As this short [documentary](_URL_0_) clip shows, westerners have 11 words to describe color, and the Himba tribe in the video have half the amount. What was the color vocabulary of the ancient Greeks? As some people are aware ancient Greek statues where colorfully painted, not simply left white as we see them today. So... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/yt2r5/how_did_the_ancient_greeks_perceive_colors_why/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5yku71",
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"c5yo0m1"
],
"score": [
2,
68,
13,
12,
10,
4,
3,
2,
5
],
"text": [
"It wasn't just the Greeks, Philip the Bold of Burgundy commissione... | [] | [
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b71rT9fU-I"
] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lv4ng"
],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.google.com/search?q=ancient+greek+mosaics&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=BBY5UMKzI8Pg6wHsqICQBg&sqi=2&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1108&bih=583"
],
[],
[],
[... | |
2vehas | why do i tend to start disassociating a word with its meaning the more i look at it? like, "cat." cat, cat, cat. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2vehas/eli5_why_do_i_tend_to_start_disassociating_a_word/ | {
"a_id": [
"cogwqqo",
"coh0oo7"
],
"score": [
2,
4
],
"text": [
"The more you focus on the word the less you are preoccupied with the idea of what the word represents and the more preoccupied you are with the actual letters and sounds themselves.\nIsn't that funny? Funny funny funny funny... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5l906k | Why can't LCD screens go completely black? | Even when the screen is ostensibly black, it's still emitting very dim light. Why can't the pixels just not emit light? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5l906k/why_cant_lcd_screens_go_completely_black/ | {
"a_id": [
"dbtx10q"
],
"score": [
19
],
"text": [
"LCD pixels don't supply light, they block it. The pixels are usually lit from behind by a single light source that lights the whole screen.\n\nNewer technology called OLED has pixels that create their own light, and can thus turn off completely ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1z75pa | What color is antimatter? More specifically, do we know what color antihydrogen emits when excited? | We know already that when we excite the atoms in a sample of hydrogen gas, we get a purple glow. Has someone hypothesized/discovered when color an excited state of antihydrogen atoms would emit? I'd hypothesize that it'd be the same color, because of symmetry, but I'm curious if there's a difference. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1z75pa/what_color_is_antimatter_more_specifically_do_we/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfr49ms"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"Atoms and the corresponding antiatoms should have the same spectra. There are some preliminary measurements to verify this as reported [here](_URL_0_). The challenge is gathering enough antimatter to form antiatoms and then to study their spect... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://newscenter.lbl.gov/feature-stories/2012/03/07/measure-antiatom/"
]
] | |
ol98v | Why does the Doppler effect work in astronomy if the Earth is travelling outwards from the Universe's expansion at the same rate everything else is? | As I understand, people explain the Doppler effect using an ambulance that passes by you. It's loud as it approaches but softer and deeper as it recedes from you. But astronomical bodies are travelling outwards from the center of the universe, and so are we, so how does the Doppler Effect work if these astronomical bod... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ol98v/why_does_the_doppler_effect_work_in_astronomy_if/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3i5yf8",
"c3i6kwv"
],
"score": [
11,
2
],
"text": [
"There is no center of the expansion of the universe. The expansion is happening in all directions and all positions within the universe. No matter which position you took as an observer, you would see expansion in every dir... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space"
],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ImvlS8PLIo"
]
] | |
aepthr | Were Soviet Guards units in WW2 really any more elite than their peers? | From what I understand, Guards units in modern militaries are supposed to be elite formations. However, I read that Soviet Guards divisions were given the designation based on past performance in battle. Were they given any extra training or equipment that would allow them to succeed further? Or was it more a publicity... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/aepthr/were_soviet_guards_units_in_ww2_really_any_more/ | {
"a_id": [
"eds50hu"
],
"score": [
22
],
"text": [
"**The Origins and Development of the Guards** \n\nThe first Guards units were formed in late 1941, at a particularly dark time for the Soviet Union. Soviet political leaders hoped designating high-performing units as \"Guards\" would boost the m... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3pnnf4 | is it true that disproportionally large numbers of syrian refugees in europe are young men? if so, why is this? where are all the women and children? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3pnnf4/eli5_is_it_true_that_disproportionally_large/ | {
"a_id": [
"cw7t3yb",
"cw7w0cr"
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"score": [
118,
28
],
"text": [
"They are waiting for the man to get asylum/resident permit, so that they can safely travel. \n\nBasically the guy risks his life going with human smugglers and once he lands on his feet he can bring the children and wife ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4zagdc | Do bodies/objects still emit radiation at 0 K? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4zagdc/do_bodiesobjects_still_emit_radiation_at_0_k/ | {
"a_id": [
"d6udu68",
"d6ufeno"
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"score": [
10,
52
],
"text": [
"No (assuming with radiation you mean electromagnetic radiation i.e. photons) \n\nThe Stefan–Boltzmann law describes the power radiated from a black body (which simply means the full spectrum i.e. all frequencies/wavelength... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan–Boltzmann_law"
],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_law_of_thermodynamics#Absolute_zero"
]
] | ||
eilps2 | someone please expain me sporophytes and gametophytes | I am having a really hard time to understand them. Like I need a detailed explanation from the beginning. If you can put a link so that I can directly read it from there. Thanks. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eilps2/eli5_someone_please_expain_me_sporophytes_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"fcs279p"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I had completely forgotten about this. I found [this link](_URL_0_) gave enough information to help me understand it. I'll try to explain some points below:\n\n**Diploid & haploid**: A cell with one copy of each chromosome is haploid. Two copie... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.thoughtco.com/gametophyte-sexual-phase-4117501"
]
] | |
