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57g0md
What is the highest a mountain can be? Is there a limit to it?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/57g0md/what_is_the_highest_a_mountain_can_be_is_there_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d8rp80l", "d8s02ic", "d8scb2j", "d8som09", "d8sqaav" ], "score": [ 3027, 51, 31, 5, 10 ], "text": [ "**Short answer:** In general, the maximum size of a mountain on a planet will be limited by surface gravity. The greater the surface gravity, the smalle...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://quarksandcoffee.com/index.php/2015/10/29/why-are-some-moons-spherical-but-others-are-shaped-like-potatoes/" ], [], [ "https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jIWhzYq16Ro" ], [], [] ]
8kt2tr
what happens to a splinter/glass shard/metal fiber/etc that's been in your foot so long that it stops hurting eventually?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8kt2tr/eli5_what_happens_to_a_splinterglass_shardmetal/
{ "a_id": [ "dza9u9z" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "When a foreign entity enters your body in this manner, the body will attempt to \"wall\" it off. As a side note, wood splinters tend to have oil on them which may intefere with this process and has an increased chance of infection. You should alw...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5kacw7
How do cuckoo chicks know to remove host eggs after just hatching from their egg?
Are there any other species that take on such tasks at 'an early age'?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5kacw7/how_do_cuckoo_chicks_know_to_remove_host_eggs/
{ "a_id": [ "dbn4b02" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "well, this question arises a lot, for all kinds of animals. how do turtles know to crawl to the sea as fast as possible when they hatch? how do we know that we have to breathe when we're born? instinct, it's more fundamental than thinking and i d...
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[]
[ [] ]
1x1f23
what is the difference between hardees and carl's jr?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1x1f23/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_hardees_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cf79g5t", "cf7a50t", "cf7a9mo", "cf7j43x", "cf7lru5", "cf7lzhg" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "There is no difference. It's the same company, just different names.", "Carl's Jr operates out West. Hardee's operates in the East....
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroger#Chains" ], [], [ "http://lawaonline.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/hardees/img_0760.jpg", "https://c758759.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/large/50615.jpg" ], [], [] ]
2uh8l1
What was animal conservation like in the past?
Conserving endangered animals is a hot topic today. I'm wondering what it was like in the past. I emboldened the interesting part of my question for if you don't want to read about Maldova. I was reading about Maldova (a little landlocked country that I had never heard of until tonight), and the origin of the name s...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2uh8l1/what_was_animal_conservation_like_in_the_past/
{ "a_id": [ "co8zui4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I'm no historian, but my general understanding is that although there was various laws regarding wildlife protection, real measures were started in earnest (at least in the US, I can't speak to elsewhere) in the late 1800s and early 1900s, primar...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://fashioningfeathers.com/murderous-millinery/" ] ]
8al9wl
what is a covariance matrix
OK, it is a matrix. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN? _URL_0_
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8al9wl/eli5what_is_a_covariance_matrix/
{ "a_id": [ "dwzuo9f" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The curves of equal probability density for a 2D Gaussian distribution are ellipses, as shown in your images. The diagonal elements of the covariance matrix give the widths of the ellipse (related to the major and minor axes), and the off-diagona...
[]
[ "https://imgur.com/a/9Enkg" ]
[ [] ]
1sfzl9
the debate over shakespeare's existence.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1sfzl9/eli5_the_debate_over_shakespeares_existence/
{ "a_id": [ "cdx82t4" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It's hard for people to imagine that someone could be so prolific in writing a huge number of stories in western canon without being so utterly brilliant as to be noticed in all sorts of fields (everyone can imagine a Newton or Bacon type intelle...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
22tnqu
If we can let √(-1) equal to "i" to do more more complex mathematics, why cant we do the same for (1/0).?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/22tnqu/if_we_can_let_1_equal_to_i_to_do_more_more/
{ "a_id": [ "cgqakkn", "cgqamy3", "cgqaom6", "cgqaukx", "cgqbqsh", "cgqd2xa", "cgqfmcc", "cgqhqhd", "cgqhrc9" ], "score": [ 23, 44, 28, 2, 157, 2, 16, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because 0 is a special number. It is the additive identity and m...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riemann_sphere" ], [], [], [], [] ]
29y6ki
Was the diaspora of Jews from Arab countries critical to the successful establishment of a Zionist state?
From what I understand, Jews in Arab countries were persecuted after the first Arab/Israeli war. Could Zionists have predicted the backlash that Jews in Arab countries would have faced? Could it have been an additional reason why the ideal place for the state was "Palestine"?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/29y6ki/was_the_diaspora_of_jews_from_arab_countries/
{ "a_id": [ "cipovm2" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Was it critical to the success? Not really, though in some ways it definitely could be said to have helped.\n\nThe population demographic at the end of the Arab-Israeli war left the Jews with a sizable majority over the Muslims and Christians, wh...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
6qni3u
when flying on a plane the pressure can cause the volume of my music/headphones to be reduced. if i turn it up to a "normal" volume, am i causing higher than normal damage to my ears or is the pressure actually blocking sound and reducing the impact to my eardrums?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6qni3u/eli5_when_flying_on_a_plane_the_pressure_can/
{ "a_id": [ "dkylr1h", "dkz4qz3", "dkz5kwr", "dkzb7n2", "dkzh1p0" ], "score": [ 251, 43, 15, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Passenger aircraft are usually pressurized to about 8000' equivalent altitude. Three things can be happening here. The first is that the slightly reduced ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
7umetq
How come the Greeks to settle so much across the Mediterranean coast with the Phoenician already worldwide sea power?
For example, the Greeks settling along the coast of the zones we know today as Valencia or Catalonia or Marseilles. How come the Phoenicians weren't a power established there already? Or were they expelled by the Greek settlers? Sardinia had a confrontation between them besides the natives, I think, but Marseilles spec...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7umetq/how_come_the_greeks_to_settle_so_much_across_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dtm5m9l" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "(I have read much more extensively about Phoenician expansion into the western Mediterranean, so someone else would probably have more insight into the internal Greek dynamics which led them to colonize outside of *Hellas*.)\n\nBut to quote Maria...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
a8j56y
“gulag archipelago” question. what was the reason they imprisoned a huge amount of people in russia 1920s-1950s?
I’m halfway through Gulag Archipelago by Alexander Solzhenitsyn and have a pretty good understanding of everything so far except the reason so people were imprisoned. Alexandr wrote the blue caps were even given “quotas” of imprisonments they needed to reach. It was chaos and they were even grabbing randoms. What was ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a8j56y/eli5_gulag_archipelago_question_what_was_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ecb8llc", "ecblbi2" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "The gulags were slave labor camps that actually produced things of value that were sold into the economy much like Hitlers concentration camps\n\nThe Soviet system was corrupt and quotas of people were required to maintain p...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
iyuzd
How do wild deer get enough protein?
