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6wsprz
why does high water cause the risk of dam failure? shouldn't they be built to withstand capacity and if water isn't released then it just goes over the top or another passive failsafe?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6wsprz/eli5_why_does_high_water_cause_the_risk_of_dam/
{ "a_id": [ "dmafyhf", "dmag3dc", "dmagija" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "1) Water going \"over the top\" is what can cause the dam to fail -- it's one thing to withstand a steady push, another to withstand the eroding effects of flowing water. If the lip starts to erode, the...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
aqviat
why does it feel uncomfortable hearing your own voice (and how to get over it)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aqviat/eli5_why_does_it_feel_uncomfortable_hearing_your/
{ "a_id": [ "egitk6t", "egitlgh", "egittde", "egitudv", "egiug9z", "egiuh13", "egiwjr8" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 15, 5, 3, 13, 3 ], "text": [ "Because hearing your voice while speaking sounds different than hearing your voice on a tape or sth like that. A...
[]
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2fqz4g
why it costs a fortune to legally defend myself in a lawsuit ?
Can't I just go to court and argue for myself.. All it should eat up is my time, not my savings.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fqz4g/eli5_why_it_costs_a_fortune_to_legally_defend/
{ "a_id": [ "ckbw3p8", "ckc2rlf" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "You can represent yourself if you want. It's generally not a good idea. Lawyers cost a lot because they have to go through a lot of schooling and perform educated labour.", "Actual trial is often only a fraction of the p...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.legalteamusa.net/civillaw/2013/01/03/what-are-the-odds-a-case-is-going-to-trial/", "http://thelawdictionary.org/article/pre-trial-settlement-percentage-statistics-on-personal-injury-settlements/" ] ]
1anim7
Theoretical maximum digital storage capacity by volume.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1anim7/theoretical_maximum_digital_storage_capacity_by/
{ "a_id": [ "c8z0om7" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "About 1.6*10^21 bits for a 1cm^3 silicon cube. [(mass * atomic weight of silicon * avogrado's constant / 12)](_URL_0_)\n\nThe absolute theoretical informations density capacity can be defined by the [berkenstein bound](_URL_1_).\n\nA silicon sphe...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=0.00115+*+28.085+*+6.022141%C3%9710^23%2F12", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bekenstein_bound" ] ]
2x6x8a
how do you make money from a youtube video going viral?
Lets say 3 friends make a music video (unknown band) that goes viral on youtube - how much money can they make? Is there a rough estimate like $10,000 for one million views? Who pays them? Thanks.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2x6x8a/eli5how_do_you_make_money_from_a_youtube_video/
{ "a_id": [ "coxhsk9" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The advertisers pay them for the ads that they agree to put on the video. The contract that you have to make with Youtube to accept advertising includes a clause that says you're not allowed to say how much money a view or a click is worth, so we...
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[]
[ [] ]
390651
does putting ice in front of a fan actually cool the air the fan is blowing?
I've looked up on the Internet how to stay cool without A/C and this keeps being recommended, to put a big bowl of ice in front of a fan. I don't think it's working for me, not even for the twenty minutes it takes for the ice to melt into a bowl of water. The fan air feels pretty much the same as when there's nothing i...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/390651/eli5_does_putting_ice_in_front_of_a_fan_actually/
{ "a_id": [ "crz98dx" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Having ice melting in your room will cool the air a small bit. However if you are using your freezer to make the ice, it will produce more heat making the ice than the ice will cool." ] }
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[ [] ]
l6z6s
Is a day/year shorter/longer/the same length now than it was 6,000/60,000/600,000 years go?
Basically, what I'm wondering is if the Earth has a degrading orbit, if it's stable, or if it's a receding orbit? I'm also wondering if the revolution of the earth is slowing (or if something like the tidal pull of the moon is speeding up). If we are moving closer to or farther from the sun, how long would a year be fr...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/l6z6s/is_a_dayyear_shorterlongerthe_same_length_now/
{ "a_id": [ "c2qa5hy", "c2qajob", "c2qc37t", "c2qchau", "c2qdp1l", "c2qa5hy", "c2qajob", "c2qc37t", "c2qchau", "c2qdp1l" ], "score": [ 79, 29, 2, 4, 2, 79, 29, 2, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Days are getting longer.\n\n > The Earth's d...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_acceleration" ], [ "http://novan.com/earth.htm" ], [ "http://www.iers.org/" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_acceleration#Historical_evidence" ], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhqzW97_47w" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
4hu439
stupid question but how come( especially overweight people) standing on one leg doesn't break it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hu439/eli5stupid_question_but_how_come_especially/
{ "a_id": [ "d2sb83r" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Overweight people have more weight to carry around daily so their body will develop more muscle, this is why you might notice some overweight people are pretty strong, particularly in their legs, a thin person has less weight to carry around and ...
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[ [] ]
3x3mlz
what ever happened to dane cook?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3x3mlz/eli5_what_ever_happened_to_dane_cook/
{ "a_id": [ "cy16l1p" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Credit to /u/noposters for this answer: What people don't realize about Dane Cook is that he was on a mega run before Harmful if Swallowed blew up. Even before his comedy central half hour, he was the highest paid comedian touring colleges at tha...
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[ [] ]
2ss54t
could a nuclear bomb destroy an asteroid in the vacuum of space?
I hate asking this, but after watching the movie Armageddon again, my house mate mentioned the bomb wouldn't have worked as there was no air on the asteroid. Is this the case?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ss54t/eli5_could_a_nuclear_bomb_destroy_an_asteroid_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cnsc95k", "cnscaqn", "cnsdoem" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "The explosion could have occurred, there just wouldn't be a huge ball of fire and noise accompanying it. The real problem would be that when the asteroid would get blown to pieces, those pieces would st...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1a00yp
Agriculture popped up about 10,000 years ago, but was it "discovered" or "invented" by humans? What does r/AskHistorians think about this?
This question came up in an introduction to anthropology class I took a few semesters ago, and my professor never really discussed it with us, so I am curious to hear what you all have to say. Thanks!
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1a00yp/agriculture_popped_up_about_10000_years_ago_but/
{ "a_id": [ "c8sw1ow", "c8sxk7i" ], "score": [ 8, 10 ], "text": [ "This is a *great* question, and one with a ton of scholarship around it. There are multiple interpretations, but here is the one I favor:\n\nWild wheat was very common in the so called \"Fertile Crescent\" composed of the L...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
1zx0ib
why has human evolution only gotten us to the point where well less than half of females experience an orgasm during vaginal intercourse?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zx0ib/eli5_why_has_human_evolution_only_gotten_us_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cfxq6yx", "cfxqkcd", "cfxs9or", "cfxt0na", "cfxuadz", "cfxz0ta", "cfxzic8" ], "score": [ 155, 28, 15, 5, 55, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Probably because vaginal orgasms have little bearing on successful mating. If women *had* to have an orgasm i...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.amazon.com/The-Guide-Getting-It-On/dp/1885535333" ], [], [], [], [] ]
ayqahy
Where is the first cell in the human body located?
Doing Meiosis today in college biology and looked briefly at fertilization of egg cells to produce a cell with 46 total chromosomes. This cell then divides to form the child over the next 9 months. I was just wondering were abouts in the human body is this first cell . I assume it will probably have been destroyed by ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ayqahy/where_is_the_first_cell_in_the_human_body_located/
{ "a_id": [ "ei44rt7", "ei4bz2k" ], "score": [ 15, 3 ], "text": [ "Nowhere and everywhere. It’s basically the whole body, because every cell in the body derives from that single cell. Of course, most cells have divided so much that they probably only have very little or no parts from the o...
