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8wph0c
the little ball you hear banging around inside a spray can.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8wph0c/eli5_the_little_ball_you_hear_banging_around/
{ "a_id": [ "e1xe2ny", "e1xee1n" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "It bounces around and agitates the contents of the can more than just the stuff inside would. It isn't always necessary but some more difficult materials such as paint benefit from the extra agitation.", "It is a marble ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2vy4uz
between the usa and the uk, what's the difference between how much freedom each other has?
Freedom of speech, press etc..What are Americans allowed to say that British people can't?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2vy4uz/eli5_between_the_usa_and_the_uk_whats_the/
{ "a_id": [ "colwxhc", "colx0dy" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "According to Reporters without Borders, in terms of Freedom of the press, the USA ranks below the UK. Source : _URL_0_\n\nThough in practice the difference is surely not noticeable in everyday life and from an average person...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://index.rsf.org/#!/" ], [] ]
5fev2n
Are the boat Designs in Disney's "Moana" accurate to pre-contact Hawaiian designs?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5fev2n/are_the_boat_designs_in_disneys_moana_accurate_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dak0xhe" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Sorry haven't seen the movie yet, but if you asking about the single hulled canoe that appears on the promo material that features Moana and Maui, then yes, from the looks of it it's basically the sort of short distance or archipelagic va'a that ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1lihw2
Why does it look like it is about to pour rain on my bike ride, but I see nothing on radar?
I'm a cyclist, so naturally I have a vested interest in hourly forecasts. This morning there is no rain forecasted, and I do not see anything on radar (_URL_0_) - why then, does it still have the bruised-I'm-about-to-torrential-downpour-look in the sky? Does Doppler / Base Reflectivity not pick up all types of weather ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1lihw2/why_does_it_look_like_it_is_about_to_pour_rain_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cbznucj" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "It's tough to say without seeing the sky you're describing. Dark clouds do not necessarily mean rain, it just means the clouds are blocking more sun than usual. I don't suppose you have a picture?\n\nWeather radars work by detecting relatively la...
[]
[ "http://weather.gc.ca/radar/index_e.html?id=WKR" ]
[ [ "http://www.wdtb.noaa.gov/tools/RPS/VCPCompTable.pdf", "http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/birdrad/" ] ]
3sbs4w
why don't they make quaaludes any more?
They seem to be well liked. I'm assuming with all the designer drugs being produced today by relative amateurs that it's possible. They can't be any more dangerous than bath salts or alligator or whatever other insane drugs that are around. Why are they not made/widely available.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sbs4w/eli5_why_dont_they_make_quaaludes_any_more/
{ "a_id": [ "cwvspxp", "cwvv03n" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "They do. \n\n > Methaqualone (sold under the brand name Quaalude) is one of the most commonly used recreational drugs in South Africa.[13][14] It is also popular elsewhere in Africa and in India.[14] Commonly known as Mand...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methaqualone#Recreational" ], [] ]
8n0nbb
why songs do clips ?
Sorry if this is already answered, I could not find it. It would seem that most people listen a music for the music, and the clip is almost useless, but lots of musics have a LOT of money thrown at them. Why is that ?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8n0nbb/eli5_why_songs_do_clips/
{ "a_id": [ "dzrtv07", "dzrutwr" ], "score": [ 2, 6 ], "text": [ "Do you mean music videos?", "Many reasons:\n\nThis is America, from Childish Gambino, for example; the music video compliments the message of the song a whole lot. Without it, IMO, the song would lose a lot of its meanin...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1nb2f2
[Medicine] If you have to be at a desk multiple hours a day, what's the "most healthy" way to do it? Sitting, standing, sitting on a medicine ball, something else?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1nb2f2/medicine_if_you_have_to_be_at_a_desk_multiple/
{ "a_id": [ "cch0663" ], "score": [ 20 ], "text": [ "Cornell ergonomics department have written a little about this specifically about the merits of sitting versus standing \n\n_URL_0_\n\nEssentially both carry their own risks. It's much more important to change positions regularly, move around, t...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUESitStand.html" ] ]
mdsmo
okay, maybe i'm a little slow in comprehending all of this at once but ... can someone further explain this protect ip act deal? is the passing of this bill even a legitimate possibility?
I've read about it and watched the video in [this link](_URL_0_) and [this link](_URL_3_). I've even skimmed through [this reddit topic](_URL_2_) about it and, well... some of the information and discussions were a bit overwhelming and the concept itself just seems unreal... and a little concerning, might I add. From ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mdsmo/eli5_okay_maybe_im_a_little_slow_in_comprehending/
{ "a_id": [ "c304czw", "c308421", "c304czw", "c308421" ], "score": [ 7, 5, 7, 5 ], "text": [ "It is censorship. It is really The Great Firewall of USA. ", "The scary part of the bill is that the copyright companies would be in charge of the internet. They would have the...
[]
[ "http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa/", "http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-internet-control-bill-now", "http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/lx27b/reddit_this_is_important_and_deserves_your/", "http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-internet-control-bill-now" ]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
3t8hiq
why does local news look so much shittier than national news?
Sometimes I see national news interviews with local correspondents on (what I assume) are local affiliate's studios, and the resolution looks much cleaner & overall more professional. If the main difference is cameras, graphics, & sets, aren't these all "one time expenses" that these stations can afford? Edit: wo...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3t8hiq/eli5_why_does_local_news_look_so_much_shittier/
{ "a_id": [ "cx40afr" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ " National news shows are watched by millions of people, so their budget is simply much much higher. " ] }
[]
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[ [] ]
o1958
If we had a train that could almost move the speed of light, and we put a camera inside it and let it film, what would we see playing back the video outside of the train?
Would the video look weird because time slows down when your speed approaches c?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/o1958/if_we_had_a_train_that_could_almost_move_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c3dku6j", "c3dkyhv" ], "score": [ 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Is the camera only observing objects inside the train?", "This question was answered in Carl Sagan's Cosmos \n\n[Link](_URL_0_)" ] }
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abp3q7aYOss#t=21m46s" ] ]
2ws8bf
how can tattoo artists make designs based on copy righted characters such as simpsons, video games, etc?
I mean I've seen some impressive cool ones, but I know a lot of them are still covered by copyright laws. Even for modern games like Portal and the like.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ws8bf/eli5how_can_tattoo_artists_make_designs_based_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cotmiyg", "cotmx3g" ], "score": [ 11, 5 ], "text": [ "They aren't supposed to (at least not without paying for a license from the rights owner), but it's not a realistic goal for the copyright owners to stop them.", "The thing is...\n\n1. Would you pay all that money suing...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
30ftog
the houthi rebellion in yemen
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30ftog/eli5_the_houthi_rebellion_in_yemen/
{ "a_id": [ "cps264j" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Yemen was a divided nation for many decades and was only recently unified. Saudi Arabia was strongly against its unification - it is the only meaningful nation-state on the Arabian peninsula besides Saudi Arabia and it's on the Red Sea side of th...
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[]
[ [] ]
6lvk2b
how long do nerves damaged from a minor injury take to heal/regrow?
