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1xp87d
- curling
It may be because I am under 60 years old but, what is curling and why is it in the Olympics? I don't understand the purpose of sliding a rock across ice and why its considered a sport.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xp87d/eli5_curling/
{ "a_id": [ "cfdd8wg" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Archery is a sport and it's basically the same thing, with arrows. Golf is a sport and it's basically the same thing, with a stick. Croquet is a sport and it's basically the same thing, with wickets. Shotput, hammer, discus, and javelin throws...
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[]
[ [] ]
9b6qp0
Why did complex, increasingly centralized cultures seem to spring up almost simultaneously around the world?
We see civilizations with great levels of centralization and organization seem to pop up all over the world, in Mesoamerica, West Asia, China, and the Indian subcontinent. Why is it that they seem to have come about almost at the same time but probably had little contact with each other? (Especially Mesoamerica to the ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9b6qp0/why_did_complex_increasingly_centralized_cultures/
{ "a_id": [ "e53fa41" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "I'm not sure if we're talking about neolithical, bronze age, or iron age cultures; or rather what exactly do you mean by 'great levels of centralization and organization'.In any case, given the neolithical transition from the hunter-gatherer soci...
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[]
[ [] ]
5oe5ke
North-Western Europe today has some of the lowest corruption rates in the world. For how long has this been the case?
And would anyone care to discuss any important events that caused the downward trend? Is it purely due to wealth (which seems unlikely to me due to corrupt oil-states), democracy (which again seems unlikely, as many democracies have high corruption) or something else? I recognise these are both tricky questions.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5oe5ke/northwestern_europe_today_has_some_of_the_lowest/
{ "a_id": [ "dcl0365" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The short answer for Denmark would be since around the age og absolutism in Denmark. It wasn't as low as modern day Denmark but it was decreasing. This was due to a few new laws introduced to make sure the king held absolut power and that his aut...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3f85a2
How do fuel tanks in spacecraft empty/pump effectively in zero G?
If a tank is upright on Earth, a pump at the bottom will always draw (liquid) fuel out as gravity pulls it to the bottom, right? So how do spacecraft keep the fuel from having air pockets or space next to a pump (as i assume this would ruin the thrust)? I have heard something about spinning the tank so centripetal (cen...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3f85a2/how_do_fuel_tanks_in_spacecraft_emptypump/
{ "a_id": [ "ctmkn2m", "ctmmvx6" ], "score": [ 4, 13 ], "text": [ "Spinning might be used, but it is usually easier to give a short boost with your RCS (usually runs on compressed gas, so it doesn't have this problem) to settle the fuel in the bottom of the tank, after which the engines ca...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2q315u
Can birds fly backwards?
I've been thinking about this for too long.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2q315u/can_birds_fly_backwards/
{ "a_id": [ "cn31klf" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Only hummingbirds can, due to their unique method of flight and wing structure. Other birds can *propel* themselves backwards by pushing against the air with their wings, but they cannot fly in the sense of sustained, controlled aerial travel." ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
52toka
railroad crossings don't seem to have sensors or something to warn conductors of a vehicle/object stuck on the track, why?
We have sensors at traffic lights that allow the lights to know when a car is/isn't present so that it will/won't change. Shouldn't we have something along those lines for the railroad crossings so we won't have to see anymore videos of cars and trains being destroyed.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/52toka/eli5_railroad_crossings_dont_seem_to_have_sensors/
{ "a_id": [ "d7n85bv", "d7nbbcg", "d7nexty" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Small subway style trains might be able to stop within a .25 mile or so depending on their speed. A large freight train with hundreds of cars, some of of which maybe be carrying tankers of flammable or ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
300lnn
What is the processing speed of our brains?
Brains process information with the use of electricity that flow from neuron to neuron (I think). So it is safe to say that we process information as fast as the speed of electricity * space between nerve ending and brain, or are their other variables that take part?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/300lnn/what_is_the_processing_speed_of_our_brains/
{ "a_id": [ "cpo2ggo", "cpo7css" ], "score": [ 11, 2 ], "text": [ "Cells are covered in a lipid bilayer, which is not conductive like most metals. Instead, neuronal conductance relies on voltage-gated ion channels for propagation of electrochemical impulses. There is no traveling of electr...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://biae.clemson.edu/bpc/bp/lab/110/reaction.htm#Simple%20vs", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerve_conduction_velocity#Normal_conduction_velocities", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_neural_network", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltatory_conduction", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...
ouxbj
what is "individual mandate" and what does it mean for the u.s.?
What is it exactly and why do people think it's bad or good.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ouxbj/what_is_individual_mandate_and_what_does_it_mean/
{ "a_id": [ "c3ka8dy" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It requires people to buy some kind of health insurance, or pay a tax penalty if they don't. \n\nPeople think it's good because we want everyone to have medical care - but it is difficult to provide that care without everyone be required to pay ...
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[]
[ [] ]
20c4eh
How did Canada's cold war military spending compare to that of the United States?