We're up in the Rockies, watching lovely svelte deer grazing by the house, and we were wondering; how do wild deer get enough protein in their diet to survive? I'm sure there are human-influenced dietary supplements, but what about in places with little to no human contact? Grass doesn't seem like it would cut it.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/iyuzd/how_do_wild_deer_get_enough_protein/
{ "a_id": [ "c27r794", "c27toa0" ], "score": [ 2, 8 ], "text": [ "They eat baby birds! [Seriously!](_URL_0_)", "They are [ruminants](_URL_0_), like cows. They are essentially big bacterial fermenters. Bacteria are little biochemical marvels; they can make protein & amino acids from n...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/news/press/ontape.htm" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruminant" ] ]
34fwdw
At What Point in History did "Culinary Arts" become a thing?
Did creating combinations of food develop from a time of surplus when there are varieties of food or was it developed to make what little food there is bearable (creating dressings for an otherwise tasteless salad). Did it happen for civilizations at different times or was it brought about by one nation that spread cu...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/34fwdw/at_what_point_in_history_did_culinary_arts_become/
{ "a_id": [ "cqv1iku" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Your question might be better answered in /r/anthropology? According to Sidney Mintz (Sweetness and Power, 1985) almost all premodern cultures combined foods according to a system of a primary starch and a supplemental flavouring food to make the...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1s6vgi
Why Nitrite is still used as a conservative in all processed meats if it's a known carcinogen ?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1s6vgi/why_nitrite_is_still_used_as_a_conservative_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cdujmle" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Not _all_ processed meats. But anyway: There are known carcinogens in almost all food. There is no 'zero-tolerance' policy here, it's no so much a matter of whether it's a carcinogen or not but a matter of whether it creates a statistically-sign...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8688158", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC380811/", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_botulinum", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2507690" ] ]
ywjgm
why is the consumption of alcohol so widespread(historically and geographically)?
The consumption of alcohol basically damages your body. Why have people throughout history and all around the world in different cultures etc always ended up consuming alcohol? It seems like other drugs aren't as widespread and/or readily accepted into communities and cultures throughout the world/history
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ywjgm/eli5_why_is_the_consumption_of_alcohol_so/
{ "a_id": [ "c5zfsco", "c5zfxvh", "c5zfz23", "c5zj1k6", "c5zk5yl", "c5zkwpa", "c5zljkg", "c5zoid9", "c5zp6r8", "c5zq4yi", "c5zv8ik" ], "score": [ 70, 22, 12, 5, 15, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "A few reasons. You see...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://vimeo.com/23278902" ], [], [], [], [ "http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Herbal-Healing-Beers-Fermentation/dp/0937381667/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1346098737&sr=8-23&keywords=beer+history" ], [], [], [], [] ]
37fu3o
why is the public release of my emails 'illegal' but hillary clinton's publicly supported?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37fu3o/eli5_why_is_the_public_release_of_my_emails/
{ "a_id": [ "crmblv1", "crmbt8y", "crmbu2k", "crmc3gq" ], "score": [ 7, 7, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "I think Hillary Clinton's position as Secretary of State creates an overarching duty of candor, if not a full duty to disclose these emails (freedom of information act perhaps on t...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
ry54l
Why do we crave things especially when we cannot have them?
Yesterday, Passover began. And since that sundown I have never craved something with bread more than now (except for on other Passovers). But why does this happen? Why, when we suddenly restrict ourselves, do we crave what we just restricted?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ry54l/why_do_we_crave_things_especially_when_we_cannot/
{ "a_id": [ "c49l6rk" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Instead of the \"levels\" of craving themselves changing, remember that the way you *remember* things influences the way you view them.\n\nIn the case of craving things more when you can't have them, maybe the times that you *can't* have them are...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misleading_vividness", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_generalization" ] ]
42b3rd
If you've lost a limb like a hand or foot, what do your muscles do when your brain sends the signal to move that limb?
Obviously there's no hand to move but is there still muscle contraction? Will the "stump" (for lack of a better word) move slightly? Will it hurt?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/42b3rd/if_youve_lost_a_limb_like_a_hand_or_foot_what_do/
{ "a_id": [ "cz8zt3x", "cz903s6", "cz90eqs", "cz91neb", "cz98kks", "cz9cycb", "cz9m65h", "cz9sgjy" ], "score": [ 4, 30, 206, 144, 3, 7, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "It results in a phenomenon called phantom limb pain. It is the brain trying to compensa...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
27l8s6
Do oral histories exist of extinct pleistocene-era megafauna such as the wooly mammoth and ground sloth?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/27l8s6/do_oral_histories_exist_of_extinct_pleistoceneera/
{ "a_id": [ "ci1yg59", "ci228wu", "ci23he2" ], "score": [ 7, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The Klamath tribe of Native Americans have oral stories and legends about the collapse of Mount Mazama and the formation of Crater Lake, which happened due to a massive volcanic eruption 6,000 and 8,00...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/upload/2010-history.pdf" ], [], [] ]
11gavq
why did cell phone companies develop so many different kinds of chargers? even within the same brand. was it really that financially beneficial?
so frustrating. I've had 5 samsung phones and every one has a different plug
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11gavq/eli5_why_did_cell_phone_companies_develop_so_many/
{ "a_id": [ "c6m8i5k", "c6m93pt" ], "score": [ 5, 5 ], "text": [ "It's generally because they didn't care about making them the same. Typically, if you don't have a requirement like using the same plug, they start by choosing a chipset, then design the rest of the board for compatibility w...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
11uo1j
I've heard humans are great hunters because of their endurance. Do other bipedal runners like kangaroos and ostriches have great endurance?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11uo1j/ive_heard_humans_are_great_hunters_because_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c6ptn8z", "c6px8qg" ], "score": [ 9, 6 ], "text": [ "An Ostrich is in fact a VERY enduring runner. Their top speed is up to about 43 miles/hour (69.2 km/hr) which they can hold for about 20 minutes. That doesn't sound like a lot, compared to some Kalahari bushmen speeds of 16 ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/ostrich-info.htm/printable", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheetah", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_hunting" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_Marathon", "http://iho.asu.edu/files/Kimbel_Homo%20Origins%202009.pdf" ] ]
swvlv
cpu, gpu, ram, and swap
What are the differences between them, both in role and function?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/swvlv/eli5_cpu_gpu_ram_and_swap/
{ "a_id": [ "c4hnmd0", "c4hrrc6" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "**CPU** - Central processing unit. Your Intels and AMDs. It is the brain of your computer or device. It processes the instructions that it gets and it sends signals to everything else in the computer. \n\n**GPU** - Grap...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
7scy1a
why is listerine not corrosive for the teeth but the chemicals in coke is?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7scy1a/eli5_why_is_listerine_not_corrosive_for_the_teeth/
{ "a_id": [ "dt3sysi" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Listerine contains no acids. Mainly ethanol, which may feel like it \n\"burns\" but isn't doing any damage to your teeth. \n\n It's the highly acidic content of coke (and orange juice) that's harmful to teeth, along with high sugar content that p...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3x3j3m
how does youtube decide which video needs an user to sign-in?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3x3j3m/eli5_how_does_youtube_decide_which_video_needs_an/
{ "a_id": [ "cy15lkz" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "If it has explicit content. If the uploader checks the \"Contains 18+ material\" box (not the exact phrasing) when uploading or when YouTube gets user submitted complaints/reports, then YouTube applies the age restriction." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
dvasxz
how do we develop tolerance to things (e.g. pain medication, caffeine)? is there anyway to prevent this?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dvasxz/eli5_how_do_we_develop_tolerance_to_things_eg/
{ "a_id": [ "f7bl74w", "f7blsl6" ], "score": [ 14, 4 ], "text": [ "Our bodies try to keep our internal body chemistry within a pretty narrow window for things to work optimally. Not too much of this or too little of that...etc. If something gets outside that range, it takes steps to bring ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
obtzr
Is there a developing (strong) link between Autism and vitamin D?
