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3bq5zy
if the shortest distance between two points is a straight line between them, then why do airplane trajectories appear curved when view on a screen ? does the earth's curvature make it appear this way or do other factors play in on this ?
ELI5: If the shortest distance between two points is a straight line between them, then why do airplane trajectories appear curved when viewed on a screen ? Does the earth's curvature make it appear this way or do other factors play in on this ?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3bq5zy/eli5_if_the_shortest_distance_between_two_points/
{ "a_id": [ "csogcnv", "csogjtl" ], "score": [ 3, 5 ], "text": [ "The easiest way to answer this question is with a globe and a piece of string. Get both and see what happens.", "Sometimes it does just appear they are curved. Such as going across the pond, it looks more curved because...
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[ [], [] ]
4vleaj
are we sure all elements heavier than iron are made in supernovae?
I was watching a show on high energy physics, and I realized we build particle accelerators to simulate cosmic rays basically... Now, we make artificial elements like Californium by bombarding a relatively large nucleus with smaller ones hoping that some stick together long enough to measure Wouldn't the same proces...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4vleaj/are_we_sure_all_elements_heavier_than_iron_are/
{ "a_id": [ "d5zevek", "d611963" ], "score": [ 7, 2 ], "text": [ "Whilst not a direct answer to your question, it is worth noting that the claim that all heavy elements are made in supernovae is wrong. See [this answer from our FAQ](_URL_0_) for some in-depth details on the main sources of...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1l99tx/how_did_elements_heavier_than_iron_form_given/" ], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1l99tx/how_did_elements_heavier_than_iron_form_given/cbx18lh", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B2FH_paper" ] ]
1rftay
Did sailors/pirates really walk bare foot on wooden ships? Wouldn't they get stubbed toe's and splinters very fast, especially after and during battles?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1rftay/did_sailorspirates_really_walk_bare_foot_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cdmvagd", "cdmx447" ], "score": [ 139, 578 ], "text": [ "Shoes were expensive, and sailors were supplying their own clothing. In the British Royal Navy sailors had pay deducted even for canvas pants. So there was a real incentive to keep shoes for special occasions (such as ex...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
1rzsis
Seattle set decibel record. Why are multiple people louder than a single person?
Last night (December 2nd) [Seattle took back the Guinness World Record](_URL_0_) for crowd decibel level. What makes a group of people louder the more individuals contained in that group? Is there a limit to how loud a crowd can get given no limit to the number of individuals?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1rzsis/seattle_set_decibel_record_why_are_multiple/
{ "a_id": [ "cdsln1v" ], "score": [ 68 ], "text": [ "Because sound waves obey the [superposition principle](_URL_0_). Two waves are added on top of each other to produce a new wave with a larger or smaller amplitude. In the case of uncorrelated waves, the spatial average of this effect is that the...
[]
[ "http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/seahawks-back-guinness-world-record-crowd-noise-137-030804215--nfl.html" ]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superposition_principle", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor" ] ]
3998rk
what happens when a ski lift breaks down? how does everyone get off safely?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3998rk/eli5_what_happens_when_a_ski_lift_breaks_down_how/
{ "a_id": [ "cs1gvx8" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Well when it happened to me, we just sat there annoyed until it was fixed. But a ski lift is essentially a giant conveyor belt, so there's probably a way to rotate it mechanically without power. " ] }
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[ [] ]
tboho
What happens to a frictionless pendulum that is set swinging in a vacuum?
My flatmate and i have been discussing (arguing) this for some time and all google results seem to conflict each other. So, would the pendulum come a vertical rest or swing indefinitely? Note, I understand the idea of a frictionless pendulum is laughable...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tboho/what_happens_to_a_frictionless_pendulum_that_is/
{ "a_id": [ "c4l884z", "c4l8cuk", "c4l8ulq", "c4l93yn" ], "score": [ 15, 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "If it's actually frictionless, it will oscillate into eternity.", "Given no force acts on the pendulum, it will continue to oscillate forever. \nAs it swings back and forth, ...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1s6x2h
The form of astrology seen in present-day newspapers was invented in 1930, but "astrology" in general is much older than this. What was astrology like in Europe in 1900? In 1500?
The form of astrology seen in most daily papers today was invented in August of 1930 by Englishman R H Naylor. He wrote a horoscope for Princess Margaret to celebrate her birth; it was published in the *Sunday Express* and garnered so much interest that Naylor started writing a regular column for the public. His method...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1s6x2h/the_form_of_astrology_seen_in_presentday/
{ "a_id": [ "cdujqe4", "cduzh8c" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Well, I can't tell you what day-to-day astrology was like for the average person, but I can tell you *something* about astrology in the 17th century. [This](_URL_0_) is a nocturnal. Basically, you can use it to tell you wha...
[]
[ "http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/196242/Horoscopes-Tales-of-the-expected" ]
[ [ "http://nautarch.tamu.edu/cmac/reports/report2/images/image303.jpg" ], [] ]
7fdmdk
how do tv commercials work?
Is there a guy in a room somewhere picking them? Why do some only last a split second? Why are there sometimes 2 or three in the same break? How is the length normally set? Who picks them ? Etc
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7fdmdk/elif_how_do_tv_commercials_work/
{ "a_id": [ "dqb5fsy", "dqb5icc" ], "score": [ 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Basically companies pay the channels to place their ads. However (I don't know the exact rates) but the cost is dependent on the length of your ad, and the time it shows. So an ad that runs at a time where the channel genera...
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[ [], [] ]
229wwk
What exactly happened in Waco in 1993? Why was the incident so controversial?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/229wwk/what_exactly_happened_in_waco_in_1993_why_was_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cgl6gd0" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It was a government raid that ended up with many civilian deaths including women (some pregnant) and children. The ATF and FBI were heavily armed with military equipment (Helicopters, tanks, .50 caliber sniper rifles) and it seemed to some people...
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[ [] ]
225qxr
Why were the Jim Crow laws named after "Jim Crow"?
title
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/225qxr/why_were_the_jim_crow_laws_named_after_jim_crow/
{ "a_id": [ "cgjn3z0" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "The term \"Jim Crow\" originated from minstrel shows from the 19th century that featured blackface comedy. A song called \"Jim Crow\" was written by Thomas Darthmouth Rice, who was a struggling actor who became extremely popular through the simp...
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[ [] ]
6h29vb
Why are such a high percentage of Taiwanese Aborigines Christian (~70%) compared to Taiwan in general (~4%)?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6h29vb/why_are_such_a_high_percentage_of_taiwanese/
{ "a_id": [ "divwxix" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "[This Chinese language article from Fu-jen University on the history of missionary work in Taiwan](_URL_0_) answers the question well. I'll list the main points of the article below.\n\nMissionary work in Taiwan began as early as the 16th centur...
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[]
[ [ "http://scholar.fju.edu.tw/%E8%AA%B2%E7%A8%8B%E5%A4%A7%E7%B6%B1/upload/037680/content/981/G-9050-17693-.doc" ] ]
7c5uaa
; does fibromyalgia really have a cure?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7c5uaa/eli5_does_fibromyalgia_really_have_a_cure/
{ "a_id": [ "dpneptm", "dpneqbg", "dpnexgb" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "[Disciplinary Actions against Michael Platt, M.D. \n](_URL_0_)\n\nHe isn't a doctor anymore due to \"negligence, incompetence, and inadequate record-keeping\". So I'm just going to disregard his \"alter...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.casewatch.org/board/med/platt/complaint.shtml" ], [], [] ]
7afy8x
Why were early probes - namely Pioneers 10 and 11, Voyagers 1 and 2, as well as the more recent New Horizons - not placed in an orbit around their target bodies and instead performed only a fly-by?