Obviously the State's spending was much higher but by how much? In particular, was there a time during the Cold War when Canada's spending was similar to that of the US? Also, how much did Canada's Avro Arrow compare to American jet fighters of the time in terms of cost?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/20c4eh/how_did_canadas_cold_war_military_spending/
{ "a_id": [ "cg1rygh" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Canada spent about two percent of GDP on defense during much of the Cold War. [See the chart on this page](_URL_0_). \n\nFor comparison, Canada had a GDP of about $700 billion (current dollars) in 1990, putting its defense budget at about $14 bil...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vol10/no3/06-madigan-eng.asp" ] ]
3zzox1
why apple is switching to swift from objective c?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zzox1/eli5why_apple_is_switching_to_swift_from/
{ "a_id": [ "cyqax9s" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "I do not code, but from what I've seen at the Keynote's, it is more efficient in terms of the amount of code you have to write, some things that used to take 5 lines can now be written in 1 line. \n \n**EDIT**: [Here is a short article listing ...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.infoworld.com/article/2920333/mobile-development/swift-vs-objective-c-10-reasons-the-future-favors-swift.html" ] ]
1p0l0v
if everyone uses wikipedia, but everyone says it is unreliable, why doesn't wikipedia stop third party edits and edit themselves?
I understand third party editors edit Wikipedia usually and Wikipedia does not have enough editors to edit every page, but with a sight as popular as wiki don't you think they could throw an advertisement in there or ask for more donations to increase valid editors? It's just a shame wikipedias reliability is always ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p0l0v/eli5_if_everyone_uses_wikipedia_but_everyone_says/
{ "a_id": [ "ccxia6n", "ccxiatq", "ccxiftf", "ccxj50f", "ccxlbfj" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "The entire idea of Wikipedia is that it's a world wide, public collaboration. You might as well ask why Reddit doesn't stop letting people post links and just...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.livescience.com/32950-how-accurate-is-wikipedia.html" ], [] ]
11aidu
Why does POV footage of running always seem so shaky whereas when I run, my vision remains quite steady?
[This video prompted the question](_URL_0_) When I run (or walk for that matter), my vision doesn't seem as shaky as POV footage always is. And I assume that the camera moves exactly like his head does since it is attached to his head. Why does this happen? Does our brain automatically do the "stabilizing" for us?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11aidu/why_does_pov_footage_of_running_always_seem_so/
{ "a_id": [ "c6krah2", "c6ksmlc", "c6kt6es", "c6ku6n0", "c6kuqaq", "c6kz6hw" ], "score": [ 58, 5, 3, 2, 15, 2 ], "text": [ " > Does our brain automatically do the \"stabilizing\" for us?\n\nYes.\n\nYour brain does a lot of processing of the visual signals y...
[]
[ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mNvnN2HgiU" ]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_system" ], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KkqlnEljy8" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efference_copy" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibulo-ocular_reflex" ], [] ]
djeglx
what causes heart palpitations to actually be felt? what makes them different from regular heart beats that you can't feel at all?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/djeglx/eli5_what_causes_heart_palpitations_to_actually/
{ "a_id": [ "f44mcv4", "f44ykdo" ], "score": [ 14, 3 ], "text": [ "For \"skipped\" heart beats, which is one type of palpitation, typically what happens is part of your heart beats out of sync. This causes your heart to beat inefficiently; it can't properly get all the blood out. So the *n...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
dry9ul
Before the discovery of DNA and Genes, how did people explain heritable traits passed down from mothers and fathers?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/dry9ul/before_the_discovery_of_dna_and_genes_how_did/
{ "a_id": [ "f6p4lna" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "These two answers by u/restricteddata may be of some interest while you await a specific answer to your question:\n\n* [Before Gregor Mendel's work on heredity, how was the scenario of two dark haired parents producing a child with blonde hair vi...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/al3j3z/what_were_people_in_ancient_societies_explanation/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2wjsju/before_gregor_mendels_work_on_heredity_how_was/" ] ]
drv2du
How do you convert a more million C degree plasma into electricity (ITER)?
After managing to stabilize and sustain the plasma at ITER, how will they convert the heat of stg that's more million Celsius into electricity?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/drv2du/how_do_you_convert_a_more_million_c_degree_plasma/
{ "a_id": [ "f6lqsyl" ], "score": [ 17 ], "text": [ "They won't convert the heat of the plasma directly. Much of the energy from the reaction ends up in high-energy neutrons, which, because they're not electrically charged, aren't contained by the magnetic field which contains the plasma. They'll ...
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[ [] ]
82knzx
why are other stocks effected so much when one stock crashes?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/82knzx/eli5_why_are_other_stocks_effected_so_much_when/
{ "a_id": [ "dvavn6z", "dvax2cp", "dvb0xw9" ], "score": [ 2, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "When my supplier of wine goes out of business, I get cranky and people buy stuff from me less.\n\nCompanies have the same sort of relationship between themselves.", "There are multiple reasons.\n\n1...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2f2cpf
I've been told that the banjo is an African instrument. How did it make it from Africa to the U.S., Ireland, etc.? And how was it traditionally played?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2f2cpf/ive_been_told_that_the_banjo_is_an_african/
{ "a_id": [ "ck59568" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "hi! more input is always welcome, but do check out this post from a few months ago\n\n* [How did the banjo, an instrument of African descent, become a staple of Anglo folk music?](_URL_0_)\n\nalso, you may want to keep an eye out for a music doc...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/22uisb/how_did_the_banjo_an_instrument_of_african/", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDCxaQhhL0A", "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185405/", "http://www.argotpictures.com/throw-down-your-heart.html" ] ]
1kbgq7
How much do we know about a Dog's brain?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1kbgq7/how_much_do_we_know_about_a_dogs_brain/
{ "a_id": [ "cbnagho" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "\n\nThis has been removed because the question is too broad or too vague. If you’re still curious, please conduct some basic research and resubmit a more specific question.\n\nFor more information regarding this and similar issues, please see the...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/wiki/index#wiki_avoid_questions_about_personal_or_isolated_events", "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/wiki/index#wiki_make_questions_as_specific_as_possible" ] ]
3j86pv
what is the difference between fuel economy and fuel efficiency?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3j86pv/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_fuel_economy/
{ "a_id": [ "cun212t", "cuncch7" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Although if you are having a conversation with a regular person, they are basically interchangeable, I think the difference is that while fuel economy means your cars mile per gallon, fuel efficiency is the percent of potent...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
8afrs4
how the government can/does seize a website?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8afrs4/eli5_how_the_government_candoes_seize_a_website/
{ "a_id": [ "dwybx0m", "dwyd3gl" ], "score": [ 3, 9 ], "text": [ "The find whoever is hosting it. Get a subpoena, and issue the subpoena to the hosting agency. The hosting agency then shuts it down and turns it over to the government.", "The way website names work is basically a phone ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "reddit.com" ] ]
1iw7ct
how does the canadian government and economy function compared to america's?
