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3jbw4q
why is there not (really) a true international government?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3jbw4q/eli5_why_is_there_not_really_a_true_international/
{ "a_id": [ "cunxwen", "cunxx3b", "cunyoer" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Nobody who has complete power over one nation wants to give up that complete power, and no one nation has enough power to take over all of the other nations.\n\nIf people objectively thought through the...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1zh65w
to the drag racing enthusiast, why does the car with the slower time win sometimes?
I know nothing about racing technicalities, or cars really, and the wikipedia explanation confuses me NHRA 1000 feet races, for example
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zh65w/eli5to_the_drag_racing_enthusiast_why_does_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cftmlw2" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It's called a holeshot win if the car with the fastest elapsed time does not cross the finish line first. If the reaction time to the green light is 0.00 seconds then it is a perfect reaction time, which means you left the stage beam at the exact...
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[ [] ]
13svqr
If stomach acid denatures proteins, how can ingested prions still be infectious. I'd imagine that they would be broken down just as other proteins would.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/13svqr/if_stomach_acid_denatures_proteins_how_can/
{ "a_id": [ "c76w9j4" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "That's part of what makes prions what they are; they're very stable and don't denaturate or hydrolyze in stomach acid, nor broken down by peptidases. \n" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5qbn11
what does it mean that the us dollar is backed by silver/gold?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5qbn11/eli5_what_does_it_mean_that_the_us_dollar_is/
{ "a_id": [ "dcxw361", "dcxw47t", "dcxygoy" ], "score": [ 3, 6, 16 ], "text": [ "It means that if you have a dollar bill in your hand, there is a dollar worth of silver or gold in a vault somewhere that this bill is representing. The US hasn't done this in a long time.", "The U...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
d1zw3c
Army transport capability of renaissance/age of exploration sailing vessels
I’m trying to write a fantasy novel in a world that has similar naval/shipbuilding technology to the age of exploration. The characters are tasked with exploring and charting the lands west of a large ocean, but I want the ships to have some kind of capacity to field a large enough amount of infantry to square off agai...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/d1zw3c/army_transport_capability_of_renaissanceage_of/
{ "a_id": [ "ezsoyt0" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "This is one of those questions that has multiple answers. I have no idea how theoretically large a wooden ship of that era could be; I'm not a shipwright. The best I can do is to tell you how large the largest wooden ships actually were, and then...
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[]
[ [] ]
12795a
how come prosecutors are paid for by the state? with that being the case, shouldn't defense attorneys also be paid for by the government?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/12795a/eli5_how_come_prosecutors_are_paid_for_by_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c6sqe6v", "c6sqn9o" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "In criminal trials, if the defendant cannot afford an attorney, the state provides a public defender at no cost. This is actually in the Miranda warnings you hear in TV shows when someone gets arrested.", "The Constitut...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4l8hbl
why does the spelling bee tend to be dominated by indian and asain kids?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4l8hbl/eli5why_does_the_spelling_bee_tend_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "d3l88oz", "d3l9zzy" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Speaking from an indian person's perspective, our parents pressure us more to study and excell in any and all fields. I bet that anyone could win in a spelling bee if they were pressured or they tried hard enough. I still du...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
29zgr4
why are we destroying the rainforest?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29zgr4/eli5_why_are_we_destroying_the_rainforest/
{ "a_id": [ "ciq03m0", "ciq04i0", "ciq0604" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because we want trees/land. ", "Someone is making a buck off it.", "I'll give you $3.50 for that tree." ] }
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
36886w
why do batteries start working again if i roll them or turn the device off and on?
I noticed my toothbrush battery died the other day but if I keep turning it off and on with a few hours between, it's weaker but it works for a few more seconds
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36886w/eli5_why_do_batteries_start_working_again_if_i/
{ "a_id": [ "crbqejj" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "A little bit of corrosion can build up between the contacts and the battery preventing electricity from moving through. Spinning or scratching them removes the corrosion and you get a fresh contact area and it starts working again." ] }
[]
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[ [] ]
24iuih
just what the heck is "psychogeography"?
I've had a look on wikipedia etc as well as searched, and I can only find gibberish explanations that probably only make sense if one already knows what psychogeography is.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/24iuih/eli5_just_what_the_heck_is_psychogeography/
{ "a_id": [ "ch7ke8h" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "If you realize geography is more than just \"Cambodia is right there on the map\" then this becomes more understandable. This geography is actually somewhere between anthropology, sociology and psychology. This is the study of the effects of the...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychogeography" ] ]
40mksb
Can light, specifically visible light, destructively interfere?
Sound waves can destructively interfere, so what about light? (Or gravity for that matter, since we /*may/* have discovered gravity waves.) Is it possible for light waves to destructively interfere and cancel out the light?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/40mksb/can_light_specifically_visible_light/
{ "a_id": [ "cyvc6t4", "cyvcf9a", "cyvcfv3", "cyvchdi", "cyvckpv" ], "score": [ 37, 5, 6, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "[Yes it can](_URL_0_), though you have to use [coherent](_URL_1_) light", "Yes absolutely. Interferometry is a common metrology technique. All waves exhi...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment#Classical_wave-optics_formulation", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coherence_(physics\\)" ], [], [ "http://imgur.com/BnUtmUL.jpg" ], [], [ "https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2761/4256685428_b03743eb11.jpg", "https://en.wikipedia.org...
44hz4b
Why did the western powers reject the "Stalin Note" for reunification of Germany in 1952?
The USSR in 1952, via memo known as "the Stalin Note", proposed a reunification for Germany along with disengagement of superpowers from the region. What were the reasons for the Western allied powers (UK, USA and France) rejecting this proposal?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/44hz4b/why_did_the_western_powers_reject_the_stalin_note/
{ "a_id": [ "czqeazh" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Two: the implied inclusion of some representation of the GDR authorities in an \"all-German government\", and neutralisation. After 1949 the western powers were set on recognition of the FRG as Germany's legitimate government, resisting the claim...
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[ [] ]
e7bbqu
Why were the Nazi's laughing during the Nuremberg Trials? What caused them to laugh as seen in the footage below?
_URL_0_ at about the 30 second mark. Thanks
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/e7bbqu/why_were_the_nazis_laughing_during_the_nuremberg/
{ "a_id": [ "f9ydb66" ], "score": [ 356 ], "text": [ "If we search around, we find unscholarly sources like this one:\n\n[_URL_1_](_URL_2_)\n\n\"Former Third Reich leaders laugh at a translation error during Nuremberg trials, 1945-1946\"\n\nNow, a source like this is alone not sufficient to establ...
