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4s653u
What causes the Unruh effect?
Why does an accelerating observer observe more particles and higher temperatures?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4s653u/what_causes_the_unruh_effect/
{ "a_id": [ "d56xp6k" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Because the accelerating and inertial observer can \"see\" different portions of spacetime (the accelerating observer sees only a wedge of spacetime bounded by a Rindler horizon). Therefore they are not bound to agree on what the state of minimum...
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[]
[ [] ]
3moiwp
smartphone antennas and their signal emmision, (bonus: smartphones with traditional antenna? is that a thing?)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3moiwp/eli5_smartphone_antennas_and_their_signal/
{ "a_id": [ "cvgrttk" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Smartphones have antennas, but they're wholly contained in the case itself. Basically, with the number of cell towers in most areas, the slight boost in reception that could be gained from an external antenna isn't worth the extra bulk, especiall...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
8toty6
Seeing as the Nazi party had a very extensive amount of propaganda about the party and Germany, did they mention the beer hall putsch at all or did they silence the subject since it was a failed coup and they didn’t want to show the party failing in the past
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8toty6/seeing_as_the_nazi_party_had_a_very_extensive/
{ "a_id": [ "e19hb1v" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ " > Did they silence the subject?\n\nOh dear God, no. \n\nThe 9 November day was a major day of celebration and recognition by the NSDAP. The NSDAP used the anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch for its [*Parteitag*](_URL_1_) which was a massive fe...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/99feier.htm", "http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2005678901/", "http://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/9nov.htm", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSSJ01vUDG8" ] ]
3jtxeu
How small particles can be produced by erosion?
When a rock or a piece of glass erodes in the nature. What is the last particle size that can be left? Is it individual molecules or even atoms or is it much larger particles?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3jtxeu/how_small_particles_can_be_produced_by_erosion/
{ "a_id": [ "cusgf21", "cutkmn4", "cuuapge" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Since no one has taken a shot at this one I'll have a go. I don't know the answer, but maybe I can provide a reference point. In materials science there are often cases where you want small particle siz...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1ce7u3
Water warfare, what are some historical examples of rerouting water to submit foes?
After reading about Saddams marshland waterpumps I was wondering how water resources played into ancient warfare and politics, especially in the same area.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ce7u3/water_warfare_what_are_some_historical_examples/
{ "a_id": [ "c9fofgq", "c9fqjd9", "c9ftrmo", "c9fvk4c" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2, 9 ], "text": [ "If I remember correctly, Jonathan Spence's book *God's Chinese Son* describes a battle during the Taiping Rebellion wherein Qing forces surrounded a rebel army marching towards Bei...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
3nxrxd
when one has a head cold and one of their nostrils is clogged up..why is that when they turn their head, it suddenly clears up within seconds?
I currently have a head cold and only one of my nostrils is ever clogged. But when I turn my head the opposite way of the nostril, it suddenly clears up and I can breathe normally.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nxrxd/eli5_when_one_has_a_head_cold_and_one_of_their/
{ "a_id": [ "cvs7oac", "cvsaeym" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The congestion is caused by mucus in the sinuses. So, when you tilt your held, the mucus flows, or moves relative to gravity. Hence, the nostril that's up becomes clear.", "Do note that congestion is also commonly a bypr...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
33izj8
Why do babies try and put everything in their mouths? This seems like a huge evolutionary disadvantage.
Without constant supervision, almost every baby ever would kill itself within minutes. Is there some sort of advantage to this I'm not seeing?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/33izj8/why_do_babies_try_and_put_everything_in_their/
{ "a_id": [ "cqle52g", "cqlep7g", "cqlm2bo", "cqm83ko" ], "score": [ 61, 18, 18, 7 ], "text": [ "It is actually an evolutionary advantage.\n\nThink of it like this: The process kick starts their little immune systems into getting into fighting shape by putting things in the...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?_r=4&ref=health&amp" ], [], [], [] ]
1seuam
Has average penis length increased over time, like height?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1seuam/has_average_penis_length_increased_over_time_like/
{ "a_id": [ "cdwy21a" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Height is a tricky thing. During the Napoleonic era, there was a staggering height difference between lower and upper class Englishmen - something on the order of 6-9 inches. Throughout most of human history, the upper classes have remained fairl...
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[ [] ]
tx909
Did the Bolsheviks have foreign support in the Russian Civil War?
The anti-Bolshevik forces were supported by, among others, the British, French, Japanese, Czechs and Americans. From my reading it seems that the Bolsheviks had the support of a unit from Latvia. Was this the full extent of international support for the socialists? Or were there foreign volunteers sympathetic to the Bo...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/tx909/did_the_bolsheviks_have_foreign_support_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c4qnm2d" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "As far as I know, none or at least none in any way organised even at a level of International brigades in Spain. There were some individuals friendly to the Bolshevik cause in Russia during the revolution, many of whom got there as war prisoners ...
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[ [] ]
66xisn
aren't electric cars still using fossil fuels?
Since most electricity (~85% in US) comes from burning of fossil fuels, wouldn't electric cars using the electricity be using fossil fuels? Is it significantly more efficient to use the fossil fuels burned at the power plant instead of gasoline in a car?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/66xisn/eli5_arent_electric_cars_still_using_fossil_fuels/
{ "a_id": [ "dgm0p2x", "dgm0uq0" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "Yes, electric cars will still be using energy that's ultimately derived from fossil fuels for the most part, but as you guessed, the tiny engine in an automobile is significantly less efficient than the enormous turbines and...
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[ [], [] ]
4w62q6
Questions about Jewish languages.
The modern Hebrew language is typically understood to be a modern creation. So what languages where the Sephardic Jews and Misrachi jews (and any other Jews) speaking before they came to Isreal? I know the German Jews spoke yiddish, did the other groups have similar hybrid languages? Also, I understand that several Je...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4w62q6/questions_about_jewish_languages/
{ "a_id": [ "d64cyt4", "d64h93i" ], "score": [ 2, 7 ], "text": [ "Many Jews simply spoke the native tongues. Some spoke Russian, others Arabic, etc.. This complicated the process of choosing a language for the new state, but Hebrew was eventually chosen and reborn. The schools still had to...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
4rgs1e
why do people who have screws suddenly have pain in their limbs when it rains?
Something with the change in atmospheric pressure?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4rgs1e/eli5_why_do_people_who_have_screws_suddenly_have/
{ "a_id": [ "d512m4z" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "See [these previous posts on roughly the same topic.](_URL_0_)" ] }
[]
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/search?sort=relevance&t=all&q=subreddit:explainlikeimfive%20pain%20OR%20hurt%20rain%20OR%20weather" ] ]
2f1z9j
do people with mental diseases know they have it?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2f1z9j/eli5_do_people_with_mental_diseases_know_they/
{ "a_id": [ "ck54v2s", "ck54vm1", "ck54yhz", "ck54zo9", "ck55k4v", "ck5639c", "ck59ps6", "ck5am2j", "ck5c7ua", "ck5fwv0" ], "score": [ 50, 8, 2, 24, 12, 6, 23, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Depends on the disorder. For example, a pers...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
7iletf
why aren’t all food jars manufactured to be as easy to open as a plastic salsa jar?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7iletf/eli5_why_arent_all_food_jars_manufactured_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "dqzvzg9", "dr0hpyt" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "The hard-to-open ones are typically glass jars that use both a vacuum seal and a heat-set plastic or wax layer under the cap. These form a very secure seal for items meant to last on the shelf for up to years without any ris...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
3p3n0n
In order to calculate relative atomic mass the masses of isotopes have to be taken into account. How did the scientists know (initially) what is the abundance of those isotopes?