From a citizen's perspective, what differences are there?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1iw7ct/eli5_how_does_the_canadian_government_and_economy/
{ "a_id": [ "cb8mogu", "cb8n82t" ], "score": [ 10, 5 ], "text": [ "We don't elect our Prime Minister directly. We vote for a member of parliament, and the leader of the party with the most members after all the votes are counted gets appointed Prime Minister by the Governor General. The ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
48kiq4
Do air-breathing animals born underwater ever drown at birth?
I am watching David Attenborough's reptile series and they just showed an anaconda birthing session. The snakes all seem to get up and breath relatively quickly, but is that instinctual, or the air inside them brings them upwards?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/48kiq4/do_airbreathing_animals_born_underwater_ever/
{ "a_id": [ "d0ln8gb" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There is no air inside the egg during gestation. Just like humans in the amniotic sac, they \"breathe\" fluid. They only begin to breathe air once they are born and the air and atmospheric pressure drains the fluids to allow breathing." ] }
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[ [] ]
4dydar
why is reddit just coming out with an app and why did it take so long
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4dydar/eli5_why_is_reddit_just_coming_out_with_an_app/
{ "a_id": [ "d1vgg5c", "d1vh3qd", "d1vhfc9" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Did I miss something? A new app? Is it better than \"reddit is fun\"?", "What the heck is AlienBlue then?", "I think they are inspired by the success of apps like Bacon Reader. Why did it take s...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
96o6pk
How vital was the Allied victory in North Africa during WWII?
What would the loss of the Suez canal have meant for Britain? Was oil production in NA and the Middle East significant compared to other parts of Allied/Axis territory?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/96o6pk/how_vital_was_the_allied_victory_in_north_africa/
{ "a_id": [ "e46c6z0" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The Allied victory in North Africa was very significant for quite a few reasons, the men fighting in North Africa were battle hardened veterans with years of experience, they had had resounding successes with limited resources, as Hitler didn’t a...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/09/world-war-ii-the-north-african-campaign/100140/", "http://digital.library.northwestern.edu/league/le0280ah.pdf" ] ]
14eejq
Considering the planetary changes that Earth will be going through due to climate change, where will the most temperate and desirable places to live in the world be in, say, 50-100 years? Geographically and climate-wise, not politically of course.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/14eejq/considering_the_planetary_changes_that_earth_will/
{ "a_id": [ "c7cdg43" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "Here is a picture new scientist published. \n_URL_1_\nand the blog it was stolen from (not read it yet, but thought i would add it anyways.)\n_URL_0_" ] }
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[]
[ [ "http://pol-check.blogspot.nl/2012/08/global-warming-what-will-change.html", "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--mfHbEFJ_Jc/UCp4e80Ht_I/AAAAAAAAAOA/rPMgacH0bYI/s1600/world_plus_four.jpg" ] ]
10dypv
Is there any evolutionary evidence of other animals heating their food prior to eating it, or is the cooking of food an entirely human construct?
Not sure if this is the right subreddit, but I was curious
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/10dypv/is_there_any_evolutionary_evidence_of_other/
{ "a_id": [ "c6cnkhk", "c6cnley", "c6cnm5g", "c6co04n", "c6codaf", "c6coh1k", "c6comqt", "c6cozs4", "c6cpblj", "c6cpg39", "c6cpzd4", "c6cqh3z", "c6cqh8q", "c6cqoea", "c6crc14", "c6crea7", "c6cruv5", "c6cryil", "c6cs928", "c6cspja", "c...
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[ [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3udzhDvsG-s" ], [], [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-euMlL9O1Kc" ], [ "http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8543906.stm" ], [], [], [ "http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120614-neanderthal-cave-paintings-spain-science-pike/", "http:/...
1ggj2h
Why, with a sinus infection, does pressure in your sinuses/head build up whether you blow mucus put or suck it in?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1ggj2h/why_with_a_sinus_infection_does_pressure_in_your/
{ "a_id": [ "cakgfdi" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The paranasal sinuses are poorly innervated - pain tends to be vague and poorly localizable in the sinuses because the brain has a difficult time precisely interpreting what little sensory input it receives from the sinuses.\n\nWhen an acute bact...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=15056400" ] ]
8zylan
why does sleeping in a particular direction unblock a blocked nose?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8zylan/eli5_why_does_sleeping_in_a_particular_direction/
{ "a_id": [ "e2mkcpy", "e2mn25p", "e2mo4kx", "e2mo8mv", "e2morxk", "e2mozba", "e2mpzyy", "e2mrp8r", "e2mszle", "e2mtvt9", "e2mu75t", "e2mwh1j", "e2myf56" ], "score": [ 370, 50, 3, 59, 8, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 2 ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_cycle" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
ay3wis
Time dilation due to gravity AND due to velocity (are they multiplicative?)