[]
[ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO8oFfLUXBY" ]
[ [ "https://books.google.com/books?id=GSL9Ys90R_oC&&pg=PA388", "https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/6uksgp/former\\_third\\_reich\\_leaders\\_laugh\\_at\\_a\\_translation/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryPorn/comments/6uksgp/former_third_reich_leaders_laugh_at_a_translation/" ] ]
2lwenn
Psychologically speaking, how can a person continue to hold beliefs that are provably wrong? (E.g. vaccines causing autism, the Earth only being 6000 years old, etc)
Is there some sort of psychological phenomenon which allows people to deny reality? What goes on in these people's heads? There must be some underlying mechanism or trait behind it, because it keeps popping up over and over again with different issues and populations. Also, is there some way of derailing this process ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2lwenn/psychologically_speaking_how_can_a_person/
{ "a_id": [ "clyv3hj", "clz5avv", "clz60ce", "clz927x", "clz96kd", "clzcos0", "clzdwwm", "clzf4rs", "clzfkqp", "clzfn9k", "clzgcix", "clzh2j3", "clzidxr", "clzih6l", "clzip40" ], "score": [ 1514, 95, 65, 15, 5, 6, 3, 60, ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivated_reasoning" ], [], [ "http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2011/05/prophecy_fail.html" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solipsism" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive...
1ixlrc
(as an american) why is freedom of speech protected from the government, but not corporations?
Question asked in light of Tumblr's new policies on NSFW-related blogs.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ixlrc/eli5_as_an_american_why_is_freedom_of_speech/
{ "a_id": [ "cb9117a", "cb92ne4", "cb93i28", "cb96nyy", "cb99t8o" ], "score": [ 27, 2, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The Freedom of Speech does not grant you the right to say whatever you want, whenever you want, it merely prevents the GOVERNMENT from restricting your right...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.tumblr.com/policy/en/terms_of_service" ], [] ]
380gy9
what is the problem with a lot of consumer debt?
Apart from the fact that people may lose assets if they fail to repay or the business will lose out on money if the debtor fails to repay , what else is wrong with it?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/380gy9/eli5_what_is_the_problem_with_a_lot_of_consumer/
{ "a_id": [ "crr9w79" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Those are two very good reasons, as well as those you suggest I would say at it's core, it is rarely necessary. It encourages over spending.\nInterest on finance acts as a tax on impatience. Reducing spending power of the individual.\n\nIt can le...
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[ [] ]
5vgc97
why is there a num lock key on the keyboard? in what situation would you not want the number keys to work?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5vgc97/eli5_why_is_there_a_num_lock_key_on_the_keyboard/
{ "a_id": [ "de1v9j4", "de1va2u", "de1vlb6" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "The number keys can also be used as arrow keys, and have other typing related functions (like page down/page up). Disengaging num lock allows you to use those functions. ", "In earlier days of compu...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1lan97
why do moles/birthmarks stick around if skin replaces itself every so often?
Also, how does increased exposure to the sun over a long period of time raise skin cancer rates if skin regenerates anyway?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lan97/why_do_molesbirthmarks_stick_around_if_skin/
{ "a_id": [ "cbxbxu0", "cbxg29f" ], "score": [ 70, 7 ], "text": [ "Your skin contains several different types of cells. The skin cells you're thinking of that regenerate and slough off every so often are called keratinocytes. The cells that make up moles/birthmarks are a different cell t...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3q6613
Would it be possible to transfer the rotational momentum of the earth into usable energy?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3q6613/would_it_be_possible_to_transfer_the_rotational/
{ "a_id": [ "cwce69h", "cwcgxga", "cwch9x1", "cwcisob", "cwckdwt", "cwcqrkt" ], "score": [ 66, 4, 13, 10, 7, 7 ], "text": [ "Kinetic energy is difficult to harvest unless it's already in a really useful form. If it's in the form of hot gas, you can use it to...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_consumption" ], [], [], [ "http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Foucault_27s_20Flywheel" ], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power" ] ]
83wn8n
Why did Germany get bogged down in North Africa? Why not use those extra troops to help against the Soviet Union, and then concentrate on Africa after?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/83wn8n/why_did_germany_get_bogged_down_in_north_africa/
{ "a_id": [ "dvlc5o2", "dvldyt8", "dvlw0cz" ], "score": [ 65, 22, 3 ], "text": [ "In Eastern front terms, the German Afrika Korps would've been nothing more than a drop in the ocean, and far *less* strategically useful than they were in Africa. The actual German component of the DA...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
49pzit
in a full screen video, how come you can hide the cursor to the right and bottom of a video but not the top and left?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/49pzit/eli5_in_a_full_screen_video_how_come_you_can_hide/
{ "a_id": [ "d0tsv91" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "The pointing end, the little point you actually point with is the top left tip. \nThe down and right part are just to make it more visible. \nSo the cursor pointing point can mode to the edge of the screen but the cursor body only overhangs to ...
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[ [] ]
1q7u99
how is it no purchase necessary on those boxes you must open to win?
And presumably you must purchase the box to open it...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q7u99/how_is_it_no_purchase_necessary_on_those_boxes/
{ "a_id": [ "cda2mnw", "cda2nzk" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Generally, there is a mail-in or online method to enter the contest, sweepstakes, or giveaway. Read the fine print on the box, and there is usually a brief description of how to enter without a purchase. If it's not there,...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.ask.com/question/what-does-no-purchase-necessary-mean" ] ]
4dicwn
why aren't my muscles growing right after i'm done with working out?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4dicwn/eli5_why_arent_my_muscles_growing_right_after_im/
{ "a_id": [ "d1r7w8h" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "They are, just not at a rate you can observe. Your muscle grow through damage, working out creates micro tears in the muscle fibers. Your body *immediately* goes to work to repair that damage - filling in the tears with additional filaments. The...
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[ [] ]
ciuwpm
why are five cent coins often larger than ten cent coins?
For us Americans, we know that dimes are smaller than nickels. But I was just in Europe and the EU 10 cent coin is also smaller than the 5 cent coin. Why is that?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ciuwpm/eli5_why_are_five_cent_coins_often_larger_than/
{ "a_id": [ "ev9ajgb", "ev9bec9", "ev9bnhx", "eva4x4m" ], "score": [ 9, 5, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "For US specifically, nickles contain once contined a decent amount of nickle. Whereas older dimes had silver content. The sizing of the coin may very well be related to the volume ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
6ev2am
what is the logic behind the morse code pattern? i want to memorize it, but it all seems so random. is there any way besides just learning each letter?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ev2am/eli5_what_is_the_logic_behind_the_morse_code/
{ "a_id": [ "did86e4", "didjj8c", "didwseb", "diej3gs" ], "score": [ 22, 10, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The most common letters are the shorter sequences. For example, E, the most common letter in the English language, is just one dot.\n\n > the code was designed so that the leng...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.justlearnmorsecode.com/" ], [] ]
c89q70
Why is the ice at the North-pole fresh, even though sea is salty?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/c89q70/why_is_the_ice_at_the_northpole_fresh_even_though/
{ "a_id": [ "eslw5tn", "esnts86" ], "score": [ 9, 4 ], "text": [ "I’m no scientist but most of the ice is frozen snowfall and rainwater, also saltwater doesn’t remain saltwater when water undergoes a phase change, like when you boil salt water, the salt remains and reforms its crystalline ...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frazil_ice" ] ]
25qlb4
The USSR were first to everything except for the manned moon landing. Which were the underlying factors for their advantage?
