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2dlglq
Is being uncomfortably hot or cold a form of pain?
When we are hot or cold do we experience pain? I'm sure obviously if we're boiling in hot water or are freezing to death we are but what about the lower feelings of hot and cold?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2dlglq/is_being_uncomfortably_hot_or_cold_a_form_of_pain/
{ "a_id": [ "cjqpczk", "cjqsgs3" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "I can only help with part of your question. Hopefully someone else here can clarify the rest.\n\nYour skin contains nerves that act as receptors for various sensations, such as pain, temperature, pressure, vibration, and pr...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/enger/student/olc/art_quizzes/genbiomedia/0675.jpg", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oas7yemSG5g", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-point_discrimination#mediaviewer/File:Lawrence_1960_8.11.png", "http://www.fvmace.org/FVMA%2082nd%20Annual%20Conference/Proceedin...
2lpn0o
“Zoning out” that can occur where you’ve read text, but you weren’t paying attention – state of inattentiveness called something? Is there a certain brain process that occurs?
“Zoning out” that can occur where you’ve read text, but you weren’t paying attention – state of inattentiveness called something? Is there a certain brain process that occurs? There’s the “zoning out” that can occur where you’ve read text, but you weren’t paying attention. I think that someone mentioned online that t...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2lpn0o/zoning_out_that_can_occur_where_youve_read_text/
{ "a_id": [ "clx6pjq", "clx8hol", "clxc2qe", "clxc43o" ], "score": [ 65, 10, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The term used in the literature is \"mind wandering.\" Here's my comment on this from a past post:\n\n > This occurs due to a failure to maintain executive control over automatic...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.323.3307&rep=rep1&type=pdf", "http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/M_Kane_DoesMind_2010.pdf" ], [], [], [ "http://www.haskins.yale.edu/staff/braze/braze-cuny2004-2up.pdf", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11924838" ] ]
4vtj6d
what's going on inside those box things on laptop chargers?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4vtj6d/eli5_whats_going_on_inside_those_box_things_on/
{ "a_id": [ "d618u32", "d6193j0", "d61k7tk", "d61qvzc" ], "score": [ 4, 26, 18, 2 ], "text": [ "Those \"box things\" are known as bricks and they are essentially used to convert the AC current to DC current. \n\nDC current is more expensive to transport than AC current henc...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
1wbmm9
why can't nuclear power plants use their own generated power for cooling?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wbmm9/eli5_why_cant_nuclear_power_plants_use_their_own/
{ "a_id": [ "cf0k56q", "cf0k6ug", "cf0lmr5" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 8 ], "text": [ "I think what the OP is referring to is why nuclear electric plants have a secondary electrical supply to power cooling systems. They need to have a secondary power source in case something goes wrong w...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2ve3ax
Is sound the power or amplitude of pressure waves?
From my limited understanding of acoustics sounds are the results of deviations in the local pressure.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2ve3ax/is_sound_the_power_or_amplitude_of_pressure_waves/
{ "a_id": [ "cogxjqg" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I'm not too sure what you mean by power, but when looking at sound waves, the amplitude determines the volume, and the wavelength the pitch. Tiny imperfections in the shape of the wave are what gives it tone and timbre; the reason we all don't so...
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[]
[ [] ]
69rkrv
Aide-de-camps vs. Adjutants during the American Civil War?
What exactly was the difference between these two positions? I've tried researching the subject and got lost due to military jargon.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/69rkrv/aidedecamps_vs_adjutants_during_the_american/
{ "a_id": [ "dh8vde3" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "From the wartime *Army Officer's Pocket Companion*:\n\n > The bureau duties of adjutant-generals and assistants are: publishing orders in writing; making up written instructions and transmitting them; reception of reports and returns; disposing o...
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[]
[ [] ]
126o06
did the life style of gatherer tribes changed much between the attainment of Behavioral modernity and the agricultural revolution/first contact with agricultural societies?
for example if I were to visit New England in 8000 BC, and then New England in 1008BC would I see any substantial changes in life style or technology?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/126o06/did_the_life_style_of_gatherer_tribes_changed/
{ "a_id": [ "c6sm036" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "'Behavioral modernity' is about 50 KYA, agriculture starts around 10 KYA in the Near East, and about 5 KYA in North-Western Europe. In between, there's the major innovations of the bow-and-arrow and the domestication of the dog, probably at least...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3pmqj9
Do black holes ever die?
And if so, why and how?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3pmqj9/do_black_holes_ever_die/
{ "a_id": [ "cw7kxky", "cw7ojj3", "cw7pch9", "cw7y8t2" ], "score": [ 97, 1629, 28, 10 ], "text": [ "Black holes emit thermal radiation as per the Hawking effect. This temperature is absolutely minuscule for astronomical BHs. In the very, very distant future, the exponential...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNaEBbFbvcY" ], [], [] ]
26j36t
why do scientists assume an alien species would use the same math system as us.
Like I hear stuff about our space crafts showing prime numbers on them incase they ran into an alien species and other stuff I'm too lazy to look up. But how do they know they don't count in sets of 7 instead of 10. I figured the only reason we did that cause we have 10 fingers.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26j36t/eli5why_do_scientists_assume_an_alien_species/
{ "a_id": [ "chrib5a", "chrib7n", "chribih", "chricrg", "chrig8s", "chrimej", "chrj6p5", "chrjj25" ], "score": [ 21, 4, 4, 5, 3, 49, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "If the aliens cant figure out different bases chances are they dont even know how to get t...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok-Oz7huWFw" ], [] ]
29fikz
how did popcorn become a standard movie "meal"?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29fikz/eli5how_did_popcorn_become_a_standard_movie_meal/
{ "a_id": [ "cikf4mq", "cikf7pq", "cikf9ek", "cikg68r", "cikgc8y", "cikh15o", "cikkquj", "cikky4i", "cikl0fv", "cikl5mg", "ciklwvd", "cikms32", "cikmzpu", "cikn0m1", "cikn2hp", "ciknwej", "ciko3pt", "ciko7pc", "ciko8ry", "cikobih", "c...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.oscars.org/features/movie-munchies/popcorn-origin.html", "Oscar.com", "http://filmmakeriq.com/lessons/the-science-and-history-of-popcorn-the-snack-that-saved-the-movies/", "http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-do-we-eat-popcorn-at-the-movies-475063/?no-ist" ], ...
560804
how is it that disposable lighters have lighter fluid inside and it comes out as gas?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/560804/eli5_how_is_it_that_disposable_lighters_have/
{ "a_id": [ "d8f5pja", "d8f5qom", "d8f6ist", "d8f788h", "d8f7mrm", "d8fnuog", "d8ftvbt" ], "score": [ 3, 43, 3, 4, 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "When it is compressed it turns to a liquid, the valve lets the fluid out slowly so turn back to a gas when it's u...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
n9ubn
megaupload
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/n9ubn/eli5_megaupload/
{ "a_id": [ "c37eyd6", "c37eyd6" ], "score": [ 17, 17 ], "text": [ "Megaupload is a file hosting service, meaning everyone and their dog can use it to upload files to be hosted on the internet, where anyone can download them. This is a legitimate service, even if it is abused by people lo...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111209/14234917026/universal-music-issues-questionable-takedown-megaupload-video-that-featured-their-artists.shtml" ], [ "http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111209/14234917026/universal-music-issues-questionable-takedown-megaupload-video-that-featured-their-artists....