So, in other words (and without the advantage of the Einstein field equations because they're over my head at this point). & #x200B; I understand that I can calculate gamma using Sqrt(1-v\^2/c\^2) for an object orbiting a planet of mass M. Whatever the orbital speed needed to orbit at altitude R will plug in and giv...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ay3wis/time_dilation_due_to_gravity_and_due_to_velocity/
{ "a_id": [ "ehyncj4" ], "score": [ 34 ], "text": [ "If you are slow and not close to a black hole you can treat them as separate effects and multiply. If these things are not true you need the [full formula from general relativity](_URL_0_)." ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_dilation#Combined_effect_of_velocity_and_gravitational_time_dilation" ] ]
30qt84
what are a few of the most elementary financial scams, and how exactly do they work (e.g. exit scam, ponzi scheme, etc.)?
I've heard of an exit scam time and time again but I can't find an explanation. I know a bit about the ponzi scheme, but I'm sure there are other devious plots! Let's discuss!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30qt84/eli5_what_are_a_few_of_the_most_elementary/
{ "a_id": [ "cpux2ma", "cpuyif5", "cpuyzej" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "An exit scam is basically just selling things to people but not actually delivering once you got the money. More relevant in less-legitimate markets where trust is a factor in the transaction (since you...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3gdtfx
Wikipedia states that the Nazis often 'promoted premarital and extramarital sexual relations', what are some examples of this?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3gdtfx/wikipedia_states_that_the_nazis_often_promoted/
{ "a_id": [ "ctx8ttk", "ctxpg1m" ], "score": [ 6, 8 ], "text": [ "Could you provide a link to the relevant Wikipedia page?", " > \"From its early days, the Nazi Party made a show of raw virility. 'I have seen the sex instinct deliberately aroused in many ways... At mass meetings, speec...
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[ [], [] ]
2lkfge
interstellar and the science involved
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lkfge/eli5_interstellar_and_the_science_involved/
{ "a_id": [ "clvom9v" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Normally you think of moving as going from point A to point B in a physical sense within our 3-dimensional world.\n\nBut many believe that we \"move\" through time in a similar way, that that's the 4th dimension. The only difference being that w...
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[ [] ]
38uslm
why does having noise in the background (tv, music, etc.) make me feel safer when i'm home alone?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38uslm/eli5_why_does_having_noise_in_the_background_tv/
{ "a_id": [ "cry063t", "cry08wd", "cry0usk", "cry5qp3", "cry8nz4", "cryc8x4", "cryjh6b" ], "score": [ 118, 3, 16, 8, 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Your ears are sensitive through a wide ride of volumes. When it is very quiet, you hear faint noises you are u...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
d3l1ou
Is it possible to get eye damage, or even a sunburn, from the moon's light?
If moon is just reflecting the Sun's light, then are the UV rays also reflected? And are the UV rays strong enough do damage or affect the human body at all?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/d3l1ou/is_it_possible_to_get_eye_damage_or_even_a/
{ "a_id": [ "f03ki42", "f03xu81", "f04674r", "f04jbjt", "f04rbjf", "f04x5p5" ], "score": [ 8140, 61, 99, 5, 2, 28 ], "text": [ "No, the intensity of the reflected moonlight from a full moon is about 300,000 times weaker than that of direct sunlight (the exac...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
199lfp
Why are speed of light and phase velocity used interchangeably in wave equations?
I've noticed that some equations use v and sometimes the same equations have c, when their values are different. Can Reddit please explain whats the difference between the two and the reason for them being used in this manner.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/199lfp/why_are_speed_of_light_and_phase_velocity_used/
{ "a_id": [ "c8m2h16" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The letter we use to represent something is arbitrary.\n\nWhat matters are the concepts.\n\nThe speed of light is the speed at which light travels in vacuum; it is a special speed of the universe, such that if something is traveling at that speed...
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[ [] ]
6mwnz5
how can certain areas of the world be so dominant in online gaming?
For instance why can Korea consistently have teams win against the rest of the world in Mobas, while Europe generally has the best CSGO players? Also how come different areas play the same game with different strategies? With enough experimenting shouldn't the same optimal strategy be found? I understand in some place...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6mwnz5/eli5_how_can_certain_areas_of_the_world_be_so/
{ "a_id": [ "dk4ytnh", "dk4zh31" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "It's just popularity. Like if you grow up in Canada dang near everyone grows up playing at least a little hockey. If you're good you practice against other good locals. Go up a few levels and you're playing playing with the ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
23hraa
What are your favorite recurring, blatantly inaccurate portrayals/themes in contemporary movies about ancient civilizations?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/23hraa/what_are_your_favorite_recurring_blatantly/
{ "a_id": [ "cgx6dmo" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Most of the world has proved incompetent at distinguishing anything in Latin America before 1650. It's all just one giant cultural chimera that manages to be everywhere at once on one and a half continents. I've got a stock set of answers for the...
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[]
[ [] ]
7yj80j
So what was Mother Theresa really like. Was she a the charitable saint many Christians claim she is, or was she the monster that Hitchens described?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7yj80j/so_what_was_mother_theresa_really_like_was_she_a/
{ "a_id": [ "duh0y9n", "duh2w4x" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Hi, not discouraging other responses here, but you may be interested in some earlier threads\n\n* several flaired users in [AskHistorians consensus on Mother Theresa.](_URL_0_)\n\n* /u/Dice08 answers here [The top of r/All s...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1hn2eh/askhistorians_consensus_on_mother_theresa/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/51533v/the_top_of_rall_says_that_mother_teresa_never/dabtvdw/" ], [ "http://udel.edu/~cmyoo/art205/project3/images/vatican3.jpg" ] ]
ai38o2
How much information would a pre-modern army commander have about an opposing force (strength, composition, leadership, location, etc.)?