I've read a lot about the space race in the last week, and it got me thinking. What's the reason as to why the USSR were first to just about everything except the manned moon landing? Was their economic situation superior to the U.S. or is there maybe some other reason to them leading the space race almost the *whole*...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/25qlb4/the_ussr_were_first_to_everything_except_for_the/
{ "a_id": [ "chjt0ca" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "First, you may be interested in [this thread](_URL_1_) and [this one](_URL_0_).\n\nIt's common to think of the USSR as being in front for the space race. But that's rather simplistic. The US was quite close behind. The launches of the first US...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/13ryfe/soviet_space_program/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1p1f69/how_far_behind_was_the_russian_program_to_land_on/" ] ]
fcxn1q
How Did American Schools Handle Outbreaks of the Spanish Flu & Polio?
Schools seem like a ready-made breeding ground for communicable diseases; I like to refer to my nieces as little petri dishes. But how did schools handle outbreaks of serious diseases like the Spanish Flu & Polio in the early 20th century? Did they have set responses, or was it all ad hoc?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fcxn1q/how_did_american_schools_handle_outbreaks_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "fjgxcfn" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "A fair amount of it was ad hoc - mostly because in the early 20th century, school was only juuuust beginning to be the thing most American children did during the day. In effect, at the turn of the century, schools weren't yet widely funded based...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/cqwhbt/was_there_any_opposition_to_the_polio_or_smallpox/ex0qf1k/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9dsh67/unknown_pills_and_shots_given_to_school_age/", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862336/#B7", "https://play.goog...
1jwwe7
what would it mean if the us were to have no debt
Let say magically our debt is paid, nothing out of our pockets. How does that change things in the world, in our country, in our lives? Does gas prices go down? Do I get paid more? Less taxes? No war?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jwwe7/eli5what_would_it_mean_if_the_us_were_to_have_no/
{ "a_id": [ "cbj2qly", "cbj32gl", "cbj424z" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "I could start answering my phone again.", "Well, it depends on where the money came from. If the government just passed a law that permitted it to print or otherwise invent all of that money (or, eq...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2r2xi1
What state of matter do soap bubbles fall into?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2r2xi1/what_state_of_matter_do_soap_bubbles_fall_into/
{ "a_id": [ "cnc8mvw", "cnchq54" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ "the bubble part is liquid, the air inside is gas", "Byron690 has it exactly right. Something interesting to note is that if it was a bubble of just a pure liquid and gas, it probably wouldn't be stable. You need what is ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
4abdal
Italian Risorgimento: was it a violent annexation of the rich South by the cunning Kingdom of Sardinia or a just unification? Was the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies that rich at the time as many claim?
Recently many historians are claiming that the Risorgimento period was not a just unification which gave birth to a new age for Italy (as portrayed in the past), but a violent conquest of the allegedly rich south. The greedy exploitation of these riches would be one of the reasons (if not the main reason) why today sou...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4abdal/italian_risorgimento_was_it_a_violent_annexation/
{ "a_id": [ "d13f4kk" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's a rather contentious topic in Italy which has recently been manipulated for political purposes. As can be expected and as you have correctly observed, a number of people unwilling or unqualified to give complete balanced analyses have invade...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.ondadelsud.it/?p=1879", "http://www.rivistapoliticaeconomica.it/2007/mar-apr/Fenoaltea.pdf", "http://www.150anni.it/webi/_file/documenti/risorgimento/italiaprimaedopounita/problemamezzogiorno/DivarioPartenza/Divpartenzadoc2.pdf", "http://www.150anni.it/webi/_file/documenti/risorgimento...
2htk4x
Is there any way to protect a device against EMP?
I read that Faraday cages aren't always efficient depending on the wavelength of the EMP.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2htk4x/is_there_any_way_to_protect_a_device_against_emp/
{ "a_id": [ "ckw5hbo", "ckwedfh" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Faraday cage step should be much less than the wavelength for it to be effective against that wave. So you can either make the step small enough to cover the waves you've expecting, or just use a thick enough wrapping of sol...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1wx11x
[Medicine] Is there a scientific reason why medical personnel will tell someone in a critical state to "stay with me!" or similar requests?
You see this all the time in the movies, and I once talked to a guy i met at a pub who said he was a paramedic and told me that sometimes patients will just "let go" and die, and that you have to WANT to survive. I was wondering if there's any medical/scientific literature about this effect. Why ask a patient to "stay ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1wx11x/medicine_is_there_a_scientific_reason_why_medical/
{ "a_id": [ "cf6bc7d", "cf6d0no" ], "score": [ 7, 17 ], "text": [ "This question came up in a first aid class I recently took. The answer was that it was strictly to make it possible to observe symptoms.\n\nSymptoms such as blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, loss of speech, and anything t...
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[ [], [] ]
4wzxbw
Is there any indication that natural selection has had an impact on the behavior of animals affected by road accidents?
Such as an effect on reaction time, or increased avoidance of cars/humans. Example animals like deer, opossum, squirrels, birds, etc.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4wzxbw/is_there_any_indication_that_natural_selection/
{ "a_id": [ "d6brhbf" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "There have been a smattering of studies on the question. For instance, [Brown, C. R., & Brown, M. B. (2013). Where has all the road kill gone?. Current Biology, 23(6), R233-R234](_URL_0_) has observed a drastic reduction in the deaths of cliff ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982213001942" ] ]
2s85j9
regarding rotation in space: i've read already asked questions, but something is still bothering me about rotating bodies.
I understand rotational reference frames are not valid for relative measurements because they are under acceleration etc. (sort of). What I don't understand is how we can know how fast the earth or any space object is spinning not relative to other bodies, but to its own "rest state." It appears that earth spins 365 ti...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2s85j9/eli5_regarding_rotation_in_space_ive_read_already/
{ "a_id": [ "cnn1f1g" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Rotation isn't relative to external objects. It's relative to the axis of rotation, which is defined in the body itself." ] }
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[ [] ]
4f0vkm
once an animal is declared extinct is there a possibility of reappearing ? on what basis is a species declared extinct ?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4f0vkm/eli5_once_an_animal_is_declared_extinct_is_there/
{ "a_id": [ "d250eoi", "d250hkj" ], "score": [ 2, 12 ], "text": [ "[This](_URL_0_) might not give you exactly what you're looking for but its a click baity list of \"Lazarus\" species. They were thought to be extinct, sometimes only fossils of them had ever been found, but then it turns ou...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/photos/lazarus-species-13-extinct-animals-found-alive/rediscovered" ], [] ]
11e0i7
why can an internet connection sometimes stop working with no visible cause? why would disconnecting and reconnecting fix it? what changed?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11e0i7/eli5_why_can_an_internet_connection_sometimes/
{ "a_id": [ "c6ln416", "c6lo010", "c6lqbx6", "c6ls46w", "c6lt7k8" ], "score": [ 7, 162, 20, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "There are lots of bugs that only emerge when a computer system has been running for, say, 4 days or something. It's nearly impossible to catch these before...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
89ki2y
what does it mean when they say an audio mixer has 2 bus?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/89ki2y/eli5_what_does_it_mean_when_they_say_an_audio/
{ "a_id": [ "dws147v", "dwsbphu" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "A bus is basically a path to send the signal you a destination. Think of it like a city bus transporting audio to wherever you need it to. Multiple buses mean that you can send the signal to several places at once. This migh...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://sound.stackexchange.com/questions/25206/what-exactly-is-a-bus-on-a-behringer-xenyx-mixer", "https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/blog/2004/10/01/what-is-a-mixer-bus-and-why-do-i-need-them/", "http://www.tomsguide.com/forum/42030-6-what-defintion-buss-mixers" ] ]
j3p0s
why can't the federal budget be treated like a household budget?