1h1fki
why has the supreme court declared section 4 of the voting rights act unconstitutional?
I have read section 4 and I'm not sure what part makes it unconstitutional? I haven't read a good break down of it yet either so, ELI5.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1h1fki/eli5_why_has_the_supreme_court_declared_section_4/
{ "a_id": [ "capvnqe", "capwccp", "capwfs8", "caqffa8" ], "score": [ 9, 6, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Basically, it said that certain areas of the country must go through extra steps if they want to change **any** process related to voting. For example, even closing an expensive o...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/supreme-court-ruling.html?_r=0", "http://www.supremecourt.gov" ], [] ]
sspui
horizontal drilling: how do they steer?
I see [these things](_URL_0_) frequently being used to lay conduit for fiber optics but can not figure out how they have any control over the direction while underground. How does it work?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/sspui/eli5_horizontal_drilling_how_do_they_steer/
{ "a_id": [ "c4gqq7o" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "The answer of \"They don't\" is wrong. Dead wrong. I'm a Directional Driller in the Oil and Gas business with 11 years of experience, so let me see if I can break it down, Mr. Potato head style.\n\nDownhole while drilling in a wellbore, you hav...
[]
[ "http://img.directindustry.com/images_di/photo-g/horizontal-directional-drilling-rig-389325.jpg" ]
[ [] ]
639r2a
What impact did the Bahá'í Faith have on Iran during the Islamic Revolution?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/639r2a/what_impact_did_the_baháí_faith_have_on_iran/
{ "a_id": [ "dj2d4rw" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "What do you exactly mean by \"the impact of the Baha'i Faith have on the Iranian Islamic Revolution\"? Are you asking if the Islamic Revolution incorporated some Baha'i doctrine? Or are you asking if the Baha'i Faith contributed to the fall of th...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1wzfn7
What form does energy take without matter?
I'm struggling to understand how there can be energy without matter as i only know energy in the form of matter. For example electromagnetism and thermodynamics. It is matter with energy. But how can there be pure energy without matter? For example photons and before the big bang?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1wzfn7/what_form_does_energy_take_without_matter/
{ "a_id": [ "cf6ti8f", "cf6tiv4" ], "score": [ 35, 23 ], "text": [ "This question doesn't really make sense. Energy isn't a thing that things are made of. There's no such thing as pure energy. Energy is a quantity that things can have.", "Energy is not a \"stuff.\" It's a number you ca...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1171dw
what is the problem between greece and germany?
I really don't understand the Problem. What kind of money flows where? Why are people burning Nazi flags at a visit of Merkel in Athens? If someone could put this whole mess in an easy explanation, I would be very thankful. Edit: Thank you guys for all the answers.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1171dw/what_is_the_problem_between_greece_and_germany/
{ "a_id": [ "c6jvgim", "c6jvrjd", "c6jvsxa", "c6jvtd6", "c6jvwm8", "c6jw7jj", "c6jwgw6", "c6jwpgx", "c6jx683", "c6jxhdz" ], "score": [ 18, 9, 6, 13, 2, 105, 2, 13, 3, 6 ], "text": [ "Germany don't want to have to pay for the e...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2awckr
why is going to the dmv always such a clusterfuck?
Why does it take so long to handle any business at the Department of Motor Vehicles? I've been at my local DMV for several hours and I'm still nowhere near being helped. There's probably several hundred people in here waiting for the same shit too. Not even going to describe the parking catastrophe outside. Is there a...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2awckr/eli5_why_is_going_to_the_dmv_always_such_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cizerfs", "cizfim9" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ "They don't have enough staff, the staff they do have works slow and it's a government agency so they have no incentive to work faster or harder because they'd have to rape a baby in front of the President to lose their job."...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
467t92
why is it harder to concentrate when you're sick or in pain, e.g. when you have a cold or a headache?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/467t92/eli5_why_is_it_harder_to_concentrate_when_youre/
{ "a_id": [ "d0329ye" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "For the same reason it's hard to concentrate when it's noisy or there's a bright light in your face: Your brain is distracted by all the other stimuli it's being exposed to (in this case, the stimulus of feeling like shit)." ] }
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[ [] ]
1v12yo
how does somebody like aaron swartz face 50 years prison for hacking, but people on trial for murder only face 15-25 years?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1v12yo/eli5_how_does_somebody_like_aaron_swartz_face_50/
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[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Justice#Blindfold" ], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Fraud_and_Abuse_Act" ], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.popehat.com/2013/03/26/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-shitty-journalism/", "http://...
2883wt
why do some people think it's bad to drink bottled water after it has been opened and sitting out for a few hours?
I've always heard about this, but never knew why. I hope this isn't too vague of a question. I just want to find out if it's bad for me or not and why.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2883wt/eli5_why_do_some_people_think_its_bad_to_drink/
{ "a_id": [ "ci8c2cm", "ci8c7u8", "ci8cp00", "ci8cw41", "ci8lmt5" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It might be due to whatever can come into the water (dust, bacteria, etc.) if it's exposed.", "There was a myth that plastic bottles, when left in the sun...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
4hudrw
what is dynamic braking as why is it always prohibited?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hudrw/eli5_what_is_dynamic_braking_as_why_is_it_always/
{ "a_id": [ "d2sdlia", "d2seuj3", "d2sox51", "d2sqf6i" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "When you slow down, you create friction within your brakes. Dynamic Braking is a system that allows you to use your engine to brake for you. So when you release the gas, the engine...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compression_release_engine_brake" ], [], [] ]
1eb7e3
when i microwave a dry muffin, it get's moist (and tasty). where did the water come from?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1eb7e3/eli5_when_i_microwave_a_dry_muffin_it_gets_moist/
{ "a_id": [ "c9yim0e", "c9ylibn", "c9ylmcu", "c9yo7dt", "c9ypdup", "c9ypu9g", "c9yqg0l", "c9yr1nf", "c9ys03i", "c9yt8o9", "c9z24nc", "c9z3yd7" ], "score": [ 375, 66, 108, 3, 900, 2, 26, 2, 2, 14, 4, 3 ], "text": [ ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1eb7e3/eli5_when_i_microwave_a_dry_muffin_it_gets_moist/c9ylibn" ], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2ofwwd
why does pubic hair only grow to a certain length
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ofwwd/eli5_why_does_pubic_hair_only_grow_to_a_certain/
{ "a_id": [ "cmmr8hc" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "When it gets to a certain length it just falls out. It doesn't stop growing" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4it8nv
why did commanders throughout history fight in the front lines?
Wouldn't that make it easier for the enemy to kill them? I know boosting morale is important but how could you ever risk your leader?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4it8nv/eli5_why_did_commanders_throughout_history_fight/
{ "a_id": [ "d30xo2y", "d30xup8", "d30z5l7", "d311679" ], "score": [ 8, 3, 28, 2 ], "text": [ "It depends what you mean by \"front lines.\" A commander or king probably wouldn't lead the charge into the enemy's forces because it's an undue risk to their own life.\n\nThat sa...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1p8zhu
Does the number of other groceries in my fridge affect how long it will take for a room temperature pitcher of water to cool down?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1p8zhu/does_the_number_of_other_groceries_in_my_fridge/
{ "a_id": [ "cd01pct" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "The less space for air in your fridge means less heat transfer every time you open the fridge door. This means that a full fridge (containing already-chilled groceries) has a head start when you first place the pitcher in, while an empty fridge...