I watched the 3rd season of The Last Kingdom recently, and in the final episode there's a large battle where one army is ambushed by the other while it's on the march. Partway through the battle, two more armies join in, both of which were a surprise to the two armies already engaged. Was this a common occurrence in t...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ai38o2/how_much_information_would_a_premodern_army/
{ "a_id": [ "eelbase", "eemde3p" ], "score": [ 4, 4 ], "text": [ "As I've mentioned in [other threads](_URL_0_), Wessex during the period in which *The Last Kingdom* is set was actually studded by a fairly extensive and sophisticated network of look-out posts and signalling beacons connect...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/774amv/signal_pyres/dojaotb" ], [] ]
536ob6
besides the battery, what is keeping us from creating a full artificial permanent heart that can replace the organic one?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/536ob6/eli5_besides_the_battery_what_is_keeping_us_from/
{ "a_id": [ "d7qeokj", "d7qeszr" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "I think we still lack the material or coating material that is not rejected by the body. \nNowdays you would have to take Immunosuppressive medication and similar stuff to make your body hopefully accept the organ. \nThat re...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
2vunus
why do people hate thomas edison so much?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2vunus/eli5_why_do_people_hate_thomas_edison_so_much/
{ "a_id": [ "col2rag", "col2wpb", "col30r1", "col315h" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Honestly, I don't know many people who \"hate\" Thomas Edison at all.", "Most people tend to go on about the animal torture. That's a valid complaint, but I'm more opposed to t...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla%27s_oscillator", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Currents" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh_mJfWKNTI" ] ]
6y2igu
why does our body sometimes moves or shakes when we remember a cringy situation from the past?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6y2igu/eli5_why_does_our_body_sometimes_moves_or_shakes/
{ "a_id": [ "dmkqn5t", "dmktcj9", "dml44iq" ], "score": [ 24, 6, 5 ], "text": [ "If the situation triggers a flight or flight response, the body's first impulse is movement. \n\nA loud noise behind them will cause most people to start. This is your brain telling your body to fire u...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2naa79
Shield wall primary sources
Can anyone recommend some good primary sources that demonstrate use of shield walls in combat? I don't really know when shield wall use was at it's peak, but any sources from around this area will be really helpful. Thanks!
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2naa79/shield_wall_primary_sources/
{ "a_id": [ "cmbwa60" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The sagas describe shield walls a couple of times - the only ones I can think of off the top of my head are *Egils saga*, during the Battle of Brunanburh, and *Sverris saga konungs*. You're not going to get a whole lot of detail, though, as the s...
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[]
[ [] ]
1vlczv
Why does food smell better/stronger when being cooked?
It may be a stupid question but how does the cooking process "bring out" the smell of a particular item. For example, a cut of steak sitting cold on the counter does not have a strong odor, however after it has been cooked my whole house smells like delicious filet mignon
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1vlczv/why_does_food_smell_betterstronger_when_being/
{ "a_id": [ "cetgl9f", "cetjkkl" ], "score": [ 2, 5 ], "text": [ "My anwser isn't very scientific, but here I go. It has to do with the heat. Heat makes particles move faster including the particles that create the smell. The particles can then diffuse through your house faster and then e...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
6w9tmv
"American Chinese food" originates only from one city in China, Toisan. What was so important about this city that it influenced nearly all American Chinese culture?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6w9tmv/american_chinese_food_originates_only_from_one/
{ "a_id": [ "dm72abk" ], "score": [ 82 ], "text": [ "American Chinese food actually has a lot of influences beyond Toisan (or Taishan) and could be more properly encapsulated by looking at the 4 areas of Sze Yup (Toisan, Xinhui, Enping, and Kaiping), which refers to a specific region in Guangdong ...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.lofreeq.net/biteme-tv/images/eatdrinkblog/2010/BlueLotus_ComboChowMein.jpg", "https://freerecipenetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/orangechicken.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Korean_cuisine-Bibimbap-08.jpg/1200px-Korean_cuisine-Bibimbap-08.jpg", "...
ymmh4
magnetic door locks. how do they work?
So I get the basic concept. Magnets, force, etc. My question us more this: At work, we have magnetic door locks. It's a fire code violation if they lock from inside. So to get out, you push the door and it opens. To get in, though, you have to scan your badge and it "deactivates" the locks. How does the door know if ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ymmh4/magnetic_door_locks_how_do_they_work/
{ "a_id": [ "c5wxzl2" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The magnet is a simple electromagnet. There is an iron block welded or bolted to the door on one side, and there's a mounted system with more iron bars on the frame of the door. When it's active, (you can't open the door) there is electricity goi...
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[ [] ]
f7b21
If a giant tube from Earth's crust to outer space were made, would our air be sucked out?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/f7b21/if_a_giant_tube_from_earths_crust_to_outer_space/
{ "a_id": [ "c1dtk6c" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "No... the pressure differential would be balanced by the gravitational force, which is what holds the atmosphere in place in the first place." ] }
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[]
[ [] ]
79padg
How to best teach someone about history?
My mother recently asked me to help her learn more about history. She knows very little about history and would like to learn more. I don't have any idea where to start, and I don't think suggesting she read a textbook would be a good idea. Should I go chronologically and in depth? Start with a general overview and th...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/79padg/how_to_best_teach_someone_about_history/
{ "a_id": [ "dp42ruf" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Hi there, I'm just an undergraduate so I don't have a lot of expertise on teaching (mods please remove this if this post isn't up to standards). But I am taking a course about Public History and as a result have spoken to numerous professionals,...