Is it fixed (in an ore) or did they have to use some other method?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3p3n0n/in_order_to_calculate_relative_atomic_mass_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cw2vxpm", "cw38lz8" ], "score": [ 347, 3 ], "text": [ "You use a mass spectrometer. The basic idea is that you use heat or a high voltage to strip one electron away from atoms, then you use an electric field or changing magnetic field to shoot the positively charged atoms (now...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Disappearing_Spoon" ] ]
1jxvqs
How do we know light doesn't travel instantaneously?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1jxvqs/how_do_we_know_light_doesnt_travel_instantaneously/
{ "a_id": [ "cbjcz24", "cbjdqr9" ], "score": [ 3, 10 ], "text": [ "On the moon there are retroreflectors which reflect light back to Earth. A laser beam which illuminates one of those devices will take a finite time to come back to Earth. There are many other examples. For example laser ra...
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[ [], [] ]
a2kiyu
why do phone manufacturers let their customers set the date and time on their phones to before the phone's manufacturing date?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a2kiyu/eli5_why_do_phone_manufacturers_let_their/
{ "a_id": [ "eaz7i39", "eaz7mb6", "eaz8sap", "eaz8z9d" ], "score": [ 10, 5, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Why would they put even a second of thought or effort into preventing that?\n\nThere is no harm in doing that. It doesn't hurt the device and there is no reason the company would...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
108uy6
If solar panels convert sunlight into a different kind of energy than heat, then are solar panels basically air-conditioners for the outdoors?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/108uy6/if_solar_panels_convert_sunlight_into_a_different/
{ "a_id": [ "c6bdlkw", "c6bdn3j", "c6be7wu" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "No, photovoltaic panels don't convert heat into electricity. They use photons to dislodge electrons from special materials and generate electric current as those electrons \"fall\" back into place.\n\nT...
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[ [], [], [] ]
18j1fn
how the american road naming system works
I'm an Arab hopefully going to study in the US soon. For the life of me, I can't understand naming roads like 12th and Springsteen. Is that the name of 1 street. Is it the name of a block?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18j1fn/eli5_how_the_american_road_naming_system_works/
{ "a_id": [ "c8f7nbn", "c8f7tqd", "c8fb2hm", "c8fcu75", "c8fe3j4", "c8fegwn", "c8fk0tn" ], "score": [ 3, 18, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "When someone says \"X and Y\", that's the point where road X and road Y cross each other.", "12th and Springs...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
olnw9
Why is it so difficult to do something with your right hand, while simultaneously doing something different with your left hand?
For example, I was trying to pet my my dog with my right hand, while trying to maneuver my mouse and type with my left hand at the same time. I couldn't seem to do both at once, if I tried to type, my right hand would stop petting my dog consistently, and make jerky movements, and if I tried to continue petting my dog ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/olnw9/why_is_it_so_difficult_to_do_something_with_your/
{ "a_id": [ "c3iamc0" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "because you only have one brain. People who have a severed [corpus callosum](_URL_0_) in effect have two separate brains and can do different things with their two hands, at the cost of experiencing the world quite differently from the way most ...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_callosum" ] ]
1yugbx
What exactly is a gluon?
I know that they're smaller than protons and act as an adhesive that binds quarks but besides that I do not know much regarding how they act under certain conditions?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1yugbx/what_exactly_is_a_gluon/
{ "a_id": [ "cfnxgap" ], "score": [ 18 ], "text": [ "A gluon is essentially the strong force analogue of a photon.\n\nPhotons carry and transmit the electromagnetic force, and are generated by moving electric charge of which there are two types: positive and negative.\n\nGluons carry and transmit ...
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[]
[ [] ]
5uz168
why did fully wireless earphones/earbuds take so long to reach the market, when those quirky bluetooth headsets have been around for so long?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5uz168/eli5_why_did_fully_wireless_earphonesearbuds_take/
{ "a_id": [ "ddxxlir", "ddxxoor", "ddy0yd1", "ddy9vb8" ], "score": [ 5, 44, 32, 4 ], "text": [ "The wireless package has been around for quite a while already. The problem was battery life and size. Newer technology allows for long enough battery life to last a day of l...
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[ [], [ "http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-airpods-delay-wireless-earbuds-technical-issues-2016-12" ], [], [] ]
2k735d
how do cemeteries work? when you buy a plot can you do whatever you want with it? if the cemetery falls into disrepair does it breach a contract?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2k735d/eli5how_do_cemeteries_work_when_you_buy_a_plot/
{ "a_id": [ "clij1tn", "clioplv" ], "score": [ 8, 5 ], "text": [ "You only have the rights granted to you by whatever agreement you sign with the cemetery. Generally, there are two rights: the right of the deceased to be buried there, and the right of the family to visit and prevent its de...
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[ [], [] ]
2q0fj2
why can your mouth tolerate hotter food than your hands?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2q0fj2/eli5why_can_your_mouth_tolerate_hotter_food_than/
{ "a_id": [ "cn1oql1", "cn1ouv3", "cn1p8c8", "cn1pjcz", "cn1sp4t", "cn1vb3k" ], "score": [ 81, 13, 24, 9, 8, 3 ], "text": [ "As someone that worked as a dishwasher once upon a time, my hands can tolerate a whole bunch more heat than my mouth. ", "It can'...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
34hscg
why is it so hard for the us to get 5%of the vote to a third party candidate?
Like I voted for Gary Johnson in 2012 because I was told if he pulled 5 percent, the party he ran under would be able to pull funds out of the presidential campaign grant the next election. Is that how it works? So how come we can't see a 5% number? Is it voter apathy? Do people just vote party lines? Does this have ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34hscg/eli5_why_is_it_so_hard_for_the_us_to_get_5of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cqusyxb", "cqut0m4", "cqutp23", "cqutvqg", "cqv3br0", "cqva252" ], "score": [ 18, 2, 6, 2, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Because when you are voting for a third-party candidate, that usually means you are throwing your vote away. That candidate isn't going...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7tWHJfhiyo" ], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proportional_representation" ], [ "http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Hondt_method" ] ]
1py9fy
Tuesday Trivia | Lost the Battle, Won The War
[Previous weeks’ Tuesday Trivias.](_URL_0_) Today’s trivia theme comes to us from /u/WhyYouThinkThat! And it’s a popular proverb! **Please share any interesting moments from history that are examples of “losing the battle but winning the war.”** You’re welcome to take this in either direction -- literally or figur...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1py9fy/tuesday_trivia_lost_the_battle_won_the_war/
{ "a_id": [ "cd7ancu", "cd7ax3s", "cd7bt3m", "cd7bxes", "cd7dnly", "cd7fdfe", "cd7kb24", "cd7o84u", "cd7p6qh", "cd7vct3", "cd857yh", "cd86jn6" ], "score": [ 3, 187, 19, 24, 45, 4, 12, 16, 2, 3, 8, 2 ], "text": [ ...
[]
[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/search?q=title%3A%22Tuesday+Trivia%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all" ]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.jstor.org/stable/3519119", "http://em.oxfordjournals.org/content/XXVIII/1/32.full.pdf+html" ], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Shi_Rebellion", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Suiyang" ], [], [], [], [] ]
2yf8wo
Can alcohol sterilize water or is it a myth?