I can understand the the desire for an interstellar mission or two passing through the solar system first, but why did NASA officials not want to use those probes around Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in the same way that Juno is to Jupiter and Cassini was to Saturn? If I had to venture a guess, I would guess that either ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7afy8x/why_were_early_probes_namely_pioneers_10_and_11/
{ "a_id": [ "dpa1ova", "dpa1qzl", "dpa56hw", "dpafsj4" ], "score": [ 4, 6, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "At that distance, you have to worry about how much fuel you would have to bring to execute a parking maneuver as you mentioned, but also how much power you are going to have. Solar...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
jjwwu
why did they use biplanes then switch to monoplanes?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/jjwwu/eli5_why_did_they_use_biplanes_then_switch_to/
{ "a_id": [ "c2cq1h5", "c2cq2hf", "c2cr2rc", "c2cq1h5", "c2cq2hf", "c2cr2rc" ], "score": [ 8, 2, 2, 8, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Biplanes had double the wing span and therefore had (almost) double the lift. However, they also had a lot more drag (wind resistance). ...
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[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantilever#Aircraft" ], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantilever#Aircraft" ], [] ]
28kv32
Why did they put coins on the eyes of the dead in the old west?
You see this in movies and westerns. After the gunfight, the town coroner will prop the body upright in an open casket and put coins on the eyes. Did this actually happen and if so what purpose did it serve?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/28kv32/why_did_they_put_coins_on_the_eyes_of_the_dead_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cibw5ll" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "There are a lot of websites on this but none is definitive; [this one is of interest](_URL_0_). In general, we can say that the practice is widespread, functionally, as a means to keep the eyelids from snapping open after death. The coins are oft...
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[ [ "http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=441848" ] ]
en1kmh
Do ripples travel slower upstream?
If I throw a rock into a calm-surfaced stream, will I see a Doppler effect in the waves produced? Will the waves going upstream move slower than the ones going downstream (and cross-stream ones)?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/en1kmh/do_ripples_travel_slower_upstream/
{ "a_id": [ "fdz3006" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It works like you would expect. Water and sound waves propagate through a medium as atoms collide with atoms.\n\nTry the same things with light or radio waves and [you'll get some famously strange results.](_URL_0_)" ] }
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelson-Morley_experiment" ] ]
2oc1zw
how come when we first mishear a lyric, it is so engrained in our minds, but once we read the correct lyric the connection is completely lost and we can't hear what we originally thought.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2oc1zw/eli5_how_come_when_we_first_mishear_a_lyric_it_is/
{ "a_id": [ "cmlrdm9", "cmltprg" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I'd really like an answer to this. I have many examples of this:\n\n\"I'm balls-deep in muddy water,\" is probably my favorite.", "Human brains try to make sense of chaos, and are highly suggestible. But once shown what ...
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[ [], [ "www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca6k7i8p9Oo" ] ]
3p1eee
why are dogs not intimidated when a human snarls and shows their teeth?
When one of my dogs annoys the other dog, the other dog shows its teeth and growls to show him that she means business. Yet when my son imitates the same thing, the dogs don't seem to care and just look as happy as always. Why does the teeth bearing and growling not seem to "work" in this instance? (Edit/Note: Chi...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3p1eee/eli5_why_are_dogs_not_intimidated_when_a_human/
{ "a_id": [ "cw2b1jh", "cw2bv9t", "cw2f7gn", "cw2fi5g", "cw2fogo", "cw2gakn", "cw2gff1", "cw2hq6o", "cw2l1ht", "cw2lehd", "cw2lmjm", "cw2lnmf", "cw2lx6j", "cw2m6ou", "cw2mbb6", "cw2mqck", "cw2mr4p", "cw2n1a7", "cw2n270", "cw2n7yr", "c...
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[ [], [ "http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_12/features/Alpha-Dogs_20416-1.html" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], ...
12rk18
DAK of any quality sources/information regarding the reasons for the Vandal migration out of Europe and into North Africa?
According to Procopius the Vandals came to Africa on invitation by Bonifacius, however just about all the articles I'm finding agree that this is false. Also according to Wikipedia (sorry, I know) the Vandals were harassed by a Roman legion in 422 that caused their migration to Africa. Also if there are any superb sour...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/12rk18/dak_of_any_quality_sourcesinformation_regarding/
{ "a_id": [ "c6xotby" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The Vandals are an extremely interesting topic, but they are basically now in the process of a scholarly reassessment, so I don't think there are any good popular press works that deal solely with them that aren't entirely outdated. However, you ...
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[ [] ]
3ri33x
Exactly how heavily were the Japanese influenced by China?
I know that the Japanese eventually adopted the Chinese system of writing, but my professor mentioned that they were influenced by the Chinese in many different ways. I'd always thought the Japnese had a pretty distinct society compared to the Chinese. Can someone elaborate?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ri33x/exactly_how_heavily_were_the_japanese_influenced/
{ "a_id": [ "cwo8ule", "cwo9hei", "cwo9lwv" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 13 ], "text": [ "Part of it is that the Japanese didn't just see the Chinese system and think it looked good; adopting Chinese writing meant they adopted the Chinese Classics, which meant importing Confucianism and its...
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[ [], [], [] ]
2vclw2
Has skepticism towards scientific discoveries always been present in societies, or has it changed over time?
This is a question that I've found very interesting, and has implications with current affairs and what feels like a big rise in public skepticism in the internet age. However my minimal knowledge is also aware of religious objection to discoveries in Astronomy and Evolution for example. Has any work been done on inve...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2vclw2/has_skepticism_towards_scientific_discoveries/
{ "a_id": [ "cohn2aa" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I'll answer them one at a time.\n\n > Has skepticism towards scientific discoveries always been present in societies, or has it changed over time?\n\nOne could argue that popular opinion towards scientific discoveries has shifted away from suspi...
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[ [] ]
ys6ma
why don't developed countries make their own clothing without child labour?
I noticed that a few of my shirts say "made in Mexico," and you just know child labour was involved at some point. So my question is, why don't we (North America) just buy the materials and fabrics from those countries and make our own clothes without resorting to child labour? I'd be shocked if we didn't have the fact...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ys6ma/why_dont_developed_countries_make_their_own/
{ "a_id": [ "c5yc0yg", "c5yc3n9" ], "score": [ 14, 9 ], "text": [ "Because it's cheaper to have it made in other countries.", "Its not the technology; remember, much of that technology was invented here in the US. Plain and simple, a shirt (and just about anything) from Mexico, Thailan...