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[ [], [] ]
r205a
What would happen if you could outrun the expansion of the Universe?
Assuming you could move at a speed faster than the expansion rate of the Universe, and weren't affected by any outside variables such as destruction by heat, death from extreme pressure, etcetera, what would happen if you could do that? Would you cease to exist? Would you enter a completely dark space where there is no...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/r205a/what_would_happen_if_you_could_outrun_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c429d2b", "c429gqx", "c429kt9" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "If water runs to a dry place, will the water be dry? I mean, you are part of the universe, so by definition, if you are somewhere, then that place is part of the universe.", "What do you mean by out...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
7dcmod
why is it that some people can sleep through a thunderstorm and yet be woken up by a simple flick of a switch or a bug flying around?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7dcmod/eli5_why_is_it_that_some_people_can_sleep_through/
{ "a_id": [ "dpwstrx" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Absolutely not an expert, but I believe that the brain reacts to specific noises rather than sheer volume when it instructs the body to wake on hearing a noise.\n\nFor example, a baby's cry is specifically designed to wake a mother from sleep, wh...
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[ [] ]
1szvon
Evidence of contact between Cuba and Yucatan?
Did the inhabitants of Cuba (presumably the Taino) and the inhabitants of the Yucatan (presumably Mayans) know about each other? Did they trade? When the Spaniards subjugated Cuba, did the Taino tell them about any peoples to the west of them? What did the Mayans think of the Taino? Did any news spread in the Mayan wor...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1szvon/evidence_of_contact_between_cuba_and_yucatan/
{ "a_id": [ "ce30vhw" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I can't answer the bulk of the question, but Caribbean populations did have contact with the Yucatan.\n\nA [recent genetic analysis](_URL_0_) of Caribbean populations show extensive gene flow between the islands of the Caribbean, Cuba included, a...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pgen.1003925" ] ]
8w24zz
why do some of us enjoy / are curious about / are attracted to - horror / creepy stories?
It causes us discomfort, anxiety, distress, disgust, among other negative feelings. Shouldn't we feel the opposite of attracted and not want to know or hear anything of the sort?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8w24zz/eli5_why_do_some_of_us_enjoy_are_curious_about/
{ "a_id": [ "e1s33i4", "e1sbqx6" ], "score": [ 16, 2 ], "text": [ "Being scared releases a cascade of chemical signals and responses that can actually feel good. You get amped up to fight or run away, so your heart rate increases, you breathe in more oxygen, and you get pumped full of fee...
[]
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[ [], [] ]
4ceojk
why does it take longer to copy a file from a computer to an external hdd than vice versa?
I noticed that when I copied a file from my external hard drive to my computer, it took about 10 minutes. When I copied the file from my computer to my external hard drive it took about 20 minutes. No other copying processes were going on during either instance. * The computer is a Macbook Pro with a solid-state drive...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ceojk/eli5_why_does_it_take_longer_to_copy_a_file_from/
{ "a_id": [ "d1hh7y8" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Your external HDD has a slower write speed than read speed. When the computer has to access your HDD, the data reads fast but when the computer wants to write to the HDD it takes longer." ] }
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[ [] ]
wv87k
How do scientists predict the evolution of viruses when making the yearly vaccines?
Each year a vaccine is released to combat the new strain of (flu, for instance). How do scientists predict how the virus is likely to mutate before the epidemic takes place?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/wv87k/how_do_scientists_predict_the_evolution_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c5gqtzm" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Thats actually part of the issue when making flu vaccines.\n\nThere isn't one strain of flu in a flue vaccine. They use three different strains and decide which to use based on how harsh it is and how easily it can spread (basically picking the f...
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[]
[ [] ]
7dhtht
how do businesses get paid in china? does the government take all the money they receive?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7dhtht/eli5_how_do_businesses_get_paid_in_china_does_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dpxwgjn", "dpxwx9s" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "AFAIK their economy works like Capitalism but their government/laws run like Communism. Their system has evolved. I apologise if I am wrong.", "China runs on capitalism. \n\nIf you are a worker, you work and get paid. \n...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
cuwi2k
How did ice in beverages become popular in the US and not in European countries?
At what point did people start putting ice in water and soft drinks? Where did it start? How and why did they do it? How and why did it become normal across the US?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cuwi2k/how_did_ice_in_beverages_become_popular_in_the_us/
{ "a_id": [ "f5kjtgr" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "For a very long time, ice was a precious commodity. On the hot days when you would want it, it could only be acquired from afar (usually perpetually cold mountaintops) and had to be carefully insulated and transported. As far back as the Roman Em...
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[ [] ]
21ztho
What is the significance of knowing what the Activation Energy of a reaction is?
I know how to find rate laws and activation energy and what the definition of it means, but how can knowing the exact activation energy of a certain reaction be applied for practical use?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/21ztho/what_is_the_significance_of_knowing_what_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cgi3416", "cgi4dth" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It tells you what temperature regimes the reaction will be fast in. Also, knowing the activation energy is often a consequence of studying how a reaction occurs. If you know how a reaction occurs, you can make it better.",...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
32gszc
can gravity decay over time? why or why not?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32gszc/eli5_can_gravity_decay_over_time_why_or_why_not/
{ "a_id": [ "cqb1qhr", "cqb1s65", "cqb1smf", "cqb4tv2", "cqb51y4", "cqb6wsy", "cqc9fca" ], "score": [ 14, 59, 2, 3, 6, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "No, Gravity is a fundamental force, and, as far as we can tell, stays constant forever. ", "No, gravity doe...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
4seoz8
why aren't cows ridden like horses?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4seoz8/eli5_why_arent_cows_ridden_like_horses/
{ "a_id": [ "d58po1x", "d58pvur", "d58qgok", "d58rlrt" ], "score": [ 18, 7, 5, 5 ], "text": [ "[They certainly can be](_URL_0_), however cows are particularly dim witted by comparison with horses so they're just much harder to train. That's why you don't see it more often."...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwDLzcJRM6Y" ], [], [], [] ]
21brsw
What are the largest non-spherical objects in space?
...and, of course - how big are they? Will they eventually become spherical?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/21brsw/what_are_the_largest_nonspherical_objects_in_space/
{ "a_id": [ "cgbhzh4" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "This paper on the \"potato radius\" looks at the border between spherical and non-spherical bodies: _URL_0_\n\nThe limit is around 200 km radius. Pallas as 275 km radius is one of the biggest potato-shaped objects.\n\nUnless you count much larger...
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[]
[ [ "http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1004/1004.1091.pdf" ] ]
1ptlhw
Without air, is there terminal velocity?
If I'm accelerated by gravity toward, say, a black hole, if there's no air to slow me down to a given terminal velocity. Does that mean I just keep accelerating until I approach c (assuming I don't reach the mass first)?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1ptlhw/without_air_is_there_terminal_velocity/
{ "a_id": [ "cd5w8sd", "cd5we39", "cd6bi82", "cd6m1s6" ], "score": [ 54, 9, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "With no force to stop you, Newtonian mechanics says that you will simply accelerate indefinitely. Of course, we know from special relativity that nothing with a finite non-zero ma...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_velocity", "http://hypertextbook.com/facts/JianHuang.shtml" ] ]
2zp6si
As every physical characteristic of our body is defined by our DNA, would it be theoritically possible to draw something like a facial composite just by looking at a DNA sequence?