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[ [] ]
5fmaas
How do camouflaging animals know what colour/texture to mimic?
[deleted]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5fmaas/how_do_camouflaging_animals_know_what/
{ "a_id": [ "dallzyb", "dalmuzx" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Short answer: they don't. All they know is that they didn't get eaten.\n\nGenetic mutations that affect an animal's colour or texture are relatively common. Having fur or feathers a different colour, or a different length, o...
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[ [], [] ]
50hec0
Are hot places windier?
If air moves towards low pressure and causes winds, and low pressure is caused by hot air. Are hotter places windier?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/50hec0/are_hot_places_windier/
{ "a_id": [ "d74tgcr", "d74x5jq" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, from a general standpoint, some of the fastest winds are found in the northern and southern poles, where polar extratropical storms rage. It may depend on certain factors other than temperature, but just because hotter...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/coriolis-effect/" ] ]
2fhg5x
from a business standpoint, in terms of monitary gain, how does the history channel profit from running 18 hours a day of pawn stars?
To elaborate, and this is understanding the show makes money. But socially, the pendulum must swing, correct? It's gotten so far from anything resembling education or history in general that it's difficult to watch
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fhg5x/eli5_from_a_business_standpoint_in_terms_of/
{ "a_id": [ "ck9a4do" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Discovery Channel, TLC, The History Channel, they started out as niche channels...inexpensive programming aimed at a specific audience it was easier to target ads for.\n\nThen came *Mythbusters*, a big hit that appealed to a broader audience. So...
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[]
[ [] ]
4uwoue
In the HBO show Rome, the two lowborn characters generally drink wine, was wine the drink of choice among commoners? Would there not be a less expensive option?
I was discussing wines association with the aristocracy with my wife, which lead to it's association with classical antiquity but then I remembered that Lucius Verinus and Pullo were always drinking wine despite being relatively poor. Was wine the main available drink? Or hippocras? Did Rome at the time not produce be...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4uwoue/in_the_hbo_show_rome_the_two_lowborn_characters/
{ "a_id": [ "d5tmlnr" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Other than mead, which was often more expensive (and hard to make) and not especially popular, Italians in the Roman world drank pretty much exclusively wine, as far as alcohol went. Distillation was unknown in antiquity, and while beer has exist...
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[]
[ [] ]
2dj52t
what is the police command and accountability structure in the us?
Reading about the Ferguson events got me curious about the way the US police system is organized. Since I'm from Europe, I only have a very broad idea of the way it works, and the [wikipedia article](_URL_0_) lists a number of different agencies and institutions. I know that the FBI works independently from the other...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dj52t/eli5_what_is_the_police_command_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cjpys1h", "cjq5upb" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "US citizen here, St. Louis area, but with no law enforcement experience. As far as I can tell, different executive entities cover their jurisdiction, and usually only step into a lower level if asked or needed. For instance,...
[]
[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_States" ]
[ [], [ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Administrative_divisions_of_Germany.svg/1024px-Administrative_divisions_of_Germany.svg.png" ] ]
a4ek9l
During WW2, how did the US and Canada ship people and war supplies across the Atlantic without the boats being sunk by the Germans.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a4ek9l/during_ww2_how_did_the_us_and_canada_ship_people/
{ "a_id": [ "ebhpg5o" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The full answer to this question is *massive.* Historians have written books inn the subject and still not covered everything.\n\nTo give you a brief explanation, the Allied strategy in the Battle of the Atlantic had four prongs: intelligence, th...
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[ [] ]
a84dn7
how does meat left at room temperature spoil so quickly? more importantly, where do these harmful bacteria exist before they get in the meat? are they just hanging around in the air waiting for something to infect?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a84dn7/eli5_how_does_meat_left_at_room_temperature_spoil/
{ "a_id": [ "ec7ucxz", "ec7uip9", "ec7up56", "ec7wzhr", "ec8ilci", "ec9hpci" ], "score": [ 3, 6, 3, 7, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "A few hang around in the air. Many more are on things. Your hands, cutlery, plates, chopping boards etc. ", "Often they are already ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1cu7pc
how did "chips" in the uk get to be known as "french fries" in the states?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1cu7pc/eli5how_did_chips_in_the_uk_get_to_be_known_as/
{ "a_id": [ "c9k0gyb", "c9k0hsg" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Frying strips of potato originated in neither countries, it's likely that both countries adopted the recipe independently thus named them independently. \n\nThomas Jefferson wrote in 1802 of \"potatoes served in the French m...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2ie4or
can i make a citizen's arrest on a police officer?
I would like this question to answer on duty police. Would this become a felony for assaulting a police officer? I would assume that making a citizen's arrest on an off duty officer would be the same a citizen's arrest on a non-officer. Please don't give me any crap about common sense, I'm looking for legal answers and...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ie4or/eli5can_i_make_a_citizens_arrest_on_a_police/
{ "a_id": [ "cl1cx2p", "cl1d0vu", "cl1d2qp", "cl1dmqt", "cl1kpyc" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 4, 11, 2 ], "text": [ "Police officers aren't above the law, they just enforce it. So yes (but I imagine it'd be harder to prove it was justified).", "It depends.\n\nIf they a...
[]
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
1qsmuy
Eggs are a big investment for birds, so why do chickens lay unfertilized eggs? Why don't they 'hold on' to that investment until it's fertilized?
Come to think of it, don't humans do the same thing every month?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1qsmuy/eggs_are_a_big_investment_for_birds_so_why_do/
{ "a_id": [ "cdg544c", "cdg5fvz", "cdg5smd", "cdg66ev" ], "score": [ 15, 30, 227, 211 ], "text": [ "Evolution is a lazy force, and it almost never gets things done at peak efficiency. \n\nSince the chance of laying an unfertilized egg in the wild is pretty low, there's no r...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
34zs6j
Historically speaking, what do the "Freemasons" have to do with "masonry"?
This has always irked me. Did the order of Freemasons evolve from some sort of stoneworking guild, or what? The modern organization doesn't seem to have anything to do with stoneworking or construction or anything related. So how did this happen?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/34zs6j/historically_speaking_what_do_the_freemasons_have/
{ "a_id": [ "cqzo8l4" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "Quite frankly, The connection between practicing medieval stone masons and the modern Masonic fraternity isn't well documented. The best documented link between the fraternity and practicing stone masons can be traced to Scotland during the rule...
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[ [] ]
7mg0c5
If keratin is “waterproof” why does it take so long for hair to dry?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7mg0c5/if_keratin_is_waterproof_why_does_it_take_so_long/
{ "a_id": [ "drtt35d", "drufct7" ], "score": [ 59, 9 ], "text": [ "Water gets trapped between the hairs. There's a large surface area.\n\nEver washed the nylon hair of a My Little Pony in the bath as a child (or a sad adult). Clearly nylon is waterproof, and their tails take a while to dry...