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[ [], [] ]
20hdkp
if the probability of landing on any one space on a monopoly board is equal, why do people land on boardwalk much much less frequently?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20hdkp/eli5_if_the_probability_of_landing_on_any_one/
{ "a_id": [ "cg38a0f", "cg38bj0", "cg38p4u", "cg391ab", "cg3bu6q" ], "score": [ 9, 3, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Probability of landing on any one space in monopoly isn't equal at all. \n\nThere are actually a lot of studies on the subject. Given dice roll rules, cards a...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
5igbn1
why are sounds less annoying for those making them?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5igbn1/eli5_why_are_sounds_less_annoying_for_those/
{ "a_id": [ "db7zecs", "db806yn", "db839uh" ], "score": [ 3, 13, 5 ], "text": [ "Are they? I'm not convinced. I'm guessing a person is very annoyed but wants others to be annoyed so that motivation to continue is enough. Decades ago in my high school there were fundraiser attempts ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
5zeact
why do humans seek privacy when performing sexual acts?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5zeact/eli5_why_do_humans_seek_privacy_when_performing/
{ "a_id": [ "dexemmx", "dexfm1u" ], "score": [ 9, 27 ], "text": [ "You are more vulnerable when having sex, you want to be somewhere you don't want to be interrupted or surprised. \n\nAlso, humans for the most part pair bond. Making sex a private matter enhances this bond.\n\nFinally, pr...
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[ [], [] ]
3ahpe4
how do dictators actually make their money?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ahpe4/eli5how_do_dictators_actually_make_their_money/
{ "a_id": [ "cscqd7d", "cscqdrn", "cscsmn1" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "They don't. They take it. They're the government, they tax the people and decide how the taxes are spent (and how much), including their salary.", "By owning businesses, trading capital and goods,...
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[ [], [], [] ]
1ocve3
Who was the wisest man before Socrates?
More specifically, before Socrates was born; who did the Greeks thought to have been the greatest sage?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ocve3/who_was_the_wisest_man_before_socrates/
{ "a_id": [ "ccqu04t" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Thales of Miletus - many, most notably Aristotle, regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition. According to Bertrand Russell, \"Western philosophy begins with Thales.\"" ] }
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[ [] ]
63p6k8
Why is Andrew Jackson so low in the presidential rankings this year?
Ever since I've learned about him in 8th grade, all my American history teachers stressed that he's a great president due to how much he expanded executive power. I asked my APUSH teacher about earlier this year and he said with confidence that Andrew Jackson was one of the top 10 presidents (he checks the CSpan rankin...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/63p6k8/why_is_andrew_jackson_so_low_in_the_presidential/
{ "a_id": [ "dg3nd87" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "in addition to my post see this post before the 2017 rankings came out featuring great comments by /u/Irishfafnir and /u/DBHT14\n\n_URL_0_" ] }
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4fu543/historians_in_polls_have_consistently_ranked/" ] ]
o16rg
Question about the big bang and dark matter/energy.
I read on wikipedia that the Big Bang started with an extremely hot and dense state. Given the new understandings of dark matter and dark energy that seems to give the universe a total energy of zero, does this require that the initial state was still extremely hot and dense or could the initial state be an unstable, c...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/o16rg/question_about_the_big_bang_and_dark_matterenergy/
{ "a_id": [ "c3dk387" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Dark matter and dark energy are not 'negative matter' or 'negative energy'. The energy content of the universe is not necessarily zero." ] }
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77cdvv
what protects journalists from being interrogated by the government for information on illegal activity?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/77cdvv/eli5_what_protects_journalists_from_being/
{ "a_id": [ "dokqsxk", "dokqzur", "dokrrj4" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Some jurisdictions have specific journalist shield laws that allow a journalist to claim privilege over the sources of information. Some law enforcement agencies, for free speech reasons, have official...
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[ [], [], [] ]
96oiec
why concrete roads (and sidewalks) have seams but asphalt is laid in a seamless stretch?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/96oiec/eli5_why_concrete_roads_and_sidewalks_have_seams/
{ "a_id": [ "e41zjlf", "e41zr4x", "e424uen", "e428ho9", "e42dnpd", "e42dqx0", "e42fdsk", "e42i5ch", "e42iunb" ], "score": [ 549, 16, 8, 7, 114, 14, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because asphalt is bendy and stretchy, elastic, so thermal expan...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
22p3xo
How powerful was the Venetian navy around the turn of the 16th Century, and how was it organized?
I know that they were in fierce competition with the Ottomans over control of the Eastern Mediterranean, but I can't seem to find anything concrete about the size, composition, or organization of Venice's war fleet.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/22p3xo/how_powerful_was_the_venetian_navy_around_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cgpewio" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "While I cannot answer your question, I can offer some great further reading. \"City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled The Seas\" written by Mediterranean scholar Roger Crowley is a good book that discusses the history of Venice, and other subjects suc...
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[ [] ]
8frwv8
Can I get an explanation for a case that a friend claims exemplifies a link between vaccines and autism?
I want to preface this first by saying I'm not an anti-vaxxer, and I believe that they represent ignorance and a genuine threat to public health. Rather, this is about a close friend of mine with an autistic brother who claims vaccination is to blame. The story she gives is as follows: She says her brother was "normal...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8frwv8/can_i_get_an_explanation_for_a_case_that_a_friend/
{ "a_id": [ "dy65wlb", "dy66v5r", "dy672g4", "dy67t3w", "dy6c4y1", "dy6e4jh", "dy7jyr0" ], "score": [ 24, 14, 5, 3, 12, 6, 4 ], "text": [ " > He later got his vaccinations, which she claims coincided with a sharp fever, requiring hospitalization, aft...
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[ [ "https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/faq" ], [], [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223375/?report=reader", "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/am-i-right/201307/your-memory-isnt-what-you-think-it-is" ], [], [], [], [] ]
7fvxaz
If Italy didn’t exist as a unified state until 1861, and each region had its own language, what exactly is the Italian language then? Is it an amalgamation of every regions languages? Or was Italian spoken in one part of the peninsula and then spread and declared the official language?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7fvxaz/if_italy_didnt_exist_as_a_unified_state_until/
{ "a_id": [ "dqetbz7" ], "score": [ 58 ], "text": [ "Although there was no single Italian state, there was nonetheless a long back-and-forth between Italian intellectuals on the *miglior lingua*, or \"Better Language.\" I actually wrote [this answer](_URL_0_) about a month ago explaining how Moder...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/74vp2q/how_did_the_tuscan_dialect_develop_into_the_basis/do2g6bs/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7alpb1/were_local_vernacular_dialectslanguages_of_italy/" ] ]
bim3pz
why do you tend go to sleep later at night when you’ve taken a nap in the day? how does your body know that you’ve taken a nap and why does it take it into account?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bim3pz/eli5_why_do_you_tend_go_to_sleep_later_at_night/
{ "a_id": [ "em1kuhq" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "Think of an hour glass that slowly fills with sand.\n\nYour body has chemicals that act the same way, slowly building up within your body...akin to sand slowly building up in an hour class.\n\nAs more \"sand\" builds up, the more tired you becom...
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[]
[ [] ]
2u42mh
why do products sold on infomercials require four to six weeks for delivery?
Can't most businesses process an order in a day or two, and does it really take more than a week or so to send something anywhere on the planet?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2u42mh/eli5_why_do_products_sold_on_infomercials_require/
{ "a_id": [ "co4x14k", "co4x202", "co4x45w", "co4zq1t", "co50xln" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The 4-6 weeks gives the seller time to manufacture or buy as many units as are sold in any given period. This cuts down on cost, as inventory doesn't have to ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
by882h
how do sea captains "fight" a storm?