Let's say, for exemple, that scientists have many DNA samples, from very different people, with different skin color, hair color, height, morphology, face shape etc... and with each sample, a file describing the major characteristics of the person. Would these scientists be able to draw a facial composite just by ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2zp6si/as_every_physical_characteristic_of_our_body_is/
{ "a_id": [ "cplxa40" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "No, or at least it would be indefeasibly difficult. \n\nDNA is often referred to as a \"blueprint\" for an organism, but I think this is a bad way of describing it. A Blueprint is a diagram of a finished product, which is not what DNA is. A bett...
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[ [] ]
5t812m
why/how are there many more girls then boys in fine arts schools?
I'm at a fine arts high school, and its nearly 80% girls. Im in creative writing, there are 2 other boys out of 30 girls in my whole class. Almost exact same with my fine arts middle school too, i always wondered why is this?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5t812m/eli5_whyhow_are_there_many_more_girls_then_boys/
{ "a_id": [ "ddkt07i", "ddkuyut", "ddkvhvw", "ddlej8b" ], "score": [ 3, 5, 12, 2 ], "text": [ "Society has pre-conceived roles that each gender should fill. We are programmed from a young age to what we are supposed to be when we grow up. Men typically go to school for engi...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/unofficial-prognosis/study-shows-gender-bias-in-science-is-real-heres-why-it-matters/" ] ]
f7n7k
Could genesis have happened more than once on Earth? Could it still be happening?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/f7n7k/could_genesis_have_happened_more_than_once_on/
{ "a_id": [ "c1dwio6", "c1dxgqa" ], "score": [ 18, 2 ], "text": [ "I assume you mean [Abiogenesis](_URL_0_), the formation of life from non-life, in which case: Yes and yes.\n\nOf course, we first need to ask the question: What is life? Which is a sufficiently difficult question that there...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenesis" ], [] ]
29yt0x
how are foods that have been processed in a factory into a finished product cheaper than fresh raw ingredients
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29yt0x/eli5_how_are_foods_that_have_been_processed_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cipt9tp", "cipth5c", "cipttc0", "cipvmfk", "cipwvjk", "cipxp0b", "cipxt30", "cipysvp", "ciq0ui7", "ciq0wjm", "ciq1i9p", "ciq25q5", "ciq6gfk", "ciq6vez", "ciqer5j" ], "score": [ 15, 162, 170, 20, 2, 6, 6, 9, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T67DvoH2H3E" ], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/a-healthy-diet-is-cheaper-than-you-might-think-study-finds-9431.aspx" ], [], [], [], [] ]
15sp0a
why we need both a senate and a house of representatives?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/15sp0a/eli5_why_we_need_both_a_senate_and_a_house_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c7pfsww", "c7pftq7", "c7pjkat" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "because checks and balances?", "The House is elected every 2 years. So, they are closest to the people and will be most reactive to changing opinions.\n\nBut, Senators are only elected every 6 years...
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[ [], [], [] ]
2kr0b2
now that it's egg nog season. how and what is egg nog made out of?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2kr0b2/eli5_now_that_its_egg_nog_season_how_and_what_is/
{ "a_id": [ "clnwcj1", "clnwdqg" ], "score": [ 3, 5 ], "text": [ "Eggs, milk, half and half, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg. It can either be cooked or uncooked. _URL_0_", "It is not yet egg nog season, slow your roll man. Pump the brakes, it'll happen...don't force it." ] ...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.food.com/recipe/creamy-cooked-eggnog-107273" ], [] ]
7g57df
What kind of clothes did the common French people of the 17th and 18th century where?
We know all about high fashion and the clothing of nobility, but what kind of clothes did the average French men and women where? Did peasants dress similarly to city workers? We know what *sans-culottes* looked like in 1789, but what about before that? What were the clothes made of?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7g57df/what_kind_of_clothes_did_the_common_french_people/
{ "a_id": [ "dqgyxw0", "dqhan67" ], "score": [ 7, 6 ], "text": [ "One of the best visual sources for the dress of working people in 18th century France is the work of Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin (1699-1779). Chardin was a 'genre painter', which is to say that he specialised in depicting s...
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[]
[ [ "http://collection.nationalmuseum.se/eMuseumPlus?service=direct/1/ResultLightboxView/result.t1.collection_lightbox.$TspTitleImageLink.link&sp=10&sp=Scollection&sp=SfieldValue&sp=0&sp=0&sp=3&sp=Slightbox_3x4&sp=0&sp=Sdetail&sp=0&sp=F&sp=T&sp=11", "https:/...
mt4px
How come my CRT monitor flickers when viewed through my digital camera but not my eyes?
I am guessing this has something to do with sampling and aliasing. But since the eyes are also "sampling" the screen (we still see aliasing effects while looking at periodic events such as spinning car wheels), how is it that our eyes don't see the CRT flicker while the digital camera does?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/mt4px/how_come_my_crt_monitor_flickers_when_viewed/
{ "a_id": [ "c33mon0", "c33mon0" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The sampling of the monitor by the camera creates \"beats\" that are below the \"sampling rate\" of the human eye. Like when two musical notes are played together and a low toned beat is created and heard.\n\nWith the monito...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
3sngj3
Were there two different people thought to be Ho Chi Minh?
I recently heard something from my SO that there is a held belief among some Vietnamese that there were actually two different people, both thought to be Ho Chi Minh. Apprently one of the people who was supposed to be the original Ho Chi Minh took a boat to France and ended up dying there, but someone else stepped up a...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3sngj3/were_there_two_different_people_thought_to_be_ho/
{ "a_id": [ "cwz1ed6", "cwz5617", "cwz7aod" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 12 ], "text": [ "I am not familiar with this belief, and to the best of my knowledge there is no evidence to back it up. I can, however, see where it comes from (maybe), as there's a lot we don't know about Ho Chi Minh...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
30j17m
What happened to the Aryan civilization?
My question is pretty simple. What exactly happened to the Aryan civilization in India? I haven't read anything to suggest they were wiped out by another civilization or natural causes, so are they the same ethnic group as modern-day Indians?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/30j17m/what_happened_to_the_aryan_civilization/
{ "a_id": [ "cpt4hxz" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "What Aryan civilization do you mean? If you're talking about the first Indo-Europeans to enter India, their descendants are still there. They make up most of the population of North India and about half of Sri Lanka, while most of the reat of Ind...
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[]
[ [] ]
5wm27a
why do we have lips?