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[ [], [] ]
2m131c
the us involvement in middle east wars "for oil" theory
Now, I take it as sacrosanct fact that the US pretty much has a business/oil/military-industrial complex interest in war making. But, to be honest (and this is somewhat embarrassing) besides weapons makers and politicians/military getting a cut from war expenditures, I do not see how this seemingly unending meddling ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2m131c/eli5_the_us_involvement_in_middle_east_wars_for/
{ "a_id": [ "clzzxau", "cm048mm", "cm05hn7", "cm087ni" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "A common misconception is that the US wants to import oil. In reality the US has enough oil reserves to last for a hundred years. It is therefore more likely that they want control...
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[]
[ [ "http://jah.oxfordjournals.org/content/99/1/208.full" ], [], [], [] ]
6hxw9l
Is there a point where further miniaturization of transistors will no longer be possible and we will hit a stopping point for computers getting more powerful?
Would we just have to go wider at that point or is this something quantum computing would address?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6hxw9l/is_there_a_point_where_further_miniaturization_of/
{ "a_id": [ "dj292y5" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Yes, there certainly is and is one of the main modern-day problems. The thing is we won't eventually reach a limit, we *are* at the limit right now. I believe it is IBM that has already delayed a promissed 10nm transistor for a couple of years al...
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da5ygb
how do fire extinguishers work?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/da5ygb/eli5_how_do_fire_extinguishers_work/
{ "a_id": [ "f1nf8n5", "f1nfaoo", "f1no67j" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Depends on the type of extinguisher.\n\nFire needs three things to work - heat, fuel and oxygen. Since fuel can't really be altered, you can stop a fire by either reducing the heat or removing the oxyg...
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[ [], [], [] ]
57m1aq
How did the Samurai die out or become less important in Japan?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/57m1aq/how_did_the_samurai_die_out_or_become_less/
{ "a_id": [ "d8tet3s" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There was a long period of internal peace in Japan from about the 17th century onward, the Tokugawa shogunate period. During this time Samurai largely transitioned into being bureaucrats, rulers, courtiers, etc. After Japan was forced to end its ...
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[ [] ]
ev16zu
What resources existed in Ancient Egypt that made it so desirable for Greece, Rome, etc. to conquer?
It seems to me somewhat as though Alexander diverted significantly from a path into Southwest Asia into Northeast Africa, and as far as I can tell he wasn't provoked by the Egyptians into war or anything; he chose to attack them. And while Augustus conquered Egypt as a part of defeating his rival Marcus Antonius and b...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ev16zu/what_resources_existed_in_ancient_egypt_that_made/
{ "a_id": [ "ffstb16" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Two things: Ancient Egypt was... ancient. Even in the Archaic and Classical Greek Periods, long before building the Colossus of Rhodes or the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Pyramids had already stood for THOUSANDS of years. There was a sense, i...
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[ [] ]
1ns3ww
Have there been any famous combat soldiers within the past hundred years who were known to be retarded or otherwise mentally disabled?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ns3ww/have_there_been_any_famous_combat_soldiers_within/
{ "a_id": [ "cclhj4t" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Mental disability is a very, very, very broad spectrum. Do you want to narrow it down somewhat?" ] }
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[ [] ]
54y0ma
how are broken ribs mended without surgery?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/54y0ma/eli5_how_are_broken_ribs_mended_without_surgery/
{ "a_id": [ "d85wioj" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "They don't tend to wander so the torso is just bandaged to stay mostly straight and the two ends will naturally heal together. Most of the time a rib is broken but the break is just a crack which remains set already." ] }
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[ [] ]
f1f5sy
Why do neutrons embrittle material?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/f1f5sy/why_do_neutrons_embrittle_material/
{ "a_id": [ "fh77qvq" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "Good question! The short answer is that it damages the crystal structure of metals/ceramics/whatever, causing more errors in the crystal structure, which allow cracks to form more easiy and it breaks.\n\nThe long answer is that it's the same pro...
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[ [] ]
2i8ru5
The economics of slavery in America
It was suggested that I post my questions here. This was the original post: _URL_0_ Although I appreciated all the comments, it did not really answer my questions regarding the economics surrounding slavery in America. Needless to say, we can all agree that slavery was terrible. There is no need to reiterate this fac...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2i8ru5/the_economics_of_slavery_in_america/
{ "a_id": [ "cl06kps", "cl07a3t" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ " > we can all agree that slavery was terrible \n\nUnfortunately, not everyone does agree. There are a fair number of Americans who consider the Confederacy to be \"their team\" and defend every aspect of it. Some push their...
[]
[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2i5sqb/eli5_if_slaves_in_america_were_so_expensive_why/" ]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_(novel\\)", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Revolution" ], [ "https://www.google.ca/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1ASUC_enCA586CA586&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=wrecked+lamborghini&tbm=vid" ] ]
9oaen5
what's the science and psychology behind superhuman strength? e.g. mothers lifting cars to save children etc.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9oaen5/eli5_whats_the_science_and_psychology_behind/
{ "a_id": [ "e7soxm3", "e7sugfl", "e7sy6r0", "e7tl53r" ], "score": [ 2, 9, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "There is no science that really backs it. What little science that has been done pretty much shows there may be a very slight increase as fear or adrenaline ramps up, but as it get...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2439523/", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1195705" ], [], [], [] ]
9olytz
Why do small stars live much longer than big stars?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/9olytz/why_do_small_stars_live_much_longer_than_big_stars/
{ "a_id": [ "e7vep9s", "e7vgnoj", "e7vjaqc", "e7vls16" ], "score": [ 39, 16, 9, 2 ], "text": [ "Bigger stars have more mass → more gravity → higher internal pressure → hotter → burn faster.\n\nMore precisely, [the lifetime of a star on the main sequence scales roughly as M^...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/M/Main+Sequence+Lifetime" ], [], [], [] ]
6brd1y
Historians sometimes talk about World War II as a continuation of World War I. How similarly was the infantry equipped between the two wars?
This question is not referring to the weaponry of the infantry which I understand to be a fair bit different. I am referring to the rest of the equipment such as knives and knapsacks. For the sake of focus please assume the equipment from the end of World War I.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6brd1y/historians_sometimes_talk_about_world_war_ii_as_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dhp3yhf" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "The standard U.S. infantry equipment used during the majority of World War II owes much to developments that occurred before, during, and after World War I.\n\n* The [M1928 haversack and pack carrier](_URL_11_) was a near-exact copy of the [M1910...
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[ [ "http://imgur.com/a/Kd8od", "http://imgur.com/a/nLktn", "http://imgur.com/a/jeN04", "http://imgur.com/a/49MMS", "http://imgur.com/a/WBpqB", "http://imgur.com/a/datnX", "http://imgur.com/a/LjywU", "http://imgur.com/a/GBrlb", "http://imgur.com/a/6Ulch", "http://imgur.com/a/02...
61s7qk
why do people hold each other at gunpoint standoffs for so long? if a bullet travels literally faster than sound a human should have no chance to react, so it would be just whoever fires first right?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/61s7qk/eli5_why_do_people_hold_each_other_at_gunpoint/
{ "a_id": [ "dfgtiwt", "dfgtm8y" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Most people when put in an instant state of shock, such as being shot, have many of the muscles in their body contract. Therefore there is a very high probability that they will shoot you after being shot in such a scenario ...
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[ [], [] ]
189fwd
How is it possible for scientists to predict the properties of the products of a chemical reaction, if they've never dealt with those specific products before?