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[ [] ]
54yyak
why are forests cut in square shapes in the us?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/54yyak/eli5why_are_forests_cut_in_square_shapes_in_the_us/
{ "a_id": [ "d864rgj", "d864ur3", "d865hbt", "d86i6vp" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "These areas were logged at some point, notice the new growth in the areas that aren't as densely covered. I don't know if there is a specific reason for the grid pattern, I imagin...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://osupress.oregonstate.edu/blog/checkerboard-effect" ] ]
2inqo3
Is it possible to overdose testosterone? What will happen then?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2inqo3/is_it_possible_to_overdose_testosterone_what_will/
{ "a_id": [ "cl46g1w" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "Depends on the administration route. Generaly there is no acute toxicity levels for testosterone.\n\nIf you take it orally (in the form of methyl testosterone) you will have acute hepatitis at a few grams.\n\nIf you take it IM you are restricted...
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[ [] ]
33p2ng
why is that so many people appear to be unaffected by a huge knife sticking directly into their brain, but almost always, a knife to the neck or chest will more than likely result in a fatality?
This question is due the large number of posts recently of people seeming nonchalant about a knife sticking out of their head
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/33p2ng/eli5_why_is_that_so_many_people_appear_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "cqn0o09", "cqn0rl6", "cqn1463", "cqn759i" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Knife in brain guy? Is that you?", "I suspect its more that people who survive shocking injuries to the brain are relatively rare and thus noteworthy.", "Maybe because if t...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2911188" ] ]
1a1cjs
The Sound from Krakatoa's explosion traveled around the Planet Seven Times. Would the sound be particularly loud at the exact opposite side of the World?
If sound travels outwards in every direction from its source the sound waves will travel in an expanding circle around the planet til it reaches the Antipode of its source where they will converge and travel back to its source again. Will the sound at that point be particularly louder than surrounding areas as a resul...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1a1cjs/the_sound_from_krakatoas_explosion_traveled/
{ "a_id": [ "c8t7vhz", "c8t7x7s", "c8t84zv", "c8t8re9", "c8tayi5", "c8tfnjp", "c8tgyz6" ], "score": [ 2, 48, 9, 2, 7, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Certainly. Although being in the exact spot would be difficult as fluctuations would occur as a result of the ea...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=earth+circumference+%2F+speed+of+sound" ], [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNSbazNokPc" ], [ "http://thinkingshift.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/sunset-paintings-and-climate-change/" ], [], [] ]
2pgqbo
why is my smoke detector so sensitive to burned toasts but not to a burning towel left on the stove?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2pgqbo/eli5_why_is_my_smoke_detector_so_sensitive_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cmwio0q" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Smoke detectors detect smoke particulate, not the presence of fire (usually they also have system that detects excessive heat). Burning toast tends to produce a nice cloud of smoke while a burning towel tends to burn more cleanly (not very much s...
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[ [] ]
6wpz8j
how were the japanese warned of the dprk missile?
I've been reading comments from Japanese people saying that they've gotten alerts on their cell phones from the government warning them of the missile heading towards Japan. And then another when it flew over, and another when it was confirmed that it was completely safe. So how is it done? Does the government send a...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6wpz8j/eli5_how_were_the_japanese_warned_of_the_dprk/
{ "a_id": [ "dm9vagk", "dm9vauc" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "They can send text messages to anyone but modern cellphones have options like AMBER. \n\nIn Japan especially, a lot of people have iPhones, and if you're american, they're an option in Settings > Notifications , scroll all...
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[ [], [] ]
r1cul
What's the history behind the development of quarantine practices worldwide?
Question came to me as I recalled, vaguely, of a line in Albert Hourani's _A History of the Arab People_ describing that the Ottomans still hadn't figured out the practice of quarantining ill people by the 19th century, which meant that plagues/pandemics would consistently cull the population every generation or so, sl...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/r1cul/whats_the_history_behind_the_development_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c425rfv", "c428bah" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "To my knowledge, during Tudor England, every time the \"sweating sickness\" (an epidemic that swept the cities every summer, probably brought over from France by Henry VII's army) came, there were methods similar to quaranti...
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[ [ "http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/08/070829-venice-plague.html" ], [] ]
3yv8tr
what's going on when we have a bad headache/migraine? is the brain telling itself that it feels pain or is the brain itself actually in pain?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3yv8tr/eli5_whats_going_on_when_we_have_a_bad/
{ "a_id": [ "cygxatb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's never your brain. The brain doesn't have pain receptors and can't actually feel pain. The membrane around your brain can feel pain, but the brain itself cannot. \n\nThe pain you feel is not your brain - it's usually blood vessels being eithe...
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[ [] ]
29me52
What is happening molecularly when bleach gets on a dark cotton shirt?
Is the dye replaced? Or what? Whats going on when that happens?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/29me52/what_is_happening_molecularly_when_bleach_gets_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cimk3hm" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Organic dyes are strongly coloured because they contain large networks of [conjugated double bonds](_URL_0_). One such example is [anthocyanin](_URL_1_), the molecule responsible for the colour of many plants. In general, the larger the conjugate...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjugated_system", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthocyanin" ] ]
iw8au
If we were to travel to a star 1 ly away, what is the earliest time we could arrive at there?