I accidentally stabbed myself in the palm while attempting to remove the pit from an avocado 6 days ago. The wound is deep but not wide. It is healing fairly well so far although I still have some pain. The tips of two fingers are still numb. The doctor said the nerves take as long as toenails to regrow but I'm not s...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6lvk2b/eli5_how_long_do_nerves_damaged_from_a_minor/
{ "a_id": [ "djx5pza" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Since this is ELI5 and we are not doctors, you need to let this forum be the beginning of your research not the end of it. Nerve regeneration is serious business, and if your doctor does not explain it well enough to you then you need to find a ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1dxnak
What would be the primary differences between a cheap sword and an expensive sword, taking into account different time periods and methods of manufacture?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1dxnak/what_would_be_the_primary_differences_between_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c9uugq5", "c9uux8q", "c9uva94", "c9uwz43" ], "score": [ 191, 44, 9, 13 ], "text": [ "This is an interesting source. [Nova-Secrets of the Viking Sword](_URL_0_) In this they try to replicate old swords using traditional techniques. They cover a lot of the techni...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/secrets-viking-sword.html" ], [], [], [] ]
4fcqjy
how exactly do air pockets work underwater?
Like when you pull an empty bucket and pull it underwater but water doesnt go in
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fcqjy/eli5how_exactly_do_air_pockets_work_underwater/
{ "a_id": [ "d27ou32", "d27tptz" ], "score": [ 2, 21 ], "text": [ "Air is lighter than water, so if you have a pocket or space that the only opening is at the bottom, and is full of air, the air stays inside because it can't displace the heavier water beneath it.", "It works the same w...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
cu9iri
how does penis implants work?
Can somebody explain to me how Penis Implants work? I saw this on Dr Miami doing a video of this. So how exactly does this work? What does the implant do? How does it change from when a penis is erect and when its not?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cu9iri/eli5how_does_penis_implants_work/
{ "a_id": [ "exsldgw" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Most of these penis things don't actually \"work\" and just gives you marginal if any changes" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3gwvo8
A while back someone on this sub told me Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, had a reputation for making up fanciful stories when he was a child. I believe the comment was removed, but I still want to ask if it's true?
I'm kind of dubious of the claim because it sounds too good to be true. it exactly the kind of thing you'd want to able to say if you wanted to convince people he made up everything in the book of Mormon Edit: for the record I’m not a Mormon and I think smith probably did make everything up. I’m just dubious of this o...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3gwvo8/a_while_back_someone_on_this_sub_told_me_joseph/
{ "a_id": [ "cu2g4kq" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "There are no surviving contemporary sources from Joseph Smith's childhood (with the exception of a school attendance record, I think).\n\nAs far as I know, the most direct source for Joseph Smith's childhood is from his mother, Lucy Mack Smith, w...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/history-1838-1856-volume-a-1-23-december-1805-30-august-1834#!/paperSummary/history-1838-1856-volume-a-1-23-december-1805-30-august-1834&p=7", "http://josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845#!/paperSummary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1845&...
26osuz
What's the point of rockets in space?
In many movies that deal with space travel you see ships that constantly have their main rockets engaged. Wouldn't this keep the ship at a constant rate of acceleration and not just propelling the ship at the same rate? Or is there a force, even in space, similar to friction that keeps ships from constantly acceleratin...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/26osuz/whats_the_point_of_rockets_in_space/
{ "a_id": [ "cht1ztb", "cht2625", "cht2bl4", "cht3sfe", "cht3u19", "cht7m0d", "chtav0n" ], "score": [ 83, 6, 33, 4, 13, 11, 2 ], "text": [ "Most movies don't care too much about being scientificly accurate vs apealing to look at. Let's ask it like th...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_impulse" ], [], [] ]
cma8rr
why does putting moisturiser on sunburn sting so much? isn't it good for the skin?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cma8rr/eli5_why_does_putting_moisturiser_on_sunburn/
{ "a_id": [ "ew0w3cf", "ew0x8y2", "ew0xfl5", "ew1crzo" ], "score": [ 2, 6, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "A sunburn is severely damaged skin and a moisturiser is designed to sit on the top of healthy skin not to enter damaged or dying skin.", "Massage is good for muscles, too; but ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
6f989j
why is depression so prevalent in the west, europe, russia, and other prevalent 1st world countries, but virtually non-existent in underdeveloped nations?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6f989j/eli5_why_is_depression_so_prevalent_in_the_west/
{ "a_id": [ "digeeg3" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The premise is unjustified. Underdeveloped nations usually don't have the medical resources to treat or even diagnose psychological problems, and their cultures typically are not aware of them or else strongly discourage people from acknowledgin...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
b6ulzy
what is the middle class that important to an economy?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b6ulzy/eli5_what_is_the_middle_class_that_important_to/
{ "a_id": [ "ejn6sbz", "ejn7bp9", "ejn9scb", "ejnda3a", "ejniouc" ], "score": [ 12, 2, 10, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "They are the people that spend the majority of the money. When the middle class suffers it results in them spending less, which results in businesses hiring...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
8sjdj9
why is disney allowed to merge with all of these other big companies, most recently 21st century, and not suffer from monopoly laws?
Just off the top of my head, they own Marvel, Lucasfilm, 21 Century, ESPN, ABC. How is this not considered monopolization in the eyes of the law?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8sjdj9/eli5_why_is_disney_allowed_to_merge_with_all_of/
{ "a_id": [ "e0ztggb", "e0ztk84", "e0zwwyx", "e0zxonk", "e0zyqk4", "e10b34u", "e10waoc" ], "score": [ 6, 48, 2, 21, 7, 5, 4 ], "text": [ "A monopoly is when a single business has no meaningful competition in their market, allowing them to essentially...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
3snm83
why do fifa games' name have next year instead of the current year? fifa 2016 in 2015
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3snm83/eli5why_do_fifa_games_name_have_next_year_instead/
{ "a_id": [ "cwyti7g", "cwyu9q8", "cwyx5vp" ], "score": [ 10, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because it coincides with the ending of the year. It would make non sense to call it FIFA 2015 when the year is nearly over. Guinness Book of Records does this too and WWE. Also, It's to cash in on Chr...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
23ot0c
Are there any historical parallels to modern celebrity worship?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/23ot0c/are_there_any_historical_parallels_to_modern/
{ "a_id": [ "cgzdqke" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Tokugawa era Japan had something similar, though obviously not as grand a scale as our modern celebrities. Kabuki theatre became immensely popular during this period, and was enjoyed by the masses as well as the elite. Actors became well known an...
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[]
[ [] ]
4gors0
if the andromeda galaxy is roughly 220,000 light years in diameter, how can we know what it actually looks like at any given moment? (since the light from the far end is 220,000 years behind the light at the closer end)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4gors0/eli5_if_the_andromeda_galaxy_is_roughly_220000/
{ "a_id": [ "d2jct7m", "d2jegqr", "d2jjym7", "d2jo8j1", "d2k2tkz" ], "score": [ 119, 22, 45, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because 220,000 years is not very long in terms of the time it takes stars to move much relative to the whole galaxy. It is something like 0.1% of the rot...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://i.imgur.com/JTgLtah.png" ], [], [] ]
4gxaeb
gyroscopic procession
Hi Y'all. I've been watching the Smarter Every Day videos about how helicopters work. I understand that to pitch a helicopter forward, you have to pitch the blade and increase lift when the blade is on the side, 90 degrees before the blade is where it will be when you want the pitch to take effect. I understand this is...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4gxaeb/eli5_gyroscopic_procession/
{ "a_id": [ "d2ljwhx" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Gyroscopes have angular momentum. To change angular momentum, one must apply a torque, because the rate of change of angular momentum (it's time derivative to be specific) is equal to the torque acting on the system. Gyroscopic precession occurs ...