There seems to be evidence linking a deficit of vitamin D and Autism. Doctors are telling my wife and I to supplement our newborn with Vitamin D. _URL_4_ _URL_3_ _URL_1_ _URL_0_ _URL_2_
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/obtzr/is_there_a_developing_strong_link_between_autism/
{ "a_id": [ "c3g4lah" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Current research does not support the idea that there is a causal link between vitamin D deficiency and autism. The theory is not widely accepted. From what I can tell, there is basically one guy, Dr. John Cannell, funded by the Vitamin council,...
[]
[ "http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/Researcher%20sees%20link.asp", "http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201104/autism-and-vitamin-d", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17920208", "http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=vitamin-d-and-autism", "http://www.vitamindcouncil.o...
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/n61ll/rare_gene_links_vitamin_d_and_multiple_sclerosis/" ] ]
e67yoq
when you roll your “r”s while looking at a digital clock why do the digits vibrate?
If you look at a digital clock or any other display like that and roll your Rs or vibrates your lips, the digits seem to vibrate violently as well while nothing else in your vision moves. Why does that happen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e67yoq/eli5_when_you_roll_your_rs_while_looking_at_a/
{ "a_id": [ "f9odw40" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "Your brain does a bunch of correcting of your eye's sensory input, and 2 in particular that come into play and kind of conflict here.\n\nFirst is that when your head or eyes are vibrating your brain compensates to steady the picture a little bit...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
odi0y
Does a sprouted bean/nut have greater nutritional value than an unsprouted one?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/odi0y/does_a_sprouted_beannut_have_greater_nutritional/
{ "a_id": [ "c3gfwed" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "As someone into brewing, I will answer this question from my perspective.\n\n\nSeeds (and beans and nuts) contain reserves of energy for the plant embryo to grow. These are stored as starches, proteins or oils. When the seed germinates enzymes wi...
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[ [] ]
a9l9mi
how do heat pumps find heat in the air on a cold day? what kind of thermodymagick is this?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a9l9mi/eli5_how_do_heat_pumps_find_heat_in_the_air_on_a/
{ "a_id": [ "ecke3tt", "eckgpef", "eckh0or" ], "score": [ 4, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "There’s no such thing as “cold” just less warm. Temperature is a measure of energy. There is still plenty of energy in this above absolute zero. \n\nCan you give more context about what you mean though,...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5k13y1
is "tolerance" psychological, or is there a physical basis for it (alcohol,pain,etc)?
Two people (of the same weight) consume the same amount of alcohol. One remains competent while the other can barely stand. Is the first person producing something in their body which allows them to take in more alcohol before acting drunk, or is their mind somehow trained to deal with it? Same thing with pain. What ex...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5k13y1/eli5_is_tolerance_psychological_or_is_there_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dbkk8ma", "dbklqaf", "dbkoax1", "dbkptoh", "dbkrklc", "dbkryvf", "dbks070", "dbktna6", "dbkvuha", "dbkxkmd", "dbkxsh9", "dbkz1l0", "dbl02s8", "dbl14dn", "dbl1dgh", "dbl1xvc", "dbl4cpr", "dbl5qsu", "dbl65l0", "dblcytd", "d...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa72/aa72.htm", "http://hams.cc/tolerance/" ], [], [ "http://www.psychologicalscience.org/media/releases/2002/pr021224.cfm" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.ver...
abj4dd
Since when and how was porn a thing?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/abj4dd/since_when_and_how_was_porn_a_thing/
{ "a_id": [ "ed2047n" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I have covered this a number of times. Here are a few:\n\n_URL_1_\n\n_URL_0_\n\nI also discuss this at greater length in my book. But the quick and fast answer is that the concept of pornography as we have it originates from about 1850 or so. " ...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1v38ja/what_are_the_earliest_known_pornographic_texts/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8hkvlj/nsfw_in_bram_stokers_dracula_1992_when_dracula/" ] ]
j3llo
how does the tape adapter that you plug into the headphone jack of an mp3 player work (li5)
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j3llo/how_does_the_tape_adapter_that_you_plug_into_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c28un72" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "The tape head works by having a magnet inside a metal coil. As a magnetic field passes under the head, it makes the magnet move and induces a current in the metal coil.\n\nHow you put a magnetic field doesn't massively matter. It can either be th...
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[ [] ]
30gk51
how does obama get the money to spend for his campaign / ideas?
Like, who funds these campaigns? Are the Feds involved, or Obama can ask some guy to print the dollars and they will get it done.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30gk51/eli5_how_does_obama_get_the_money_to_spend_for/
{ "a_id": [ "cps8g2x", "cps8mmt" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Do you mean the election campaigns, or the policies of his office?", "Campaigns are funded by many sources. Individual donors, companies, Political Action Committees (PACs), really big PACs (Super-PACs), etc. \n\nFederal...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
astgi7
what are concrete benefits to nose-breathing and are humans designed to mainly nose-breathe instead of mouth-breathing?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/astgi7/eli5_what_are_concrete_benefits_to_nosebreathing/
{ "a_id": [ "egwkb57", "egwkcbr" ], "score": [ 10, 4 ], "text": [ "I know of one benefit to nose-breathing: your nose acts a filter, removing small particulates from the air before it's passed down into your lungs.", "Your nose is effectively an air filter. It has a bunch of hairs in i...
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[ [], [] ]
15mxk4
Engineering on Mars
Since Mars's gravity is around one third that of Earth's, would modern construction methods brought to Mars allow us to build buildings three times taller simply by scaling all dimensions by a factor of three in the Y axis? Would other factors need to be taken into account?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/15mxk4/engineering_on_mars/
{ "a_id": [ "c7nzcla" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "I'm not a structural engineer, but a geotechnical engineer. So I deal with the structural capacity of soils. I'm assuming your argument is that since the structure weighs 2/3's less, then you could build 3 times higher. I would assume that if ...
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[ [] ]
a2b9qr
can the non dominant hand ever be as dextrous as the dominant hand?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a2b9qr/eli5_can_the_non_dominant_hand_ever_be_as/
{ "a_id": [ "eawp677", "eaxjlb8" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes. The non dominant hand can be, you just have to start at a young age practicing or practice really hard now. \n\nThe brain has a preference towards your dominant hand, making you ignore your non dominant. Since you ignor...
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[ [], [] ]
9mnisw
How exactly does acne form when there are too many hormones like testosterone in the body?
[deleted]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/9mnisw/how_exactly_does_acne_form_when_there_are_too/
{ "a_id": [ "e7k8dta" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Androgens (like testosterone) increase the amount of oil your skin produces. This oil, called sebum, \"feeds\" the *Propionibacterium acnes* (an actinobacteria) that colonizes the human skin and causes acne. Basically, more androgens = more sebum...