I am not an expert, nor novice, in macro economics, so I don't understand why some people think it is a bad idea to not spend money we don't have. For those of us who frequent r/politics, or listen to any news source really, it is not uncommon to hear some people be advocates for the ability to acquire more debt. What...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j3p0s/why_cant_the_federal_budget_be_treated_like_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c28vg7b", "c28vhhn", "c28w4mx" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "Sometimes it's good to have debt. For example, if you owe me money, do I want you to succeed? Yes, or course, if you go bankrupt you can't pay me. This was integral in the formation of the US, Hamilton ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1si544
what is that grainy stuff around resized low resolution pictures?
Example: _URL_0_ and _URL_1_ I keep seeing it on Instagram and shitty clip art I tried to make larger in Microsoft Word.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1si544/eli5_what_is_that_grainy_stuff_around_resized_low/
{ "a_id": [ "cdxtatm" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's impossible to truly scale up an image. You can't just stretch things; the computer needs to know what pixels are going where. There's typically an interpolation algorithm that tries to guess where the pixels should be when scaling, but there...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/1A5rzzb", "http://imgur.com/3IIxUxY" ]
[ [] ]
4bzdoa
Why longer snowboard is faster than a shorter one?
Or is it just a myth?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4bzdoa/why_longer_snowboard_is_faster_than_a_shorter_one/
{ "a_id": [ "d1ez4wb" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It's because your weight is distributed across a larger area. There is less pressure on the snow with a larger board, and therefore less friction between the board and the snow to slow you down." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
czjp42
Was the Tower of Babel a mythic retelling of the fall of an empire
The Tower of Babel tells the tale of people working to create something that rivals the might of god, before being cut down for their hubris and ending up more divided than ever, no longer being able to even communicate. I believe that the story of the Tower of Babel is a mythic retelling of the fall of an ancient mi...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/czjp42/was_the_tower_of_babel_a_mythic_retelling_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "eyyrriq" ], "score": [ 32 ], "text": [ "The short answer is: no. It’s not. \n\nExplanation: the ante-deluvian myths are more concerned with aetiology—the origins of things—than reporting (even symbolically) actual events in history. What we’re dealing with here is myth. It’s a mytholo...
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[]
[ [] ]
1heuxl
When did blacksmiths start to seriously disappear?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1heuxl/when_did_blacksmiths_start_to_seriously_disappear/
{ "a_id": [ "cav4ve9" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This is not a first level answer but no-one else has replied in 2 days. In Australia it was the end of WWII. A blacksmith works/forges iron to make implements or tools and to repair them, in particular, agricultural, mining and quarrying mach...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2k1e38
why is it not illegal to belong to a gang?
If law enforcement and the different levels of the government know that gangs engage in criminal activity, why is someone not charged simply for belonging to a criminal organization?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2k1e38/eli5_why_is_it_not_illegal_to_belong_to_a_gang/
{ "a_id": [ "clgzxf4", "clgzzxp", "clh008a", "clh0jk4", "clh0vtl" ], "score": [ 3, 11, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Without membership papers, it can't be proven. You cant be arrested for a bandana of a specific colour.", "Because the First Amendment (in the US) means ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
mk035
Do you sober up faster while awake or asleep?
Or does it make no difference whatsoever?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/mk035/do_you_sober_up_faster_while_awake_or_asleep/
{ "a_id": [ "c31llvs", "c31llvs" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The literature I have read indicated there is no difference. I'll try to find some online sources. I'm not at home to quote anything directly. There's something tickling my memory about the rates of EthOH- > EthAld and Et...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/26/1/53.abstract", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldehyde_dehydrogenase", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content" ], [ "http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/26/1/53.abstract", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldehyde_dehydrogenase", ...
8i0loe
how can drinks be dry? for example dry vermouth
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8i0loe/eli5_how_can_drinks_be_dry_for_example_dry/
{ "a_id": [ "dynypf3", "dyo03uc" ], "score": [ 14, 3 ], "text": [ "When used in the context of beverages, dry is usually contrasted with sweet. Dry vermouth is called \"dry\" because it has less sugar in it than sweet vermouth.", "As mentioned, the term dry is almost exclusively used ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2krmiq
Example of successful confederate system of government
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2krmiq/example_of_successful_confederate_system_of/
{ "a_id": [ "cloaiv7" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "define successful in your mind? The one i am most familiar with, and lasted several hundred years was the Parthian empire. Which had many independent kingdoms whos kings elected a \"king of kings\" who technically ruled the country as a whole, an...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
8hq67r
how will they "clean up" after the hawaii volcano?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8hq67r/eli5_how_will_they_clean_up_after_the_hawaii/
{ "a_id": [ "dylns1i", "dym46xm" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It depends on what you mean by clean up. It could be similar to the recovery after any other natural disaster, or it may not be possible. \n\nFor example, when a substantial amount of lava flows onto a road and solidifies, t...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapana,_Hawaii" ], [] ]
176bud
If an air conditioner was locked in a (somehow) heat-sealed room, with it's air intake, would the room (not the internals of the aircon) get hotter or colder or stay the same?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/176bud/if_an_air_conditioner_was_locked_in_a_somehow/
{ "a_id": [ "c82ls0b", "c82lt2n" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The room would get hotter. Think of it this way: to pump out colder air, you need to create at least as much hotter air (to obey the laws of thermodynamics). So that alone balances out. However, on top of that there's also a...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
6lbktx
Why do our veins stick out the most on our arms and legs and not our abs/back/chest/head?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6lbktx/why_do_our_veins_stick_out_the_most_on_our_arms/
{ "a_id": [ "djsulss", "djt8inn" ], "score": [ 7, 3 ], "text": [ "The areas you mention have some things in common. Your distal limbs (especially hands and feet) have relatively little musculature and fat, so the contours of the superficial veins are particularly conspicuous against bone a...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
5qvc24
Why do triiodothyronine and thyroxine require iodine to function? What does it do for the hormone? And why iodine instead of another halogen?
I am currently studying the endocrine system and the thyroid hormone was discussed. I was informed that they require iodine, but that seems odd to me. Why do they need iodine to function? And why not another halogen (considering the similar properties)?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5qvc24/why_do_triiodothyronine_and_thyroxine_require/
{ "a_id": [ "dd3foap" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Maybe it helps looking at the [hemoglobin](_URL_0_) molecule (with its Iron atom) in comparison to the [hemocyanin](_URL_2_), wich contains copper atoms. Just recently there was a thread about the advantages/disadvantages of those molecules in te...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemoglobin", "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5pgxia/why_do_some_insects_have_hemoglobin_while_others/", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemocyanin" ] ]
f5x2b
If you light a match in space, which way does the flame go?