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[]
[ [] ]
2p7dr6
how does acupunture work
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2p7dr6/eli5_how_does_acupunture_work/
{ "a_id": [ "cmu0mp2" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Broadly speaking, there's actually no scientific reason to think that it works at all. In particular, the idea of 'energy meridians' has been thoroughly debunked over the years.\n\nThe best thing we can say about acupuncture right now is that th...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9abhff
What happened between France and Italy at the Alpine border during the XXth century?
We can still see hundreds of bunkers, military houses or barbed wire at very high altitude from both side. Also many impressive (difficult to access) paths have been built in the mountains. Today most of the buildings are abandoned. Why all this military arsenal? Has it been used? What is the current status of French-I...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9abhff/what_happened_between_france_and_italy_at_the/
{ "a_id": [ "e4xxb7x" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "In the lead-up to the Second World War, the Italian government began constructing a system of fortifications on the Apline border with France called V*allo Alpino Occidentale* (in English, \"Western Alpine Defenses,\" with the unusual word \"*Val...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2ykeuy
If stars can fuse elements up to iron, then how come we haven't found any titanium or oxygen stars?
As in being partly oxygen or titanium or some other element.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2ykeuy/if_stars_can_fuse_elements_up_to_iron_then_how/
{ "a_id": [ "cpafsx7", "cpaud29" ], "score": [ 54, 3 ], "text": [ "Well, we sort of have. [White dwarfs](_URL_0_) are thought to be composed almost entirely of carbon and oxygen. But those are dead stars.\n\nIf you're talking about normal stars (i.e. stars with active fusion), just because...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_dwarf#Atmosphere_and_spectra" ], [ "http://www.universetoday.com/44836/unusual-massive-white-dwarf-stars-have-oxygen-atmospheres/", "http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3492919.stm" ] ]
1j2g7w
Why are some CDs unable to remove something that has been burned onto it?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1j2g7w/why_are_some_cds_unable_to_remove_something_that/
{ "a_id": [ "cbags1m" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Precisely that. A laser heats a dye and permanently alters its reflectivity, \"burning\" the information into the physical structure of the disc." ] }
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[ [] ]
3ftwdo
what happens to my brain when my "mind goes blank"?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ftwdo/eli5_what_happens_to_my_brain_when_my_mind_goes/
{ "a_id": [ "cts2d84" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I'm assuming you mean during a test or when responding to a question you know the answer of, but all of the sudden can't remember. \n\nFrom what I've been told, your brain is attempting to be efficient in finding the answer. To maintain efficienc...
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[]
[ [] ]
11p2ic
Magnets: What are the physical constraints that determine or limit the position and orientation of the poles in a magnet?
*Actually I have lots of questions!* These questions are only regarding **permanent magnets**, not elecromagnets. **Trivial questions:** *What determines the orientation of the magnetic field or poles? *Can the poles in permanent magnets be flipped? How would you go about this? *Why are magnetic fields strongest ar...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11p2ic/magnets_what_are_the_physical_constraints_that/
{ "a_id": [ "c6odcus", "c6oe38z" ], "score": [ 3, 7 ], "text": [ "Related question- Can a sphere be magnetized such that one pole is in the center of the sphere and the other pole radiates in all directions, i.e. a sphere that repels/attracts uniformly from all directions?", " > What ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://i.imgur.com/bekHH.png", "http://members.iinet.net.au/~fotoplot/720mg.jpg", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demagnetizing_field#Demagnetizing_factor", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divergence_theorem", "http://books.google.com/books/about/Introduction_to_Magnetism_and_Magnetic_M.htm...
3o7i9p
why is it that the swiss can have an assault rifle in every home and in every shop but lacks the gun violence endemic to america?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3o7i9p/eli5_why_is_it_that_the_swiss_can_have_an_assault/
{ "a_id": [ "cvuoq6a", "cvuoqdq", "cvuosnz", "cvup5mn", "cvuq55e", "cvurw2s", "cvusa0t", "cvuus87", "cvuwv4t" ], "score": [ 41, 58, 41, 10, 3, 3, 3, 5, 7 ], "text": [ "Very hard to obtain ammunition, low unemployment rate, high overal...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
ncs3q
Can water, if pressured enough, cut you?
I have seen it happen sometimes in cartoons. The water would come out of a slit of a pipe and it would be so powerful that it would give the person a cut (it looked a lot like a paper cut). Is this possible? If it is how pressured would that water have to be? Also, I realize that my explanation is a bit messy, If you d...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ncs3q/can_water_if_pressured_enough_cut_you/
{ "a_id": [ "c382i2b", "c382j5p", "c382jae", "c382y4j", "c382i2b", "c382j5p", "c382jae", "c382y4j" ], "score": [ 5, 14, 3, 2, 5, 14, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Water, if pressured enough, can blow your limbs off.", "Yes, there is an industrial cu...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter", "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNGrVxQFrdI" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_injector" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_jet_cutter" ], [ "http://...
2c3xeb
why do i go cross-eyed and get blurry vision when i'm fighting falling asleep (such as during class or in traffic)?
This is particularly annoying to me as a diagnosed narcoleptic. My eyes involuntarily cross and uncross, my vision blurs and becomes hard to control, and then it will go back to normal for a moment before starting over. Is it related to the kind of mental fog that rolls in when we're fighting falling asleep?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2c3xeb/eli5_why_do_i_go_crosseyed_and_get_blurry_vision/
{ "a_id": [ "cjbp4wg" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "You go cross eyed and get blurry vision when you're fighting falling asleep because your brain is literally trying to shut down and you're not letting it. Eventually, your brain wins. \n\nListen. I have fallen asleep at the wheel once. I woke up ...
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[ [] ]
c0hskl
Does watching horror movies make you less fearful of “scary” things in real life?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/c0hskl/does_watching_horror_movies_make_you_less_fearful/
{ "a_id": [ "er9axwj" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "As someone who has watched scary movies since I was a kid, I think it makes you much more aware that a movie is just a movie. You become more aware of the intricacies of the plot, acting, originality, use of jump scares, etc. In real life, I am n...
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2eeflg
are all muslims either shia or sunni?
Please forgive my ignorance. In the news we hear about Sunni and Shia Muslims fighting. When people choose to convert, do they choose a teaching to follow or is there a generic teaching that is neither? Outside of the Middle East does it matter? Thank you for helping me understand.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2eeflg/eli5are_all_muslims_either_shia_or_sunni/
{ "a_id": [ "cjynz4n", "cjyo1q5", "cjyo680" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 17 ], "text": [ "[No, there are plenty of sects](_URL_0_). Sunni and Shia are the two largest. And they each have plenty of subsects.", "The vast majority of Muslims are Sunni, and virtually all of them outside o...