Well I've heard that ancient Englishmen used to add alcohol to contaminated water to make it potable. I know that it cannot get rid of the dissolved impurities but can the ethanol kill the microbes present? If yes,in what concentration is it effective?I mean does vodka,gin,tequila etc work?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2yf8wo/can_alcohol_sterilize_water_or_is_it_a_myth/
{ "a_id": [ "cp901bs" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It does, as it's denaturating the proteins and dissolving cell walls. \n70% is commonly used as a good balance between sterilisation and flammability. \nAlthough it's not as effective or safe as other chemicals used to disinfect water." ] }
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[ [] ]
e5r3x1
Does stomach acid have an effect on medications taken orally?
If i take an antacid before taking a medication ( for example: Vyvanse ), will it increase the absorption? I’ve heard taking a TUMS antacid would help with THC absorption, so I was wondering if it prevented stomach acids from burning up normal meds.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/e5r3x1/does_stomach_acid_have_an_effect_on_medications/
{ "a_id": [ "f9lkrcw" ], "score": [ 77 ], "text": [ "Medicinal chemist here. It has little to do with the acids destroying the drug (we kinda know that it's going into that environment and design accordingly - most of the molecules I've tested for pH stability have half-lives of 100-500 hours at ...
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[ [] ]
1lg3xy
since the tech industry is so big, and the us government is very sensitive to lobbying, why hasn't the tech industry lobbied the government to leave it alone?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lg3xy/eli5_since_the_tech_industry_is_so_big_and_the_us/
{ "a_id": [ "cbyvzmk", "cbywlou", "cbyz95e" ], "score": [ 14, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "The tech industry does not want any one thing. It wants MANY things at the same time and many of them contradictory. The tech industry does also not want to be left alone, it wants favorable treatmen...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php" ], [] ]
6vwbwi
why are some liquids, like oil, very slick? what molecular properties make a good lubricant?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6vwbwi/eli5why_are_some_liquids_like_oil_very_slick_what/
{ "a_id": [ "dm3ifq4", "dm3jhkm" ], "score": [ 2, 5 ], "text": [ "I don't claim to be an expert, but this is what I think is the reason. If I am wrong, nobody should hesitate to correct me.\n\nThere's a chemical property known as viscosity, which basically means a liquid being \"thicker\" ...
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[ [], [] ]
173sc3
how do i walk properly?
Explain please. I don't know how to walk properly apparently. This stems from a question I asked a female friend. I asked her what the most unattractive things were about me. Turns out my walk is 1.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/173sc3/how_do_i_walk_properly/
{ "a_id": [ "c81zi80" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Probably has to do with your posture and stride." ] }
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[ [] ]
9q3reo
how does activated carbon have a such a huge surface area per 1g, how does it work?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9q3reo/eli5_how_does_activated_carbon_have_a_such_a_huge/
{ "a_id": [ "e86ezu2" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It stems from how it's set up. Take a Kg chunk of any material in a cube. As a single piece it has a set surface area. Cut that in half, and suddenly your gain in total surface area is equal to adding two new square faces to the total. Repeat tho...
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[ [] ]
2y31r0
Why is that when I put something something really close directly in front of my eye, there is a fuzzy border of the object and why does that fuzzy border make things look clear?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2y31r0/why_is_that_when_i_put_something_something_really/
{ "a_id": [ "cp66g5k" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "[This is an excellent physics stack overflow answer](_URL_0_) about this question. It has nothing to do with diffraction, which won't happen on these sort of lengths scales for visible light." ] }
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[]
[ [ "http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/111006/how-does-light-bend-around-my-finger-tip" ] ]
3n0k2j
is it possible for a error to mutate a computer program causing it to evolve in the same way biological organisms evolve.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3n0k2j/eli5_is_it_possible_for_a_error_to_mutate_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cvjqnua", "cvjqpf6", "cvjr9qa", "cvjrdgy" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Evolving computer chips is a huge part of creating a good AI. There are already several companies working with this technology. When it was first worked up it created such efficien...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
3wsm9b
why do we go through waves of intense logical clarity but sometimes cannot comprehend simple sentences or words?
Basically, why do we go through intense and insatiable periods curiosity but sometimes can't remember what a spoon is called?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3wsm9b/eli5_why_do_we_go_through_waves_of_intense/
{ "a_id": [ "cxz2fl3" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "How old are you ? I'm old as dirt (50's) and this has been happening to me for about 10 years." ] }
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[ [] ]
4yphr7
The anachronistic "Renaissance" image of Jesus has become ubiquitous now, but how did the 7th Century Christian church picture Jesus? How did the writers who spoke about him in the Quran picture him, and were there significant differences from the Christian depiction at the time?
I'm especially curious as to whether the depictions varied due to the difference in status that Jesus holds between the two religions. Also, it's not strictly within the scope of the question I asked, but I'd love to know anything about different ways Jesus was depicted in other historical periods and in various cultu...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4yphr7/the_anachronistic_renaissance_image_of_jesus_has/
{ "a_id": [ "d6pr33l", "d6qgzy4" ], "score": [ 29, 21 ], "text": [ "To piggyback on this question with a related inquiry (if that's allowed), at some point the depiction of Jesus on the Cross changed; early depictions have 4 nails (1 in each foot), whereas later depictions and almost all m...
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[ [], [ "http://www.rawstory.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0109islamart03-800x430.jpg", "https://churchpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/6-530x1024.jpg", "http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/tens-of-thousands-of-shiite-muslims-march-peacefully-with-portraits-picture-id2880655" ] ]
4dmizp
why can us state governments pass unconstitutional laws? wouldn't these be illegal and therefore ineffective?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4dmizp/eli5_why_can_us_state_governments_pass/
{ "a_id": [ "d1satfh", "d1saulq", "d1sav80", "d1savbe", "d1sawm7", "d1sawni", "d1say5u", "d1sb13b", "d1sb3lz", "d1sbz0f" ], "score": [ 4, 18, 4, 6, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "They can pass whatever laws they want. It would...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution#Incorporation" ] ]
6mrkop
how are languages with millions of characters (chinese and the likes) categorized into an alphabetical order
Seriously I want to know if maybe they convert their language into Latin characters using the sound or something idk please explain
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6mrkop/eli5_how_are_languages_with_millions_of/
{ "a_id": [ "dk3tipt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "First, there are merely thousands of characters with only a fraction of those being relevant even to authors and scholars. \n\nSecondly there are a few methods used. One of which organizes by radical (the bits and bobs that make up a character.) ...
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[ [] ]
3xj5ou
Why does glass/crystal resonate or "ping" when struck while plastic does not?
I could only find one other question that was close to mine and [that dealt with metallic crystalline structures] (_URL_0_). I understand that there is a difference in the makeup and structure between glass/crystal and plastic but the main question is **why** does glass/crystal resonate and plastic doesn't (assuming th...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3xj5ou/why_does_glasscrystal_resonate_or_ping_when/
{ "a_id": [ "cy5jzrk" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "On a macroscopic level, the answer is that glass and plastic have substantially different [Young's modulus](_URL_0_) — which is a measure of elasticity of a material — although it's worth noting that there are many different plastics and some are...