This questions just randomly sprung up on me today. I was in class and I looked at someones lips and wondered why are they there. What's the point of our lips being all pink and looking the way they look? Why couldn't we just have all normal skin/flat skin cover our mouths the same way. I was in class just thinking lik...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5wm27a/eli5_why_do_we_have_lips/
{ "a_id": [ "deb6tti", "deb80g8", "deb85y2", "deb9z4l", "debal6s" ], "score": [ 17, 4, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "I recently read the superb book \"touch\" which is solely about the sense of touch.\n\nThe nerves in the lips are very, very sensitive. \n\nThe lips serve hu...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150112-why-do-we-have-lips" ], [], [] ]
paxuu
What is the difference between internet streams and television broadcasting? engineering/computing
What is the difference between internet streams and television broadcasting? Specifically i would like to know why a television does not suffer *stuttering* or *lag* like internet streams do. Perhaps more on a discussion level, why don't televisions get their programming through the internet? Thank you very much, Wyl...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/paxuu/what_is_the_difference_between_internet_streams/
{ "a_id": [ "c3nwomb" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Internet streams are unicast/multicast while television is broadcast\n\nThats one difference\n\nAlso, when you have cable TV, ALL the channels are being sent on that particular cable from your cable operator. Your TV just decodes the one you want...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
fpbh4
Gravity + Antigravity
In this [website](_URL_0_), I made a particle that had a negative mass next to a particle with mass. The negative mass seems to be pushing the particle with mass and the one with mass is attracting the negative mass. Is this what would happen in real physics or is the program wrong? Or would they cancel each other out?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fpbh4/gravity_antigravity/
{ "a_id": [ "c1hmlrq", "c1hmvbr", "c1hn87z" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "If the positive is located at (0,0) and the negative is located at (0,x), the positive would feel force in the -x direction and move in the -x direction. The negative would feel force in the +x directio...
[]
[ "http://www.nowykurier.com/toys/gravity/gravity.html" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
1fcvcd
how do cpu heatsink towers work?
[These things.](_URL_0_)
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fcvcd/eli5how_do_cpu_heatsink_towers_work/
{ "a_id": [ "ca90e72", "ca90gvj", "ca922i2" ], "score": [ 5, 5, 5 ], "text": [ "These things are air cooled. As in, they depend on air to take heat away from them. To work well, they need to be touching a lot of air at the same time. \n\nAn example of large surface area helping coo...
[]
[ "https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRjyMlVrMC03d3t7Ry4T_8bkZzL4pnbY7jUqhH7T6JJOoeLS-ku7Q" ]
[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pipe", "http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S1359431112004206-gr3.jpg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_action", "http://dc309.4shared.com/doc/0ks1ex0P/preview_html_m1b0547a2.jpg" ] ]
56qqq4
why did immigration officials on ellis island rename vito andolini to corleone? (godfather ii)
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/56qqq4/eli5_why_did_immigration_officials_on_ellis/
{ "a_id": [ "d8lo25i" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "There is a myth, which this movie buys into, that immigrants into the US were often forced to accept new names against their wishes, either because the government wanted immigrants to Americanize their names, or (as in this case) because overwork...
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[]
[ [] ]
4qlogc
Why does the Pauli exclusion principle hold if, say, two fermions can have undefined spin due to the uncertainty principle?
[deleted]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4qlogc/why_does_the_pauli_exclusion_principle_hold_if/
{ "a_id": [ "d4u9453" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "1) Particles always have spin, its a fundamental quantity like mass or charge, its the direction that is \"uncertain\".\n\n2) If you have several identical particles there behavior is described by some wave function psi(r_1,r_2,....,r_n). Since t...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
xk9sb
[Weekly Discussion Thread] Scientists, what would you do to change the way science was done?
This is the eleventh installment of the weekly discussion thread and this weeks topic comes to us from the suggestion thread (linked below). Topic: What is one thing you would change about the way science is done (wherever it is that you are)? Here is last weeks thread: _URL_0_ Here is the suggestion thread: _URL_1_...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/xk9sb/weekly_discussion_thread_scientists_what_would/
{ "a_id": [ "c5n2vqi", "c5n3r3k", "c5n3tjk", "c5n46vu", "c5n4c0t", "c5n4c1b", "c5n4opr", "c5n5nd5", "c5n5o9h", "c5n5t85", "c5n629h", "c5n6fw9", "c5n6rl5", "c5n8ptg", "c5n9hv6", "c5nbnsg", "c5ncjvc", "c5nklkk" ], "score": [ 13, 15, ...
[]
[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/x6w2x/weekly_discussion_thread_scientists_what_is_a/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/wtuk5/weekly_discussion_thread_asking_for_suggestions/", "http://redd.it/ulpkj" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/28/us-science-cancer-idUSBRE82R12P20120328", "http://www.nature.com/nrd/journal/v10/n9/full/nrd3439-c1.html" ], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congruence_bias" ], [], [], [], [], [], ...
4gmgqm
other than financial limitations, is there anything stopping me from starting my own space program separate from the government?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4gmgqm/eli5_other_than_financial_limitations_is_there/
{ "a_id": [ "d2iuqan" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "If you are asking whether there any laws prohibiting such a thing, no.\n\nThere are lots of hurdles, though--land, permits, materials, a team of engineers...but with money and support those things can be conquered. See the Amazon guy (Jeff somet...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2duv6n
Why were the Irish and the Italians the 'bottom of the barrel' of immigrants, so to speak?
Also, does this hatred towards them account for their increased activity in organised crime?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2duv6n/why_were_the_irish_and_the_italians_the_bottom_of/
{ "a_id": [ "cjtbmjk", "cjtgsf8" ], "score": [ 4, 4 ], "text": [ "hi! you may be interested in the previous posts\n\n[How did the Irish, Italians, and Jews become \"white\" in the United States?](_URL_1_) - includes links to a whole bunch more\n\n[Was there ever a \"WASP\" mafia in America...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/25onw0/was_there_ever_a_wasp_mafia_in_america/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/24ojrl/how_did_the_irish_italians_and_jews_become_white/" ], [] ]
5ghish
why does food stick so strongly to plates or frying pans after its sat out a few hours compared to when it's fresh?
I was doing dishes today and had a couple particularly old stubborn smears I had to clean off. Even food items that were never hot (like guacamole or sour cream) seem to bond abnormally strong to dirty dishes after a night's rest in the sink. Why are they so stubborn!?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ghish/eli5_why_does_food_stick_so_strongly_to_plates_or/
{ "a_id": [ "daseb0x", "dashpjx", "dashsdm", "daskog0" ], "score": [ 6, 9, 3, 12 ], "text": [ "Unfortunately I don't have an answer to what causes this, but a pro-tip I can give you is to let your dishes soak if you aren't going to wash them right away. ", "Not a food s...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
1e78vu
What are some good books on Russo-Swedish Wars/relations?
This is a big gap in my knowledge. I know very little about pre-20th century Russia and even less about Scandinavia. I'm most interested in the Finnish War in 1808, and how it relates to the Napoleonic wars, but a broad overview of the past 500 years would also be very interesting to me.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1e78vu/what_are_some_good_books_on_russoswedish/
{ "a_id": [ "c9xjaby", "c9xkxcx" ], "score": [ 5, 6 ], "text": [ "Robert Massie's fantastic biography of peter the great spends a lot of time on the great northern war and the russo/swedish relationship.", "It's a quite broad question. From my (Swedish-oriented) perspective, it spans t...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/c_russoswede.html", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingria", "http://archive.org/details/voltaireshistory00voltuoft", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_Adolphus_of_Sweden", "http://www.amazon.com/Battle-That-Shook-Europe-Poltava/dp...
2rjidb
If I made a giant wheel, and spun it at 100rpm how large would it need to be in order for the outer edge to be traveling at the speed of light?