Sorry if that's confusingly worded. I read occasionally that 'such and such molecule discovered in the lab! scientists had long theorized this exact freaking thing existed...' but how do they know if they've never done it?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/189fwd/how_is_it_possible_for_scientists_to_predict_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c8ctcpp" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "The simple answer to the general question, \"How do we theorize the existence of phenomena before they are observed?\" is that we have constructed mathematical models of how the universe behaves based on other observations. We can plug other num...
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[ [] ]
msm19
Need to understand 'Hedonistic Dissonance'
After playing Meme Invaders while waiting for a reply from r/psychology, I humbly submit this request again [X-Post from r/psychology]. Have been procrastinating by trying to decipher my compulsion to procrastinate. Came across the term Hedonistic dissonance on wikipedia. Request any succint literature, studies or you...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/msm19/need_to_understand_hedonistic_dissonance/
{ "a_id": [ "c33iyxt", "c33iyxt" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Sorry, to be clear, are you not understanding the term itself or are you looking for interesting research on it?", "Sorry, to be clear, are you not understanding the term itself or are you looking for interesting researc...
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[ [], [] ]
edvi7i
What did the followers of the historical Buddha believe of him and his teachings at the time of his death, and how, when, and why did this develop into the view of him as an eternal transcendent super-being centuries later?
I'd also be interested in other 'mahayana' developments beyond the sort of 'low Buddhaology to high Buddhaoloy', and any external influences on this, such as say Hellenism . I understand that this is a massive question, and I'd be happy to get a good answer about any aspect of it. Thanks a lot.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/edvi7i/what_did_the_followers_of_the_historical_buddha/
{ "a_id": [ "fbqc2le" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Questions like \"did the Buddha believe....?\" and \"Did the Buddha's earliest followers believe....\" are always hard to answer because of the fog of time through a long period of oral transmission of the original teachings. A subset of the Bud...
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[ [ "https://www.academia.edu/1368127/Miracles_and_superhuman_powers_in_South_Asian_Buddhist_literature", "https://ocbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/authenticity.pdf" ] ]
cc5yoh
what causes animals to die of old age?
Like why would an otherwise healthy being just die all the sudden? Is death of “natural causes” an actual thing or is it a catchall term for more specific things that just tend to happen as animals get older?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cc5yoh/eli5_what_causes_animals_to_die_of_old_age/
{ "a_id": [ "etkq193", "etlabcr", "etliy76" ], "score": [ 66, 4, 5 ], "text": [ "The cells in your body are constantly replicating themselves and then dying off. Your hair and nails are made of these dead cells (and that's why your hair and nails grow).\n\nHowever, every time a ce...
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[ [], [], [] ]
2zbmn2
why can women have an abortion but the father be forced to play child support
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zbmn2/eli5_why_can_women_have_an_abortion_but_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cphfi8x", "cphfony", "cphfpu4", "cphg48x", "cphg6dh", "cphgg0q" ], "score": [ 9, 3, 2, 17, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "This very problem is a concern that is only just now getting the attention it deserves. There are a growing number of cases where men a...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
f9zgpb
Why didn't the medievals eat their pie crusts?
I understand that back then the pies were often free standing and used as cooking vessels rather than as part of the meal itself. But why was this the case? Did it have to do with pastry crust being considered unfit for all but the poor whom they gave it to as a charity like their soup tranchers? Did non-destitute ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/f9zgpb/why_didnt_the_medievals_eat_their_pie_crusts/
{ "a_id": [ "fiw7lw7" ], "score": [ 28 ], "text": [ "Hi, pre 17th century English food history buff here. I've baked a lot of pastries based on the historical recipes.\n\n\nWe can learn a lot from the ingredients used in pastry recipes.\n\nFor example, here is one of the oldest English coffin (pas...
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[ [] ]
2bl4hk
why does my phone show no reception but when i call someone it appears?
My phone constantly shows "no signal" in the corner but when I try to make a phonecall my reception magically appears and the call connects. Although the call connects, text messages do not send. How is this possible?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bl4hk/eli5_why_does_my_phone_show_no_reception_but_when/
{ "a_id": [ "cj6daop" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There are a bunch of possible reasons\n\n- The software in your phone is badly programmed.\n\n- The measuring mechanism that tells the phone how many bars to display for signal strength is not calibrated to match how much signal strength you actu...
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[ [] ]
1yi62g
Is it possible to conclude that gun ownership rates reduce crime when crime rates can be affected by a variety of different things?
I do not want this to turn into a gun rights/control debate. That's not what I'm asking about.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1yi62g/is_it_possible_to_conclude_that_gun_ownership/
{ "a_id": [ "cflmwe6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "\"Conclude\" is a very strong word to use in a situation like this, but yes, it is possible to gather strong evidence in one direction or another depending on how you luck out with circumstances.\n\nBecause this isn't the kind of situation where ...
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[ [] ]
4p69b5
what are the tiny specks/hairs that can sometimes be seen when closing one's eyes?
Is this just dust on the surface of our eye? Why can we see these if our eyes are closed? EDIT: I'm referring to tiny specks or hairs that can be "seen" floating. Not specks of light.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4p69b5/eli5_what_are_the_tiny_speckshairs_that_can/
{ "a_id": [ "d4icpbp", "d4ivs4t" ], "score": [ 4, 4 ], "text": [ "If you mean the specks of light you can sometimes see when you close your eyes (particularly when pressing or rubbing the eyes), it's called phosphene and is basically the result of the brain being tricked into thinking it's...
[]
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[ [], [] ]
9s5ijb
why is processed meat cheaper than non-processed meat?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9s5ijb/eli5_why_is_processed_meat_cheaper_than/
{ "a_id": [ "e8m7mwd", "e8m7pcb", "e8m7qde", "e8mbe05", "e8mhqii", "e8mmcao" ], "score": [ 18, 13, 3, 4, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "They can use all the garbage bits. Remainders and the like. All the meat that's left when you take all the good cuts out.", "Proce...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2hmfgt
Did Michail Kalaschnikow develop the AK-47 on his own or did he just lead a development team?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2hmfgt/did_michail_kalaschnikow_develop_the_ak47_on_his/
{ "a_id": [ "cku8ew8" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "According to C.J Chivers' The Gun (which is a history of the AK and its impact essentially) it was a bit of both. Kalashnikov certainly had some important input on the design but other members of his design team contibuted/refined some of the AK...
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[ [] ]
60i3kg
does oxidation make oxygen disappear?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/60i3kg/eli5_does_oxidation_make_oxygen_disappear/
{ "a_id": [ "df6jvrj" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Yes and no. In oxidation oxygen reacts with the metal. The oxygen would bond with the metal. So yes in the end you would have less gaseous oxygen, but none of the oxygen atoms would actually disappear. Oxygen only would change the for it is in." ...
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[ [] ]
1er7sg
Questions for a Hundred Years War History Project
Can knighthood be revoked? And if so, for what? What were the prayers before and after meals? If a knight were to be denied execution, how could he earn his life back? Would tea be served at the King's dinner? How would a knight be addressed by the royals? What does a condemned knight need to do to regain his freedom a...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1er7sg/questions_for_a_hundred_years_war_history_project/
{ "a_id": [ "ca31yyt" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "From [the rules](_URL_0_):\n\n > **Is this the right place for your question?**\n\n > Questions should be about what did happen, not what could have happened. Questions of that type should be posted in /r/HistoricalWhatIf.\n\n > **Homework**\n...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules" ] ]
2w48n7
why are a large number of video games, particularly role-playing games, set in medieval setting?