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[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branches_of_Islam" ], [], [ "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Islam_branches_and_schools.svg" ] ]
1z5ozw
So I've noticed some mini-blimp things in a lot of films that take place in WWII. What are they?
I've seen them in things ranging from Doctor Who to Monuments Men and I've been wondering what they actually are. They look to be just small blimps tied to the ground. What are they and what is their purpose? EDIT: There are a few in the background of [this image](_URL_0_) from Doctor Who
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1z5ozw/so_ive_noticed_some_miniblimp_things_in_a_lot_of/
{ "a_id": [ "cfqsnna" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Love that episode BTW.\n\nAnyway, they are [Barrage Balloons](_URL_0_). Barrage Balloons were designed to clutter up airspace, and to force bombers and fighters to fly higher, or to discourage low altitude attacks. Not only were the balloons them...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/thTXrrE.jpg" ]
[ [ "http://www.worldwar-two.net/weapons/barrage_balloons/" ] ]
22ldmx
Was Francisco de Vitoria a defender or a critic of the spanish empire?
It seems pretty murky and contradictory at first glance - almost impossible to infer what he actually thought.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/22ldmx/was_francisco_de_vitoria_a_defender_or_a_critic/
{ "a_id": [ "cgoetnl" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I would argue that the answer is neither. You are certainly right that his writings are quite murky; he is an incredibly complex figure who continues to be heavily studied today. He was a prolific writer, theologian, and legal scholar in a peri...
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[ [] ]
3evqd2
how come my sister got bitten five times by mosquitos on the way up the waterfall and i not once?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3evqd2/eli5_how_come_my_sister_got_bitten_five_times_by/
{ "a_id": [ "ctitvd5", "ctitxw2", "ctiv4ur" ], "score": [ 9, 6, 5 ], "text": [ "EL5 answer:- because she smells ~~better~~ tastier\n\n_URL_0_", "it could be many things. are you a smoker? mosquito are repelled by smokers. is she blond or wear perfume? Mosquitoes are attracted t...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-do-mosquitoes-bite-some-people-more-than-others-10255934/?no-ist" ], [], [] ]
3ikjsh
how does playing audio with a movie on actual film work?
How does the audio/soundtrack play when you have a film reel that contains the film, not a digital version?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ikjsh/eli5_how_does_playing_audio_with_a_movie_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cuh8cmq", "cuh95yp" ], "score": [ 5, 6 ], "text": [ "There is a section next to the \"picture part\" that contains audio just the same as an ordinary kasette (audio) tape would have. But it is slightly delayed from the pictures, because audio is taken at a different point in t...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://youtu.be/En__V0oEJsU" ] ]
4cjz3j
When did the word "Gay" stop meaning happy and start meaning homosexuality?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4cjz3j/when_did_the_word_gay_stop_meaning_happy_and/
{ "a_id": [ "d1ixic2", "d1izgg9", "d1j0buj", "d1j43d7", "d1jlkqa" ], "score": [ 34, 553, 27, 16, 5 ], "text": [ "As a follow up question: When did \"Lesbian\" become a slang term for female homosexuals, and does it relate to the Greek Island of Lesbos? ", "The *...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A06163.0001.001/1:1?rgn=div1;view=fulltext", "http://www.worldcat.org/", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beebo_Brinker", "http://sci-hub.io/doi/10.1353/dic.1998.0017", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Afro-American", "https://books.google.com/...
i6mj5
How long would it take to achieve hydrostatic equilibrium?
If I were to go round in my *pew pew lazors* spaceship collecting as many asteroids as I could, and superglued them all into a big pile, how long would the pile take to form into a spherical shape, and what processes would be at play shifting the mass around?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/i6mj5/how_long_would_it_take_to_achieve_hydrostatic/
{ "a_id": [ "c21bjq5" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Cool question! The process would occur on geological timescales. If your rocks were particularly radioactive that might speed things up a little, but think 10s of millions of years. The rocks would deform through [solid state mechanisms](_URL_0_)...
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[ [ "http://ic.ucsc.edu/~casey/eart150/Lectures/DefMech/14deformationmechanisms.htm" ] ]
cgsq67
why doesn’t water go up your butt if you jump in a pool?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cgsq67/eli5_why_doesnt_water_go_up_your_butt_if_you_jump/
{ "a_id": [ "eukjl69" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Something tells me you just might not be a real doctor!\n\nIt’s all to do with your anal sphincter" ] }
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[ [] ]
6txune
why do emulators emulate, not simulate?
Emulation brings a host of issues with it, and we know every last detail of most old consoles and computers as far as I'm aware. Surely a modern processor could simulate almost anything made before the year 2000. So why not do it? Note that when I say simulation I mean literal simulation: a software representation o...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6txune/eli5_why_do_emulators_emulate_not_simulate/
{ "a_id": [ "dlod352", "dlogm9e", "dlotzjy" ], "score": [ 3, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "Modern processors are good, but they're not good enough to do a full processor simulation of pretty much anything (maybe you could get away with the original Game Boy). They'd have dozens of clock cycle...
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[ [], [], [ "http://www.tested.com/tech/gaming/2712-why-perfect-hardware-snes-emulation-requires-a-3ghz-cpu/" ] ]
2nkl3m
why are rice based food products superior to comparable corn/wheat based products?
From the dog's food to my baby's, the package labeling touts that there is no corn or wheat in product. The majority of these "superior" products seem to use rice as the grain or starch. Certainly a portion of this must be attributed to marketing and dietary trends (gluten-free, high-fructose corn syrup free, etc.)...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2nkl3m/eli5_why_are_rice_based_food_products_superior_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cmen3ys" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "-Rice is easy to digest and hardly anyone is allergic to rice so great for baby's first solid food. Some dogs have allergies.\n\n-If a box is labeled with something it is either required to do so or the company thinks it would make the product se...
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1sbwgp
What are the origins of Prester John?
Was he based upon a real historical figure?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1sbwgp/what_are_the_origins_of_prester_john/
{ "a_id": [ "cdw5eyy", "cdw97cv" ], "score": [ 12, 4 ], "text": [ "Ah Prester John. There's a number of theories about the origins of the Crusader's last hope. There was never any one figure with whom we can identify Prester John, but there a number of possible inspirations to the Franks.\...
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[ [], [ "http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=N608AAAAIAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=prester+john+mongols&ots=epJF0MakcI&sig=ROk_U7RcLbS6FYLxvHhw95X235g#v=onepage&q=prester%20john%20mongols&f=false" ] ]
zl3b3
how are scratch cards made?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zl3b3/eli5_how_are_scratch_cards_made/
{ "a_id": [ "c65iwgp" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Do you mean like lottery scratch-off cards?\n\nThe technique is pretty simple. The card is printed and covered with a wax coating. Then a thin layer of latex rubber paint is applied over the scratchable areas. The latex sticks to the wax, but c...
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1quaf5
why are most if not all mottos in latin?
E.g semper fi, e plubris unum, etc...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1quaf5/eli5_why_are_most_if_not_all_mottos_in_latin/
{ "a_id": [ "cdgk5yl", "cdglr09" ], "score": [ 10, 9 ], "text": [ "Because our social roots go back to them, our language roots go back to them, and our military strategies and system roots go back to them ", "I think it is about adding gravitas to the motto. Latin was the language of ...