[]
[ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/32zrka/what_physical_characteristic_allows_goldsilver/" ]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young%27s_modulus" ] ]
3xt46a
Basques in the Philippines
Many of the prominent and rich mestizo families in the Philippines (Aboitiz, Elizalde, Araneta, Zobel de Ayala, Zubiri) trace their lineage from the Basque regions. I have a cursory knowledge of the unrest and disenfranchisement that contributed to the Basque diaspora but I can't reconcile their marginalization in Spai...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3xt46a/basques_in_the_philippines/
{ "a_id": [ "cy7o6od" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "A reply to /u/splatticusflinch\n\nThe Basques (of the crown of Navarre) were not always marginalized. During the Habsburg times, the crown of Navarre was considered a safe, but rather unattractive, territory where governance was fairly well devel...
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7yty7q
How did Napoleonic era soldiers stay calm under fire?
18th and 19th century warfare is often portrayed in media as an almost bureaucratic affair, with orderly lines of infantry slowly advancing towards the enemy to lob volleys at one another, with cannon rounds exploding all around. My question, as stated in the title, is how on earth these men were able to stay so calm...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7yty7q/how_did_napoleonic_era_soldiers_stay_calm_under/
{ "a_id": [ "dujjfvo", "dujrjbn" ], "score": [ 30, 67 ], "text": [ "Short answer: they didn't. However, there are multiple factors to consider. \n\n1. Fusils or smooth-bore muskets of the Napoleonic era, though deadly, are also very inaccurate at range. A broadside by an infantry formation...
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[ [], [] ]
171vsj
why is nuclear fusion "always 30 years away"?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/171vsj/eli5_why_is_nuclear_fusion_always_30_years_away/
{ "a_id": [ "c81ffsw", "c81fj1b", "c81g0ba", "c81g8j5", "c81hf6m", "c81hlqd", "c81hpbd", "c81ighw", "c81iqrr", "c81jtll", "c81k473", "c81kzgj", "c81ni4t", "c81rnan" ], "score": [ 23, 8, 12, 530, 15, 13, 8, 141, 6, 9, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/mpc9g/iama_nuclear_fusion_scientist_american_expat_in/c32ravg", "http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/mpc9g/iama_nuclear_fusion_scientist_american_expat_in/" ], [], [ "http://www.xkcd.com/678/" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D...
2h6lxi
Why did the Japanese aviators drastically over-estimate their kill counts during WWII?
I've been reading Lundstrom's [The First Team](_URL_0_). I'm almost halfway through, but there is a definite trend emerging. Yes, the American aviators over-estimated their kills, but they usually involved one plane engaging the same plane as another had already engaged and both claimed a plane. So only one Japanese...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2h6lxi/why_did_the_japanese_aviators_drastically/
{ "a_id": [ "ckpyp3u", "ckq52gz" ], "score": [ 22, 6 ], "text": [ "During World War II, different nations had different ways of tallying aerial kills. In the United States and Britain, the pilot was the one who accrued the kills. If two or more planes contributed to a kill, that kill was d...
[]
[ "http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Team-Pacific-Combat/dp/159114471X" ]
[ [], [] ]
a6kjub
What process "makes" a photon in an excited atom?
Hi, When an atom absorbs a photon, an electron is pushed to a higher state of energy. But in what sense is that energy stored - is it like an electrical potential or added mass to the atom? And when it is released, what process "makes" the photon? Is it like a disturbance of an electrical field, or the fact that the ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/a6kjub/what_process_makes_a_photon_in_an_excited_atom/
{ "a_id": [ "ebx6gb1" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "It's that the entire electron-nucleus *system* has more energy. Exactly where that energy is stored depends on the wavelength of the photon (which atomic transition you excite).\n\nGenerally we assume the nucleus to be static, so its kinetic ener...
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[ [ "https://i.stack.imgur.com/EHl1o.png" ] ]
4w5ttt
what does it mean when a reef has bleached? and what does that mean for the future of our oceans?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4w5ttt/eli5what_does_it_mean_when_a_reef_has_bleached/
{ "a_id": [ "d647wug" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The coral in the reefs are made up of tiny animals that capture and keep even tinier algae to help feed them. When stressed, the coral gives up the algae causing the reefs to turn white. When really stressed, they coral then dies. This stress mi...
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22eiox
how did richard nixon get impeached from tapping a hotel, yet obama and his administration practically tap an entire nation and not get any repercussions?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/22eiox/eli5_how_did_richard_nixon_get_impeached_from/
{ "a_id": [ "cgm179k", "cgm18jv", "cgm1du0", "cgm2ivn", "cgm3od1" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 38, 27, 14 ], "text": [ "He was never impeached. He resigned way before that happened. Also, part of it has to do with what he was wiretapping for. \n\nAlso, Nixon's men broke int...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
53xaqv
jainism
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/53xaqv/eli5_jainism/
{ "a_id": [ "d7x5a8y" ], "score": [ 21 ], "text": [ "Uhh what's up. Second generation Indian here, and Jain.\n\nHonestly, I may not be the best at explaining the dogma, but I'll give you the best I can. \n\nBasically, like many other eastern religions, the goal is to break the cycle of life and de...
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[ [] ]
cx9q0m
Some of my Japanese friends claim that during the Rape of Nanking, the military high command (and even generals on the field) didn't know what was going on until several days later. Is this true, or revisionist history?
I was surprised to hear it because it was said by a friend who is generally very level headed and logical about things. He said that the Rape of Nanking was basically more of a failure to keep soldiers in discipline, rather than a coordinated effort by the Japanese High Command to commit genocide of the city. Basically...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cx9q0m/some_of_my_japanese_friends_claim_that_during_the/
{ "a_id": [ "eyk7ng4", "eyksn7a", "eykym7y" ], "score": [ 684, 99, 837 ], "text": [ "There's always more to be said! But in the meantime, you might be interested in a couple of earlier answers on the subject:\n\n* [During the second Sino-Japanese war, was the \"Rape of Nanking\" co...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1rlbx6/during_the_second_sinojapanese_war_was_the_rape/cdozqbv/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2gfz14/why_was_the_empire_of_japan_particually_vicious/ckiw3xm/?context=3" ], [], [] ]
d7f3t6
How does the radiation from Fukushima stay in the water after the water is removed?
[deleted]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/d7f3t6/how_does_the_radiation_from_fukushima_stay_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "f0zkgen", "f119lvq", "f11pko8" ], "score": [ 22, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It's not the radiation itself, it's unstable isotopes that emit radiation when they decay. These isotopes get dissolved in the water and are hard to remove, so you have water that is constantly emittin...
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[ [], [], [] ]
1topp5
I have a question about Aristotle and his belief in God
The Ancient Greeks(or at least some) did believe in a God(though they worshipped more gods than Him), and they wrote his name with a capital G on purpose. A sort of "unmoved mover". Aristotle wrote down some arguments for that God's existence. I was told something like this: Aristotle thought God only ever contemplate...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1topp5/i_have_a_question_about_aristotle_and_his_belief/
{ "a_id": [ "cea0s0u", "cea43jw" ], "score": [ 2, 10 ], "text": [ "This is the sort of question that is probably better asked over in /r/askphilosophy.", "You've asked a number of questions here, many of which are quite complicated and I am not sure I can answer them all. But I will do...
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[ [], [] ]
29yz6q
Quest for the Lost Civilization. A UK documentary about a global civilization predating the Egyptians. I would like to know the views of the historical community on this theory and if anyone has any further sources if further research is worthwhile.