History is full of different time periods, such as ancient civilization, the age of exploration, the revolutionary period, the wild west, etc. Why are the middle ages the setting for a disproportionate number of video games?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2w48n7/eli5_why_are_a_large_number_of_video_games/
{ "a_id": [ "conftoq", "cong810", "conij80" ], "score": [ 8, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "People tend to go with what they're familiar with, and what they grew up with. The earliest popular roleplaying games were tabletops like Dungeons & Dragons, with a smaller percentage set in space and...
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[ [], [], [] ]
5q63v2
how exactly is recycling good for the environment when it almost always requires a source of fuel to break down and re-purpose the materials(in turn creating more air pollution and also requires the excavation of more fossil fuel)?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5q63v2/eli5_how_exactly_is_recycling_good_for_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dcwluyp", "dcwm14y", "dcwm2ok", "dcwmuyi", "dcwnl1l" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "It is less harmful than excavating new material deposits, by far. It's also the fact that if you just throw it out, it has to go to a landfill, which uses up...
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[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.no-burn.org/", "https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-02-18/chinas-green-fence-cleaning-americas-dirty-recycling", "https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/145346/1/16039.pdf", "http://www.cewep.eu/m_1073" ] ]
3hge3b
if big pharmaceutical companies make all these negative effect drugs, they can obviously make ones with excellent side affects. is there any types of medicines that are like this?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3hge3b/eli5if_big_pharmaceutical_companies_make_all/
{ "a_id": [ "cu73u6v", "cu73wc3", "cu743pa", "cu744zc" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I think you have a very distorted view of pharmaceutical companies. The vast majority of drugs have side effects less bad than the disease they treat, especially when you consider ...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
4tnzqm
if all wavelengths of light travel at the same speed, what causes them to rainbow after exiting a glass prism?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4tnzqm/eli5_if_all_wavelengths_of_light_travel_at_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d5it848", "d5iteup", "d5j8lhg" ], "score": [ 12, 4, 5 ], "text": [ "A prism causes light to refract, which is described by the *refractive index* of the material. The refractive index is different for different waves of light, so that rays of different wave-lengths get...
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[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispersion_\\(optics\\)" ], [] ]
2qbvxw
How Frequent were Wolf attacks on Humans in Medieval and Early Modern Europe?
In the modern day and age it is generally agreed that wolves don't attack humans very often. However, I have heard and been taught that one of the major contributing factors to the rise of werewolf myths and general wolf fear in Europe was frequent wolf attacks during the Medieval and Early Modern period. I am as curio...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2qbvxw/how_frequent_were_wolf_attacks_on_humans_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cn4sq59" ], "score": [ 29 ], "text": [ "You're right: There have been thousands of recorded instances from the medieval and early modern periods, with the Beast(s) of Gévaudan being the most prominent example. A decent hypothesis on the decline, especially in light of your observation...
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[ [] ]
2c0rs1
Can someone explain what makes brown dwarfs "stars?" How can a celestial body with a temperature between 225-260 K be classified as a star?
I recently watched a video of the "10 weirdest things in space" and it was kinda silly, but the #1 was a "frozen star," WISE 0855–0714. How can something so cold be considered a star? Since it has a mass below 13 Jupiters it can't fuse deuterium (according to the IAU), so what makes it a star? What makes it a brown dwa...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2c0rs1/can_someone_explain_what_makes_brown_dwarfs_stars/
{ "a_id": [ "cjaxq6o", "cjaybb2", "cjb2sl4" ], "score": [ 2, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "Well some brown dwarfs can sustain some types of fusion, but not the standard Hydrogen-1 (proton-chain) fusion. But the lower end of the Brown dwarf v. gas giant planet range seems to be an open questio...
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[ [], [ "http://astro.berkeley.edu/~gmarcy/astro160/papers/brown_dwarfs_failed_stars.pdf" ], [] ]
dzolh2
how does skin hold in moisture?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dzolh2/eli5_how_does_skin_hold_in_moisture/
{ "a_id": [ "f8ab5yw" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Your skin has several layers which serve multiple purposes. Remember that your skin is an organ so keeing that in mind it has a specialized goal , one of which is retaining a level amount of moisture it does this through tiny pores and epithelial...
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3p1kxk
every time people breathe, why don't they naturally take in the maximum lung capacity, which would be more efficient?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3p1kxk/eli5_every_time_people_breathe_why_dont_they/
{ "a_id": [ "cw2crlo", "cw2e6v2", "cw2h6cu" ], "score": [ 14, 9, 3 ], "text": [ "What makes you think it's more efficient? ", "Actually, it has to do with differences in the matching of air flow and blood flow to different areas of your lung, called ventilation and perfusion, r...
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[ [], [], [] ]
bl0tb9
why do formula 1 cars look the way they do?
F1 cars are known as the "ultimate racing cars". i wonder why, the further up on the racing leagues you go, cars don't look anything like traditional cars at all, and especially why they all look the same at that. i understand the details of aerodynamic wings etc are changed over the years, but why are all of the cars...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bl0tb9/eli5_why_do_formula_1_cars_look_the_way_they_do/
{ "a_id": [ "emkrncl", "emks7ps", "emkss13" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "F1 and other racing leagues have a lot of rules to ensure safety and competitiveness. That tends to lead to the cars eventually all being very similar as there is rarely more than one general body-form ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
ew1tp3
How does the electric field in the salt bridge of an electrochemical cell work?
If an electrochemical cell is hooked up to a resistor, then there is current travelling from one cell to the other and an electric field points in this direction. But, since the electric field is conservative (ignoring the circuit's negligible self-inductance), the electric field across the salt bridge should point in ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ew1tp3/how_does_the_electric_field_in_the_salt_bridge_of/
{ "a_id": [ "fg21l6v" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Let me explain with this [example cell](_URL_0_).\n\nIt is true that the field points to the left in the lamp, and to the right in the salt bridge (with the anions/electrons moving in the opposite directions since they are negatively charged). Bu...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_cell#/media/File:Galvanic_cell_with_no_cation_flow.png" ] ]
334me0
why do we accept plastic surgery in entertainment, but not steroids in organized professional athletics when it's essentially entertainment?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/334me0/eli5_why_do_we_accept_plastic_surgery_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cqhgp4u", "cqhgrxo", "cqhgsmq", "cqhsfsc", "cqhta76", "cqhu6ab", "cqhvx24", "cqi59fj" ], "score": [ 181, 2, 37, 6, 26, 12, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "In a word... Gambling. No one bets on the outcome of a movie. Steroids are an unknown...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
7cpt9p
[Book Request] About Soviet nuclear strategy and nuclear accidents during the Cold War.
I just finished reading Eric Schlosser's Command and Control, which did an awesome job outlining the history of the United States' nuclear arsenal, nuclear accidents, and assumptions the US had about their Soviet counterparts. I was wondering if there is any good companion to this book that could give similar informati...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7cpt9p/book_request_about_soviet_nuclear_strategy_and/
{ "a_id": [ "dprq9kb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "While it remains on my \"To Read\" list, so I cannot personally recommend it per se, [Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters](_URL_0_) by Kate Brown came highly recommended to me from my H...