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[ [], [] ]
eos9l2
if the size of your breast is indicative of how much fatty tissue you have, not how much milk you're producing, why do they grow the further you get in pregnancy
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eos9l2/eli5_if_the_size_of_your_breast_is_indicative_of/
{ "a_id": [ "feerxzx", "feewtwe", "feey3ld" ], "score": [ 10, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because pregnacy causes womens bodies to store more fat as a contingency in case food is scarce.\n\nSo she has more energy reserves to produce milk with.\n\nIt is genetic.", "Also the glads in the ...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "https://kellymom.com/hot-topics/milkproduction/" ] ]
39c6sd
Did we know the rate of survival during the world wars? Specifically for people who saw combat.
Edit. I'm putting this edit at the top because it's bothering me so much, but did should really be do (in the title.) Hopefully if we did know that stuff we still do... I'm interested in this idea in general, especially if there is a different answer for depending on when you joined either war. I have been really rea...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/39c6sd/did_we_know_the_rate_of_survival_during_the_world/
{ "a_id": [ "cs26k4y" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "France called up 8.3 million men, including colonials in WWI, of which 4.2 million were casualties, 1.1 million killed. The British Empire mobilized about 5 million men, of which 930 000 were killed. The German Army mobilized 13.5 million men, of...
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1guzk0
where do black market arms in war zones come from?
I know in war-torn areas (eg Syria, Afghanistan for awhile), there is always talk of the illegal arms trade and market. I know there are arms dealers and warlords, but where do these weapons originate? Are they making their RPGs and missiles and selling them? Or are they stealing (or being supplied) by other armies? ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1guzk0/where_do_black_market_arms_in_war_zones_come_from/
{ "a_id": [ "cao2wne", "cao9y8x" ], "score": [ 2, 4 ], "text": [ "In short leftovers form others wars. As we all know when the US comes to fight we come with overwhelming force; its not publicized but when the conflict is over it is cheaper/ cost affective to sell the weapons that were not...
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372yir
why aren't we doing anything about the colossal amount of trash in the pacific ocean?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/372yir/eli5why_arent_we_doing_anything_about_the/
{ "a_id": [ "crj90zd", "crj9103", "crj9hw0", "crj9lwl", "crjeh68", "crjexmd", "crjgd59", "crjk4y7", "crjkxq9", "crjoru7" ], "score": [ 30, 22, 249, 40, 2, 2, 8, 12, 2, 6 ], "text": [ "I cant find it now but there was a documen...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_Reef" ], [], [ "http://inhabitat.com/19-year-old-student-develops-ocean-cleanup-array-that-could-remove-7250000-tons-of-plastic-from-the-worlds-oceans/" ], [], [] ]
374yrp
why havent the balkans joined the european union yet? if greece were to be kicked out, would they take greece's place? what would the economic pros and cons be?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/374yrp/eli5_why_havent_the_balkans_joined_the_european/
{ "a_id": [ "crjq5bs", "crjqddf" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "They have chosen to not join the EU, or do not meet the requirements set by the EU to join it. \n\nAlso there are not \"slot\" for nations to replace in the EU. ", "Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia are candidate...
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[ [], [] ]
16ynbq
What is the difference between imperialism and colonialism?
Is there even a difference? I always remember hearing colonialism for events before the French and Indian War (maybe even up to the French Revolution), but somewhere around the mid 1800s, all of the sudden imperialism takes its place. Is imperialism just a negative substitute for colonialism?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/16ynbq/what_is_the_difference_between_imperialism_and/
{ "a_id": [ "c80lje8" ], "score": [ 17 ], "text": [ "Imperialism is an expansionist policy; colonialism is the practice of establishing colonies. It is arguably possible to practice imperialism without practicing colonialism, as the U.S. did in continental North America in the 19th century, and i...
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4wwbvk
how does a country get out of a economic crysis?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4wwbvk/eli5_how_does_a_country_get_out_of_a_economic/
{ "a_id": [ "d6adfx9", "d6af3xo" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "It depends on what the crisis in question is. Some big problems are actually caused, or can be solved by, relatively small tweaks in policy. Others are longer term and structural.\n\nThis is like asking \"how do you cure a d...
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[ [], [] ]
3xyy5a
How exactly does electronic image stabilization work? Is it using a gyroscope?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3xyy5a/how_exactly_does_electronic_image_stabilization/
{ "a_id": [ "cy95hbz", "cy95hdj", "cy969e4", "cy981f5" ], "score": [ 10, 24, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Unfortunately on mobile and cannot pull up some sources at the moment, hopefully someone can help by providing some content to show what I'm about to describe. There are a few vi...
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[ [], [], [], [ "https://youtu.be/BgAdeuxkUyY" ] ]
8igvst
Do different species have different types/levels of hemoglobin and does that different provide an advantage?
Ex: a Cheetah hypothetically having 50 & #37; more hemoglobin than a human because they depend on their speed to bring down prey to provide a better oxygen supply during a chase already see the typo :\-/
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8igvst/do_different_species_have_different_typeslevels/
{ "a_id": [ "dysh3oc", "dysh7vi", "dyvhkzg" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Different organisms have different versions of oxygen carrying proteins. Octopi, for example, use hemocyanin to carry oxygen, which uses copper, instead of iron like hemoglobin. Even within organisms th...
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8y7dsb
How much of the population of Cambodia was the Khmer Rouge intending to kill
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8y7dsb/how_much_of_the_population_of_cambodia_was_the/
{ "a_id": [ "e28ytnl" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "While there is no document released by the CPK that eloquently lays out a plan to kill a certain percentage of the people in Cambodia, looking at death toll statistics gives a few indications.\n\nSo, starting with the roughly 8 million people who...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8dgspn/were_the_crimes_of_the_khmer_rouge_a_unique_form/dyont0z/?context=3" ] ]
sfci4
What is the coolest Astronomy fact that you know?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/sfci4/what_is_the_coolest_astronomy_fact_that_you_know/
{ "a_id": [ "c4dkf66", "c4dkt8v", "c4dn0gi", "c4dpjl7" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "That every atom in our bodies came from stars that exploded and died sending those building blocks out.\n\nIf you want it in Christian terms \"the sun died so we could live\" ", ...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1qcx0u
why do we perceive the water temperature in a shower as comfortable only within a small range?
Inspired by [My shower temperature controls were designed by a madman](_URL_0_) It seems to me there are two possible explanations: Either the dial does a poor job of modulating temperature, or our sensitivity to temperature changes varies along the temperature scale. Is it mostly one or the other, or do they both c...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qcx0u/eli5_why_do_we_perceive_the_water_temperature_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cdblew5", "cdby44x", "cdbyoe4" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Your body is constantly working towards homeostasis, so why would you want to work towards a lower, or hotter body temperature .\n\nAlso if you take a shower at 150° the pain receptors in your skin are ...
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[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1qc3gc/my_shower_temperature_controls_were_designed_by_a/" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
1hp9ak
What was the main factor in the growth of Europe 300 - 500 years ago compared to North America.