I recently watched [this Channel 4 documentary](_URL_0_) (UK) about ancient civilizations across the world. However I am not certain on how much of it was based on actual evidence even though most of the theories made sense to me. Is there any evidence on this? How much of the historical community agrees with these the...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/29yz6q/quest_for_the_lost_civilization_a_uk_documentary/
{ "a_id": [ "cipvwob" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "I'm not going to go too far into this, but there's nothing academic or rigorous about these theories. There's a minor TV/publishing sub-genre which supplies a market niche of people who want to believe them.\nNo historians take them at all seriou...
[]
[ "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252165/" ]
[ [] ]
42o71t
How aware were the Romans (and other contemporaries) of China's social and technological progress, and how did they regard China?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/42o71t/how_aware_were_the_romans_and_other/
{ "a_id": [ "czc5ekp" ], "score": [ 36 ], "text": [ "Direct interaction between the Romans and Chinese was rather rare mainly because of the operations of the Parthian Empire in the Middle East, which was hostile to Rome. Only during times of relative peace were the two cultures able to send embas...
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[ [ "https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/hhshu/hou_han_shu.html#sec11" ] ]
26a89u
Is it really legitimate to say that Synapsids aren't reptiles? What would call their common ancestor?
I've recently read several places that some paleontologists don't like the term "mammal-like reptile". Besides pedantry, is there anything to this?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/26a89u/is_it_really_legitimate_to_say_that_synapsids/
{ "a_id": [ "chp8ern" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Synapsids did not have a reptile ancestor, they share a common ancestor though. The clade that represents this is the Amniotes, or creatures with an amniotic sac. \nYou can't call a synapsid a reptile just like you can't call a dog a feline. They...
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b2yyf0
how do drug companies know that death may be a side effect of their drug? do people die during clinical trials?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b2yyf0/eli5_how_do_drug_companies_know_that_death_may_be/
{ "a_id": [ "eivwd4s", "eixh76d" ], "score": [ 22, 3 ], "text": [ "Having discussed this previously with an MD, basically, in the US, when they test the drug, any effect experienced by anyone in the clinical trial group has to be listed as a potential side effect. So if anyone dies in the...
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[ [], [] ]
20jvqs
What happens to the rate of photosynthesis if there is sufficient supply of Light, Water and Carbon dioxide?
Hey guys! I was just wandering if a plant will perform photosynthesis 24/7 is there are sufficient light, water and CO2. Are there any factors that will affect the rate of photosynthesis?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/20jvqs/what_happens_to_the_rate_of_photosynthesis_if/
{ "a_id": [ "cg3ymkg" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "A plant keeps photosynthesizing if it has access to light, water and CO2, but only up to a certain level. For instance, if you were to keep increasing the amounts, the plant would reach its maximum potential and not be able to grow any faster no ...
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5d90ux
i went to a cafe for a coffee and was offered white or brown sugar? what is the difference? isn't sugar just sugar?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5d90ux/eli5_i_went_to_a_cafe_for_a_coffee_and_was/
{ "a_id": [ "da2ntcw" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Brown Sugar tends to add a distinct flavor to the foods its added to. White sugar simply dissolves more readily and affects the taste a little less. Both still sweeteners. I suggest trying both and seeing if there's a difference. Enjoy your coffe...
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[ [] ]
18zrj5
What was the international system (for lack of a better word) before the Peace of Westphalia in 1648?
I understand the current system of sovereignty and statehood is derived from the peace treaties signed in 1648, but what did the changes actually accomplish? What was the system beforehand? Did the concept of "kingdom" change?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/18zrj5/what_was_the_international_system_for_lack_of_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c8jrvbl" ], "score": [ 165 ], "text": [ "First thing to note: the current system of sovereignty and statehood does not derive from the peace of 1648. Though it may have been a milestone in its development, the intellectual roots of the current system are at the same time far more mode...
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[ [] ]
4cj4n2
How should we understand the German Peasant's Revolt in relation to Luther and the Protestant Reformation?
Specifically, was he the catalyst? Why did he deny the peasants? Theology? Political maneuvering?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4cj4n2/how_should_we_understand_the_german_peasants/
{ "a_id": [ "d1izcoo" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "A reply to /u/Kugelfang52\n\nThis is a very good question. Most of the scholarship I am aware of say that the Peasants' Revolt and the greater Protestant Reformation share the same causative factors, but that they arose with a high degree of inde...
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28g174
How popular was the idea of a first-strike attack on the West among the USSR's Government and military?
From what I understand plans like the Seven Days to the River Rhine were always retaliatory in nature. Was there ever a movement or plans to attack the West without serious instigation?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/28g174/how_popular_was_the_idea_of_a_firststrike_attack/
{ "a_id": [ "ciaorz0" ], "score": [ 82 ], "text": [ "I can't speak for the military, But the leaders of the soviet union after Stalin (Kruschev through Gorbachev) never seriously entertained the idea of launching a first strike. Stalin believed sincerely that a hot war with the United States was i...
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bxi7yu
why do old people seem to get clumsier with age?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bxi7yu/eli5_why_do_old_people_seem_to_get_clumsier_with/
{ "a_id": [ "eq6wlme", "eq6ww8c" ], "score": [ 5, 7 ], "text": [ "Our movements are in some part controlled by the signals sent to and from our nerves. When we get older, those signals take longer to be sent out from our arms/legs/etc. and longer to be understood by the control center, th...
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4y4q31
What distinguished a Medieval knight from a member of the Roman equestrian order?
If possible, also list down the differences a knight from the Early, High, and Late Middle Ages had from each other and the Roman equestrian.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4y4q31/what_distinguished_a_medieval_knight_from_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d6kxnhx", "d6l63ia" ], "score": [ 4, 11 ], "text": [ "Could explain a bit about what led you to ask this question?", "Hmm, ok, I'm guessing that this question is emerging from the Latin words used for each of these groups, which have all been translated as 'knight' in Engl...
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kr16s
What would a triple point of water *look* like? (This is when water, ice, and water vapor exist in equilibrium.)
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/kr16s/what_would_a_triple_point_of_water_look_like_this/
{ "a_id": [ "c2mhssh", "c2mhzj7", "c2mhssh", "c2mhzj7" ], "score": [ 2, 9, 2, 9 ], "text": [ "I am not sure if you are asking about some specific configuration but in a container under these conditions there would be solid, liquid and gaseous water. It would look just like ...
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[ [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLRqpJN9zeA" ], [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLRqpJN9zeA" ] ]
3rv6kd
Did the Native Americans have the knowledge of using the stars for travel and navigation?
Did any Native American tribe in North America know that stars could be used to determine where to go or was that only an Eastern principle?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3rv6kd/did_the_native_americans_have_the_knowledge_of/
{ "a_id": [ "cwrrdlt", "cwrtvy2" ], "score": [ 176, 10 ], "text": [ "Of course they did.\n\nSee, for example Douglas T. Peck's article \"Development of Celestial Navigation by the Ancient Maya\", in Journal of Navigation Studies 54 (2001). He writes that \"the ancient Chontal Maya in north...
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[ [ "https://www.academia.edu/3350616/Stars_as_social_space_Contextualizing_17th-century_Chesapeake_star-motif_pipes" ], [ "http://solar-center.stanford.edu/AO/bighorn.html" ] ]
tqxwk
Can one conjoined twin's brain respond to touch or any other sensation on the other conjoined twin?