On shows like Deadliest Catch, when there's a storm, the captain is showing struggling to keep the ship afloat and (I assume) in the same position. What is he actually doing at the controls to make this happen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/by882h/eli5_how_do_sea_captains_fight_a_storm/
{ "a_id": [ "eqef7d9", "eqfmec7", "eqfvuvq", "eqfyroz" ], "score": [ 49, 19, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "There are a few strategies. Usually they revolve around keeping the bow (front) of the ship pointed toward the waves. A wave on the side can much more easily roll the boat. If yo...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
8jwrb1
is it standard practice for manufacturers to retain one copy of every product made for archival? and if yes, how is this managed, especially for technology products that change quite frequently?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8jwrb1/eli5_is_it_standard_practice_for_manufacturers_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dz32pho", "dz34aon" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Not really, but it depends on the product (food for example, bakeries don't keep a box of 20 year old cookies). I'd say most companies build a product and then ensure they have sufficient quantities of spares on hand. What s...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
f6vjx
Self: Question about the International Space Station
If one were to attach engines, would it be able to handle the thrust and torque necessary to achieve a Hohmann transfer orbit (or an approximation of one) that would bring it to the moon? I've been reading a story in which this is done. Maybe send it to Mars? It seems like it has been over-engineered, and I wonder if i...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/f6vjx/self_question_about_the_international_space/
{ "a_id": [ "c1dq76m", "c1dqacg", "c1dqd7q", "c1dqjdl" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 7, 3 ], "text": [ "I would imagine that such a thing is possible, but not very feasible. Something that is designed from the ground up would probably be cheaper, so there isn't any reason to do it th...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
123nfd
Is it possible for you to burn in direct sunlight while in space?
Most movies seem to depict people being jettisoned from a space-craft and then freeze. If you were in space directly facing a star, how close to it would you have to be in order to burn? Alternatively: would it be possible to be the correct distance away to only feel warm? (Aside from being torn up by the vacuum of sp...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/123nfd/is_it_possible_for_you_to_burn_in_direct_sunlight/
{ "a_id": [ "c6rxfkb" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It depends on what you mean exactly by \"burn.\"\n\nIf you mean get a sunburn, i.e. skin damage (possibly severe) arising from radiation damage to the skin, then yes, of course. Indeed, with no atmosphere or ozone to mitigate the radiation, you'...
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[]
[ [] ]
52ufau
Why was the Canadian Army chosen to liberate the Netherlands in WWII?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/52ufau/why_was_the_canadian_army_chosen_to_liberate_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d7nx8lj" ], "score": [ 54 ], "text": [ "Largely due to logistics and location. They weren't so much chosen to liberate the Netherlands, as their position in the line, made them the ones to do it.\n\nBasically since the capture of Caen the Canadians held the position of the left flank ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Persuit_to_the_West_Wall.jpg", "http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/CA/Victory/maps/Victory-12.jpg" ] ]
2q6kkv
how can any style be considered "modern" (like modern architecture)? wouldn't any style be considered modern during its time?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2q6kkv/eli5_how_can_any_style_be_considered_modern_like/
{ "a_id": [ "cn3bcys" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "There is \"modern\" meaning contemporary and then \"[Modernism](_URL_0_)\" (or Modern) with a capital M referring to a specific artistic movement in the early to mid 1900s" ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernism" ] ]
18ryfn
Is energy "real" in the same way matter is "real", or is it simply a bookkeeping device?
I've read somewhere that energy is an invention of physicists used for certain "accounting" purposes... is this true, and if so, can you elaborate on it?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/18ryfn/is_energy_real_in_the_same_way_matter_is_real_or/
{ "a_id": [ "c8hfs9g", "c8hfv5x", "c8hfzvq", "c8hg6vg" ], "score": [ 11, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Energy is a quantity that is conserved in systems that are time-invariant. This comes rigorously from Noether's theorem. I don't know if that meets your definition of real. You ca...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
4yrhcf
how do security arrangements work when heads of state travel to foreign countries?
Do they just ship the leader off and say "keep him safe for us"?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4yrhcf/eli5_how_do_security_arrangements_work_when_heads/
{ "a_id": [ "d6pvhv6", "d6pvm2v" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "There has to be cooperation between the security groups of both countries. On the one hand, the visiting government has to trust that the host will provide adequate general security. On the other hand, the host has to be wil...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
ceofu3
Has anyone ever observed a star go out in real time?
This is kind of a silly question, you’re on earth, looking at the stars, and suddenly a star you’re looking at blinks and disappears after the light from its last moments reaches you. Has that ever happened?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ceofu3/has_anyone_ever_observed_a_star_go_out_in_real/
{ "a_id": [ "eu6cq3c", "eu7v28f" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "I am not sure that we can really catch the \"last light\" from a star, because stars do not disappear all of the sudden. Most stars evolve to become white dwarfs and then fade over a timescale longer than the age of the Univ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://arxiv.org/abs/1609.01283" ], [] ]
1rvoi6
In Ancient Greece, how were the Greek Myths passed from one generation to the next?
Googling results in many Greek myths, not so much about retellings.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1rvoi6/in_ancient_greece_how_were_the_greek_myths_passed/
{ "a_id": [ "cdrkbd7" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Well, aside from the literary ways (such as Homer, or Hesiod, or any of the Athenian playwrights such as Sophocles, Aeschylus, etc.) there was always oral tradition, which was in fact the origin of something like 'Homer' (it's really debated to w...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
8ozse6
since chemical weapons were not used in ww2 out of fear of retaliation why would it be different for nuclear weapons?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8ozse6/eli5since_chemical_weapons_were_not_used_in_ww2/
{ "a_id": [ "e07afjy", "e07ax8f", "e07esvm" ], "score": [ 6, 14, 3 ], "text": [ "In WW2 they were used because the US was the only country to possess them, they were a top secret super weapon\n\nAfterward, that’s exactly why they were not used. Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) wa...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov" ], [] ]
1szoui
why companies still buy microsoft products despite linux and open-/libreoffice being easy, functional and completely free?
It seems like an unnecessary overhead cost that could easily be averted. I could understand companies being reluctant to switch to Linux, but using a Windows-like distro could probably ease the growing pains a fair deal for Windows users. What I don't understand is why Microsoft Office still sells so well. It seems to ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1szoui/eli5_why_companies_still_buy_microsoft_products/
{ "a_id": [ "ce2v6as", "ce2v78a", "ce2v8p2", "ce2vux9", "ce2vxpf", "ce2w1ph", "ce2wdjz", "ce2wp2e" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Office provides a lot of teamwork & integration features that the free solution doesn't. ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2rp195
Do we use the same nerves for all sensations?
Our hands, for example, feel a lot of stuff. Temperature, texture, pressure, etc. Are all those sensations sent together then sorted by the brain, or what?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2rp195/do_we_use_the_same_nerves_for_all_sensations/
{ "a_id": [ "cnibo66" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "We have different sensors and different accompanied nerve fibers for different applications. For example, even different qualities of touch, like pressure amount, pressure change, tension, vibration and so on are sensed by different sensors and n...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
q9knx
How long can a single thread of spider silk get before it breaks under it's own weight?