I mean to say, why were the people of Europe so much more advanced then the native people of north america at the point of the two meeting.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1hp9ak/what_was_the_main_factor_in_the_growth_of_europe/
{ "a_id": [ "cawief1" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I'd say this is a better question for /r/AskHistorians than for here." ] }
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8mwskb
why does a can of brisk iced tea taste sweeter than a can of dr pepper, even though the iced tea has 27g of sugar, and the dr pepper has 50g?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8mwskb/eli5_why_does_a_can_of_brisk_iced_tea_taste/
{ "a_id": [ "dzr10jq" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The answer here is carbonation. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in water it gives it a very sharp, bitter taste (if you've had plain carbonated water you'd know). To counteract that in soda a *ton* of sugar is used to balance it out. Since iced ...
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7ev84a
is fracking federally regulated?
I'm having a hard time understanding the laws around this extraction method. I understand that regulation falls onto to the state and local governments but is it technically regulated federally as well? If so, in what ways?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ev84a/eli5is_fracking_federally_regulated/
{ "a_id": [ "dq7tbp4", "dq7vgb1" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I don't think you'll find what you're looking for exactly. The regs will fall under different subparts of the clean air and clean water acts. Subpart W of the clean air act for example, focuses on greenhouse gas emissions....
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[ [], [] ]
14musv
Different lice for different hair?
How true is it that there are (at least two) different kinds of human lice adapted to different kinds of human hair? This way, lice that can infect black Africans would not be able to infect white Europeans. Is this just a myth or is it true? If it is true, how many kinds of lice are there?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/14musv/different_lice_for_different_hair/
{ "a_id": [ "c7emzhf" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This is actually a reasonably complex question that leaves me tearing my hair out at the number of journals that charge exorbitant prices to read their articles.\nThere are two species of human lice, the pubic louse, *Pthirus pubis,* and the huma...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1631069103001537" ] ]
2p6mso
Did Confucius actually write all the things we see attributed to him or did the ideas evolve into being his?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2p6mso/did_confucius_actually_write_all_the_things_we/
{ "a_id": [ "cmu08q5" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Semi-related question: did the translators of his quotes purposely word them in broken English to make them more Chinese? " ] }
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3y3s45
How does CAR T-Cell Therapy differ from CRISPR?
Just heard of CAR on the news a few minutes ago. They described it as genetic reprogramming. It reminded me of CRISPR. Obviously CAR is used to fight cancer using T-Cells but is the process similar to the process of CRISPR? How does it differ?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3y3s45/how_does_car_tcell_therapy_differ_from_crispr/
{ "a_id": [ "cyacouc", "cyafgpc" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "CRISPR is a way of modifying cell genomes -- a technique. CAR (chimeric antigen receptors) are the product of modified cell genomes. There are other ways of modifying genomes; techniques for that have been around for decad...
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[ [], [] ]
zh7ux
paradigms
in terms of political science.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zh7ux/eli5_paradigms/
{ "a_id": [ "c64k2qr", "c64l6uf", "c64m40e", "c64qc8k" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Basically the distinct ideas held by each party", "In politics, the word paradigm is like someone's political \"theme.\" It's a broad political philosophy. As an example, ban...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
3dgxvs
how is it possible that the net world debt is nonzero?
I understand that the borrowing structure and elimination of gold backed currency has caused money to literally appear out of thin air in the form of debt. Looking at this wikipedia page: _URL_0_ It seems to indicate that only 3 or 4 countries are not in debt, all being very small countries. Is all of this debt just ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dgxvs/eli5_how_is_it_possible_that_the_net_world_debt/
{ "a_id": [ "ct511vu", "ct51g8f", "ct51oas", "ct51uhb", "ct55ysk", "ct57ja4" ], "score": [ 23, 2, 7, 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ " > Is all of this debt just imaginary money backed by nothing?\n\nRight. Money isn't backed by anything.", "I have had this same qu...
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[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_external_debt" ]
[ [], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskSocialScience/comments/1or3xl/econwhy_is_comparing_sovereign_debt_to_household/ccuudua?context=3", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_international_investment_position" ], [], [], [] ]
31nb1r
why do people say "if you're getting something for free, you're the product." do they really believe that that a company like facebook wouldn't sell their data if it was a paid service?
I'm not trying to justify the use of bulk data collection, or the sale of data to third parties for marketing or advertising purposes, but does this phrase actually hold water? I find it impossible to believe that if I paid a yearly fee to use Gmail, or a monthly fee to use Facebook, that those companies would suddenly...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31nb1r/eli5_why_do_people_say_if_youre_getting_something/
{ "a_id": [ "cq34at6", "cq34c3b", "cq34mmc", "cq356m1" ], "score": [ 5, 11, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Fundamental logical fallacy on your part.\n\nYou can't infer ~A = > ~B from A = > B.\n\nThe original statement is also false as ~B = > ~A isn't true either. Counter example: op...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
4l2zih
Are there precious metals humanity relies on that we are in danger of running out of?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4l2zih/are_there_precious_metals_humanity_relies_on_that/
{ "a_id": [ "d3k9c2f", "d3kgxpz", "d3kzy0a" ], "score": [ 5, 10, 5 ], "text": [ "Well, part of being a precious metal is its rarity in the first place. Consequently, there is an ongoing scarcity of these metals. Many if them would be of high industrial value, but due to their rarit...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
8v3tbn
why do old tube tv's build up a layer of static on their screens after being used?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8v3tbn/eli5_why_do_old_tube_tvs_build_up_a_layer_of/
{ "a_id": [ "e1kavkm" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Because the TV works by firing a constant stream of electrons at the back of the screen, where they hit the pixels and make them glow. \n\n" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2g9fmw
What do electrons do with/to an atom when they're not bonded to anything?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2g9fmw/what_do_electrons_do_withto_an_atom_when_theyre/
{ "a_id": [ "ckh30ui" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Remember that electrons aren't just particles, they also have wave properties (they are sort of complicated wavy/particly things that are best described with math and metaphors which rely on human experience tend to fall short). When an electron ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_harmonics", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_orbital" ] ]
2e02m7
How do we filter out all of the other gases we breathe in and keep the oxygen?
I know oxygen accounts for around 21% of the gas in Earth's atmosphere, so what do our bodies do with all the other gas (like nitrogen) that we breathe in?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2e02m7/how_do_we_filter_out_all_of_the_other_gases_we/
{ "a_id": [ "cjuwkzp" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Absolutely nothing. Nitrogen goes in, nitrogen comes out. ^^^You ^^^can't ^^^explain ^^^that.\n\nSeriously though, nitrogen, argon, etc. dissolve in your blood just like oxygen does (which is why you get the bends). But they don't *do* anything...
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[ [] ]
4tqsq4
why do people's moods change based on the weather?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4tqsq4/eli5why_do_peoples_moods_change_based_on_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d5jgcvn", "d5jh84d", "d5jhw6d", "d5jotn6", "d5jphrm", "d5jpqfc", "d5jqzfl" ], "score": [ 347, 209, 10, 3, 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "There's actually a mood disorder called \"Seasonal Affective Disorder\" [(SAD)](_URL_1_)\n\nSome experts thin...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/head-games/201503/the-mysterious-power-the-weather", "http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/seasonal-affective-disorder#1", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/health-matters/201410/does-rain-cause-painand-what-do-about-it" ], [], [], [ "https://www....
aim1jm
how did people without available treatment, cure (or relieve) serious depression and anxiety disorders?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aim1jm/eli5_how_did_people_without_available_treatment/
{ "a_id": [ "eeox92a", "eep5bna" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ "Prior to the advent of modern mental health care folks self medicated. A LOT. Like a lot a lot.\n\nEg: Pre-WW2 opiates were legal in the US (I couldn’t tell you the exact date they were outlawed without looking it u) and all...