Assuming we could accelerate arbitrarily fast, from the destination star's perspective. IE, if we see something cool 1 ly away, in what time frame would it be physically possible to reach there? edit: arrive at there.... ugh
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/iw8au/if_we_were_to_travel_to_a_star_1_ly_away_what_is/
{ "a_id": [ "c274gw9", "c274hjs", "c274hko" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Time is relative. From the travelers' perspective, you could get the time arbitrarily close to zero, but from Earth's perspective the time could never be less than a year.", "From the travelers pers...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
8xjg3n
Are our internal organs sexed so the differences between men and women are noticeable?
I don't mean our reproductives and plumbing, we know about those. I am referring to things the heart and lungs, digestive organs, lymphatic system, eyeballs, teeth, fingernails, veins, blood or boogers. We're familiar with the skeletal differences (brow, cheekbones, jaw, hands and feet) and the general differences in...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8xjg3n/are_our_internal_organs_sexed_so_the_differences/
{ "a_id": [ "e25f2ab" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "In regards to the liver, no. However, the cardiovascular system of a male is naturally larger than a females, but you couldn’t make more than a slightly educated guess as to whether a set of lungs belonged to a male or female. A completely averag...
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[ [] ]
893fr7
why do most nerve tracts crossover so that neurons in the brain's cortex innervate muscles on the opposite side of the body?
Functionally and from an evolutionary perspective, what is the advantage of having nerve tracts decussate to the contralateral side of the body? For example, the optic chiasm, the corticospinal tract, etc.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/893fr7/eli5_why_do_most_nerve_tracts_crossover_so_that/
{ "a_id": [ "dwp7k6d" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Asking this question in this manner rather obfuscates it. Perhaps to a community like the ELI5 it would be better to say: \"Why do the brain's hemispheres control the opposite side of the body?\" \nOr something to that extend.\n\nOne interesting ...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15664541" ] ]
8qsw23
Why did pikes fall out of popular use in the ancient period, and why did they not return to popularity until the late middle ages?
From what I know, it seems pikes were quite popular in the ancient world, especially by the Macedonians. It then largely fell out of use for centuries before becoming the standard weapon for European infantry until guns made them obsolete. I have heard that the formation of the Roman legions countered pikes, but not ho...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8qsw23/why_did_pikes_fall_out_of_popular_use_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "e0noulz" ], "score": [ 62 ], "text": [ "Organised formations of pikemen were first used by the Macedonians in the second half of the 4th century BC, and were in use until some time in the 2nd century BC. During this period of less than 2 centuries, they were seen as the ultimate weapo...
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[]
[ [] ]
1xwlnf
What did the Spanish want the Canary island for?
They didn't take any other of the Atlantic islands close to Africa or Europe, and I'm no farmer but this place (I'm on holiday in Tenerife) looks pretty arid Edit: "islands" plural
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1xwlnf/what_did_the_spanish_want_the_canary_island_for/
{ "a_id": [ "cffq508" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "In 1402, French adventurers Jean de Bethencourt and Gadifer de la Salle, who were nobles who owed allegiance to King Henry III of Castille, started conquering the islands. They wanted land. They got it. Bethencourt got the title \"King of the ...
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[ [] ]
qnst3
Can black lights cause eye damage?
Black lights are a nice way of lightening up a party, but can they cause eye damage, especially if one stares directly at them for a long time?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/qnst3/can_black_lights_cause_eye_damage/
{ "a_id": [ "c3z2lp7", "c3z357k", "c3z4se2" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 5 ], "text": [ " > Can black lights cause eye damage? \n\n[Black light : Safety](_URL_0_) -- basically, not much risk of any kind.\n\nEDIT: The above only applies to \"Black lights\", not tanning lights and other kind...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_light#Safety" ], [], [] ]
1jdhl6
Can anyone tell me about the history of humans using weed?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1jdhl6/can_anyone_tell_me_about_the_history_of_humans/
{ "a_id": [ "cbdr6ts", "cbdspbv" ], "score": [ 7, 5 ], "text": [ "“[PAGE 380] [description of a funeral] . . . And this is the Manner of the King’s Funeral. But when any other Scythian dies, his nearest Relations carry him about in a Chariot among his Friends; who receive and entertain the...
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[]
[ [ "http://antiquecannabisbook.com/chap2B/Greco_Roman/Herodotus.htm" ], [] ]
3zevmy
AMA: The Library of Congress Veterans History Project – 15 years, and 99,000 Collections of Veterans’ Voices from WWI to the Present
Hi, we are the staff of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Since we were established in 2000 via a unanimous act of Congress, we have been collecting oral histories and memoirs from US veterans, as well as original photographs, letters, artwork, military papers, and other documents. We have over 99,000 ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3zevmy/ama_the_library_of_congress_veterans_history/
{ "a_id": [ "cylivah", "cyliw7w", "cyliyfd", "cyljjzo", "cylkftk", "cylkpcp", "cylkpjc", "cyllkai", "cylo5g9", "cylu46u", "cylufyi", "cylx55r", "cym5glj", "cym7d7q", "cymccuy", "cymhehe" ], "score": [ 3, 7, 6, 11, 5, 7, 5,...
[]
[ "http://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/category/veterans-history-project/", "http://www.loc.gov/vets", "http://www.loc.gov/rss/vhp/vhp.xml" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
75sbk8
Kennedy assassination records may be fully declassified by the end of this month. Has anything significant come from previous releases of records, such as in July 2017, which impacted previously held views on the event?