I am aware that an object this large would start to 'bend' as well, but let's just assume that the object is made out of an unbreakable material and this factor won't come into play.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2rjidb/if_i_made_a_giant_wheel_and_spun_it_at_100rpm_how/
{ "a_id": [ "cngh7rz", "cnghpwj", "cngsozq", "cnh0oso", "cnhgn2q" ], "score": [ 27, 152, 16, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Even it the material is unbreakable, the wheel would have to be infinitely large for its edge to reach the speed of light because of a time dilation and l...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=solve+2*pi*r*100%2F60+%3D+3e8", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehrenfest_paradox" ], [], [ "http://casa.colorado.edu/~ajsh/sr/cartbig_gif.html" ] ]
880voy
if the mona lisa painting was a commissioned piece of florentine noblewoman lisa del giocondo ordered by her husband, why wasn't it kept within the family and how did it end up public property and in a museum?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/880voy/eli5_if_the_mona_lisa_painting_was_a_commissioned/
{ "a_id": [ "dwgz3uq" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "It is unknown who actually commissioned the painting, if anyone. It remained with Leonardo until his death because he never officially \"finished\" it.\n\nAdditionally, what happened to it upon his death wasn't clear, whether his pupil inherited ...
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[]
[ [] ]
8ix289
why do software companies (especially social media ones) change their ui very often even though it is perfectly fine, often leading to objectively worse design?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8ix289/eli5_why_do_software_companies_especially_social/
{ "a_id": [ "dyv8a7n", "dyv8h61", "dyv9x6i", "dyve8f3", "dyvfq6a", "dyvvqtk" ], "score": [ 7, 21, 4, 6, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, they do this to stay 'new'. Although you may like specific UI, every version has some problems. They have to think about a lot o...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1msysa
Is there any experimental evidence for virtual photons being exchanged as the EM force or are they simply a mathematical construct?
Quantum electrodynamics says that the electromagnetic force is mediated by the exchange of virtual photons between electrons and protons but is there any actual evidence of this? Or was it developed as a way of "making the math work", so to speak? If this is actually true, how does this explain attraction between oppos...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1msysa/is_there_any_experimental_evidence_for_virtual/
{ "a_id": [ "cccigjl" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "This article does a good job explaining what is meant by virtual particles. It's not the case that charged objects shoot photons at each other.\n\n_URL_0_\n\nThat being said, an experimental indication that photons can emerge from the vacuum is t...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://profmattstrassler.com/articles-and-posts/particle-physics-basics/virtual-particles-what-are-they/" ] ]
35sa5t
If someone sets off a forgotten explosive device from WWII in 2015, are they considered a civilian casualty of WWII?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/35sa5t/if_someone_sets_off_a_forgotten_explosive_device/
{ "a_id": [ "cr7l0k9" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "[This still happens](_URL_0_) and it is so common that companies actually hire firms to search for unexploded ordnance before digging in Germany.\n\n[There was also a Fire Balloon](_URL_1_) that detonated during a picnic in 1945. They also recent...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/03/world/europe/germany-explosion/", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_balloon#Single_lethal_attack" ] ]
1ior2b
why is it that our voices seem normal in our heads but when we hear it from another perspective it sounds so gross and cringe-y?
For example hearing yourself on a video or a voice recording.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ior2b/eli5_why_is_it_that_our_voices_seem_normal_in_our/
{ "a_id": [ "cb6k1b1", "cb6kk7k", "cb6ms68" ], "score": [ 77, 7, 41 ], "text": [ "When other people hear your voice, the sound gets transmitted to them through the air.\n\nBut when you hear your own voice, much of the sound gets transmitted to your ear by bone (your jaw and skull) ...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
12pslz
The American Cry of No Taxation Without Representation
One of the fundamental drivers of the American Revolution cited by educators and academic historians alike is the notion that the American colonists believed that the taxes levied by the British against them were unlawful. This was due to the fact that the English Bill of Rights (1689) had forbidden the imposition of t...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/12pslz/the_american_cry_of_no_taxation_without/
{ "a_id": [ "c6x598r" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Part of the answer must be trust. If Galloway's Plan of Union had been proposed in 1767, after the Townshend Revenue Acts first revealed the conflict of interest between Parliament and the colonies, it might be the basis of American government to...
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[]
[ [] ]
1m7ael
why is it that certain word associations just have a single way that sounds "right."
For example, if I tell someone to fetch me some pepper and to get the salt as well, I'll never say that. It's "Salt and Pepper." Not "Pepper and Salt." Just "Salt and Pepper." Then you have "Nieces and Nephews," "Ladies and Gentlemen" (Though that seems to be more of a phrase), "Fruits and Vegetables," etc. There's obv...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1m7ael/eli5_why_is_it_that_certain_word_associations/
{ "a_id": [ "cc6fue5", "cc6g825", "cc6royn" ], "score": [ 12, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Because these are commonly used combinations and the more you hear it the easier it sticks to your brain. Its a historical accident that we use \"Salt and Pepper\" instead of \"Pepper and salt.\" If ha...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_word", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese_twins_(linguistics\\)" ], [] ]
35oao9
why is "tasty" a positive adjective, but "smelly" a negative adjective?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/35oao9/eli5_why_is_tasty_a_positive_adjective_but_smelly/
{ "a_id": [ "cr69bph", "cr69lsm" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ "I'd guess because you can choose what you eat, but not what you smell. The worst part about a truly putrid stench is that you have no choice but to endure it or move away. Describing something as tasty implies your the one w...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
3be1ek
what is really being done right now to combat isis?
They keep killing people and instigating terrorist attacks, yet I'm not hearing much about people fighting against them - only people joining them. Can anybody tell me what's being done right now, if anything, to combat them?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3be1ek/eli5_what_is_really_being_done_right_now_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cslaviz", "cslba9w" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "From the US specifically, air strikes and helping the Iraqi army with equipment, training and logistics. Also some limited weapons deliveries to non-ISIS anti-Syrian fighters (some of which have been known to defect to ISIS,...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
7ggx28
Can reptile and fish scales regrow? (if torn out, not just damaged)
I've read every wiki article on scales, fish scales, reptile scales, snake scales, etc. I know that they grow from different layers of the integumentary system (dermis vs epidermis) and are made of different materials, etc. I've even gone to the second page of google results, but they are all forum discussions and unre...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7ggx28/can_reptile_and_fish_scales_regrow_if_torn_out/
{ "a_id": [ "dqjgxok" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I think it is hard to answer your question because there are different types of scales. Some can even be formed from bone and then covered in another substance, like enamel. These would not grow back if removed. For other types of scales, I think...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/06/human-hair-bird-feathers-came-reptile-scales" ] ]
4xyetn
why are there no sports cars with driver seats in the middle?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4xyetn/eli5_why_are_there_no_sports_cars_with_driver/
{ "a_id": [ "d6jgdiv", "d6jgfoa", "d6jh2jb" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Most people have (or want) a significant other, a one night stand partner, prostitute, friend, etc... or at the very least, a place to put groceries/briefcase/laptop.\n\nOr... In order to fit a high per...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
bhawwm
how do mirror neurons work? how do they know to mirror other people?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bhawwm/eli5_how_do_mirror_neurons_work_how_do_they_know/
{ "a_id": [ "elrhy8j", "elrnza4", "elrog8y", "elrpbpn", "els6tnh" ], "score": [ 27, 4, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I believe a mirror neuron (how we send signals in our body) fires when a person watches someone perform an activity without actually performing the activity ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Myth_of_Mirror_Neurons_The_Real_Neur.html?id=LK5bAwAAQBAJ" ] ]
3nf2wu
dc comics: the new 52
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nf2wu/eli5dc_comics_the_new_52/
{ "a_id": [ "cvnh2am" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The new 52 rebooted the dc universe following the flashpoint storyline. It was intended to cut down on the many characters and continuitys that the dc universe had. For the most part, you can start with the new 52 stuff without having read previo...