There's no up or down in space, so what would happen to the flame? It couldn't burn downwards either, because the actual flame part would be rounded.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/f5x2b/if_you_light_a_match_in_space_which_way_does_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c1dijnc", "c1dijyz", "c1dik04", "c1divv8", "c1dl05v" ], "score": [ 8, 34, 3, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "Presumably as there is no oxygen in space the match wouldn't light, but if you mean \"If you light a match in zero gravity (eg International Space Station), ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/static/clipart/uk/dk/exp_space/image_exp_space074.jpg" ], [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuFftT6ZR4k" ], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZTl7oi05dQ&feature=related" ] ]
nwsog
How do we test our nuclear arsenal with test ban treaties in effect?
I have read into how we test the uranium and plutonium in our nuclear bombs without actual nuclear explosions. I believe the Los Alamos labs explodes a bit of plutonium underground and tests the effects, but it was way above my level of understanding. How do we test our nuclear stockpile?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/nwsog/how_do_we_test_our_nuclear_arsenal_with_test_ban/
{ "a_id": [ "c3ck1fj", "c3ckvnb", "c3ck1fj", "c3ckvnb" ], "score": [ 17, 10, 17, 10 ], "text": [ "The United States uses Sub-Critical Nuclear or \"Cold\" Testing due to the CTBT. Basically, if you use a mass of fissionable material less than the critical mass of the given ...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
y3j1h
Can I get an explanation of what exactly the Heliosheath is?
I tried to read about it but unfortunately I was a bit confused by the way solar winds come into play and terms like termination shock and bow shock that were used. It would also be great to hear about what NASA thinks it can learn from the Voyager missions and how it might be important to humans.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/y3j1h/can_i_get_an_explanation_of_what_exactly_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c5s0zb7" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Okay so space is not empty but has a few atoms here and there - maybe 1 per cubic meter. Now lets pretend atoms are marbles. Say you were in a mostly empty part of space and started throwing 1 marble per millisecond in a line directly away from...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3s1xh8
What happened in the 1970's in the US that led to middle class incomes flatlining ever since?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3s1xh8/what_happened_in_the_1970s_in_the_us_that_led_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cwtgpvi", "cwth8g0" ], "score": [ 16, 2 ], "text": [ "There are a host of reasons, and it'd be nearly impossible to give an accurate account of each and every factor as well as the degree to which they individually influenced the stagnation of income. I actually took an entire...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2011/01/a_graph_im_trying_to_understan.html" ], [ "http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/22/the-uncomfortable-truth-about-american-wages/?_r=0", "http://www.epi.org/publication/causes-of-wage-stagnation/", "http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2...
1n8tzl
What are common pill capsules made of?
Has anyone ever done any medical research on them? (Plastic-y pill containers and gel ones like NyQuil)
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1n8tzl/what_are_common_pill_capsules_made_of/
{ "a_id": [ "ccglmly" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "They are made from gelatin or other hard starches. \n\nSoft gelatin is used for one piece gel tabs, and hard gelatin, or plant starches make the two piece capsule pieces. \n\nYou can go to your local pharmacy and ask to see the capsule dietary i...
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[]
[ [] ]
3jqouu
When and why did "Persia" become "Iran"
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3jqouu/when_and_why_did_persia_become_iran/
{ "a_id": [ "currg61" ], "score": [ 38 ], "text": [ "Does Iran mean anything? I was wondering that and I asked a Persian person, and they didn't ever think about it before. So, I'm wondering about the etymology I guess." ] }
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[ [] ]
2cx3y3
do bugs create body heat like humans?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cx3y3/eli5_do_bugs_create_body_heat_like_humans/
{ "a_id": [ "cjjvvpp" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "All insects, including bugs, are \"cold blooded\". I used quotations because generally speaking species are *mostly* cold blooded, or *mostly* warm blooded, but very few (if any) are entirely one or the other. For example, last night I was drinki...
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[ [] ]
2iql2m
sometimes i get an electric shock, by accident, from another person. what would happen if we don't move the contact point from each other? would electricity flow through us?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2iql2m/eli5_sometimes_i_get_an_electric_shock_by/
{ "a_id": [ "cl4jqu8", "cl4lgkf" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The electric shock *is* electricity flowing through you. It's over in a fraction of a second. ", "When you get a shock like that, it's because of static electricity. Static electricity can build up to quite high voltages...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
g8dn7
What happens when the outside edge of a rotating shaft is moving faster than the speed of sound?
So I know propeller tips can reach the speed of sound and when they do suffer a large loss in efficiency due to increased drag and torque resistance, in addition to causing shock waves. ([Wiki Link](_URL_0_) --- Under "Theory and design of aircraft propellers" I feel like my question is really two examples of the sam...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/g8dn7/what_happens_when_the_outside_edge_of_a_rotating/
{ "a_id": [ "c1los4h", "c1lovrk", "c1lp0o4", "c1lpxx9", "c1lqj64" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 10, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Yeah, nothing would happen. There might be some turbulent rotation of air around the shaft at boundary layer levels, but you wouldn't otherwise notice. Shock...
[]
[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller_(aircraft)", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller_(aircraft)#Theory_and_design_of_aircraft_propellers" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymtfgqfuyQs", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_XF-84H" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller_\\(aircraft\\)#Theory_and_design_of_aircraft_propellers" ], [], [] ]
1iu0pf
the royal family (titles, heirs, etc) and a hypothetical question in the text.
How do titles work? Why is the Queens husband not the King? What is a duke? Why not prince? Is Harry just out of luck when it comes to being king someday? Do they have ANY real power? If Kate would have delivered a child with a disability (downs, etc), would that child still be the third in line to the throne?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1iu0pf/eli5_the_royal_family_titles_heirs_etc_and_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cb80vwj", "cb80wam" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ " > How do titles work? Why is the Queens husband not the King?\n\nA woman takes her husband's title, but a man doesn't take his wife's title. This is a similar thing to how women take their husband's names, it's just traditi...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
2c8per
legally, how can websites use images without the rights to them?
I see websites using images from reddit, tumblr, and other sites just listing "Credit: Source" underneath. Is that legal?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2c8per/eli5_legally_how_can_websites_use_images_without/
{ "a_id": [ "cjd0cam", "cjd40io" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ " > Is that legal?\n\nMaybe, maybe not. Some usage may be covered by fair use. Other usage may be technically illegal but functionally permissible because the copyright holder can't be bothered to do anything about it.\n\n_...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use" ], [] ]
4im0tz
how do eyeballs move without tugging their optic nerves?
Wouldn't the optic nerve need to have some slack to allow the eyeball the pivot around? If so, is part of it 'coiled' up to allow for movement?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4im0tz/eli5_how_do_eyeballs_move_without_tugging_their/
{ "a_id": [ "d2z66mu", "d2z6baz", "d2zi89n" ], "score": [ 5, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Most things in our bodies are at least somewhat flexible and stretchy. Whether it's your eye rolling around, or your leg kicking, or your back stretching, the distance between the ends of various nerves...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
32mz0j
Why is Archimede's principle true?