ghqwa | At what point in time did the universe inflate to a size larger than the observable universe? | Wikipedia cites Alan Guth saying that (in 1997) the universe was currently 10^23 times bigger than the observable universe. Is this correct? Additionally, if the universe started as small as it was and inflated so far past our observable bubble, but still is some number of times bigger than our observable bubble, how c... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ghqwa/at_what_point_in_time_did_the_universe_inflate_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"c1nmfp0",
"c1nmg6f",
"c1nn6xj"
],
"score": [
18,
2,
6
],
"text": [
"The universe doesn't have a size. It just keeps going and going.\n\nYou should probably bear in mind that a *lot* of theoretical cosmology has changed radically in the past decade or so, due to new obs... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
393z8e | Why was King Tut's discovery such a big deal? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/393z8e/why_was_king_tuts_discovery_such_a_big_deal/ | {
"a_id": [
"cs147ea"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Prior to this all of the tombs that had been discovered had already had significant robbing, likely centuries prior. While there was evidence that someone had been in KV62 post-closing of the tomb, very little was affected. Not only did this mean... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2w3ya2 | As a young enlistee in the U.S. Army in WWII, what would have been the most hazardous combat assignment I could receive? What would have been the least? | By "hazardous" here I mean, most least likely to survive the course of the war. Let's leave out support positions like cooks and clerks. Was it better to be assigned to a tank crew, than to infantry? Artillery? What would be my best chance of seeing combat, but also coming home? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2w3ya2/as_a_young_enlistee_in_the_us_army_in_wwii_what/ | {
"a_id": [
"conht7c",
"conuyda"
],
"score": [
88,
4
],
"text": [
"Infantryman; without a doubt. This should be no contest. \n\nThe exact numbers for *actually* becoming a fatality (note; fatality, not casualty) are about 1 in 122 for the US Military if we go off easily available data on t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_questions"
]
] | |
3i4lxx | if the purpose of a water tower is to supply water pressure, than how does the water get up into the tower? if pumps are used, then why can't they just provide the water pressure themselves? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3i4lxx/eli5_if_the_purpose_of_a_water_tower_is_to_supply/ | {
"a_id": [
"cud8j01"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"They would rather use small pumps to push some water on top of the tower and abuse physics to do the rest then have to have massive pumping station everywhere."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2hi194 | why was the state of iraq under saddam hussein's reign "better" than the current state of iraq | Which was actually "better" for the people? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hi194/eli5why_was_the_state_of_iraq_under_saddam/ | {
"a_id": [
"cksxwjw"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Also to add to /u/agnos' comment. Having Saddam as the dictator there resulted in the land being controlled. Like he said if you were against Saddam you were in for a bad time. But if you just lived your life then you could live it in a mostly pe... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.blog.standforisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Map_of_Middle_East.png"
]
] | |
1v3aha | What did people think scurvy was before they learned it was a nutritional deficiency? | It seems like it was killing so many people, they would have had some theories about what it was. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1v3aha/what_did_people_think_scurvy_was_before_they/ | {
"a_id": [
"ceojd8v"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Scurvy is actually a useful lens through which to view the transformation of medical understandings of the body, from the ancient-medieval humoral system to the biochemical system we have today. \n\nAccording to the humoral system, articulated by... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1jyr3y | From what I understand, the Progressive Era was a liberal era. If this is true, how did a conservative-led movement like Prohibition gain such widespread support among Progressive Era activists? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1jyr3y/from_what_i_understand_the_progressive_era_was_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbjn9be"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"A very broad note: \"Progressive\" does not mean \"Liberal\" when used in the sense of the \"Progressive Era.\" What it means is, people who have a faith that aggressive government intervention should be used to get better outcomes. So there were... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
j64ds | It is possible to slow a photon down to the point where it can be easily observed? | Maybe freeze it? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/j64ds/it_is_possible_to_slow_a_photon_down_to_the_point/ | {
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"c29gphf",
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"score": [
8,
3,
10,
2,
2,
8,
3,
10,
2,
2
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"text": [
"It is absolutely 100% not possible to slow a p... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/Walsworth/pdf/NYTimesJan18.pdf"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/Walsworth/pdf/NYTimesJan18.pdf"
]
] | |
1kws8a | How far out into space, could we detect a civilization technologically on par with ours? | Think about Earth. Life forms scamper around the surface. Planes fly around, satellites orbit earth, we even have a space station hovering up there.
If there were some similar alien species out there, with all the telescopes and technology we have, how far away could we detect them? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1kws8a/how_far_out_into_space_could_we_detect_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbtg4rt"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Even if a race as advanced as us lived on a planet of Alpha Centauri -- the closest star besides Sol -- it's highly doubtful they'd detect our civilization. They'd only detect Earth itself, and maybe figure out that liquid water could exist on t... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/618486main_earth_full.jpg"
]
] | |
cn6h6t | Why does Turkey claim Cyprus? What is their motive for it’s occupation? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cn6h6t/why_does_turkey_claim_cyprus_what_is_their_motive/ | {
"a_id": [
"ew7yykk",
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],
"score": [
33,
3
],
"text": [
"Strictly speaking, Turkey does not claim Cyprus. The northern part of Cyprus, unlike the affair between Crimea and Russia for example, has never been formally annexed by Turkey (the northern part is governed by a scarcely r... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
a2mtg5 | what is a mormon and why are people so relieved when they stop being so? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a2mtg5/eli5_what_is_a_mormon_and_why_are_people_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"eaznheq",
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"score": [
10,
4,
14
],
"text": [
"A Mormon is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints, a sect of Christianity that was founded in the US in the 1800s. They are, as religious groups in the US go, fairly restric... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] |
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