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[ [ "https://www.amazon.com/Plutopia-Families-American-Plutonium-Disasters/dp/0190233109/" ] ]
6iwc0j
credit reports
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6iwc0j/eli5_credit_reports/
{ "a_id": [ "dj9lfrx", "dj9li4v", "dj9lk5i", "dj9lsky", "dj9lyr4" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "A credit report is a list of all accounts you have and the monthly reporting from those account isuers that you've paid/are in good standing, etc. A credit sc...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
2lpwrt
what happened to myanmar(burma) throughout the 20th century after british rule? how did it go from an emerging nation to one of the most isolated countries in asia?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lpwrt/eli5_what_happened_to_myanmarburma_throughout_the/
{ "a_id": [ "clx1z2s" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Essentially the military seized power, formed a junta and viciously suppressed democracy, leading to diplomatic isolation and trade embargoes.\n\nThey have also engaged in long-running and extremely violent repression of minorities, most notably...
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[ [] ]
2x2x7s
how to "dry wipe" and why it's preferred in your country than using a bidet.
Five seems to be the perfect age to learn this skill. Anyway, I live in a country where using a bidet or using a bucket + hands is more preferred than using toilet paper when it comes to cleaning the butt. I always feel uncomfortable every time I use toilet paper. I also seem to use a lot of toilet paper in the proc...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2x2x7s/eli5_how_to_dry_wipe_and_why_its_preferred_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cowezv9", "cowf85v", "cowfge6", "cowhgz7" ], "score": [ 11, 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Whatever method you grew up with will always feel better and like it gets you cleaner.\n\nYou just wipe until there's not poop on the paper anymore, then you give it one more for ...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
awugbi
Why France and Britain supported Qing in the Taiping rebellion?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/awugbi/why_france_and_britain_supported_qing_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ehrq0kk" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "The decision of France and Britain to join the Taiping War is one of those somewhat out-of-the-blue affairs of the Late Qing period that really requires a bit of digging into. Sadly, I'm not aware of much work done on the French decision to go to...
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eokca7
how do you make money from a currency that's depreciating by exchanging currency.
I was watching a show, spice and Wolf if anyone has seen it understands. Where they use old style silver and gold to make currency. Now the scenario is one country is subtlety decreasing how much silver they put into the coin, so they're currency is becoming weaker, but no one has noticed yet, but in the end the main c...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eokca7/eli5_how_do_you_make_money_from_a_currency_thats/
{ "a_id": [ "fedaavs" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "If he's trading new for old, he'd be trading it for face value but gaining money in raw silver. \n\nWhen nobody notices he can do it easily, but once they realize old currency will technically be worth more because of the silver content.\n\nSince...
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11e2xk
if energy is neither created nor destroyed, what happens when light is pulled into a black hole?
I know that black holes are really dense, and that their density is so great it can pull in light, making it black... but what happens to all this energy when it is pulled into the black hole?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11e2xk/if_energy_is_neither_created_nor_destroyed_what/
{ "a_id": [ "c6ln46w", "c6ln53k", "c6lnzg0", "c6lug2a" ], "score": [ 16, 129, 44, 2 ], "text": [ "It sits in the black hole.", "The energy increases the mass of the black hole, via E=mc^(2). A photon of visible light (at a wavelength of 555 nm), would increase the mass...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1f8pbc
Museum curators of askhistorians, how did you get your job?
I've always been fascinated with human flight and I'd like to get a job restoring airplanes. What training/ subjects should I study in addition to a B.A in History?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1f8pbc/museum_curators_of_askhistorians_how_did_you_get/
{ "a_id": [ "ca7x790", "ca7yuel", "ca80est", "ca80gga" ], "score": [ 8, 4, 5, 4 ], "text": [ "I can't speak to restoring airplanes, but I am an exhibit developer, and I would say that what you study is not anywhere as near important as where you intern and how you can netwo...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
hfns6
Why do we genetically engineer E. Coli instead of other bacteria?
Is it just easier to grow and modify compared to other bacterium?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/hfns6/why_do_we_genetically_engineer_e_coli_instead_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c1v2ko3", "c1v49jd", "c1wa515" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I don't have too much experience with biochemical techniques, but E. coli is pretty easy to grow (the protocol I learned required about 10 hrs of growth), and therefore a good host to do your protein ex...
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[ [], [], [] ]
6dfcsu
how is it that i'm occasionally able to hear sounds miles off in the distance (e.g. trains, motorways) as if they were up close?
I live about three or four miles away from a railway line. I very seldom hear anything, but very occasionally (and usually in the morning) I'll hear a heavy freight train clacking down the tracks as if it's right outside my window. What causes this?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6dfcsu/eli5_how_is_it_that_im_occasionally_able_to_hear/
{ "a_id": [ "di29ldc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The time of day is relevant. \n\nSound is a pressure wave, think of it like a ripple in a lake. The source of the sound is the rock being thrown into the lake, and the ripples are the sound waves. They spread outward and get weaker the further ou...
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3trl8g
why do people fight to prohibit publicly funded research into gun violence*, despite funding research into tobacco, food safety, etc? (see comments)
If the NRA is right that guns don't kill people, but people kill people, then why did they lobby against proving them right? (*My understanding is that the stipulation in the Dickey Amendment was added by the NRA lobby, and that yes, technically you can research it, but you cannot take action on that research... so the...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3trl8g/eli5_why_do_people_fight_to_prohibit_publicly/
{ "a_id": [ "cx8ly2b", "cx8pplw" ], "score": [ 16, 3 ], "text": [ "The problem is that the Executive branch and Justice Department wanted the Centers for Disease Control to try to make a criminal justice issue a health issue.\n\nThe FBI already maintains and provides extensive data about g...
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[ [], [] ]
bvkw4z
Why is the Florida Coast Darkened?
Hi, native Floridian here and new to this page. I was on Google Maps earlier and noticed that the gulf coast between Eastpoint and Homosasa is all blacked-out or much darker than the rest of the coastline. Is this from environmental disaster, deep water, or something else? It just seems so odd that just this one sect...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/bvkw4z/why_is_the_florida_coast_darkened/
{ "a_id": [ "epqptji" ], "score": [ 16 ], "text": [ "Don't trust google maps for things like this. Their images are taken from satellites, but its a massive mosaic stitched together from thousands of individual images, taken at different times, all in the hopes of capturing cloudless days.\n\nIts ...
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6dm98g
Is there a significant correlation between general body size and anus size?
I know that some body features are correlated with others to some amount (eg foot size and height). I was wondering if any research into correlations with the anus has been done. Perhaps a more concrete question would be "Would it be possible to make a prediction of body type (height, weight, gender) based on the rad...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6dm98g/is_there_a_significant_correlation_between/
{ "a_id": [ "di57pj9" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Didn't think I'd be answering something like that today.\nFor the title question, I don't think there is no.\nAnd for the prediction question - almost definitely not.\n\nThe anus is made of soft tissue, which doesn't always scale with size. Of co...
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[ [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27505121", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1389654", "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2288793/" ] ]
20v761
what is happening under the hood my car that makes it "go" when i press the gas pedal?