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[]
[ [] ]
378g7n
can our cells use atp from our food as a direct source of energy?
I understand how our mitochondria make ATP in respiration and how this is used as a source of energy for, well, everything, but I was wondering if we can digest ATP molecules from our food. Surely there's going to be ATP in our meals. If we have beef, there must be some ATP in the beef that the cow didn't use. Can we d...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/378g7n/eli5_can_our_cells_use_atp_from_our_food_as_a/
{ "a_id": [ "crkite6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "AT has a half-life of about 5 minutes and can't survive cooking. By the time you eat something, there is little to no ATP left in it." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5406eq
why do many shoes/sandals have higher heels and put your weight toward the ball of your foot?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5406eq/eli5_why_do_many_shoessandals_have_higher_heels/
{ "a_id": [ "d7xs9mz" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It reduces stress on your heel. Unless you're wearing dress shoes or high heels, the raised back usually has extra padding which reduces the stress on your heel when you step. Since most people walk heel to toe and not toe to heel (unless they're...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
374l5f
who are the conservative party in the u.s. and what do they stand for?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/374l5f/eli5_who_are_the_conservative_party_in_the_us_and/
{ "a_id": [ "crjn0ye", "crjn260", "crjn4fv", "crjnd3f" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Conservative vs liberal is a bit of a sliding scale country to country. A liberal party in the US would be considered conservative in a liberal country. \n\nHowever, in the US the...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://gop.gov/", "http://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2008" ] ]
3rak0t
if a muscle is zapped with electricity and force it to contract, will it (a) burn calories like exercise and (b) build muscle?
I have a TENS unit, and I'd love to get ripped watching Netflix.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3rak0t/eli5_if_a_muscle_is_zapped_with_electricity_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cwmciv6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "My understanding is that yes, the contractions actually burn calories, and build muscle, but it's not nearly as effective as actual exercise. I used one a few times a week after shoulder surgery - I hadn't moved my right arm for a few weeks, so ...
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[ [] ]
1ryvle
what is the difference between pink lemonade and regular lemonade?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ryvle/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_pink_lemonade/
{ "a_id": [ "cds9sd5" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Pink lemonade is pink." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
37w3oz
how do monkeys know to peel a banana before eating it?
How come they just don't eat it whole?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37w3oz/eli5_how_do_monkeys_know_to_peel_a_banana_before/
{ "a_id": [ "crq9e79", "crq9jfx" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Monkeys in the wild don't [generally] eat bananas. Captive monkeys will and it varies from species to species and from monkey to monkey. You can teach them to peal but most monkeys I know just eat the whole thing...they arn'...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2twt0w
If gravity and light propagate at the same speed why does light come from where the sun use to be but we are orbiting where the sun actually is?
Shouldn't we orbit the point where the sun was 8.3 minutes ago? This is the link talking about it, is it bs? _URL_0_
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2twt0w/if_gravity_and_light_propagate_at_the_same_speed/
{ "a_id": [ "co3prvv" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Check out [all these past threads](_URL_1_), and the [astronomy FAQ](_URL_0_).\n\nThe short answer is that even though changes in gravitational fields propagate at the speed of light, [there are velocity-dependent terms that cancel out aberration...
[]
[ "http://www.metaresearch.org/cosmology/speed_of_gravity.asp" ]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/wiki/astronomy#wiki_gravity_and_general_relativity", "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/search?q=speed+of+gravity&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all", "http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9909087" ] ]
37yiqo
why is liquid almost always stored in round containers on trucks?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37yiqo/eli5_why_is_liquid_almost_always_stored_in_round/
{ "a_id": [ "crqtgb7", "crqtgu8", "crqthep", "crqu72z", "crqvfhi", "crr2bup", "crr3ktu", "crr5nor" ], "score": [ 5, 15, 3, 8, 3, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "I'm not an engineer, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's because in a round container, as t...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://i.imgur.com/0RZgzsb.jpg" ], [], [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUhisi2FBuw" ], [], [ "http://datagenetics.com/blog/august12014/index.html" ] ]
6z8x1o
if you had infinite gears, space, fuel, and nothing broke, could a car keep accelerating forever and never stop at a certain speed?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6z8x1o/eli5_if_you_had_infinite_gears_space_fuel_and/
{ "a_id": [ "dmtddxc" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Just a normal car on a road on Earth. No. Eventually the power output if the car would match the resistance produced by the air etc, and you would not accelerate any more. It doesnt take that much power to reach 150mph. But to go to 200 needs abo...
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[ [] ]
jk1h9
Is the Monty Hall Problem just a statistical problem to spark debate between statisticians or does it *mean* something about the human mind?
I was thinking about [this](_URL_0_) post where pigeons tend to react differently than humans to the problem. From what I see in all the comments is that it's just a bunch of people debating the statistics of it. But what does the fact that the pigeons act differently mean? Does it actually mean anything? Do humans ten...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jk1h9/is_the_monty_hall_problem_just_a_statistical/
{ "a_id": [ "c2cr5ea", "c2crf82", "c2crjxl", "c2cs9qk", "c2cssai", "c2ct2dm", "c2ctq6s", "c2cr5ea", "c2crf82", "c2crjxl", "c2cs9qk", "c2cssai", "c2ct2dm", "c2ctq6s" ], "score": [ 11, 10, 6, 2, 2, 2, 2, 11, 10, 6, 2...
[]
[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/jjp6s/pigeons_switch_doors_the_optimal_strategy_on_the/" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/jjp6s/pigeons_switch_doors_the_optimal_strategy_on_the/c2cppgm" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/jjp6s/pigeons_switch_doors_the_optimal_strategy_on_the/c2cppgm" ] ]
1md4w3
What was life like for men who stayed home during WWI?
I've been watching a show on BBC called "Chickens" about three men in a village in Britain who stay home for various reasons during WWI (failing medical exam, pacifist, etc.) and they're constantly being abused in different ways by the villages women-folk in the form of graffiti on their home, name-calling, loved ones ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1md4w3/what_was_life_like_for_men_who_stayed_home_during/
{ "a_id": [ "cc82rrh", "cc84rh5", "cc854tp", "cc86fra", "cc8avna" ], "score": [ 60, 6, 39, 12, 2 ], "text": [ "In the British Empire organisations of women would hand out white feathers to men of military age who had not enlisted. In the British Empire a white feat...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_V._Debs" ] ]
4j6vr0
Why did most civilizations select gold and silver as their form of currency? Other than being pretty, was there another reason? Was there another type of currency used?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4j6vr0/why_did_most_civilizations_select_gold_and_silver/
{ "a_id": [ "d34m2r4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "In terms of other types there are a lot of copper alloy (bronze, potin) coins produced. Various iron bars (the greek obols british cetlic) appear to have been used as currency. Possibly derived from standardised ingots. Lead coins were issued in ...
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[ [] ]
o0d9k
Why does the sound a jet makes as it flies over vary in amplitude?