Don't really know how else to expand on this. Is it possible that the nerves in the connecting tissue act as gateways between each twin so that they physically feel the same things?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tqxwk/can_one_conjoined_twins_brain_respond_to_touch_or/
{ "a_id": [ "c4ozomj" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There is anecdotal evidence of this when the joining occurs at the brain. The children are young so it is difficult to conduct experiments at the moment. Here is a fascinating [video and article](_URL_0_)\n\nEDIT: By anecdotal, I just mean a case...
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[ [ "http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/magazine/could-conjoined-twins-share-a-mind.html?pagewanted=all" ] ]
3r8o4v
how can babies sleep in awkward and uncomfortable positions, without showing any symptoms of pain, such as a stiff neck or back that adults would normally show?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3r8o4v/eli5_how_can_babies_sleep_in_awkward_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cwluj83", "cwlzuxx", "cwm0ism", "cwmov80" ], "score": [ 90, 2, 24, 2 ], "text": [ "They're limbs and muscle are aren't fully developed. Babies are made of mostly cartridge (like the stuff you find you're ears and nose are made of) so they are more flexible ", ...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1ghq22
During World War II did the Germans use improvised traps ? If so how common was this and was it a major danger to Aliied Forces ?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ghq22/during_world_war_ii_did_the_germans_use/
{ "a_id": [ "cakbq27" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I don't know how common they were, as in a % of all mines used, but the Germans did employ IEDs during WW2. One of the more hated IEDs in North Africa was aircraft bombs used as mines in minefields. They were obviously quite powerful and had a ...
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9b8nw7
I'm an English gentleman in 18th England. I want to buy myself a pistol or musket. How much would it cost me?
Would the price make them too expensive for the majority of the country? Many thanks!
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9b8nw7/im_an_english_gentleman_in_18th_england_i_want_to/
{ "a_id": [ "e518eao", "e51j2rz" ], "score": [ 14, 12 ], "text": [ "I can give you a partial answer, for the Colonies.\n\nLike anything manufactured in the 18th c., they were what we'd call expensive, because of all the labor required. The cost depended on what the gun was. George Washin...
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[ [ "https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.32106007458745;view=1up;seq=67" ], [] ]
1n8d4c
what does meth feel like?
Just started watching breaking bad and got curious. Tried looking up the neurotransmitters involved, and the number of systems it targets is overwhelming. Anyone done it, and can explain?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1n8d4c/what_does_meth_feel_like/
{ "a_id": [ "ccgabhb", "ccgaclx", "ccgafkx" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 6 ], "text": [ "It's like an orgasm your soul has. It's like seeing the world for the first time.\n\nLater it's like cancer that climbs into your brain and helps you make your decisions for you.\n\nOne day you look in ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
ca8ovt
How much tax was levied on non Muslims in Muslim states?
I've heard a few perspectives. Some being that they were ridiculously high, and others being that they were at times lower than the taxes levied on Muslims. So which was it? Was it always the same, or did it fluctuate? Edit: I'm particularly curious about the earlier caliphates.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ca8ovt/how_much_tax_was_levied_on_non_muslims_in_muslim/
{ "a_id": [ "et7nh3v" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "I've covered this briefly in response to an earlier question [here](_URL_0_), drawing an example from the 17th-century Ottoman Empire. The answer is that it varied, not only from empire to empire but even from place to place within the same empi...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9ob5qv/was_the_jizya_tax_on_non_muslims_higher_than_the/" ] ]
48orvw
is bathroom water bad to drink compared to the water of kitchen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/48orvw/eli5_is_bathroom_water_bad_to_drink_compared_to/
{ "a_id": [ "d0lb2ul", "d0lb9i8" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "They both come out a tap from the same tank so both are equally safe to drink (as long as you keep your bathroom clean)", "Legally a bathroom faucet is required to be potable, i.e. safe to drink. If it wasn't that'd be a...
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[ [], [] ]
sh9se
I use the same water bottle every day, and never wash it. It this safe?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/sh9se/i_use_the_same_water_bottle_every_day_and_never/
{ "a_id": [ "c4e0lqo" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "No. It can build up bacteria, among other things, inside." ] }
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[ [] ]
7hq46q
I saw an intensely green meteor shoot across the sky. Why was it green, and how common are they?
Additionally it had a very flat trajectory and flew slightly slower and farther than most other meteors I've seen. Color reminiscent of bioluminescent plankton, or the green hues of an aurora. First time I've ever seen one, it was very beautiful. Thank you!
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7hq46q/i_saw_an_intensely_green_meteor_shoot_across_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dqt0a3l" ], "score": [ 28 ], "text": [ "It's green for the same reason that auroras are green mostly. Oxygen is excited by the passage of the meteor and release green light to get back to its rest-state. \n\nIt does happen quite often, the only thing necessary for the green light to b...
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[]
[ [] ]
20bi6r
Why can I quickly move from 4000 ft. underground to surface without getting the bends but not from 4000ft under water?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/20bi6r/why_can_i_quickly_move_from_4000_ft_underground/
{ "a_id": [ "cg20ije" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Because water pressure is significantly higher than air pressure. 4000ft of air has much less mass than 4000ft of water, and therefore the pressure exerted on your by this mass overhead is less for air than water. \n\nThe bends are a result of dr...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1zhy1a
I just drank some hot chocolate, can anyone tell me why sometimes dry powders take a long time to mix into liquids?
When I took my milk out of the microwave, I poured in the hot chocolate mix. Just some regular Nestle Cocoa Mix. But I had to stir it for like 3-4 minutes, which ultimately just let my milk get cold. So I wonder, why is it that sometimes it seems to take forever for my hot cocoa mix to *actually* mix into my hot milk.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1zhy1a/i_just_drank_some_hot_chocolate_can_anyone_tell/
{ "a_id": [ "cftwcv6", "cftx6zf" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "I do not know the answer, but I've noticed this happens a lot with fine dust like powders. So this leads me to think it has to do with particle size. If I had to guess I would say that the outer layers of the powder in conta...
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[ [], [] ]
2r5y76
if a meteor was hurtling towards earth, what would be the process to stop it from causing another extinction event, like the dinosaurs?
I am looking for a detailed explanation in terms of chain of command, and the probability of success vs. failure.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2r5y76/eli5_if_a_meteor_was_hurtling_towards_earth_what/
{ "a_id": [ "cncrl77", "cncrn6o", "cncrypz" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I'm sure in the possibility of an extinction event, it'd be in every country's interest to stop it. \n\nThe UN covers a lot, and may have jurisdiction over this, or they might form some one off committe...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5arlrd
why is it common in the usa to buy houses even at a young age?
I'm german and I recognized that there seem to be lower barriers in the US to buy houses even at a young age. In Germany buying a house is rather considered as a "lifegoal", something you can think of after a long work life and/or when you have a well-paid job. Why is it more common in the US to buy houses instead of l...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5arlrd/eli5_why_is_it_common_in_the_usa_to_buy_houses/
{ "a_id": [ "d9ith8g", "d9ithtd", "d9iv8on", "d9iw82o", "d9iwjs9", "d9j09qh", "d9j2852", "d9j45ko", "d9j74zz", "d9jq5y9", "d9jwzif", "d9k4yp3" ], "score": [ 3, 26, 5, 9, 5, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Tha...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2016/04/28/who-pays-highest-property-taxes", "http://www.mortgagecalculator.org/mortgage-rates/current.php", "http://www.housingwire.com/articles/33255-realtytrac-what-was-the-average-downpayment-in-2014", "https://ycharts.com/indicators/...