Omw into the gym this morning I saw what appeared to be more than 50ft (15.24m) of spider silk with dew collected on it holding strong. _URL_0_ EDIT: Assume no wind, no water droplets on the silk, and only gravity acting upon it. Looking for an answer within the context of a single strand of silk between two points X...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/q9knx/how_long_can_a_single_thread_of_spider_silk_get/
{ "a_id": [ "c3vtzt9" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Wikipedia says the breaking length of spider silk is 109km (_URL_0_).\n\nThe breaking length is the length of a uniform wire (thread) of a given material which breaks under its own weight. By tapering the thread (thicker higher up and thinner fur...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/x4SnY.jpg", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_silk#Mechanical_properties" ]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_strength" ] ]
4qnrg2
- how is it scientists are finding links between meat and cancer when humankind has always existed on meat and vegetable diet?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4qnrg2/eli5_how_is_it_scientists_are_finding_links/
{ "a_id": [ "d4ug2ig", "d4uh0hk", "d4uh45c", "d4uhr64", "d4ujk51", "d4ullhq", "d4um4az", "d4un7dt", "d4unzxi", "d4uoh8u" ], "score": [ 327, 4, 8, 2, 13, 3, 4, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Just because we've always done something does...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/11/03/report-says-eating-processed-meat-is-carcinogenic-understanding-the-findings/" ], [], [] ]
c4jnjj
Can DNA Polymerase 1 create Phosphodiester Bonds between nucleotides?
Does DNA Polymerase 1 have the capability to build phosphodiester bonds between the DNA nucleotides or pits down? I assume that Polymerase 3 does, as the replication on the leading strand is continuous.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/c4jnjj/can_dna_polymerase_1_create_phosphodiester_bonds/
{ "a_id": [ "erxctlu" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Yes, any DNA polymerase has to create those bonds. A polymerase creates a polymer of a subset of smaller units, and nucleotide subunits are bound through a phosphodiester bond." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3ts2rz
current, voltage, amperage, etc. i learned it in school, but it still hasn't clicked.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ts2rz/eli5_current_voltage_amperage_etc_i_learned_it_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cx8qjlr" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Current is the flow of an electric charge, like water through a pipe. Voltage is like the water pressure in the pipe. Amperage is how much electricity is used, or how much water is going through the pipe. Watts is amps time volts, which gives the...
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[]
[ [] ]
ccfthv
if ethernet cable can transfer so much data, why not use this instead of hdmi and other cables for data.
In physics class I remember using Ethernet cables to connect two “gates” used to measure speed for objects. I also know that Line 6 guitars use an Ethernet cable to connect your guitar to your guitar processor. We also use an Ethernet cable to power our LAN phones at work. So why is the Ethernet cable not the master...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ccfthv/eli5_if_ethernet_cable_can_transfer_so_much_data/
{ "a_id": [ "etmlu8k", "etmx8w5", "etmxnyw", "etn5as8", "etn5boy" ], "score": [ 29, 3, 6, 13, 3 ], "text": [ " > So why is the Ethernet cable not the master cable of electronics?\n\nYou actually hit an idea that has been getting traction off and on for a decade or s...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://imgur.com/D4AO7BW" ], [], [], [], [] ]
3lvm49
When did Proto Germanic languages transform into Modern German?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3lvm49/when_did_proto_germanic_languages_transform_into/
{ "a_id": [ "cv9z8i1" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "super-tl;dr - around the time of Martin Luther, sixteenth century\n\ntl;dr - With good knowledge of modern German, you would be able to recognize thirteenth-century Middle High German texts as German and grasp chunks, but you might struggle to pu...
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[]
[ [ "https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Das_Newe_Testament_Deutzsch/Joh", "https://www.ekd.de/glauben/vaterunser.html", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_High_German#Samples", "https://archive.org/details/offenbarungende00mechgoog" ] ]
59asgw
why did having summers off become standard in education?
All across the country and all across the world, it seems the standard is for the school year to be Fall/Winter/Spring with winter off, but how did this become so? I know some school systems (e.g. California) do track scheduling, where students will go to school for X weeks on, then X weeks off and go for the full ye...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/59asgw/eli5_why_did_having_summers_off_become_standard/
{ "a_id": [ "d96xzpy", "d975dpe" ], "score": [ 2, 5 ], "text": [ "Summer is when the most farming work had to be done. Schools had summers off so the children could help when farm labor was needed most. This isn't true anymore for most children, but there are parts of the US where it still...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://mentalfloss.com/article/56901/why-do-students-get-summers" ] ]
42nuzj
Why does sour cream tone down the spicyness of hot food?
If a curry is too hot I always add sour cream to it and it tastes less spicy, why?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/42nuzj/why_does_sour_cream_tone_down_the_spicyness_of/
{ "a_id": [ "czd0uw7" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Spiciness will be determined by the concentration of free [capsaicin](_URL_0_) that reaches the nerve endings in your mouth. Capsaicin and other similar molecules bind and interact with the pain receptors on certain neurons, and it prefers to sta...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin" ] ]
bt8czn
how come tv shows cover up brand names on products (like food or toiletry packaging) but youtubers can show brands and review them all day long?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bt8czn/eli5_how_come_tv_shows_cover_up_brand_names_on/
{ "a_id": [ "eout6k3" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Tv shows that do that don't get paid by companies. So they don't show any names. \nBut there are also clear cases when TV shows are paid to do commercials. \n\n_URL_0_" ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://youtu.be/oQYwFND7rHE" ] ]
3mq3op
why is finding water on mars such a big deal to the general public?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mq3op/eli5_why_is_finding_water_on_mars_such_a_big_deal/
{ "a_id": [ "cvh6hal" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Because a scientifically-illiterate mass media took a report of modest scientific interest and sexed it up. \n\nNASA kinda egged the deception on by holding a press conference to announce the findings like it was some major, Earth-shaking thing. ...
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[]
[ [] ]
169pjn
How do whales create oil out of a plankton diet? Can't we replicate this process instead of mining our limited fossil fuels?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/169pjn/how_do_whales_create_oil_out_of_a_plankton_diet/
{ "a_id": [ "c7u13zm", "c7u1462", "c7u1dib" ], "score": [ 10, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "There is an entire field of biology interested in, among other things, engineering organisms to produce useful chemicals. See here: [Synthetic biology](_URL_0_)\n\nGross oversimplification: basically, ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_biology" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline#Chemical_analysis_and_production", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_oil#Chemistry" ], [] ]
4oh0xp
why is the code for league of legends considered "spaghetti"?
I've been playing the game for years and keep hearing this stated. What's up with their game?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4oh0xp/eli5why_is_the_code_for_league_of_legends/
{ "a_id": [ "d4chym0", "d4chz4r" ], "score": [ 6, 12 ], "text": [ "Knowing nothing about lol, a game that becomes speggitti means that the game program has been edited tweaked upgraded countless times over the years with the end result being vastly diffrent then the original code, so it's ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
j5nb1
Why is a gold nanoparticle suspension a different colour to bulk gold?
I understand it's to do with the colours of the visible spectrum that the gold scatters/absorbs. But I can't find out why the colour is different between the two. I'm dealing with rich red colours of nanoparticle suspensions.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/j5nb1/why_is_a_gold_nanoparticle_suspension_a_different/
{ "a_id": [ "c29civr", "c29cuvb", "c29civr", "c29cuvb" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "[Plasmon oscillations.](_URL_0_)\n\nSo gold as a solid has some very loosely-held electrons that can move around the block of metal very freely. They're so loosely held that we ca...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmon" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stained_glass#Glass_production" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmon" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stained_glass#Glass_production" ] ]
227zkq
(High Middle Ages) What kind of economic influence did rich individuals or families have?