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[ [] ]
1mhoyf
what makes a person shy?
I have always wondered this. EDIT: Thanks for all the good answers, I enjoyed reading them all!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1mhoyf/eli5_what_makes_a_person_shy/
{ "a_id": [ "cc9ckq2", "cc9dpor", "cc9dttn", "cc9duze", "cc9dw22", "cc9dwx2", "cc9e3bi", "cc9e4ze", "cc9e56h", "cc9ebhg", "cc9ecbr", "cc9edi3", "cc9edqy", "cc9emip", "cc9erq6", "cc9ewbs", "cc9f2s1", "cc9fang", "cc9fash", "cc9fevo", "c...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shyness#Genetics_and_heredity", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraversion_and_introversion#Biological_factors" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://sho...
9ggpge
How did POWs of WWII receive packages?
I know that family and friends often sent packages of food and presents to allies in POW camps, but how did those relatives and friends know they were there? Was there an official letter sent from the camp to let them know? Or otherwise how was the information given out that the person was at that camp? Also, was ther...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9ggpge/how_did_pows_of_wwii_receive_packages/
{ "a_id": [ "e64ikxh" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "For signatories of the 1929 Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, [Article 77](_URL_4_) stated: \n\n\"At the commencement of hostilities, each of the belligerent Powers and the neutral Powers who have belligerents in th...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://pow.larkin.net.au/documents/", "https://archive.org/details/PrisonersOfWarBullitin", "https://cpb-ap-se2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.unimelb.edu.au/dist/9/92/files/2017/05/Geneva-Bureau-2kuli6f.jpg", "https://kenfentonswar.com/stalag-ixc/", "https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/9ac2...
6uhl10
How do satellites stay on their course? Wouldn't the slightes change make them slowly rotate off their path leading them into crashing down on to earth?
[deleted]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6uhl10/how_do_satellites_stay_on_their_course_wouldnt/
{ "a_id": [ "dlsq6ze", "dlss9o7", "dlt48bl" ], "score": [ 16, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "You only need a certain speed for a perfect circular motion. Any deviation from this will lead to an [elliptic motion](_URL_2_), not a spiral.\n\nHowever, due to drag with the atmosphere, satellites cl...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrangian_point#Stability", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Internationale_Raumstation_Bahnh%C3%B6he_%28dumb_version%29.png", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptic_orbit" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler%27s_laws_of_planetary_mot...
1v0pto
Did William the Conqueror expect that the invasion of England would be harder than it was? If so, what main centers other than London and York would he have planned to take?
There might not be sources for his mindset on this. If so, just say what the most important cities for economic or military purposes were at the time.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1v0pto/did_william_the_conqueror_expect_that_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cenqazr" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "I'm going to answer your question in two parts: 1) William the Conqueror's own idea of the difficulty of the invasion of England, and 2) the strategic course the invasion took. Now, to address the first part, William knew that invading England ...
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[ [] ]
a6d5ik
how does 1 - - 1=2?
I know it does.Ineed to explain it to my 8yo brother,can’t provide real life examples.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a6d5ik/eli5how_does_1_12/
{ "a_id": [ "ebtux7p", "ebtv1s9" ], "score": [ 4, 27 ], "text": [ "Think of -1 as something owed. If I have -1 donut, I am owed a donut. If I have 1 donut and I'm owed a donut, then really I have two donuts, just one isn't with me right now. ", "Imagine counting how far you have walked...
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[ [], [] ]
5puvg6
what makes water such a pure compound for all living organisms?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5puvg6/eli5_what_makes_water_such_a_pure_compound_for/
{ "a_id": [ "dcu2cq9" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I don't understand the question. \n\nDo you mean what makes water such an essential compound for living organisms?" ] }
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[ [] ]
1v4djn
In the Old Testament, Israel/Canaan is described as a land flowing with "milk and honey". Why were milk and honey so desirable?
Is it a quirk of translation?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1v4djn/in_the_old_testament_israelcanaan_is_described_as/
{ "a_id": [ "ceolo7b", "ceom1fo", "ceomc7y" ], "score": [ 12, 4, 4 ], "text": [ "First, it's not really a quirk of translation, but it's possible that the word for \"honey\" refers to date honey, not that of bees. Many references in the bible unambiguously involve bees, but other ...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/10835-milk" ], [], [] ]
5hygxc
how do buildings with flags know when to put them at half-mast?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5hygxc/eli5_how_do_buildings_with_flags_know_when_to_put/
{ "a_id": [ "db3x3iv" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There actually is a website that will send you email alerts on when to do it. According to the Flag Code, which is non-enforceable U.S. law, the flag is supposed to be flown at half-staff at the instruction of the President or Governor of a state...
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[ [] ]
6b81ig
How much, if at all, do other stars' heat and light affect the Earth?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6b81ig/how_much_if_at_all_do_other_stars_heat_and_light/
{ "a_id": [ "dhkl36l", "dhm07an" ], "score": [ 46, 3 ], "text": [ "Based on figure 2 of [this paper](_URL_0_) discussing accurate rendering of the sky, they put the sum of all starlight around 3x10^-8 W/m^2, approximately 10^-11 times as intense as our Sun. That's 30 nanowatts per square m...
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[]
[ [ "http://graphics.stanford.edu/~henrik/papers/nightsky/nightsky.pdf", "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/15o5im/does_a_full_moon_provide_any_noticible_reflected/c7o9awa/" ], [ "http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/24/dung-beetles-navigate-via-the-milky-way-an-animal-kingdom-first...
2o4l8m
How did the followers of Hong Xiuquan's brand of Christianity fare after his death and the fall of the Heavenly Kingdom?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2o4l8m/how_did_the_followers_of_hong_xiuquans_brand_of/
{ "a_id": [ "cmjrscp" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Zeng Guofan wrote to the Tongzhi Emperor after the capture of Nanjing \n\"Not one of the 100,000 rebels in Nanjing surrendered themselves when the city was taken but in many cases gathered together and burned themselves and passed away without r...
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[ [] ]
5gdyt0
Was Henry II of France's jousting opponent that inadvertently killed him punished in any way?
Even though it was an accident in a jousting tournament, would there have been any repercussions given the concept of lese-majeste, and the eventual political fall-out of the Wars of Religion?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5gdyt0/was_henry_ii_of_frances_jousting_opponent_that/
{ "a_id": [ "darsmln" ], "score": [ 107 ], "text": [ "At the beginning he was not punished because he fled the capital soon before King Henri died of his injuries. On his deathbed, Henri apparently said to Gabriel de Montgommery that there was nothing worth asking forgiveness because all Gabriel d...
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[ [] ]
7h2tr6
What did all the gangsters do when prohibition ended in 1933? How did they earn their money afterwards? How many switched to respectable jobs? Was there an increase in different criminal activities?
Why I am asking this question: In a discussion whether de-criminalizing drugs will dry off the income basis of criminals and therefore massively reducing crime, somebody made the point that most of the countless criminals involved will simply switch to different criminal endeavours (like buglary, robbery, or kidnapping...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7h2tr6/what_did_all_the_gangsters_do_when_prohibition/
{ "a_id": [ "dqp44sk" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "So a lot of economists of black markets have talked about how organized crime grows and diversifies. One important thing they note is how crime groups start with the easiest, most low-risk, high-profit activities, which is usually selling illega...