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[ [], [] ]
2vkz1o
How did South Korea and Japan recover so well?
Both Japan and South Korea were relatively poor countries and Japan had been war struck after WWII. (I imagine they had to pay reperations?) but now they are both considered some of the richest and most developed nations. I know they are both in very good geographic locations for shipping to the developing world which ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2vkz1o/how_did_south_korea_and_japan_recover_so_well/
{ "a_id": [ "cou7lm6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Japan was not a relatively poor country before WWII, as they had just finished modernizing, and had a capable military and navy with a standard of living on par with the European powers at the time. After the war, Japan benefited greatly from the...
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[ [] ]
3vozo0
why the roof of my mouth feels destroyed after eating some foods a lot?
After eating some food for extended periods of time, my mouth feels awful. Usually it is sweet food, but it can vary.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vozo0/eli5_why_the_roof_of_my_mouth_feels_destroyed/
{ "a_id": [ "cxpdrj9", "cxper8x" ], "score": [ 6, 6 ], "text": [ "There are various ways of preserving food: salt (meat jerky), sugar (candied fruits), acid (pickles), heat (sundried tomatoes, smoked foods), and cold (frozen and refrigerated foods). Preservation of food prevents the origin...
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[ [], [] ]
4fhbwq
How did Pablo Escobar affect the economy is Columbia and US , did all that cocaine business affect the US , and how did buying out so many Columbian cops and politicians affect Columbian economy.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4fhbwq/how_did_pablo_escobar_affect_the_economy_is/
{ "a_id": [ "d29g5zq" ], "score": [ 20 ], "text": [ "First, just a kind reminder. Colombia is spelled with an O. Thus Colombia, not \"columbia\". This is a common mistake though. \n\nAs for your question the large influx of dollars into the Colombian economy strengthen the peso which affected many...
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[ [] ]
38u7r9
why can't i lift myself?
I really feel like i could do it. Then when i go to try it just doesn't happen.. Why..? ;-;
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38u7r9/eli5why_cant_i_lift_myself/
{ "a_id": [ "crxv7kp", "crxw6a8" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If you pull up on your bootstraps with your hands, then your bootstraps pull down on your hands by the same amount. The net force on your body is zero.", "Every time you s...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
155ngm
Are there any examples of farming/husbandry in nature?
I know there are a plethora of symbiotic relationships out there like the relationship between ants and aphids, but are there any examples of a predator purposefully leaving some of its prey alive so that the species can repopulate?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/155ngm/are_there_any_examples_of_farminghusbandry_in/
{ "a_id": [ "c7jkrhz", "c7jktnb", "c7jn5l3", "c7jqyhi", "c7jzipn" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Some insects such as [leaf cutter ants](_URL_0_) practice behaviors we'd consider similar to farming. As far as husbandry, I'm uncertain.", "Some ants als...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafcutter_ant" ], [ "http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071009212548.htm" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrobacterium" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlL9K2sW4dY", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damselfish" ] ]
vuuk4
model view controller
Web development frameworks often reffer to themselves as model view controllers. I think I understand what a view is, a mostly html file that decides which data to display (like tpl.php files in drupal I think). But that's about as far as I understand it. The model and controller parts I know manipulate and store the d...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/vuuk4/eli5_model_view_controller/
{ "a_id": [ "c57u11z", "c57y5dc" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Model is the database of information. If I had a health records application, the model would hold all of the health records of information. The model deals only with the information. It does not do any logic. It does not car...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
5zdh8y
why do people say that having headaches is partly connected to weather fluctuation and how so?
I've been plagued with headaches of various degrees for all my life and people seem to often blame it on shifts in the weather but never bothered or were inable to further explain.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5zdh8y/eli5_why_do_people_say_that_having_headaches_is/
{ "a_id": [ "dex7ih6", "dex7mj8" ], "score": [ 11, 4 ], "text": [ "Weather changes are often due to changes in air pressure. Have you ever heard a meteorologist talk about a low pressure system moving through or anything? That's what they are talking about. One of the factors that makes wi...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
142bsc
What is the most important document from your period of expertise that historians know exist but no one can locate?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/142bsc/what_is_the_most_important_document_from_your/
{ "a_id": [ "c79as1k", "c79dblb", "c79dt08", "c79efev", "c79flkb", "c79fui0", "c79p23m" ], "score": [ 27, 21, 14, 26, 6, 19, 3 ], "text": [ "I'm interpreting this as \"know existED,\" emphasis on the past tense. \n\n1. Early (1st century) copies of a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Oliveira_affair", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enoch_Powell", "http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/356092.html" ], [], [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJDX7AFujYs" ], [] ]
2qvzf0
why is abortion so hated when some people don't deserve to have kids and there are so many children that will never be adopted?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qvzf0/eli5_why_is_abortion_so_hated_when_some_people/
{ "a_id": [ "cna1gw1", "cna1iak", "cna1okq", "cna1xn6", "cna2aap", "cna2y51", "cna3zcp" ], "score": [ 2, 10, 3, 3, 2, 3, 6 ], "text": [ "Some believe that a lifeform begins with the semen, some after so many days or weeks in the womb, and some when t...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/28/confessions-of-a-pro-life-atheist-why-i-fight-abortion/" ], [], [] ]
25qsv7
if i attempt something with 1% probability 100 times, i don't get a 100% proability. what probability do i get and how do i calculate that?
Say I'm playing a game where I pick a random number from 1 to 100, and if the computer generates that number, I win a prize. On each attempt, the probability that I win is 1%. But 100 attempts doesn't mean a 100% probability, I could still lose. So how do I calculate the probability that 100 attempts will result in a ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/25qsv7/eli5_if_i_attempt_something_with_1_probability/
{ "a_id": [ "chjud17", "chjuh04", "chjuhjr" ], "score": [ 8, 109, 22 ], "text": [ "For each attempt, you have a 1% chance that you'll win and a 99% chance that you will fail. If you do N attempts, the chance of failing every single one would be .99^N (with 1.0 being a 100% chance)....
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli_process" ], [] ]
5r4x0k
What is it like to work at a particle accelerator lab?
Asking physicists and programmers specifically, but anybody can answer. What is your average workday like? Do you enjoy it? Is everyday something new, or do you repeat the same things hoping to notice something new, or do you mostly retest old experiments? What's the job market like? I've seen postings for research ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5r4x0k/what_is_it_like_to_work_at_a_particle_accelerator/
{ "a_id": [ "dd4hl7y", "dd5xbbd" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ " > What is your average workday like?\n\nExcept when experiments are being set up/running, I spend most of my time at my desk. Lots of programming, some hands-on work as well.\n\n\n > Do you enjoy it?\n\nVery much.\n\n > Is ...
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[ [], [] ]
2yxjkc
why don't cars have a barrier to protect their undersides?