Did people own multiple "companies", employed people? Did they invest? Where did they get money from and how could they expand their influence? What could they own? Or was the concept of corporations and this kind of economy not yet present in these times? (I apologize for this poor quality question, I really found...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/227zkq/high_middle_ages_what_kind_of_economic_influence/
{ "a_id": [ "cgkdiyy" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "A corporation is a legal entity. In the Middle Ages, the term might be applied to things like Universities or maybe monasteries where groups of people lived together for similar purpose. The corporation as a legally defined business came later.\n...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
28isab
Have there been any "great heists" similar to the one's we see in movies?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/28isab/have_there_been_any_great_heists_similar_to_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cibfniv", "cibioi2", "cibk7yg", "cibmjts" ], "score": [ 9, 8, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "hi all! Just a reminder to prospective respondents that single sentences and/or links to Wikipedia are [not acceptable here](_URL_0_). A couple of quick excerpts of the rules:\n\n ...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_answers" ], [ "http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/13/world-cup-mystery-what-happened-jules-rimet-trophy" ], [ "http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/19/world/europe/ronnie-biggs-great-train-robber-dies-at-84.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0...
9m6bqm
Why do we give so much shit to Germany when Japan was so much worse?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9m6bqm/why_do_we_give_so_much_shit_to_germany_when_japan/
{ "a_id": [ "e7c8ghh" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This submission has been removed because it is [soapboxing](_URL_0_.) or [moralizing:](_URL_1_) it has the effect of promoting an opinion on contemporary politics or social issues at the expense of historical integrity. There are certainly histor...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_no_.22soapboxing.22_or_loaded_questions", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/rules#wiki_no_political_agendas_or_moralising" ] ]
2ftag9
A friend of mine claims Barbarian immigration is the reason for the fall of the Western Roman Empire, how true is this?
He claims that Rome could no longer stand against it's barbarian enemies because many Romans were German at that point. Were there other factors in Rome's fall?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ftag9/a_friend_of_mine_claims_barbarian_immigration_is/
{ "a_id": [ "ckckify", "ckdf3u6" ], "score": [ 10, 3 ], "text": [ "Not being snarky or anything, but there are a lot of related questions [here in the wiki](_URL_0_). The point you make is technically true. All citizens of the empire were given Roman citizenship with the Edict of Caracalla...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/darkages#wiki_decline_of_the_roman_empire" ], [ "https://www.utexas.edu/courses/rome/210reasons.html" ] ]
68m7hn
What was the reaction of Europeans to the Persecution of Muslims in the then newly-indepedent states in the Balkans?
In 1800s, several ethnicities living under the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans rebelled and gained their independence with Greece as the first one in 1821. It is estimated that several million Muslims were killed or driven from their lands following these. From 1821 to WWI and end of the Turkish War of Independence, wh...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/68m7hn/what_was_the_reaction_of_europeans_to_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dgznv2r" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I don't have any answer, but your question is very, vary vague. Could you add some time frame?" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
8ljwcc
why is 4 beats per measure so common in music?
Why is it used so much more than 3 or 6 bpm and why is 5 bpm practically non-existent? What's so special about 4?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8ljwcc/eli5_why_is_4_beats_per_measure_so_common_in_music/
{ "a_id": [ "dzg2lm9", "dzg2q5f", "dzg2ser", "dzg3a6g" ], "score": [ 2, 7, 2, 7 ], "text": [ "Are you referring to time signature?", "It’s a really good middle ground between having enough beats to explore the chord you’re on on the progression while also being a small ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
6zzqz8
why are some meteorites cut?
Cutting it just destroys its value, especially if you're fairly certain it's a meteorite.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6zzqz8/eli5_why_are_some_meteorites_cut/
{ "a_id": [ "dmzas71", "dmzb6xc" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "I don't know about \"destroys its value\".\n\nSlices of meteorite are gorgeous, and if well polished make beautiful additions to someone's rock collection. As a result, they are worth a lot more money than a stoney metal ro...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
8lvlx6
if meds are always eliminated in half by the body, how is it ever completely eliminated?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8lvlx6/eli5_if_meds_are_always_eliminated_in_half_by_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dzir2j1", "dzirh6k" ], "score": [ 2, 11 ], "text": [ "medicines have a half life, which isn't exactly the same as eliminated by half. But the answer is technically it isn't, but for all practical purposes it is. \n\nIf I through a billion grains of sand at you, and you got all...
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[ [], [] ]
5525q9
Why didn't Mao Zeodong try to take back Hong Kong from Britain after the PRC was created?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5525q9/why_didnt_mao_zeodong_try_to_take_back_hong_kong/
{ "a_id": [ "d86ybpx" ], "score": [ 43 ], "text": [ "There's [an earlier instance of this same question you may want to start with.](_URL_0_) It's three years old, but I was involved in it. We may well have much better answers hanging out now among the many more recent Asia flairs, so there's alw...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/110ejz/why_didnt_the_ccp_attempt_to_retake_hong_kong/" ] ]
69mefv
why aren't there more bacteria that thrive in warm temperatures, i would think that high temperatures would allow them to reproduce rapidly by absorbing more energy?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/69mefv/eli5_why_arent_there_more_bacteria_that_thrive_in/
{ "a_id": [ "dh7o7ac" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "At high temperatures the enthalpy (heat energy of the formation of bonds) of the intermolecular forces is overcome by the entropy (energy of being spread out) and proteins can no longer be held together in their tertiary structure and become dena...
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air45r
in us presidential elections, how do news channels "call" which state goes to which candidate so quickly? do they have people in each county counting the votes?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/air45r/eli5_in_us_presidential_elections_how_do_news/
{ "a_id": [ "eeptlv8" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "No, they are not counting votes.\n\nUsually they are doing exit polls, where a person with a clipboard asks every 20^th person \"Who did you vote for\" for a couple of hours. Those results, which might be lies after all, are an input into a mode...
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[ [ "https://www.trbimg.com/img-582620fc/turbine/ct-hist-00276876a-tribhistory24-jpg-20161111/750/750x422" ] ]
jpcqr
Will we always use electric energy as a means to power our homes and electronics? Are there other types of energy we could utilize for the same purpose?
Are than any non-electrical types of energy that can be produced and distributed using a technology that may or may not exist yet. Could we build new types of technology to run on it, refrigerators, phones, lights...etc?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jpcqr/will_we_always_use_electric_energy_as_a_means_to/
{ "a_id": [ "c2e3gs0", "c2e3gs0" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I've heard of some pragmatic Amish or Mennonites taking the electrical motors out of appliances like blenders and replacing them with pneumatic ones, then running air lines through their houses like you would in a machine sh...
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2igr38
why is hydrogen not considered a "fuel" but rather a way to store/transfer energy?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2igr38/eli5_why_is_hydrogen_not_considered_a_fuel_but/
{ "a_id": [ "cl20vkw", "cl20vv4", "cl211f1", "cl26il1" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because hydrogen isn't found in its natural state anywhere on earth. You need energy from other sources to produce it. More energy than you get out of burning the hydrogen fuel",...