Sorry if that's confusing. I'm basically looking for a simple explanation of how an automobile works. How does putting gas in the gas tank, turning the ignition and pressing the accelerate pedal make the car actually "go" forward, in an explanation for someone who knows nothing about cars?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20v761/eli5_what_is_happening_under_the_hood_my_car_that/
{ "a_id": [ "cg71o0b", "cg72n64" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Basically controlled explosions. Each car had a certain amount of cylinders ( v6 v8 4 banger etc) that's what people mean when they say that. In each cylinder their is a piston connected to a shaft (crank shaft). Fuel and a...
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audphf
how do astronomers calculate distance through redshift?
So Hubbles Law. I get that observing light from distant stars seen though a spectroscopy can detect a redshift (or blueshift) to indicate if an object is moving towards or away from us. What I cant seem to wrap my head around is how an astronomer can say “the redshift indicates the star is X lightyears away”. What calc...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/audphf/eli5_how_do_astronomers_calculate_distance/
{ "a_id": [ "eh7h5q3", "eh7hzlk" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Redshift does not directly indicate the distance but only the relative velocity. Basically, you can calculate what light a star should be sending, based on its mass and you know what you received. The difference in the wavel...
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[ [], [] ]
3ut5ke
how did whaling work in the age of sail? why couldn't the whales easily escape?
It seems like the whalers could only see where the whale is if it was close to the surface. Whales are pretty smart - why couldn't they just dive and swim in a random direction?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ut5ke/eli5_how_did_whaling_work_in_the_age_of_sail_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cxhllur", "cxhrkkz" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Whales were much more numerous, for starters. Spotting a whale wasn't a rare occurrence. They traveled in great huge pods and were unafraid of men, so it was easier to harpoon one than you might imagine. Later, whaling ships...
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[ [], [] ]
1kx7ws
What were an antebellum Southern slaveholder's most costly investments in his slave "stock?" What kind of agricultural realities made this investment viable?
I've been thinking about slavery as an economic system, and how slaves were often considered pretty large investments for a farmer/ plantation owner. So what made up the bulk of this price? Upfront costs? Shelter? Food? I know some slaves kept their own gardens on what little time they had, but I don't remember where I...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1kx7ws/what_were_an_antebellum_southern_slaveholders/
{ "a_id": [ "cbttb61", "cbtynwl" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Slaves were a large investment. The average price of a prime male field hand 20 years old in the decade 1840-1850 was $950 (in 1850 $). (Source: Alfred H. Conrad, John R. Meyer, “The Economics of Slavery in the Ante Bellum...
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[ [ "http://www.measuringworth.com/slavery.php" ], [] ]
10p8cm
why is dog "man's best friend?"
My dog means the world to me and every dog-owner I know feels the same way. Even people without dogs love to pet and play with them. What is it about dogs that makes us as humans so compatible with them?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/10p8cm/eli5_why_is_dog_mans_best_friend/
{ "a_id": [ "c6ffl6u" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Dogs were really the first animal that man domesticated. Before cattle and other animals for food and work, we domesticated the wolf to be hunting partners! Since we've been selecting which wolves we like best for their depositions for such an ex...
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16kfp9
How does the current pollution levels in Beijing compare to the height of pollution in London during the Industrial Revolution?
In reference to [this article](_URL_0_) currently on the front page.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/16kfp9/how_does_the_current_pollution_levels_in_beijing/
{ "a_id": [ "c7wyrrx", "c7x1335", "c7x3th9", "c7x647i", "c7x7xq1" ], "score": [ 8, 23, 7, 36, 14 ], "text": [ "I can't find any actual numbers on pollution in London during the 1800s. I don't think that we took measurements at that point. The current levels in Bei...
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[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/16k539/in_chinas_capital_theyre_calling_it_the/" ]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0004698177900919", "http://books.google.com/books?id=bTKGdPwzYCwC" ], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/16kfp9/how_does_the_current_pollution_levels_in_beijing/c7wzxk3", "http://cgirs.ucsc.edu/conferences/smoke...
3d5zh7
What is the coldest temperature you can drink something without harm?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3d5zh7/what_is_the_coldest_temperature_you_can_drink/
{ "a_id": [ "ct28fbx" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "It depends what you are drinking. Honestly, most substances that would stay liquid at temperatures below -30C are probably going to be dangerous to consume at any temperature. There have been specious cases of people who have died drinking super-...
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2o9hg5
why do i love sleeping so damn much?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2o9hg5/eli5_why_do_i_love_sleeping_so_damn_much/
{ "a_id": [ "cmkzqn4", "cml0soz" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "It's possible that you're not sleeping enough, or that you're experiencing low-quality sleep.\n\nNormal stages of sleep: _URL_0_\n\nIf any of these stages are interrupted in any way, you may wake up feeling listless or physi...
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[ [ "http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-101" ], [] ]
6oha7a
why do some english professions have variations for both genders such as "actor/actress" but most don't?
Actor/Actress; Steward/Stewardess Doctor; Nurse; Teacher; Driver; etc. I tried looking up origins for doctor and actor but both come from latin. Does it have to do something with the fact that females weren't, for instance, doctors in past?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6oha7a/eli5_why_do_some_english_professions_have/
{ "a_id": [ "dkhc1ma", "dkhfhft", "dkhsmx0" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "A lot of it depends on when it opened up to allow women (or men) to work the job. But this is not a hard set rule as there are few hard set rules in language. \n\nActing opened up to women in the 1600s....
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[ [], [ "http://www.websters1913.com/words/Doctoress" ], [] ]
1krztv
lebanon and hezbollah? pakistan and taliban? how these political situations work and how they came to be like this? (other examples?)
Hi there, my deepest apologies if this indeed turned out to be a repost, I looked through the search bar for ELI5 explanations to both of these situations however I could not find answers to either of them. So basically I am curious as to how the Lebanese and Pakistani governments are able to co-exist with groups su...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1krztv/eli5_lebanon_and_hezbollah_pakistan_and_taliban/
{ "a_id": [ "cbs0uas", "cbs45bc" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Lets start off with Lebanon, because I *know* how that works.\n\nHezbollah is a political party in Lebanon. Lebanon has a parliamentary system that isn't like the American one. They literally do share some portion of the p...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Lebanon", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_system" ], [] ]
lpxdi
body temperature
I was thinking, why do we need and have a body temperature? And why is it subject to just being 98.6? Why couldn't we have something higher or lower? This just popped into my head one day and I couldn't help but wonder about it.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/lpxdi/eli5_body_temperature/
{ "a_id": [ "c2unwub", "c2unwub" ], "score": [ 5, 5 ], "text": [ "The specific temperature naturally evolved this way.\n\nThe higher the temperature, the faster we can move/the faster we can burn calories to do tasks/the better we can fight infections/the more energy we have.\n\nAt the sam...
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[ [], [] ]
2glwbe
Is there a relation between the economic status or education of a person and how strong their accent is?
I am talking about native speakers, because foreign people whom had to learn english as second language is more common that their english is accented, but even between them there are many who learn english so well with neutral or very low accent. I've noticed in most cases the people that have the strongest accents ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2glwbe/is_there_a_relation_between_the_economic_status/
{ "a_id": [ "ckkezjd" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "What's actually happening isn't that one group has an accent and the other doesn't; it's that both groups have an accent, but one of those is elevated as a \"normal\" dialect.\n\nSocial separation/isolation leads to linguistic separation. For yo...
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