When a jet flies over, the amplitude of the sound varies drastically--loud quiet loud quiet loud. (I'm not talking about frequency; I know how the Doplar Effect works.) I thought initially it has to do with portions of different air pressures transferring sound at different speed, but I think I read that air pressure...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/o0d9k/why_does_the_sound_a_jet_makes_as_it_flies_over/
{ "a_id": [ "c3ded9x" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Air is like a prism for sound. Air is denser at lower altitudes, so sound waves are deflected upwards. A jet should be loudest when overhead, but as it moves away, the loudness drops to zero. The sound waves that were initially aimed at your ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3eqwq2
if a recreational drug is legalised do those in prison convicted of charges relating to that drug still have to serve their time?
Also what would happen if the charges were still pending?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3eqwq2/eli5_if_a_recreational_drug_is_legalised_do_those/
{ "a_id": [ "cthjggz", "cthl3cp", "cthmxfa", "cthrlsx", "cti71f2" ], "score": [ 51, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes they do. They still willingly broke the law at the time. Even if its no longer a law, they still broke it which makes them criminals.\n\nThere are situat...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.hightimes.com/read/ruling-clears-way-marijuana-convictions-be-erased" ], [], [], [] ]
fwwfrz
How did Viking warriors fare in combat against mounted archers?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fwwfrz/how_did_viking_warriors_fare_in_combat_against/
{ "a_id": [ "fmr79kz" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "The short answer is that *víkingar* didn't face cohesive mounted archer units. There may have been individual encounters, although I struggle to think of any in the sagas.\n\nThe middling answer is that they *were*, essentially, the mounted arche...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://sagadb.org/egils_saga.en#46", "https://sagadb.org/egils_saga.on#46" ] ]
51n7hh
how does having 2 cameras help with zoom in iphone 7 ?
I understand how it helps with bokeh.. but how does it do optical zoom with 2 cameras of same spec ?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/51n7hh/eli5how_does_having_2_cameras_help_with_zoom_in/
{ "a_id": [ "d7d92pw", "d7dac8n" ], "score": [ 3, 4 ], "text": [ "They are not \"of same spec\". They have different lenses with different levels of built in \"optical\" zoom. ", "The lenses have different fixed levels of zoom, so it uses camera A for standard, camera B for 2x zoom. Be...
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[ [], [] ]
4b05sd
why does subway eletricity cabels run along side the track instead of above like normal trains?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4b05sd/eli5_why_does_subway_eletricity_cabels_run_along/
{ "a_id": [ "d14yynt" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Because for the most part subways aren't going to be put anywhere people are going to walk or drive over.\n\nTrain with overhead cable have them to keep them away from people who share part of the road with the train." ] }
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[ [] ]
arol0m
on a chemical level, what happens when dry-aging beef?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/arol0m/eli5_on_a_chemical_level_what_happens_when/
{ "a_id": [ "egope0b", "egopiiu" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Bacteria breaks down the proteins of the meat. It makes it more tender and gives it a different flavor.", "Enzymes, specific molecules that break down other specific molecules, chemically change the make up of the prote...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
35k9qt
why is the blue part of a flame hotter than the red/orange?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/35k9qt/eli5_why_is_the_blue_part_of_a_flame_hotter_than/
{ "a_id": [ "cr57pbh" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "TL;DR is that blue light is higher energy than red ligit. This means that the hotter something is the more energy there is so the more blue the fire appears.\n\nThere are [more things than temperature](_URL_0_) that effect color, depending on wh...
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[]
[ [ "https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=1545" ] ]
5u7f4f
Winston Churchill quote
"This war is not against Hitler or National Socialism but against the strength of the German people, which is to be smashed once and for all, regardless whether it is in the hands of Hitler or a Jesuit priest." Somebody posted that quote in a discussion and I find it weird, but can't find any credible source for it. ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5u7f4f/winston_churchill_quote/
{ "a_id": [ "ddrxuoi" ], "score": [ 66 ], "text": [ "So neat trick, if you search for a quotation in Google, it will bring back pages in which that entire quotation is found. So I did that, and got [this page](_URL_1_). \n\nLooking through the results, I see a [Google Books result](_URL_0_) that s...
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[ [ "https://books.google.com/books?id=hrZ4CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA384&lpg=PA384&dq=\"This+war+is+not+against+Hitler+or+National+Socialism+but+against+the+strength+of+the+German+people,+which+is+to+be+smashed+once+and+for+all,+regardless+whether+it+is+in+the+hands+of+Hitler+or+a+Jesuit+priest.\"&source=bl&a...
9k5gze
how do diseases get their names?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9k5gze/eli5_how_do_diseases_get_their_names/
{ "a_id": [ "e6wiux6" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Some diseases have had old world names that stuck around due to just the convenience like malaria, literally Italian for “bad air.”\nSome names like Syphilis used to be called “The French Pox” but for obvious reasons got thrown out and replaced w...
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[ [] ]
1wypq1
what's wrong with russia? why does every video i see from this country feature people who are either drunk, filthy, drugged up and/or violent.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wypq1/eli5_whats_wrong_with_russia_why_does_every_video/
{ "a_id": [ "cf6l5xz", "cf6nqe6" ], "score": [ 6, 4 ], "text": [ "If there's a video of normal people doing their normal day to day work, will you seat and watch that video? Nope. You'll watch it only if there's something extraordinary or funny happening in it. That's why.", "We're fin...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://eeua.ru/images/piter.jpg" ] ]
g0tn5
Why does the heliopause extend further one way from our solar system?
I'm refering to the picture in [this article](_URL_0_). It seems that interstellar space starts off on the 'left' of our solar system, but that everything keeps flowing off to the 'right'. Is my assumption right that he's b/c our solar system is moving to the left? Also. Does this image hold true for all stars? ie...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/g0tn5/why_does_the_heliopause_extend_further_one_way/
{ "a_id": [ "c1k37lg" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "That picture is based on an outdated model. Data collected in the past few years suggests that the heliosphere is much less like a teardrop and much more like a bubble.\n\nBut yes, in general all stars are surrounded by heliospheres. The exact me...
[]
[ "http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12688246" ]
[ [] ]
cf24pw
Do you need to use prescription glasses with binoculars (if you normally wear them)?
My eyesight isn't that bad, but it's definitely not perfect, and I want to do some terrestrial viewing with binoculars or, more probably, a field scope. My thought is that, since one can adjust the focus on binoculars/scopes, it wouldn't matter if one had imperfect vision; he/she could just focus in until the image was...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/cf24pw/do_you_need_to_use_prescription_glasses_with/
{ "a_id": [ "eu87259" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "It depends on your glasses prescription.\n\nIf your prescription has only a sphere component (used to correct short-sightedness) then you can normally use binoculars without your glasses on, adjusting the binocular focus accordingly. However if y...
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[ [] ]
1qfi6f
How did the U.S. founding fathers settle on Philadelphia for the capital?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1qfi6f/how_did_the_us_founding_fathers_settle_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cdcjho3" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "This should be a longer post but I'll give a short overview of the reasons.\n\n1) The first continental congress happened to meet in Philadelphia in 1774, before there was even thought of a capital, there was already a (short) tradition of meetin...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.peakbagger.com/pbgeog/histmetropop.aspx" ] ]
tu312
Are there statistics on whether baby on board stickers are effective?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tu312/are_there_statistics_on_whether_baby_on_board/
{ "a_id": [ "c4pq162" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I thought those went out with the 1980s." ] }
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[ [] ]
6g9zqq
how subscription music services(pandora, spotify, apple music, etc.) work? how does my money make it to the artists or am i wrong in assuming that it does?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6g9zqq/eli5_how_subscription_music_servicespandora/
{ "a_id": [ "diomg4c", "dion8vs" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "These music services are partly subscription-based. The artists make an account with Spotify/Apple Music, and because of ads and subscriptions, they are able to earn money from it. Mostly how youtube ad revenue works but for...