I've known it since I was little, but why is it true? How did Archimedes check his work?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/32mz0j/why_is_archimedes_principle_true/
{ "a_id": [ "cqd1348", "cqd878w", "cqdd9xz" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Testing it would be simple. Get a bucket of water with a spout at the top. Fill it until water spills out of the spout. Now, get two practically identically buckets. Place one under the spout. Plac...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
8oksyr
Why is New York colder then London in the winter even though London is a lot further north and New York is on the same latitude as Spain?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8oksyr/why_is_new_york_colder_then_london_in_the_winter/
{ "a_id": [ "e0504wm" ], "score": [ 24 ], "text": [ "The answer is \\*NOT\\* the Gulf Stream, as others have posted here.\n\nThis comes up a lot on AskScience: the effect is due to two major factors:\n\n1\\) The Atlantic Ocean stores heat from the summer, which is carried toward Europe in the wint...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7jt825/why\\_is\\_paris\\_warmer\\_than\\_quebec\\_city\\_despite/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7jt825/why_is_paris_warmer_than_quebec_city_despite/" ] ]
2edg2u
why do people use 4 small tv screens hooked together instead of one big screen on computers?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2edg2u/eli5why_do_people_use_4_small_tv_screens_hooked/
{ "a_id": [ "cjyea0q", "cjyea55" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Two reasons\n\n1) Because each screen can display something different. Kind of cool/useful if you need to have multiple streams of information active at the same time.\n\n2) They don't make screens that big for computers. ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
qng7l
Does the keeping and nurturing of plants affect ones mood in any way?
I'm studying product design at foundation level in the UK and this is for my final project. My aim is to design a product that will combat Seasonal affect disorder by introducing light and greenery into the home. Edit: Thank you for all the replies. Edit2: I'm not talking about medicinal marijuana.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/qng7l/does_the_keeping_and_nurturing_of_plants_affect/
{ "a_id": [ "c3yzak7", "c3yzce6" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The converse to your question would be wondering if people who have a certain type of mood are more inclined to keep plants (as opposed to the keeping of the plant setting their mood). For a more generic way to look at the q...
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[ [], [ "https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:_ADqvu3KRRYJ:doi.apa.org/journals/psp/34/2/191.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShDgn4hfhXVlV5-xRbAdk04EDhIUeA1K893AoKsVtS7yt3taVeYV-ZcRr3QjBa5A0U52dU0BYWprFNMIR3vyuvgbqFijfmFbAdcWzvCz1pWaov9HEPfdqwxjlRirLBM_D6VJT3l&sig=AHIEtbR-Au1sLF...
annost
Why aren't tornados represented in classical art?
Europe India and native America, All get tornados, but I've never seen art that depicts them. I imagine it was absolutely astonishing to people off those eras. But I've never seen them in classic art.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/annost/why_arent_tornados_represented_in_classical_art/
{ "a_id": [ "efus07d", "efvxpjs" ], "score": [ 63, 12 ], "text": [ "There's some discussion on native Americans and their interpretations and depictions of tornadoes on this old [thread](_URL_0_).\n\n\nEdit formatting ", "There are multiple depictions of Krishna defeating Trinavarta, t...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ekw2j/how_did_precolonization_midwest_native_americans/?utm" ], [ "https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Krishna_defeats_Trinavarta.jpg", "https://collections.lacma.org/node/237785" ] ]
1prwe5
when people request that alternate explanations to evolution be presented in schools, why is only the christian story of creation presented?
Theoretically, shouldn't schools be required to give all religions equal opportunity?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1prwe5/eli5_when_people_request_that_alternate/
{ "a_id": [ "cd5clk5", "cd5cw8g" ], "score": [ 9, 2 ], "text": [ "Because they're Christians that just want their kids to hear the christian dogma. ", "This actually has been a heated debate, typically only in the south USA though. There have been a few isolated cases that have tried t...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
348ska
Do solar winds "push" the planets?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/348ska/do_solar_winds_push_the_planets/
{ "a_id": [ "cqscqbw" ], "score": [ 18 ], "text": [ "Yes. Solar wind consists of mostly electrons, protons and alpha particles. Since these particles are captured/deflected/absorbed by the planet (depending on whether it has a magnetosphere) , their momentum is imparted to the planet. So they exer...
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[ [] ]
2yskjx
when a new island forms, who does it belong to and how is that decided?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yskjx/eli5when_a_new_island_forms_who_does_it_belong_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cpcjf53" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "It's called an \"Exclusive Economic Zone\", and was established by the UN. Specifically, the \"United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea\", as modified and approved in 1982.\n\nBasically, it extends about 200 nautical miles from from the co...
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[ [] ]
ehbiyo
mlm/pyramid scheme
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ehbiyo/eli5_mlmpyramid_scheme/
{ "a_id": [ "fchto5q" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The scam comes from not being able to sell the items that they promise you can sell. Companies promise that you will be able to sell all of your product and recruit more people but it rarely happens at the scale that the companies convince you of...
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[ [] ]
wu1dl
how come you can only smell food after you heat it up?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/wu1dl/eli5_how_come_you_can_only_smell_food_after_you/
{ "a_id": [ "c5gggvf" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "When something's hot, all the molecules it's made of get really excited and move around more. This includes moving into and through the air. When it's cold, there's not enough molecular excitement (heat) for the stuff to get airborne and into you...
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m9kip
why does high blood glucose hurt your body so much?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/m9kip/eli5why_does_high_blood_glucose_hurt_your_body_so/
{ "a_id": [ "c2z6kpy", "c2z6kpy" ], "score": [ 5, 5 ], "text": [ "High glucose has many negative effects on the body:\n\n* It attaches itself to places it shouldn't. For example, it links proteins together like glue, which is why diabetic's have stiff, old looking skin\n\n* In order to dig...
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[ [], [] ]
25gx7v
Cleaning with baking soda & vinegar - am I missing something, or does this really make no sense?
I use baking soda and vinegar as cleaning supplies pretty frequently - vinegar helps to remove soap scum from my shower, while baking soda works magic on removing smells from plastic containers that I accidentally leave leftovers in for months to grow moldy. But I keep seeing tips to *combine* them, especially for unc...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/25gx7v/cleaning_with_baking_soda_vinegar_am_i_missing/
{ "a_id": [ "chh5gni" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's the physical action of the reaction that helps with the extraction. (sorry, had to put it that way....)\n\nIt's the bubbles, like you mentioned. They would physically help break up the clog.\n\nIt's really the same thing Drano does, just les...
[]
[ "http://www.treehugger.com/cleaning-organizing/13-baking-soda-uses-to-clean-almost-everything.html" ]
[ [] ]
225l4f
how do i balance a checkbook?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/225l4f/eli5_how_do_i_balance_a_checkbook/
{ "a_id": [ "cgjk4st" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "1) Start of the month - Figure out how much money is currently in your bank account\n\n2) Through out the month - Keep track of every expense you use your bank account for (including withdrawals) \n\n3) End of the Month - Figure out what your end...
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6316am
how activated charcoal is for detoxing while charcoal can increase the risk of cancer?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6316am/eli5how_activated_charcoal_is_for_detoxing_while/
{ "a_id": [ "dfqko3p", "dfqlnge", "dfqrvmh" ], "score": [ 6, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Activated charcoal tends to absorb unwanted reactive stuff floating around, which is why it's used in filters. It's like a sponge.\n\nDestroying the charcoal by burning it *makes* fumes and reactive stu...