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[ [] ]
9w2cwy
in american elections, how can there be uncounted ballots yet a result is called?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9w2cwy/eli5_in_american_elections_how_can_there_be/
{ "a_id": [ "e9h0owj", "e9h0oyh", "e9h14yx" ], "score": [ 14, 4, 7 ], "text": [ "If there is a box of 100 ballots that were not counted, but all the other votes are in, and the winner has a lead of 50,000 votes, you can safely say they are the winner of the election. The outcome i...
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[ [], [], [] ]
1287fq
is it true the near east and the Mediterranean experienced major climate problems in and around 1100BC?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1287fq/is_it_true_the_near_east_and_the_mediterranean/
{ "a_id": [ "c6t0t4e" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "We don't know. There is no actual evidence for climate problems. The reason that the idea is propagated is because it would provide a very convenient explanation for [the Bronze Age collapse](_URL_0_).\n\nThe *actual* reasons for the Bronze Age c...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Age_collapse" ] ]
17irp7
why canned food (like tomatoes) don't need to be refrigerated but uncanned ones do
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/17irp7/eli5_why_canned_food_like_tomatoes_dont_need_to/
{ "a_id": [ "c85vidf" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Canned food has been heated up to a certain degree in an effort to kill bacteria, and is then immediately canned to seal out any other bacteria that may be in the environment. Existing bacteria are already dead, new bacteria can't get in.\n\nFre...
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xqfwh
Question from a 10-year-old: How to bugs "know" which part of something matches their coloring so they can use it for camouflage?
[From him:] I saw a small tan moth in our shower this morning. The walls of our shower are made of slate that is mostly grey but with red and tan parts. This moth was on the tan part and it matched the wings great. How did the moth know not to be on the red or grey to hide? Things I know: I know some animals see colo...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/xqfwh/question_from_a_10yearold_how_to_bugs_know_which/
{ "a_id": [ "c5oorsp", "c5ooudl" ], "score": [ 2, 17 ], "text": [ "I'm not trained in this area of research so I'm not going to try and answer this question. I was however very intrigued by it, and think you have are raising a very bright 10 year old if he/she is asking something like this...
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[ [ "http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/all-about-animals/animal-camouflage.htm" ], [] ]
2nou7s
Was there an equivalent to pornography throughout the past? Or is it a relatively new phenomenon?
Paintings? Sculpture?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2nou7s/was_there_an_equivalent_to_pornography_throughout/
{ "a_id": [ "cmfhvur", "cmg4fpv" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Unfortunately I'm away from my computer today so I won't be able to fully answer your question as i would like to. But please see my previous AMAs on the subject and feel free to ask anything here and I can try to follow up ...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1cssrf/ama_history_of_pornography_14001800/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/24d05t/ama_panel_history_of_pornography_and_libertine/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1lkszg/askhistorians_ama_thread_history_of_sexuality...
5txx2g
why good quality images go bad when we upload them on social media?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5txx2g/eli5_why_good_quality_images_go_bad_when_we/
{ "a_id": [ "ddpvkz9", "ddpvvzv" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "They are compressed to take up less space on the company's servers. A program looks at the image and trims out some of the visual information. The side effect is that your picture ends up slightly worse-looking than it start...
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[ [], [ "https://zephoria.com/top-15-valuable-facebook-statistics/" ] ]
1y07w7
why do all organisms simply exist to reproduce and die?
This is a little philosophical, and maybe there are better subreddits for it, but the answers might be a bit out of my league. Anyway, everything (e.g. humans, crocodiles, parrots) in our universe/reality simple eats food (or gets it from the sun, whatever) and then reproduces. Then everything dies. It's a lot simple...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1y07w7/eli5_why_do_all_organisms_simply_exist_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cfg69sb", "cfg6d29" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "I don't think we can possibly know the reason for our existance", "Well we will eventually reach the singularity which is essentially your utopia.\n\nThe reason everything simply exists to reproduce and die is because th...
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[ [], [] ]
1kii8v
why do we use pink or blue to know if a baby is a girl or a boy?
This is my first question on Reddit, I'll figure out how to correct it if it's not.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1kii8v/eli5_why_do_we_use_pink_or_blue_to_know_if_a_baby/
{ "a_id": [ "cbp9wlw" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "QI had a section on this:\n\n_URL_0_\n" ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2f7urmRaRxY&t=132" ] ]
59puk4
why is there a specific set up and order of attachment/detachment when jumping a dead car battery?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/59puk4/eli5_why_is_there_a_specific_set_up_and_order_of/
{ "a_id": [ "d9adkfc", "d9aetxd" ], "score": [ 9, 4 ], "text": [ "Because some batteries, the kind you put water in, can generate hydrogen gas when being jumped. This gas is explosive (e.g. Hindenburg) so you want the spark at the other end, where the car is running and the battery is cha...
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[ [], [] ]
afmb9c
why aren't all six strings on a guitar perfect fourths like a 6 string bass?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/afmb9c/eli5_why_arent_all_six_strings_on_a_guitar/
{ "a_id": [ "ee0210e" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Because chords aren't typically made out of perfect fourths.\n\nWhile a bass usually plays a single string at a time, guitars often play chords by using multiple strings at once. The strings are spaced to fit common chords easily - you can play m...
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[ [] ]
739bfu
When did the US figure out that the USSR could not keep up?
We all know that the USSR was struggling to keep up with the US technologically while also trying to keep its economy a float, but at what point did the US figure this out?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/739bfu/when_did_the_us_figure_out_that_the_ussr_could/
{ "a_id": [ "dnp590b", "dnp8o7n", "dnpgtse" ], "score": [ 35, 1104, 54 ], "text": [ "Hello everyone, \n\nIf you're a regular, you know how this subreddit works. If you are a first time or infrequent visitor, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the [rules here.](/r/Ask...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.facebook.com/askhistorians/", "http://twitter.com/askhistorians", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/search?q=title%3A%22Sunday+Digest%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/bestof" ], [], [] ]
dljknn
The impact of scurvy on the crews of Age of Sail vessels is well known, but I don't imagine most contemporaneous poor people had access to high-vitamin-C fruits and vegetables, either. Was scurvy a problem on land, too, at this time? If not, why not?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/dljknn/the_impact_of_scurvy_on_the_crews_of_age_of_sail/
{ "a_id": [ "f4rbnf9" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Not to put too fine a point on it, but the impact of scurvy on ships is vastly overstated. [I've written about this before](_URL_0_), but the tl;dr is that it takes at least a month if not longer of being deprived of any vitamin C for symptoms of...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5hfag0/why_exactly_did_folks_in_the_age_of_sail_think/" ] ]
kumkf
those floating black/white dots in my vision i get after looking over my shoulder for long periods.
Or when straining my vision in any direction really... What are they and is it bad for my vision?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/kumkf/eli5_those_floating_blackwhite_dots_in_my_vision/
{ "a_id": [ "c2njnb3", "c2njnb3" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The floaters are actually pieces of your eye falling/moving in front of your retina which blocks the light going into your retina, so they appear as floating shadows in your vision\n\nI think its common with diabetes and nea...