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[ [], [] ]
7vp0uv
In contemporary historical accounts about WWII the US is almost always portrayed as having the upper hand against the Axis. Was this perceived superiority the same in the US during the war period? Were there any times of crisis where Americans thought they could loose the war?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7vp0uv/in_contemporary_historical_accounts_about_wwii/
{ "a_id": [ "dtu1wxf" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "\nI do not believe there were any periods of time in the war where America thought we would lose the war. There were of courser periods of time when Americans were worried about being attacked, or were losing faith in certain situations. For exam...
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[ [] ]
2ubq5f
How many professional troops did the Republic of China have in January 1946?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ubq5f/how_many_professional_troops_did_the_republic_of/
{ "a_id": [ "co6zugq" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "In 1946 Kuomintang troops numbered approximately 4.3 million. China's Bitter Victory: War with Japan by: James Hsiung has much of the numbers you would need, helped me a lot when writing papers on Mao. I'm not sure if that is the answer for 'prof...
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[ [] ]
1sma64
why has space flight advanced so slowly since the 1960's. why don't we have a reusable rocket yet even though its been 50 years.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1sma64/eli5why_has_space_flight_advanced_so_slowly_since/
{ "a_id": [ "cdyzbmv", "cdyzml3" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "What was the Shuttle?\n\nThere isn't any money for it. We have plenty of issues on the planet and no driving urge to do things on the moon or elsewhere. They probably have made huge strides in the technology, as an example...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
aday8i
Why are albino rats used in scientific research?
I was reading into the Rat Utopia studies and it mentioned that albino rats were used in most of the studies, which got me wondering:Why are albino rats used in scientific research? What are the benefits and drawbacks? Are albino rats the most common rat used in research and if so why?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/aday8i/why_are_albino_rats_used_in_scientific_research/
{ "a_id": [ "edg19cd" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "The major lab mouse strain is BALB/c mice, which happen to be albino. These mice are very inbred, so if you are trying to repeat an experiment, you want to use genetically similar mice so that there is less variation in your results, allowing yo...
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[ [] ]
3pny8l
how come the europeans were so aggressive in colonizing the rest of the world?
Most white people are descendants of the Europeans. The only reason why white people exist in the USA is because of the Europeans. Most of the world has been colonized by Europeans, especially my country India. Other things like the Mughal empire have popped up but nothing compares to the vicious colonization committed...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3pny8l/eli5_how_come_the_europeans_were_so_aggressive_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cw7vwxg", "cw7ynps" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "MONEY. With the exception of a few US states that were formerly colonies (not all of them), the vast majority of European colonies were created to make the mother country richer. Considering that in most, if not all cases, t...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9" ] ]
1og1qv
does an electron have a surface? is it a physical sphere?
I've been trying to gain a better understanding of the the model of an atom, and I'm a bit confused about the fundamentals of how we understand particles like electrons. Are electrons considered to be physical objects, with abstract concepts like spin literally corresponding to rotational motion? Articles like [this]...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1og1qv/eli5_does_an_electron_have_a_surface_is_it_a/
{ "a_id": [ "ccrm6fv", "ccrm6pg" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "As far as I get it, it's the latter and kind of fuzzy.\n\nWhen we touch things, when we feel a surface it's just electrons repelling, like two magnets touching the same side. We never actually interact with atoms, we just fe...
[]
[ "http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525131707.htm" ]
[ [], [] ]
28mutd
why mosquitos tend to always bite your exterior limbs such as hands or feet instead of your face/torso.
Currently in India...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28mutd/eli5_why_mosquitos_tend_to_always_bite_your/
{ "a_id": [ "cicer9x", "cicf7k3" ], "score": [ 17, 5 ], "text": [ "Mosquitos tend to go for areas where the skin is thinner and blood vessels are closer to the surface.", "Easier access to blood vessels, more articulation which lends itself to more blood flow, usually they are the bits...
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[ [], [] ]
1ofca6
Why do mammals usually have dull coloration when compared to some birds, reptiles and fish?
Basically, there is no mammal that comes close to a bird of paradise, a milk snake, a clownfish or a jewel beetle in terms of coloration. Why?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1ofca6/why_do_mammals_usually_have_dull_coloration_when/
{ "a_id": [ "ccrfxsb", "ccrg97y", "ccrgp8k", "ccrha4h", "ccrhbmq", "ccrhnp9", "ccrk44k", "ccrlhgz", "ccrpmk6", "ccrqdcu", "ccrtd82", "ccrunzr", "ccrxoa6" ], "score": [ 31, 228, 857, 4, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 2, 2...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structural_coloration" ], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1ba64n/why_are_there_so_few_blue_green_or_purple_mammals/" ], [ "http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/10/13/780pxsquirrelmonkeyblackcap_1.jpg", "http://2.bp....
2ji83l
why can't i use one credit card to pay off another?
If the balance was kept low and paid off every month, couldn't the money keep rebounding between the two?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ji83l/eli5_why_cant_i_use_one_credit_card_to_pay_off/
{ "a_id": [ "clbyava", "clbyx8w", "clc8acw", "clcglim", "clcirib", "clclec4" ], "score": [ 25, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You can. Credit card companies assess a fee for paying off other credit cards. If the fee is less than your total savings from going ...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2ob2m9
can you use the genetic material (chromosomes?) from 2 sperm (or 2 eggs) to make a baby?
If human sex cells (eggs and sperm) contain half the needed chromosomes each, could you pull the chromosomes from 2 sperm cells (assuming one of them is an X) and put them together in an empty egg and create a baby? Or take the chromosomes from an egg, and inject them into another egg to create a baby? Is there more ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ob2m9/eli5_can_you_use_the_genetic_material_chromosomes/
{ "a_id": [ "cmyl2mb" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This was first attempted in the 1980's by Davor Solter. He tried to create viable eggs using only pronuclei from sperm. Here were the results:\n\nXX- embryo failed\n\nXY- embryo failed\n\nYY- embryo immediately failed\n\n\nThe failure of the YY...
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[]
[ [ "http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/content/10/26/2983.long", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3015006/" ] ]
7m1b8o
why can't states, provinces, or cities borrow money (from their national governments) to build housing to help curb the housing crisis facing major cities today? if developers are making bank, couldn't cities come out without a profit and help the people of their area with more housing supply?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7m1b8o/eli5_why_cant_states_provinces_or_cities_borrow/
{ "a_id": [ "drqlie8" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "I’m not sure what country you’re in, but here in the US, the government builds low-income housing all the time.\n\nMany cities also require developers to build a certain number of affordable housing units with each project.\n" ] }
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[ [] ]
32fz59
why do i always see cop cars with their lights on but no sirens?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32fz59/eli5_why_do_i_always_see_cop_cars_with_their/
{ "a_id": [ "cqatfzt", "cqauwtw", "cqaxipn" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Most first-responders want to be the least amount of disturbing possible. In cities usually they only put sirens on when approaching an intersection so people that can't see the lights are aware of them...
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[ [], [], [] ]