1h8ubs
What was healthcare like in the US before WWII?
How did people pay for doctor visits? Were doctors coming to your home more common than in-office visits?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1h8ubs/what_was_healthcare_like_in_the_us_before_wwii/
{ "a_id": [ "cas199m" ], "score": [ 28 ], "text": [ "Health insurance existed at the time, but in methods that are unfamiliar to our modern understanding of it. Before going to far, we have to consider the state of medicine and the practices of it at the time. Home visits happened, but at that p...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2um8pe
why does one get tinnitus when in a quiet place like an anechoic chamber?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2um8pe/eli5_why_does_one_get_tinnitus_when_in_a_quiet/
{ "a_id": [ "co9o9sh" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Technically, you always have a certain amount of tinnitus. It's just that the general background white noise of daily life drowns it out most of the time.\n\nWhen you find yourself in a very quiet place like an anechoic chamber, that background ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7hfq5b
how does google maps show satellite maps of other planets and moons?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7hfq5b/eli5_how_does_google_maps_show_satellite_maps_of/
{ "a_id": [ "dqqnjz0", "dqqnwnw" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "We have photos of those celestial bodies from various sources, including high resolution telescopes (for the larger and closer bodies), satellites (for the more explored bodies, like Mars) and space probes.", "Yes, NASA ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1t922y
how to take a nap.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1t922y/eli5_how_to_take_a_nap/
{ "a_id": [ "ce5klzp" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Step 1: Get comfortable and close eyes\nStep 2: There is no other step, just nap" ] }
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[ [] ]
25kd9m
What's preventing us from curing diabetes?
Aside from things like lack of funding, what are some of the scientific/medical field obstacles? Are we just not at a high enough level of understanding? Does bioethics come into play anywhere? As a type 1 diabetic with some, albeit little, knowledge, I'm more than curious as to what's stopping us! Edit : To everyone ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/25kd9m/whats_preventing_us_from_curing_diabetes/
{ "a_id": [ "chi40nj", "chi65l1", "chiegs7", "chif7kq" ], "score": [ 212, 514, 30, 2 ], "text": [ "The primary reason is that the disease we commonly think of as \"diabetes\" is actually a middling large *group* of diseases with a shared primary symptom - chronically high ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.cirm.ca.gov/our-progress/awards/cell-therapy-diabetes" ] ]
uqrh6
What went down in the 1974 revolution in Portugal?
recently re-read an old favorite, 'A Small Death in Lisbon' by Robert Wilson, and the political revolution seems to play a huge role in the book. however, i didn't fully understand the PIDE, the Salazar economy, or the communists at the time's implication in all of it. of course it helps if you've read the book, but a...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/uqrh6/what_went_down_in_the_1974_revolution_in_portugal/
{ "a_id": [ "c4xqtas", "c4xtwxw" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "I don't know much, but basically Portugal had been fighting two or three major insurgencies for decades in Africa - think two Vietnam's being fought with 1/30th the US's population base and 1/60th the US's financial resourc...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnation_Revolution" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Colonial_War" ] ]
19vcmu
What organs/tissues consume the most oxygen?
Hello everyone! I tried to find this information in some books or articles but could not find much. If anyone has any reference where it shows the arteriovenous oxygen difference from different tissues would be very welcome.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/19vcmu/what_organstissues_consume_the_most_oxygen/
{ "a_id": [ "c8rnsny", "c8ulqq8" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "[This link](_URL_0_) has some information that might help. ", "The brain presents the largest glucose and oxygen demand of the body." ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.columbia.edu/~kj3/Chapter5.htm" ], [] ]
127om4
dropping a slinky in mid-air
I'm referring to this gif. _URL_0_ How does the bottom stay still until the top reaches the bottom? Is it a visual effect of the bottom being stretched back to the opposite end?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/127om4/eli5_dropping_a_slinky_in_midair/
{ "a_id": [ "c6sucy3", "c6sueij" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It's not a visual effect, the bottom really hasn't begun to fall yet. The slinky is simultaneously falling and contacting, and the upward, contracting pull on the bottom end of the slinky happens to balance the downward pul...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/2nQbv" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiyMuHuCFo4&list=EC16649CCE7EFA8B2F&index=5&feature=plcp" ] ]
2qfffu
why is it that independent countries like canada, australia, new zealand, etc. still have their monarch as that of united kingdom? why can't these countries have one of their own?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qfffu/eli5_why_is_it_that_independent_countries_like/
{ "a_id": [ "cn5m6ah", "cn5mud4" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "We could, we just don't want to...mostly tradition. The terms and legislature passed over the years for Canada just gradually made us more and more independent from Britain, but they always still maintained that Canada would...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
25pzwo
Are there any examples of non-violent major shifts in government/revolutions?
The examples of major changes in types of government (monarchy to republic, etc.) that I can think of always tend to involve bloody conflict (as may be the nature of the human condition). Are there many (any) examples, beyond passing the torch to a child or something similar, where a government saw a major shift witho...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/25pzwo/are_there_any_examples_of_nonviolent_major_shifts/
{ "a_id": [ "chjmakt", "chjrcvd" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "The fall of communism is the eastern bloc (USSR + satellites like Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, etc) is the first example that comes to mind, although Romania was an exception. The \"People's Power\" revolut...
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[ [], [] ]
19l68f
How many of these Facebook factoids regarding medieval England are true?
I saw this post on Facebook, and while they are compelling, I can't stand these sorts of things that post exciting facts without sources. I'm guessing some of these situations were are partially true, while others are unverifiable. The fact that so many of them are then linked to cliches makes it all suspect to me. I h...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/19l68f/how_many_of_these_facebook_factoids_regarding/
{ "a_id": [ "c8p130y", "c8p132z", "c8p1o6g" ], "score": [ 38, 24, 19 ], "text": [ "Literally none of them. There are tiny, almost undetectable splashes of truth, such as the ammonia from urine having a wide variety of industrial uses and people spreading straw on the floor. But it ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.snopes.com/language/phrases/1500.asp" ], [] ]
bvcjig
why it is effective to drink hot tea on a warm day to cool down.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bvcjig/eli5_why_it_is_effective_to_drink_hot_tea_on_a/
{ "a_id": [ "epnz5px" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "_URL_0_\n\nIt triggers your body to start sweating a lot, so if the humidity is sufficiently low, that sweat evaporates, taking body-heat with it, resulting in a net cooling effect.\n\nNote that this would not work in high-humidity areas, and it...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-hot-drink-on-a-hot-day-can-cool-you-down-1338875/" ] ]
2ep42q
If a seed is planted underground (like when a squirrel buries an acorn), where does the initial energy for germination come from?
I was wondering if underground seeds' growth was hindered by a lack of direct access to sunlight, and then realized that the seed probably wouldn't undergo photosynthesis prior to developing into a plant. So does the energy come from the parent plant or what?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2ep42q/if_a_seed_is_planted_underground_like_when_a/
{ "a_id": [ "ck1pgul", "ck1tu5t" ], "score": [ 15, 2 ], "text": [ "[Seeds have reserves of energy-storing molecules (such as starch and fats) and micro-nutrients, supplying the growing plant with everything it needs for a short while.] (_URL_0_)", "The energy comes from within the seed...