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[ [], [], [] ]
udgkt
Would it be possible for a considerably smaller planet than earth to have the same gravity?
If you had a planet that had roughly the same surface area as a small country, could it have the same gravity as earth does if it were made out of a denser material?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/udgkt/would_it_be_possible_for_a_considerably_smaller/
{ "a_id": [ "c4uf94h", "c4uff19", "c4ufn03", "c4ugqy2" ], "score": [ 5, 5, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Yes, although a planet of that density is unlikely. [Neutron stars](_URL_0_) can and do form, and they are incredibly dense.", "The surface gravity of planets scales as density...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_star" ], [], [ "http://www.braeunig.us/pics/EarthGravity.gif" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Planet_sizes.svg" ] ]
4qiaqa
Is it possible to burn up if you leave our planet's atmosphere at high speeds, just as you would entering it from outer space?
If so, would it be at same speeds or are there any differance there?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4qiaqa/is_it_possible_to_burn_up_if_you_leave_our/
{ "a_id": [ "d4tovw2" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Theoretically, yes. In practice it's a lot harder. It is very hard to achieve the required speed while coping with the air resistance at lower altitudes.\n\nThat being said, very fast planes (like the famous SR-71 Blackbird) will heat up to hundr...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_(missile)" ] ]
3ia1h7
why do we use ceramic plates and bowls when they break so easily?
I've never really understood why most plates and bowls are made from ceramic materials when they break so easily. Aren't there better alternatives out there?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ia1h7/eli5_why_do_we_use_ceramic_plates_and_bowls_when/
{ "a_id": [ "cuelyus", "cueml4m" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Because they're cheap to make, always in style and don't leave the taste of steel or polish in your mouth.", "Alternatives are paper, wood, metal, or plastic. Ceramic maybe the most breakable, however it is easy to make...
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[ [], [] ]
20o309
How common is it that extremely significant primary sources from Roman and Greek antiquity are uncovered anew? Which do you most wish would be rediscovered intact?
I have long been fascinated by the idea of lost historical texts, and mourn the loss of vast swathes of works of famous philosophers, historians and statesmen (including sometime whole libraries from antiquity). Famously, many of surviving Latin and Greek texts are themselves translations of translations of copies tha...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/20o309/how_common_is_it_that_extremely_significant/
{ "a_id": [ "cg56ne0", "cg596x5" ], "score": [ 2, 13 ], "text": [ "I know this won't answer the majority of your questions but I'm currently doing my thesis on L. Licinius Lucullus, the Roman who led the charge against Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus in the first century BCE before being ...
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[ [], [] ]
4hzqoa
I hit my elbow to an metallic container at work and the nerve"shock" i got went from my elbow, inside my arm and ended in my pinky finger. It was like a string inside getting electrocuted. What actually happened?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4hzqoa/i_hit_my_elbow_to_an_metallic_container_at_work/
{ "a_id": [ "d2utezb" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "That's when you bump your [ulnar nerve](_URL_0_). Nerves are pretty important and sensitive things so they're normally routed along next to bones and under muscles so they stay safe from damage. There are a couple of spots, like your elbow, wher...
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[ [ "http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/figures/A00069F03.jpg", "http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/figures/A00069F02.jpg" ] ]
81gyjv
How much time dilation does the the particles in the LHC experience when running at max speed?
How much time will have passed in the reference time of a bystander in what the particle would perceive as a second?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/81gyjv/how_much_time_dilation_does_the_the_particles_in/
{ "a_id": [ "dv38fx7", "dv3bfxk" ], "score": [ 23, 7 ], "text": [ "According to [this](_URL_1_), a proton on the design orbit through an LHC ring at full speed is moving at 0.999999991c. That corresponds to a time dilation factor of [7454](_URL_0_).\n\nSo for 1 second to pass for the proto...
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[ [ "http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=1%2Fsqrt(1-0.999999991%5E2\\)", "https://lhc-machine-outreach.web.cern.ch/lhc-machine-outreach/beam.htm" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronvolt" ] ]
4e2zq4
why does the same commercial play twice in a row?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4e2zq4/eli5_why_does_the_same_commercial_play_twice_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d1wjna0", "d1wkgdm", "d1wkhic" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Like with informercials, the people who make these go by the theory that repetition is key for people to remember something, meaning they are more likely to buy it in future", "Sometimes there is a...
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[ [], [], [] ]
1wxgl5
How long did earth have the conditions to support life before it appeared
As I understand it the earth has been around for 4.6 billion years and has hosted life for 3.5 billion. I suspect however that a lot of the previous 1.1 billion years the planet was pretty inhospitable (surface of magma, etc) So what's the best estimate for how long it took life to appear once earth developed the condi...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1wxgl5/how_long_did_earth_have_the_conditions_to_support/
{ "a_id": [ "cf6dvru" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Some dates to consider (in Ga: billions of years ago):\n\n4.54 Ga - The [Earth formed](_URL_1_)\n\n4.4 Ga - The Earth cooled sufficiently for [crust to form](_URL_3_)\n\n3.7 Ga - The [oldest evidence](_URL_4_) we have for life on the planet, thou...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Heavy_Bombardment", "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0012821X80900242", "http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v384/n6604/abs/384055a0.html", "http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v409/n6817/full/409175A0.html", "http://www.nature.com/ngeo/jo...
1v86w9
How can you tell if a protein is an enzyme?
In addition, a few more questions: * How many % of the entire protein space are predicted to be enzymes? How is this determined with so many unknown proteins? How variable is this statistic between the eukaroytes (specifically, bacteria), prokaroytes and viruses? * Can you reliably use sequence similarity as a metric...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1v86w9/how_can_you_tell_if_a_protein_is_an_enzyme/
{ "a_id": [ "cepynbx" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "You can tell if a protein is an enzyme in two ways. The old school way is to assay for catalytic activity. This isn't as hard as it sounds. Way back before genomics and proteomics and sequence databases, biochemists would identify enzymes by t...
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[ [] ]
90vcgr
How do interferons prevent the spread of virus to other cells?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/90vcgr/how_do_interferons_prevent_the_spread_of_virus_to/
{ "a_id": [ "e2v8k5v" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Many things can happen in response to interferon signaling by a nearby infected cell or an immune cell:\n\n* mRNA is degraded by [ribonuclease L](_URL_5_), this will degrade cellular RNA as well as viral RNA, to prevent replication of viral genet...
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[ [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29143896", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17290288", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1933291/", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25822580", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3571350/", "https://emboj.embopress.org/con...
4qwtyw
how come some people can be sitting at a computer with someone right next to them talking but they don't hear or take in what they say?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4qwtyw/eli5_how_come_some_people_can_be_sitting_at_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d4whlaz" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "They are concentrating on something else and blocking out other inputs. There is a fun study where people tasked with watching the number of passes in a basketball game completely missed a guy in a girilla suit walking across the court. \n_URL_...
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[ [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10694957" ] ]
1xnb65
how does jet fuel differ from regular car fuel?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xnb65/eli5_how_does_jet_fuel_differ_from_regular_car/
{ "a_id": [ "cfcvjwi", "cfcvns3", "cfcvw0c" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 5 ], "text": [ "Crude oil is refined by boiling it at increasingly higher temperatures.\n\nGasoline is what boils off at a lower temperature. Jet fuel boils off at a higher temperature.", "Aviation Turbine Fuel (A...