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[ [], [] ]
amtg9t
vga vs. hdmi vs. displayport
Like, why do people think that DisplayPort will become the standard for PC, instead of the "old" HDMI?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/amtg9t/eli5_vga_vs_hdmi_vs_displayport/
{ "a_id": [ "efoftu5", "efomn8r", "efuyzcy" ], "score": [ 8, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It’s mostly just gamers who say this. In reality both HDMI and DisplayPort are quite good, and the differences in trade offs can be small in many cases, not relevant in others, and niche for a special c...
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[ [], [], [] ]
eyahh3
why does air blowing in your face help you feel less carsick?
Always wondered why it helped (at least me) when I was younger and got carsick a lot
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eyahh3/eli5_why_does_air_blowing_in_your_face_help_you/
{ "a_id": [ "fgh7ji5", "fgi36qp", "fgg12xd", "fgg50cj", "fgg9s32" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 52, 11, 8 ], "text": [ "Personally, over ventilation (breath faster than needed until slight headache) helps too. And in general cold in face helps.\n\nI have no idea why.", "H...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
b2ef7w
How far away are we really from quantum computing?
I feel like I keep seeing sensationalist articles on the implications, but it appears that there are still problems regarding scalability and other concepts I can’t fully grasp.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/b2ef7w/how_far_away_are_we_really_from_quantum_computing/
{ "a_id": [ "eisknt8" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "It's here. The IBM Q System One is commercially available, having launched in January 2019. It's reported to have 20 qubits.\n\n_URL_0_\n\nAlso D-Wave have been selling \"quantum\" computers since 2011. Their systems are somewhat specialised *qu...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.research.ibm.com/ibm-q/system-one/", "https://arxiv.org/abs/1401.3500" ] ]
2d8ygh
do women who don't give birth live longer?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2d8ygh/eli5_do_women_who_dont_give_birth_live_longer/
{ "a_id": [ "cjn7i6h", "cjn82zs", "cjnai31", "cjncvlm" ], "score": [ 19, 3, 3, 5 ], "text": [ "Quite the opposite, actually. A number of scientific studies have indicated that women who have children live longer.", "At one point in time, the average life expectancy of a...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
2yrgxn
With the newest Island in the Pacific, this question comes to mind. How do islands gain such diverse wildlife for both plants and animals? Where does it all come from?
Looking at the photos, there is absolutely nothing there. No grass, no animals, no trees. Where does it all come from?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2yrgxn/with_the_newest_island_in_the_pacific_this/
{ "a_id": [ "cpd333q", "cpdnr8r" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Eventually a bird or some other creature will go there and while doing it could bring seeds or whatever. Strong winds from one of the other islands in the area of there was bad weather or something could carry pollen to the...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
ecz17r
why does so much cut content remain present in video games, just unused?
I see a lot of examples of cut assets in video games that people find still remaining in files of the game itself. Why does this happen? I'm am sure there is a reason why its not as simple as highlighting everything unused and hitting "delete"... but what is it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ecz17r/eli5_why_does_so_much_cut_content_remain_present/
{ "a_id": [ "fbel9r6", "fbely49" ], "score": [ 10, 2 ], "text": [ "Games will go through a process where they are built (all of the code is assembled to produce a \"finished\" game) many times over the course of development. Through out this, things will get added and pulled over and over...
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[ [], [] ]
e6t518
why are some foods more filling than others? eg. baked potato vs a slice of pizza
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e6t518/eli5_why_are_some_foods_more_filling_than_others/
{ "a_id": [ "f9t1904" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "An average potato weighs about 10 oz. Half of a large cheese pizza from Dominos also weighs about 10 oz despite there being *substantially* more calories in the pizza. The reason for this difference is in the water content of the two foods. 8...
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[ [] ]
elub1y
why did president roosevelt get to serve 4 terms in office?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/elub1y/eli5_why_did_president_roosevelt_get_to_serve_4/
{ "a_id": [ "fdk7voh", "fdk7x39", "fdk7xid", "fdk84eg" ], "score": [ 8, 3, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "There were no term limits before FDR, it was a custom started by Washington that every other president followed.\n\nAfter FDR, the limit was created.", "There wasn’t a term lim...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
dnfd6l
Why does dengue cause low platelet count?
I know platelets are responsible for blood clotting but I don't understand how disabling that mechanism could be beneficial for the virus's survival.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/dnfd6l/why_does_dengue_cause_low_platelet_count/
{ "a_id": [ "f5argqv" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "That's a loaded question, there are many many mechanisms for viral induced thrombocytopenia, and in dengue they include but are not limited to monocyte mediated activated of platelets and acceleration of their apoptosis, direct and indirect mecha...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270245/#__ffn_sectitle" ] ]
sypdv
Which biblical passages (or other sources) were used to back up the concept of predestination in Calvinism?
This has always piqued my interest when learning about Colonial religions. How exactly did they get the idea of predestination?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/sypdv/which_biblical_passages_or_other_sources_were/
{ "a_id": [ "c4i3l1d", "c4i5fnq", "c4i5t30", "c4i71y4" ], "score": [ 4, 5, 9, 3 ], "text": [ "You might be better off asking this question in one of the Christian subreddits, such as [r/Christianity](_URL_1_) or [r/DebateAChristian](_URL_0_).\n\n", "From my understandin...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/DebateAChristian/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/" ], [], [], [ "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0826477941/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER" ] ]
6fs5a4
Why focus on green energy when fusion could solve all our problems?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6fs5a4/why_focus_on_green_energy_when_fusion_could_solve/
{ "a_id": [ "dikjzx2", "dikovd5", "dikp9dw" ], "score": [ 17, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Think of it by the following reasoning: How much money and time are you willing to invest into an idea that doesn't have any timeline or concrete promise about its future?\n\nFusion is definately possi...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/04/17/3478276.htm" ], [] ]
8hze50
[Medieval Sex] How did the idea originate in the Middle Ages that a female orgasm is required for procreation when society *also* believed in ONLY having vaginal sex?
I was debating whether to post this question to r/AskHistorians r/NoStupidQuestions or r/TooAfraidToAsk. Hopefully it fits here, if not please let me know and I will move it to a more appropriate sub. TL;DR at bottom. --- I have always been secretly curious about what sex was like in the Middle Ages, specif...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8hze50/medieval_sex_how_did_the_idea_originate_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dyoa581", "dyormqt" ], "score": [ 555, 18 ], "text": [ "It's true, oral sex was not permitted under canon (Church) law. Neither was fornication (sex between unmarried people), adultery, sodomy between men, sodomy between women, non-PIV heterosexual sex, masturbation, mutual ma...
[]
[ "https://www.bustle.com/articles/66678-a-brief-history-of-the-female-orgasm-from-medieval-to-modern-times", "https://www.historychannel.com.au/articles/medieval-sex-and-sexuality/" ]
[ [ "http://www.thehistoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/flowchart.png" ], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7j20vy/with_deodorant_first_really_coming_out/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1bxo7e/is_it_safe_to_say_that_every_single_great_person/", "https://w...