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kgmoq
Why do people wake up when they have to use the restroom (usually) and what wakes us up?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/kgmoq/why_do_people_wake_up_when_they_have_to_use_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c2k4xbf", "c2k4xbf" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Hrm. I don't know the ins and outs of it as we only care at a superficial level whether the animal can feel that they need to pee, so how it's sensed, I don't know. But my guess is that there're mechanoreceptors in the uri...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urination#Storage_phase" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urination#Storage_phase" ] ]
2o2gz2
how can it remain profitable to continue to design and produce android tablets when there are so many and they retail for so little?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2o2gz2/eli5how_can_it_remain_profitable_to_continue_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cmj2rc5" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "A product is profitable if it can be sold for more than the inputs (physical components, assembly and sales labor, design costs, etc) cost. Android tablets can be made for a profit if the cost of their inputs fall faster than the price. " ] }
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242dna
why is there confusion over adhd and aspergers being a real thing? shouldn't there be a concrete opinion on something so common?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/242dna/eli5_why_is_there_confusion_over_adhd_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ch2ylfh", "ch2zwt2" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "ASD is a broad spectrum of tangentially related disorders, and works rather like a scorecard, where if you exhibit x,y,and z, you're autistic. HOWEVER, you can exhibit x, x and y, x and z, or y and z, or whatever combination...
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d256qm
How are medications manufactured to such precise levels?
When you see medications that include an insanely small amount of something – say 25μ grams – how do drug manufacturers measure and add such a small quantity of that substance to a single pill or dosage of liquid, like a vaccine?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/d256qm/how_are_medications_manufactured_to_such_precise/
{ "a_id": [ "ezt9r6t" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "If you need to make a very small dose, you mix a larger amount with the various binding agents or solvents and then divide it into smaller doses. For example, if you mix 1 gram of your active ingredient with just under 40 kilograms of binding ag...
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brmgjh
It's the 25th of December 1991 - I am a Soviet enlistedman, my buddy is a political officer (commissa?), and my boss is a very high-ranking officer. We're stationed in a non-Russian city (Kiev, or Nur-Sultan), but all from different areas of the Union. What happens tomorrow, as the nation dissolves?
Edit - commissar*, sorry.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/brmgjh/its_the_25th_of_december_1991_i_am_a_soviet/
{ "a_id": [ "eofkcs1" ], "score": [ 20 ], "text": [ "You might be interested in this previous answer I [wrote](_URL_2_), but I will also provide some extra details for this specific question.\n\nFirst of all, it would be highly, *highly* unlikely that a Soviet enlisted member of the military would...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9640ua/when_the_soviet_union_collapsed_what_happened_to/e3yfcdx/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8zi6n5/what_were_the_causes_of_the_civil_war_in/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9lna01/how_did_yeltsin_gain_control_o...
10k0lk
How did the ancients maintain their weapons and equipment?
I mean, I guesssss you could use olive oil or animal fat on a weapon as a sealant/preservative, but it seems like neither of those would work all that well (and wouldn't animal fats have some salt in them? Wouldn't that be counterproductive to preserving armor and weapons?). The Greeks made sea journeys with their arm...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/10k0lk/how_did_the_ancients_maintain_their_weapons_and/
{ "a_id": [ "c6e4top" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "I'm more of a Medieval and Napoleonic guy, but here's a few random facts:\n\n* Knights treated their shields like shit, mainly because they were disposable. Only designed to get you through one encounter, they'd be left in the rain. When too ban...
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4fke19
Does anybody know where I can learn more about the RAF in the Far East during WW2?
I tried Wikipedia, and it led to some interesting first-hand reports (_URL_0_) but I was hoping to find something a bit more substantial by a historian. As background: I am a Malaysian, and I know there were British planes stationed here during the invasion of Malaya (until the Japanese invaded), and more so that the ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4fke19/does_anybody_know_where_i_can_learn_more_about/
{ "a_id": [ "d29mlps" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Christopher Shores's *Bloody Shambles* trilogy ( Volume 1: The Drift to War to the fall of Singapore, Volume 2: From the Defence of Sumatra to the fall of Burma, and Volume 3: Air War for Burma: The Allied Air Forces Fight Back in South-East Asia...
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[ "http://www.warbirdforum.com/secret.htm" ]
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53s32k
Theoretically what would be the result of millions of atoms in a very small density all losing electrons simultaneously?
The title may be confusing, and I didn't know how to properly word it, so I'll provide an example. I'm writing a novel in which, "magic" wielders essentially steal the electrons from an atom and transmute them to other forms of energy (Obviously not 100% scientifically plausible, hence "magic.") My question then bei...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/53s32k/theoretically_what_would_be_the_result_of/
{ "a_id": [ "d7vvwqu", "d7w8vf4" ], "score": [ 19, 5 ], "text": [ "You'd get something called [Coulomb explosion](_URL_0_). This can happen without wizards getting involved.", "So, a cubic centimeter is something in the neighborhood of a milligram of air. That would contain somewhere i...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulomb_explosion" ], [] ]
22k0ou
Are there sexually dimorphic species for which male and female is a misnomer?
Even in species like chickens there are commonalities that can allow us to establish a sex as male or female. Are there species who's reproduction is so divergent that we can't even properly apply the ideas of male and female?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/22k0ou/are_there_sexually_dimorphic_species_for_which/
{ "a_id": [ "cgnkviz" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "Male and female are actually defined by the relative size of the gametes, not by anything else. In most animal species, there are 2 sexes that produce gametes of different sizes. The \"male\" is the one that produces the smaller gamete, the \"fe...
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b1ovo5
there is so much Media today about what future technology might be, did ancient cultures such as the Romans ever speculate either through predictions or stories of what technology they thought might be created in the future?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/b1ovo5/there_is_so_much_media_today_about_what_future/
{ "a_id": [ "eiop6nc" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "[This comment](_URL_1_) by u/publiusclodius (from the FAQ) covers differing Roman ideas about what the future would look like.\n\nAlso, while it doesn't exactly address your question, you might be interested in u/mythoplokos's comment on [the Rom...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/46nea8/did_the_romans_have_a_concept_of_technological/d06ytd8/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2hd6cj/did_the_romans_have_a_concept_of_the_future_for/cks65ml/" ] ]
1l9myf
the difference between irish and black irish
I've hear people say they are Irish and others say they're black Irish. What's the difference Sorry if its a stupid question.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1l9myf/eli5_the_difference_between_irish_and_black_irish/
{ "a_id": [ "cbx1y40", "cbx9jyn" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Dark hair and eyes, and the self identification as black Irish. It's not a specific group, culture, or anything like that, though all sorts of false ancestry claims are made for them. \n\nThey are literally anyone of Irish d...
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4ry91w
the difference between a gas mask and a respirator.
I tried several "compare" sites and they were of no help. Are they actually different things or is it one of those "oh it's merely the British pronunciatioun chap" things?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ry91w/eli5_the_difference_between_a_gas_mask_and_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d5539xx", "d553efw" ], "score": [ 3, 6 ], "text": [ "A gas mask is designed to protect you from dangerous gases. A respirator lets you breathe while it protects your airways by supplying alternate air or forcing the air through a filter. Many modern gas masks are respirators, ...