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[]
[ [ "http://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=en&lr=&id=AHVDtveqlpMC&oi=fnd&pg=PA215&dq=seed+physiology+nutrients&ots=hUKltvrc95&sig=8O0822RpTzmitFxP-CWPhGjU3rU#v=onepage&q=seed%20physiology%20nutrients&f=false" ], [] ]
ooj77
why smoke cigarettes?
Everyone knows the dangers of it and the inevitable addiction, so why start in the first place? Whats the good side of it?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ooj77/eli5_why_smoke_cigarettes/
{ "a_id": [ "c3isn21", "c3isnwo", "c3iss4n", "c3it037", "c3it3t6", "c3itano", "c3iufwz", "c3iuqjb", "c3ivc4h" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 14, 2, 4, 4 ], "text": [ "If you're really stressed out and you hear about something that suppo...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
6jbo6g
why can youtube's mobile app seamlessly transition between video quality, where as on desktops, the video has to pause and buffer?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6jbo6g/eli5_why_can_youtubes_mobile_app_seamlessly/
{ "a_id": [ "djd3753", "djd5sxf" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "I have an additional and releated question to this, why is it that the twitch app can stream flawlessly but the chat stops working after like 30 seconds?", "Apps have a lot more control over their own video streaming tha...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4ped2n
why does chewing gum stick to everything except the inside of our mouths?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ped2n/eli5why_does_chewing_gum_stick_to_everything/
{ "a_id": [ "d4ka9r0" ], "score": [ 15 ], "text": [ "Your saliva. It is a natural lubracant, so gum won't stick to much of anything. Push the gum up against like a wall, it spreads out and your saliva evaporates, so no more lubricant." ] }
[]
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[ [] ]
1pzggz
How filthy were those 'filthy' peasants?
Let's say 1300s England. How filthy would the average peasant villagers be? Did they have a decent respect for hygiene?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1pzggz/how_filthy_were_those_filthy_peasants/
{ "a_id": [ "cd7pix4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Standards of hygiene were very different in fourteenth century England. This isn't to say they were necessarily \"worse\" or \"filthy\", but they were definitely not the same. \n\nFirst things first, the germ theory of disease spread did not yet ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miasma_theory" ] ]
3b4ny9
the non gmo movement.
So I've seen a little here and there regarding this. My girlfriend is the whole foods type and is very adamant about natural foods etc. I see restaurants like Chipotle supporting this non GMO movement. So.. Are GMOs bad? If not, why? And is it bad for health or bad in some other aspect? Edit: okay so now that I'm rea...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3b4ny9/eli5_the_non_gmo_movement/
{ "a_id": [ "csit0pe", "csit2zo", "csit69f", "csit8fk", "csitdji" ], "score": [ 14, 9, 6, 17, 23 ], "text": [ "No, there is currently no evidence to suggest that GMOs are bad for you. There is, incidentally, no real distinction between \"natural\" and \"artificial\...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_rice" ], [], [ "http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/GLP-Science-and-GMOs.pdf" ], [] ]
4ma6pf
Did ancient and medieval people have concepts of a national identity? What about soldiers.
Say, to what extent would a Roman soldier have a sense of being "Roman", or a French farmer in the 11th century have of being "French"? I read that they didn't really have on, but I always found this difficult to wrap my head around.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4ma6pf/did_ancient_and_medieval_people_have_concepts_of/
{ "a_id": [ "d3twptm" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Nations are really creations of modernity. There are various ways of explaining their creation but the idea of a nation as an imagined community is a useful one. For nations to exist a couple of things have to be true. Firstly, there needs to be ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1p4hil
What did the ancient Akkadians call themselves?
What did the ancient Akkadians, the Semitic inhabitants north of Sumer, call themselves before Sargon founded the city of Akkad? Was there even a major seperation between the two cultures or did they think of themselves as Sumerians?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1p4hil/what_did_the_ancient_akkadians_call_themselves/
{ "a_id": [ "ccyr8d1" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The semitic speaking inhabitants of Mesopotamia were present over five thousand years ago when the historical record begins in the region. Before that, they are indistinguishable in the archeological record. This is pretty good evidence that th...
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[]
[ [] ]
1xpqjq
What led to the Winds of Change in Africa? Why would the British Empire voluntarily reduce itself? What was the advantage for Britain?
It's interesting to me that it seems like this was a sustained feeling from the governments in Britain, over many years. Such a drastic and outwardly self-harming principle seems unlikely to have lasted for so long, and to have yielded the massive fruits that it did.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1xpqjq/what_led_to_the_winds_of_change_in_africa_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cfdu3a8" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Was it really self-harming to cut the colonies loose? What Macmillan did was basically say to Kenya, South Africa (and the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland), and other states still hanging on to minority settler rule, that Britain was not is...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpeville_massacre", "http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/apartheid/7203.shtml" ] ]
dmwex1
Soldiers' uniforms in Renaissance painting
The Bruegel exhibition in Madrid includes a copy of "The Resurrection", and this painting includes a number of (presumably) Roman soldiers looking at the open and empty tomb of Christ. The uniforms they're wearing are clearly not the popular view we have of Roman legionaries with their *lorica segmentata*, but instead ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/dmwex1/soldiers_uniforms_in_renaissance_painting/
{ "a_id": [ "f55uxmm" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ " > Would Bruegel have painted using knowingly anachronistic armour?\n\n**Short answer:**\n\nBruegel's \"Romans\" with their crossbows and halberds are contemporary soldiers-- usually a reference to Hapsburg soldiers and German mercenaries. The ...
[]
[ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Anbetung_der_K%C3%B6nige_%28Bruegel%2C_1564%29_%E2%80%93_cropped.jpg" ]
[ [ "https://www.wga.hu/html_m/m/mantegna/10/index.html", "https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-5-master-of-the-story-of-griselda-alexander-the-great-c-1494-106x515the-139435504.html", "https://www.alamy.com/hector-of-troy-alexander-of-macedon-julius-caesar-from-the-nine-heroes-c-1520-lucas-van-leyden-nether...
2mb0by
if weed is a depressant, why does my heart start to beat faster whenever i smoke?
Everytime I smoke weed my heart starts to beat pretty quickly. I've never been able to measure my BPM after smoking, but it at least feels like it's racing, sometimes even at an almost frightening pace. Shouldn't weed lower my pulse and BPM because it is a depressant to the body systems?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mb0by/eli5_if_weed_is_a_depressant_why_does_my_heart/
{ "a_id": [ "cm2jbiu", "cm2jpal", "cm2jppp", "cm2ksyj", "cm2li2v", "cm2lsrq", "cm2lwni", "cm2p1k2", "cm2qoig" ], "score": [ 18, 2, 5, 31, 2, 11, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because it also acts as a stimulant for some parts of your body, ma...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
36diz8
How was it determined that the Americans would fly daytime raids over Germany during WWII, while the British flew them by night?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/36diz8/how_was_it_determined_that_the_americans_would/
{ "a_id": [ "crd2zvw", "crdw9v3" ], "score": [ 36, 5 ], "text": [ "The reasoning behind the British switch to nighttime bombing was sound. Despite interwar projections that the \"bomber would always get through\" reality turned out quite differently. The RAF savaged attacking German bomb...
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[]
[ [], [] ]