76bwly
How were ports build in medieval and/or early modern Europe?
More specifically I'd like to know what machinery, materials, etc. were used to build/reinforce wharves and piers and how they managed to lay foundations or place pillars underwater to support those structures? Bonus question: Were others machines, materiel or methods used in the early colonies because of a (possible) ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/76bwly/how_were_ports_build_in_medieval_andor_early/
{ "a_id": [ "dodgsb7" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "You're assuming there's a single, homologous method of construction was used in all all of Europe; but the fact is that methods of construction varied immensely and were much less important than geography as the biggest consideration in the esta...
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[ [ "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-00-jbI_Z7Vo/Tt1WcbGgMQI/AAAAAAAABLA/G4FXP0I0viw/s1600/0+Lagunaa+de+Venecia+mapa+con+Lido+Malamocco+y+Chiogia+ampliado+y+reducido2.jpg", "http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/bacino-di-san-marco-venice-32679", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/PlanArsenalB...
38gwoy
Any good books about religious belief in Britain in the late 17th century?
I'm looking for any books that discuss the general/social history of religion in Britain and Ireland, particularly among the laypeople in the late seventeenth century. Thanks! -------------------------------------------------- Edit: Thanks for the help, guys!
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/38gwoy/any_good_books_about_religious_belief_in_britain/
{ "a_id": [ "crv6amk", "crv7qis", "crvjghf" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The World Turned Upside Down: Radical Ideas During the English Revolution by Christopher Hill. Not late seventeenth century but close enough.", "*Religion and the Decline of Magic: studies in popula...
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[ [], [], [] ]
9g9mdk
Is there a connection between the age of newborns mother and the life expectancy of the baby?
For example will a baby born to a mother who is 20 have a longer life expectancy of a baby born to a mother who is 50 or vice versa?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/9g9mdk/is_there_a_connection_between_the_age_of_newborns/
{ "a_id": [ "e62sip7", "e63q85m" ], "score": [ 19, 7 ], "text": [ "I looked into this about 3 years ago, and could find no scientific study on the topic in humans. In some species of birds, there is an inverse u shaped longevity curve, where offspring of young mothers die early due to inex...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3881604/" ] ]
6v0ml5
why are u supposed to not ration water but ration food when you are stranded in the desert?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6v0ml5/eli5_why_are_u_supposed_to_not_ration_water_but/
{ "a_id": [ "dlwtt31", "dlwvf7q" ], "score": [ 9, 4 ], "text": [ "Because you lose water through sweat, the minimum water intake is a hard minimum. You can go longer without eating because your body can turn to fat stores/muscle mass for energy.", "You can ration water, but there is a ...
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[ [], [] ]
1ymgnl
why does congress have a 13% approval rate but incumbents are re-elected at a rate of 90%.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ymgnl/eli5_why_does_congress_have_a_13_approval_rate/
{ "a_id": [ "cflt2bm", "cflt2yf", "cfltlta", "cflucez", "cfluehb", "cflv0l2", "cflv8vb", "cflv9z2", "cflva9a", "cflvvah", "cflw3jz", "cflw452", "cflws4y", "cflx3q8", "cflxbp3", "cflxqh6", "cflxyqz", "cfly1hh", "cflyxyw", "cflz4ph", "c...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_stagnation_in_the_United_States#Incumbency_financial_advantage" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.rollcall.com/features/Election-Preview_2011/election/top-5-ugliest-districts-2102...
xr1xg
Curiosity landed on Mars successfully: what does this mean for us?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/xr1xg/curiosity_landed_on_mars_successfully_what_does/
{ "a_id": [ "c5ouc3x" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Let's celebrate first! Nothing beats real time experimental verification of all the science and engineering that went into successfully accomplishing this feat!!" ] }
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[ [] ]
fiuqw
Official: r/askScience survey: How and why do you get involved with the community.
Hi guys, my name is Charlie. I'm a science communication student at Imperial College London. I'm doing some research on web based science communities, and i thought r/askscience would be a great case study. If you have 2 minutes, would you mind filling out this form [askscience survey link](_URL_0_). The mods have give...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fiuqw/official_raskscience_survey_how_and_why_do_you/
{ "a_id": [ "c1g8vx6", "c1g963v", "c1g97ux", "c1g9h5x", "c1g9v07" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 4, 13, 2 ], "text": [ "Would you describe more about your major and research please? It sounds interesting, but I am woefully ignorant of your field of study...", "I am not the...
[]
[ "http://charles-harvey.co.uk/askscience/" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
l475c
how the reddit spam filter works.
I have only submitted 3 links which were not even remotely spam, and 2 of them were caught by the spam filter and I had to message the mods, yet I constantly see actual spam in the new que. So what's up with this thing?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/l475c/eli5_how_the_reddit_spam_filter_works/
{ "a_id": [ "c2po7au", "c2pon6a", "c2po7au", "c2pon6a" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "nice try spamer", "The reddit spam filter is a highly tuned machine, carefully taking into account many factors such as your previous posts and how well they did, your karma, w...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
5s34lc
why do most artists, actors, musicians and comedians tend to be left leaning? what is it about being on the right that makes you less inclined to create art?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5s34lc/eli5_why_do_most_artists_actors_musicians_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ddc5n5u" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Think of it this way:\n\nWhen you do your taxes or you fill in your name on some form, you're technically creating something that wasn't there before. But we don't call *that* kind of thing \"creative,\" because you're not doing anything *new and...
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[ [] ]
1107o8
In medieval battles, what was the psychology of front-lines troops?
Most of my "knowledge" of medieval combat (and all eras before that, too) comes from movies. In them, you see big masses of men marching grimly toward each other, and then hacking one another to bits. The front-line guys get mowed down, then the next guys step over them to get at the enemy. How did armies avoid a "No,...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1107o8/in_medieval_battles_what_was_the_psychology_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c6i5ucx", "c6i79hv", "c6i8rv5", "c6i8tu0", "c6i9dbw", "c6ia1t9", "c6iaaw3", "c6iabn6", "c6iagyk", "c6icosd", "c6ictmd", "c6iehkn" ], "score": [ 80, 33, 20, 9, 27, 8, 5, 6, 6, 2, 6, 8 ], "text": [ "...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/v8dql/did_people_really_throw_themselves_on_spears_and/c52a2vy" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forlorn_hope" ], [], [], [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu2ma1kqtkA&feature=related" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/w...
46yzcf
Who is the guy second top middle?
Can you help me identify the guy top middle? A former student has asked me and I don't know. edit: sorry, forgot the image _URL_0_
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/46yzcf/who_is_the_guy_second_top_middle/
{ "a_id": [ "d08w8xw", "d08xigt", "d08xmfl" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "You got to provide an image for us to identify.", "That's Francisco Franco at about 35 when he was a brigadier general. \n\n_URL_0_", "An earlier Franco of [1926](_URL_0_), apparently. " ] }
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/i8yJPDZ.jpg" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/photograph-of-brigadier-general-francisco-franco-bahamonde-news-photo/106498652" ], [ "http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/photograph-of-brigadier-general-francisco-franco-bahamonde-news-photo/106498652" ] ]
llklt
Are adipose cells in the human body created but never destroyed?