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1ttk2r
Why wasn't Japan split into pro-West and pro-Communist states? (unlike W/E Germany, N/S Vietnam, Korea)
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ttk2r/why_wasnt_japan_split_into_prowest_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cebgm3j", "cebj6dz" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "German, Korea, and Vietnam were captured by multiple powers e.g. US and USSR. Japan on the other hand was occupied by the US. There were tons of US troops and very few or none (I can't entirely remember) from other nations. ...
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38nlzh
why do certain sites, like facebook for example, only allow me to deactivate my account rather than completely delete it?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38nlzh/eli5_why_do_certain_sites_like_facebook_for/
{ "a_id": [ "crwc65d", "crwcafl", "crwci4v", "crwiepl", "crwmnpy" ], "score": [ 30, 14, 3, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "There is an option to completely delete a Facebook account, you just have to dig around for it. Then there's a two week cool down before it actually deletes...
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d4k2ag
why are calf cramps so common?
Often when waking in the middle of the night or in the morning, it’s a common reflex to stretch which feels great. However, it’s very common to have a calf cramp which is very painful. Can someone explain why? Ways to prevent? Ways to reduce the duration or pain during the event?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d4k2ag/eli5_why_are_calf_cramps_so_common/
{ "a_id": [ "f0dcd16", "f0dcn7y" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Generally they are caused by restrictions in the blood supply which can commonly occur in the legs and feet, since the calf is the largest muscle in the lower leg it often responds dramatically to low flows in blood with cra...
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[ [ "https://youtu.be/aieh2yn4Auw" ], [] ]
3ehjfs
why screenwriters and directors are given funding when their movies are typical bombs?
Look up Craig Clyde on IMDB. His writing career began in 1992, and his highest rated movies are Castle Rock (2000) at 5.8/10 and Storm Rider at 6.3/10. He's written 21 scripts and directed 17 films, and none of them have done very well. Yet, as recently as 2013, he's still getting scripts turned into movies. EDIT - H...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ehjfs/eli5_why_screenwriters_and_directors_are_given/
{ "a_id": [ "ctf7zzu" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Your only listing the overall critical response to Mr. Clyde's films here, not their financial success, and quite frankly, financial success is a better barometer of sustained employment in Hollywood than critical approval ever has been and ever ...
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tlhss
In books, human civilization technology is very stagnant for much longer than it was in human history. I guess I'm asking is it even plausible that might have happened in Human History?
I hope this isn't a violation of r/AskHistorians. I was just thinking that in most novels with settings in quasi dark age settings that they have been like that for thousands of years. I understand that humans did live in a long period that saw small increases of development before skyrocketing. (Like the exponential c...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/tlhss/in_books_human_civilization_technology_is_very/
{ "a_id": [ "c4nn2qz", "c4nv6tt", "c4nxo9j" ], "score": [ 10, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "You're question makes me think of the very popular series \"a Song of Ice and Fire,\" in which the world has persisted in a state of feudalism for millenia. \n\nYou're question allows for an examinatio...
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rjxx9
How many capacitors, or how far would technology have to advance to fully harvest the energy in a lightning bolt?
Is it even possible? OR do capacitors take to long to charge for a bolt of lightning to do anything?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/rjxx9/how_many_capacitors_or_how_far_would_technology/
{ "a_id": [ "c46hmnz" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "For the purposes of this discussion, a capacitor is exactly like a big tank of\ncompressed air, with pressure corresponding to voltage and mass of air corresponding to charge. Imagine another tank of compressed air (the cloud) comes along. Clearl...
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3bap96
how can an application or program get constant updates and still be the same size?
What happens in the update process? What happened to all the megabytes I just downloaded?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3bap96/eli5how_can_an_application_or_program_get/
{ "a_id": [ "cskf09b", "cskff15", "cskg3c5", "cskhgb1" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "a program is like a piece of cloth\n\noccasionally a hole is found\n\nso you put a patch on it\n\nbut the cloth remains the same size\n\nwhen you want to make a cloth a blanket\n\n...
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2cqjcg
when a company goes public, can an exec buy majority stock/how is the owner protected?
I searched and haven't found anything related to my question. I wasn't sure how else to word the question. I shall explain. I want to know how far a company's owner(officially titled CEO?) is protected in terms of initial shares. Let's say I own Company X(random mom and pop shops..whatever minimum required) and will ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cqjcg/eli5_when_a_company_goes_public_can_an_exec_buy/
{ "a_id": [ "cji1ieg", "cji4ls1" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "First of all, a CEO does not have to be the owner of a corporation. The owners of most small private companies tend to serve as the CEO, but the CEO of a large company like, say, GM, usually won't be the largest shareholder....
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2gw7a4
Biblical names like John,Paul,Gabriel or Peter have different pronunciations in other languages like Juan (John ,Spanish) or Paolo ( Paul, Italian). How were these names pronounced during biblical times?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2gw7a4/biblical_names_like_johnpaulgabriel_or_peter_have/
{ "a_id": [ "ckn7aaq", "cknhyrg", "cknn2c9" ], "score": [ 14, 11, 3 ], "text": [ "Not trying to discourage any discussion here, but this question might be more fruitful if asked at _URL_0_", "The New Testament names were written in the then lingua franca Koine Greek, so John wa...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/linguistics" ], [], [] ]
476ksi
Are any radioactive elements or isotopes no longer radioactive when part of a molecule?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/476ksi/are_any_radioactive_elements_or_isotopes_no/
{ "a_id": [ "d0ajxtm", "d0asi24", "d0b89ep", "d0be7r4" ], "score": [ 23, 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I think we can safely say that the answer here is no. The reason is that nuclear reactions and chemical bonds exist on vastly different energy scales. For example, a typical chemi...
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[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_decay#Changing_decay_rates" ], [] ]
36kt2n
Fellow medievalists: Which historians would you vote into the Medieval History Hall of Fame? (Historiography)
Please excuse the flippant title. I figured it was an easily digestible way for me to initiate this discussion. I am currently compiling a list of "must read historians" for a non-medievalist friend, and it occurred to me that other medievalists must have some opinions about the "classic" authors of the field. In othe...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/36kt2n/fellow_medievalists_which_historians_would_you/
{ "a_id": [ "crf1fwy", "crf7oc1" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "I'd probably go with Michael Prestwich. For my field his work on both the logistics of warfare and Edward I are really quite important. He still has some of the best work on the changes to the composition and recruitment of ...
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evugxz
how do stuffed noses work? you can blow your nose and it can get stuffed right away or sometimes you aren't even able to blow your nose and just have to accept your fate
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/evugxz/eli5_how_do_stuffed_noses_work_you_can_blow_your/
{ "a_id": [ "ffy1j8i", "ffy82th" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "It's caused by inflammation, swelling of the tissue, that's blocking your airway, and incidentally the exit for the mucus that's building up. \n\n\nNasal sprays work by reducing or eliminating that inflammation.", "Lets...
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6uf3eo
what causes transformers and other high voltage devices to emit a buzzing sound?
One if my coworkers asked me this the other day, and I've been pondering it. I assume it's some sort of vibration, since that's how sound typically goes. But I'm lost at how that vibration doesn't shake these old panels apart, and what actually causes it to vibrate in the first place.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6uf3eo/eli5_what_causes_transformers_and_other_high/
{ "a_id": [ "dls9bnr" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ " > I assume it's some sort of vibration,\n\nYep! The transformers are using the inductive interaction between coils of wire to change voltages, and as the current is transferred using \"Alternating Current\" the magnetic fields will be rapidly s...
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