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[ [], [], [] ]
13hztt
Given they communicate through electromagnetic waves, why are radios, laptops and cellphones not affected by the Doppler Effect?
I'm thinking about car usage in particular. My initial idea was that it was because they function digitally, but that would not go for the radio. Especially since it works on special frequencies, which should increase and decrease with speed.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/13hztt/given_they_communicate_through_electromagnetic/
{ "a_id": [ "c744j1s", "c744j6a", "c744okh", "c74751y" ], "score": [ 30, 8, 34, 6 ], "text": [ "Doppler effect only becomes significant when relative velocity is at least near the same order of magnitude as the speed at which the wave travels. Light simply travels too fast ...
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[ [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huygens_%28spacecraft%29#A_critical_design_flaw_resolved" ] ]
gvl5b
What if there is no Higgs Boson?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/gvl5b/what_if_there_is_no_higgs_boson/
{ "a_id": [ "c1qlbru", "c1qld42", "c1qlsoq" ], "score": [ 17, 96, 23 ], "text": [ "[There are several models that don't require the Higgs boson.](_URL_0_)", "Amongst particle physicists, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't think that the Higgs mechanism is ...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higgsless_model" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroweak_interaction" ], [] ]
2n1cyb
Did silent films in the 1920s have the countdown timer?
Something like this: _URL_0_ And one more question: Were the films in sepia, with colored filters, or were they in monocrome, with colored filters? Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks!
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2n1cyb/did_silent_films_in_the_1920s_have_the_countdown/
{ "a_id": [ "cm9nfu1", "cm9qen2" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Depending on the era and the particular film, silent film may have had a *leader* (A length of film used to help the projector get up to speed and ensure the film is threaded correctly, before the movie proper) but it probab...
[]
[ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzfmZC3kg3M" ]
[ [], [] ]
95nnk0
I’ve read that Mesoamerican natives like the Tlascalans who helped Cortez overthrow the Aztecs later objected to not being treated any better by the Spanish and even tried to take their claims to Spanish courts. How did this work and did any succeed?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/95nnk0/ive_read_that_mesoamerican_natives_like_the/
{ "a_id": [ "e3ubf3k" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "You may be interested in [my earlier answer on a similar topic over here](_URL_0_).​ Its's pretty long, so here some orientation:\n\n\n- In the first part the section \"Spanish administrative and judicial re-organisation\" could be helpful, as ...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/88a0qu/why_did_the_spanish_conquest_of_mexico_end_up/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/88a0qu/why_did_the_spanish_conquest_of_mexico_end_up/dwj7dmf/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/88a0qu/why_did_the_spanish_conquest...
bpzefo
Do bats have a hard time echolocating during outdoor concerts because of the loud music? Or do the frequencies vary so much that they don’t interfere?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/bpzefo/do_bats_have_a_hard_time_echolocating_during/
{ "a_id": [ "eo629n2" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Some quick [checking](_URL_0_) around yields the rough range of 10khz to 100khz for bat echolocation calls, apparently with energy somewhat concentrated towards the middle of that range.\n\nThat just barely overlaps with hifi audio, which notiona...
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[ [ "https://hypertextbook.com/facts/1998/JuanCancel.shtml" ] ]
21i21j
The Great Leap Forward and the cultural revolution.
I know very little about either event. What I do know came from Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China Jung Chang Is that an accurate portrayal of how those policies affected everyday citizens. Also why were these put into affect and were there any government officials who realized these were bad policies and did they t...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/21i21j/the_great_leap_forward_and_the_cultural_revolution/
{ "a_id": [ "cgdaj9s" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "A good place to start for general knowledge of both is Wikipedia - they're very important events in the history of modern china, and the wiki page for both is good.\n\nI'm not familiar with Wild Swans, but I can give you the broad overview of the...
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[ [] ]
qvgp2
spacedicks?
What's the purpose? Why? Am I missing a joke or are there some really sick f*cks out there?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qvgp2/eli5_spacedicks/
{ "a_id": [ "c40rw5b", "c40rzbz", "c40s26p", "c40s7yr", "c40s9at", "c40se38", "c40sfmd", "c40skc4", "c40wfs8", "c40zar5", "c414ueo" ], "score": [ 6, 4, 30, 2, 7, 7, 52, 6, 2, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Oh ... hey searchbar.\n\...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/search?q=spacedicks&restrict_sr=on" ], [], [ "http://nickroshon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/welcome-to-the-internet-follow-me-500x472.png" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://img.anongallery.org/img/4/3/the-shit-i-have-to-p...
e7w2tk
what is going to happen when flash becomes obsolete?
Since Adobe is making flash obsolete. I'm confused with what is going to happen to all of the flash media that is online. Are all of the flash games/movies just going to be erased from existence? Or would you still be able to play them?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e7w2tk/eli5_what_is_going_to_happen_when_flash_becomes/
{ "a_id": [ "fa6fymi", "fa6g24e", "fa7hsgu" ], "score": [ 9, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You will still be able to use it, Adobe will no longer be working on it. DOS is obsolete but I can still boot up DOS 6.0 on an old computer my Dad keeps for some odd reason, and then spend all day playi...
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[ [], [], [] ]
jknqe
version control systems like git.
Whats the point of them? When would I need one? (assuming i get into software dev or something) Why is the documentation so cluster-fucked and hard to understand?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/jknqe/eli5_version_control_systems_like_git/
{ "a_id": [ "c2cwcre", "c2cx0r2", "c2cwcre", "c2cx0r2" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "[explained like you're five](_URL_0_)\n\neta as to why you would need one...\n\nlike you're five: if everyone in your class is colouring in the same picture billy might do a really...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/jgoxv/eli5_how_do_you_use_git_and_github/c2byl8j" ], [ "http://stackoverflow.com/questions/315911/git-for-beginners-the-definitive-practical-guide/323898#323898", "http://stackoverflow.com/questions/315911/git-for-beginners-the-definitive-practic...
2l0zm2
What really stopped Louie XIV from uniting Spain and France?
I get that the other countries stopped his nephew from becoming King of Spain before Louie signed the Treaty of Utrecht, but after that he became King. What really stopped Louie from just uniting them afterwards? Couldn't he say that he had angered God by signing and not conquering the world? Were the other ar...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2l0zm2/what_really_stopped_louie_xiv_from_uniting_spain/
{ "a_id": [ "clqg4en" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I don't think he could make that claim as Carlos II, the Spanish Monarch whose deathbed will made Louis XIV's grandson Phillip V, King of Spain; had clearly stated that the Kingdom's of Spain and France could not be united; that if Phillip claime...
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[ [] ]
5nwimr
what physically is current, and what is charge - why do they move in opposite directions in an electrical circuit.
? I've searched ELI5 and can't find an explanation
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5nwimr/eli5_what_physically_is_current_and_what_is/
{ "a_id": [ "dcetwft", "dcf28jy" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Current is in the opposite direction of how the charges are actually \"moving\" due to historical reasons. When Franklin and others were first formalizing an organized set of laws for circuits, they assumed that the positive...
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[ [], [] ]