And if so, does this mean that, for example, a person who weighs 300 pounds then loses it down to 150 pounds will never be the same physically as someone who has always been 150 pounds? I know excess skin flaps occur in people who've lost lots of weight, but what occurs as a result of all the extra adipose cells that ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/llklt/are_adipose_cells_in_the_human_body_created_but/
{ "a_id": [ "c2tnpke", "c2tnpke" ], "score": [ 7, 7 ], "text": [ "More or less. Adipocytes do have a lifespan, but it's quite long when compared to most other cells. Can range from months to years. \n\nThere's two ways that you can gain fat: hypertrophy and hyperplasia of adipocytes, an...
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[ [ "http://www.scq.ubc.ca/america-and-adipocytes-why-liposuction-is-not-the-answer/" ], [ "http://www.scq.ubc.ca/america-and-adipocytes-why-liposuction-is-not-the-answer/" ] ]
14hx8p
what is the difference between an institute, university, community, and college?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/14hx8p/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_an_institute/
{ "a_id": [ "c7d822q" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Institutes and communities can be a lot of different things!\n\nA university is a collection of colleges. When you go to a university, you don't graduate from \"University X\", you graduate from \"The College of Y\". Think of a university as the ...
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[ [] ]
35eubu
why do female rabbits hump?
Whenever I put two female bunnies in the same cage they take turns humping each other? They are both definitely female.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/35eubu/eli5_why_do_female_rabbits_hump/
{ "a_id": [ "cr3zjy8" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Rabbits, both female and male, mount and hump each other as a sign of dominance. Rabbits tend to be very territorial and surprisingly aggressive.\n\nSorry if this answer isn't super in depth. Hopefully someone with a more satisfying explanation w...
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[ [] ]
dt9ahv
how do different types of cells make different types of proteins?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dt9ahv/eli5_how_do_different_types_of_cells_make/
{ "a_id": [ "f6vmmjj", "f6vr5ik" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "This process is highly regulated and has a lot of intersecting influences \n\nIn general, when embryos start to develop specific tissues some changes happen on the DNA that makes certain areas more \"open\" or readable. The...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
5jkx1s
how do usb-c ports support so many different types of connection (power, thunderbolt, video, etc) at the same time?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5jkx1s/eli5how_do_usbc_ports_support_so_many_different/
{ "a_id": [ "dbgxz06" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "USB-C has a lot of pins, some of which can be repurposed. So it can't carry everything simultaneously, but it gives you the flexiblity that previously took a whole row of different ports.\n\nThere's 10 non-duplicate pins:\n\n* 2 for power (coming...
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[]
[ [] ]
3b6j1l
how much more dna do we share with relatives than the average stranger?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3b6j1l/eli5_how_much_more_dna_do_we_share_with_relatives/
{ "a_id": [ "csjbudz", "csjby62", "csjc6y7", "csjcp6h", "csje5nl", "csjug5b" ], "score": [ 126, 3, 15, 6, 3, 5 ], "text": [ "Among humans, all but about 0.1% of our DNA is the same. That .1% accounts for all differences we see among humans. Every color, shap...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v36/n11s/full/ng1438.html" ], [], [] ]
3oo8lr
why does hypoglycemia give you a headache and shakes?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3oo8lr/eli5_why_does_hypoglycemia_give_you_a_headache/
{ "a_id": [ "cvz2h7g" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Most of your cells use a molecule called ATP for energy. However, ATP is too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier, so the brain uses glucose (the \"sugar\" in \"blood sugar\") for energy instead. Those symptoms are the result of your bra...
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[ [] ]
23ud9q
what is the advantage to separating urine and feces?
I know how urine is from kidneys which has a different function, but why doesn't it just feed back into the fecal system? Wouldn't it be advantageous to have one fewer orifice? Or to reduce the sexual system to 1 output? Women get UTI all the time. Is there an advantage to separation I'm missing here?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23ud9q/eli5_what_is_the_advantage_to_separating_urine/
{ "a_id": [ "ch0odj0", "ch0oe0t", "ch0oeqc" ], "score": [ 3, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Don't birds work that way? Presumably also many reptiles. And don't cows have their tubes much closer together?\n\nNow you got me wondering.", "Amphibians, reptiles, birds, egg-laying mammals (the d...
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[ [], [], [] ]
160xc7
What is happening during a fusion reaction, and why is it so much harder to control than nuclear fission? Will it ever be possible?
Put your science in me.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/160xc7/what_is_happening_during_a_fusion_reaction_and/
{ "a_id": [ "c7rnsnj", "c7rnx9z", "c7rnzhx" ], "score": [ 11, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "In fusion two light nuclei smack into each other hard enough to form a bigger nucleus which is lighter than the sum of the two nuclei that produced it. The extra mass is released as energy which we ca...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEMO", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER" ], [], [] ]
32sdzo
In Germany, what were various people's and group's reactions the Night of the Long Knives.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/32sdzo/in_germany_what_were_various_peoples_and_groups/
{ "a_id": [ "cqegdcc" ], "score": [ 148 ], "text": [ "So almost immediately after the the violence occured, Goebbels began working overtime spreading propaganda about what had actually happened. He portrayed the SA Leader Rohm and General Kurt Von Schleicher, a former chancellor, as plotting a cou...
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[ [] ]
1njnc7
why websites do not render apostrophes properly.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1njnc7/eli5_why_websites_do_not_render_apostrophes/
{ "a_id": [ "ccj693s", "ccj6s5b" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Where do you see this?\n\nThat's, it's, etc.", "I take it you mean \"fancy\" apostrophes like this one: ’\n\nInstead of \"straight\" apostrophes like this one: '\n\nTo really explain this we need to talk about Unicode, c...
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[ [], [] ]
3eldcx
if you were to look at a mirage through binoculars or telescope, what would you see?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3eldcx/eli5_if_you_were_to_look_at_a_mirage_through/
{ "a_id": [ "ctg1qc8", "ctg1tz2", "ctg2tlo" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You would see exactly the same mirage, just bigger. The use of a magnifying lens doesn't really affect the mechanism that causes mirages, which is an interaction between air layers of different temperat...
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[ [], [], [] ]
53tnkn
what exactly is the "core" that they talk about in fitness? (e.g. use your core, find your core, etc.)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/53tnkn/eli5_what_exactly_is_the_core_that_they_talk/
{ "a_id": [ "d7w3tv5", "d7w3vv8" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "There is a group of muscles within and around your abdomen which keep the top of your body from just flopping around on top of your hips. That is referred to as your \"core\" and is important in supporting almost any other e...
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[ [], [] ]
4029cr
why are diamonds found so much more commonly in south africa?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4029cr/eli5_why_are_diamonds_found_so_much_more_commonly/
{ "a_id": [ "cyqvvz5", "cyqwkb7" ], "score": [ 2, 13 ], "text": [ "Diamonds are hardened carbon - which also makes up coal and oil. Coal and oil come from dead organic stuff that has decomposed. There used to be a large rainforest over Africa before the split of Pangea, which allowed for l...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.mining-technology.com/features/feature-the-worlds-top-10-biggest-diamond-mines/" ] ]