Like a metal sheet or wire mesh.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yxjkc/eli5_why_dont_cars_have_a_barrier_to_protect/
{ "a_id": [ "cpdv3nm", "cpdw5nk", "cpdxebo", "cpe0tkk", "cpe7zur" ], "score": [ 3, 6, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "so new car dealers can sell \"undercoating\" for $600 extra", "Protect them from what? Where I live we have successfully eliminated the ground trolls that...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_plate" ], [] ]
3d6iin
relationship between reddit, 9gag, and 4chan.
I've also read the 9gag conspiracies..
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3d6iin/eli5_relationship_between_reddit_9gag_and_4chan/
{ "a_id": [ "ct28o2s" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "4chan is the asshole. It creates original content, nearly all of which is shit.\n\nReddit is the toilet. It catches 4chan's crap and circles it around the drain until it's been diluted and mixed up with earlier shit that it's hardly recognizab...
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[ [] ]
9qk1df
A British Helmet
A while back at an antique store, I found what the owner claimed to be an authentic British WW1 helmet that had been repainted, although after looking at it, it looks more like a British WW2 helmet to me. Seeing as it was only $40 (Marked down from $100 due to a closing sale) I decided to get it, seeing as even replica...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9qk1df/a_british_helmet/
{ "a_id": [ "e89ri43" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "You're welcome to post pictures here. You just can't post a picture link as its own thread (we require questions to be text-based). " ] }
[]
[ "https://imgur.com/a/HoPjArT" ]
[ [] ]
qr774
php and mysql
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qr774/eli5_php_and_mysql/
{ "a_id": [ "c3zsje2", "c3zsm43" ], "score": [ 7, 5 ], "text": [ "What is it you'd like to know specifically?\n\nPHP is a scripting language. Webservers - the computers which run websites - interpret commands in a list called a script, and do certain things based on what those commands ar...
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[]
[ [], [ "ASP.NET" ] ]
2tglsu
How did the common people (farmers) notice the Roman government was fallen, 476CE, and how did it change life for them?
How did the farmers react to the fall, when did they notice it and how did they notice it? Did some farmers choose to start a whole new life? What opportunities did this moment give these people? What happened to the slaves who were in use at that point by the Romans? At what point did the Feudal system became active? ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2tglsu/how_did_the_common_people_farmers_notice_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cnyw5fh" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "While you wait for answers, you might be interested in some threads from the FAQ sections on \"[The Fall of the Western Roman Empire](_URL_5_)\" and \"[Roman Society in Late Antiquity](_URL_0_)\":\n\n* [How did the decline and fall of Ancient Rom...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/darkages#wiki_roman_society_in_late_antiquity", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1494l7/how_long_did_the_worship_of_roman_gods_continue/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/172866/how_did_the_decline_and_fall_of_ancient_rome/", ...
1xaeg7
how does gene activation work? aren't genes mere blueprints? how does a gene "activate itself"?
I tried searching, but all the "polymerase" and similar terminology is over my level. All (I think) I know is that DNA is a double helix (of monomers or something) that gets cut in half when one of the "arms" is needed to make a protein.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xaeg7/eli5_how_does_gene_activation_work_arent_genes/
{ "a_id": [ "cf9krr5", "cf9l4u5", "cf9q5ye", "cf9sns4" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 11, 2 ], "text": [ "First off, you're wrong about how genes code for proteins. Essentially, the DNA in your cells gets copied into a different molecule called mRNA, which is similar to RNA except onl...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/f06pm/signaltrans03.jpg", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_codon_table" ], [], [] ]
3vl42r
why do japanese automobile's and other japanese manufactured products tend to last longer than most manufactured products from other countries?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vl42r/eli5_why_do_japanese_automobiles_and_other/
{ "a_id": [ "cxoflpq", "cxoguxr" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Japanese industry uses different production philosophies (ways of thinking when it comes to making stuff) which are very good at improving quality.\n\nJapanese industry uses something called kaizen (continuous improvement). ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://m.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/403/nummi" ] ]
30xtaj
By what mechanism do complex instinctual behaviors(such as a spiders weaving webs or beavers building a dam) become hardwired or encoded in the brain?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/30xtaj/by_what_mechanism_do_complex_instinctual/
{ "a_id": [ "cpx9079", "cpxiqbx" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "These sorts of things are called \"Extended Phenotypes\". \n\nEssentially, structures outside the physical body of the organism, created by the organism, that have a genetic basis (like a large number of loci that influence ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
5xhkzg
why do certain ethnicities give off a stronger odor when they sweat?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5xhkzg/eli5_why_do_certain_ethnicities_give_off_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dei4dgw" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "basicaly, \n\nWe all stink if we dont shower, but differences in diet and genetics make it that the smell is different, \n\nYou reek too but\n\n- you´re use to it and since you mostly hang out with people of your own etnicity you dont notice it. ...
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[ [] ]
21n6s4
Physicists say that above a certain energy level, the electromagnetic and weak force combine into a single force. What is happening to the respective fields and force carriers when this occurs? Does the W/Z bosons and photon also combine?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/21n6s4/physicists_say_that_above_a_certain_energy_level/
{ "a_id": [ "cgeq86g", "cgexsg7" ], "score": [ 7, 2 ], "text": [ "At high temperature, the SU(2)xU(1) symmetry is restored, and there are four massless gauge particles, W± and A0 for SU(2) and B0, for U(1). Neither the A0 nor the B0 is the photon. When the symmetry is broken, The W± gain...
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[ [], [] ]
16i3gn
What is the most burning unsolved mystery from your specialty?
We spend a lot of time on this subreddit asking about what you know, but right now I'm interested in what you *don't* know. I see historians as detectives, and I'm curious what cases are still open. What questions do you most want the answer to? What are the chances we'll *ever* know the answer?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/16i3gn/what_is_the_most_burning_unsolved_mystery_from/
{ "a_id": [ "c7w8vf6", "c7wetsm", "c7wgqks", "c7wicmb", "c7wj5x8", "c7wj695", "c7wjsxm", "c7wm8o1", "c7wmytv", "c7wneeg", "c7wp6hx", "c7wpcmr", "c7wpl5m", "c7wtiuc", "c7x1l8c" ], "score": [ 30, 19, 12, 8, 40, 5, 10, 13, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www2.le.ac.uk/news/blog/2013/january/announcement-of-scientific-results-in-search-for-richard-iii-planned-for-february" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
4vac88
how does my brain simulate falling (amongst other sensations) while i'm sleeping?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4vac88/eli5_how_does_my_brain_simulate_falling_amongst/
{ "a_id": [ "d5ws8vd", "d5wssmg" ], "score": [ 3, 7 ], "text": [ "In the same way it does it when you're awake, from specific sequences and patterns of neurons firing, it's just it does it without using incoming external sensory triggers to start the sequences, but rather ones generated by...
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[ [], [] ]
2jyn5d
why are fixed gear bikes associated with hipsters?
I guess more to the point, why do hipsters flock to them? Unless you're a BMX person why would anyone want a fixed gear bike?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jyn5d/eli5_why_are_fixed_gear_bikes_associated_with/
{ "a_id": [ "clga20y" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "They're not better or cheaper or ...anything, they're just old and bad. Which is simultaneously why hipsters flock to them, and why nobody else does." ] }
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