According to [this site](_URL_0_), "The National Archives and Records Administration is releasing documents previously withheld in accordance with the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act. The vast majority of the Collection (88%) has been open in full and released to the public since the late 1990s. The records ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/75sbk8/kennedy_assassination_records_may_be_fully/
{ "a_id": [ "do8r9n7", "do9aolb", "do9cia8", "do9my58", "do9w7jx", "dob7z9l" ], "score": [ 442, 39, 102, 29, 72, 14 ], "text": [ "Can anybody recommend a solid, well researched book on Kennedy assassination ?", "If we are talking, what's the historians v...
[]
[ "http://2017jfk.org/countdown-to-2017/" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/03/jfk-assassination-lone-gunman-cia-new-files-215449", "https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/2017-release", "http://www.politico.com/magazine/f/?id=0000015d-a4cc-dd39-a75d-afdfd18d0001" ] ]
6eo12g
what happens if you defend yourself against a bounty hunter?
Saw a news article and it made me think of what would happen if i successfully defended myself against a bounty hunter. For instance: The perp has an outstanding charge and did not show up to court. A bounty hunter gets assigned and finds the perp. The perp defends himself against the bounty hunter which results in ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6eo12g/eli5_what_happens_if_you_defend_yourself_against/
{ "a_id": [ "diboraa", "dibrf4h" ], "score": [ 19, 6 ], "text": [ "Bounty Hunters aren't supposed to attack with deadly force in the first place. In theory, they're supposed to approach peacefully and ask the guy to comply, and can make it clear they're armed if necessary.\n\nThis way, the...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3y5942
how fast would a santa have to be to deliver all the presents to everyone in the world?
Yeah I know Santa isn't real.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3y5942/eli5_how_fast_would_a_santa_have_to_be_to_deliver/
{ "a_id": [ "cyamznt", "cyatv33" ], "score": [ 5, 19 ], "text": [ "If we look at it as Santa only visits homes, and thus only has to make one stop per home. Additionally because of time zones we will assume he has a 24 period of time to stop at all the locations.\n\nThe best estimate I can...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_households", "https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2212.html#xx", "https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/population/XX_popgraph%202015.bmp", "https://www.cia.gov/library...
p56q8
will someone please eli5 "dues ex machina"
I don't understand that saying. Is it a reference?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/p56q8/will_someone_please_eli5_dues_ex_machina/
{ "a_id": [ "c3mmoye", "c3mo4ba", "c3mobvw", "c3mpder", "c3mr4xp", "c3mlowj", "c3mlz0q" ], "score": [ 8, 2, 10, 7, 2, 18, 99 ], "text": [ "It's simply something written in by the writer that either explains away other things in the plot or makes it s...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
mfy9x
How do eye drops work?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/mfy9x/how_do_eye_drops_work/
{ "a_id": [ "c30l7wn", "c30l9hb", "c30mbi3", "c30l7wn", "c30l9hb", "c30mbi3" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Can you be more specific as to what type?", "Visine, ClearEyes or other OTC eye drops act to constrict the blood flow of vessels in ...
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[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restasis#Formulations" ], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restasis#Formulations" ] ]
aasmub
How were the internal borders of the USSR decided?
The borders of the republics and other subdivisions were ostensibly determined on the basis of ethnicity, but it seems like there were many arbitrary or illogical deviations (examples below). How were these borders determined and why? More specifically: * Why was Nagorno-Karabakh not joined to Armenia? * Why were Kaz...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/aasmub/how_were_the_internal_borders_of_the_ussr_decided/
{ "a_id": [ "ecurs3p" ], "score": [ 16 ], "text": [ "The internal borders of the USSR fall into two different categories: those that largely existed prior to the USSR/joining the USSR (so the South Caucasus states, the Baltics, arguably Ukraine); and those created within the USSR (Central Asia is ...
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2vzc00
Can birds taste things? Does their sense of taste work the same way as ours?
I only ask as I just threw out some garlic bread and the birds loved it
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2vzc00/can_birds_taste_things_does_their_sense_of_taste/
{ "a_id": [ "com9986", "comazoz", "con981r" ], "score": [ 45, 12, 3 ], "text": [ "\"Birds do have a sense of taste, but it is not well refined. Depending on the species, birds may have fewer than 50 or up to roughly 500 taste buds, while humans have 9,000-10,000 taste buds. Birds c...
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[ [ "http://birding.about.com/od/birdbehavior/a/Bird-Senses.htm" ], [], [] ]
2qpkde
I'm watching the show "Peaky Blinders" .. Is their depiction of English attitudes towards Northern Irishmen with regard to WWI conscription correct?
Peaky Blinders is a Netflix drama about the events concerning the "Peaky Blinders" gang in 1919 Birmingham. Chief Inspector Chester Campbell is an Irish policeman from Belfast called to Birmingham at the bequest of Winston Churchill to recover a large amount of stolen guns. However one of the main themes of the show...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2qpkde/im_watching_the_show_peaky_blinders_is_their/
{ "a_id": [ "cnhqlwf" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Phillip is pretty wrong and obviously biased, both nationalists and unionists did not officially exist at the the time, those terms came about to describe those in Northern Ireland after its creation, the terms used would have been Republicans/re...
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26h1lk
how can weather forecasting website show so much detail of the weather, even for small cities?
I know they use satellites. But how is it possible to get wind speed, temperature, humidity, etc. of every city on earth by just taking some satellite pictures?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26h1lk/eli5_how_can_weather_forecasting_website_show_so/
{ "a_id": [ "chqzdmt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Well, most of those things you mention are really not gathered by satellite, but instead through LOTS of weather stations scattered around the country/earth. Especially at airports. Those little weather stations measure lots of different things l...
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11rvdd
How can planet hunters distinguish between a solar maximum/minimum and an actual planet transiting the star disc?
We know that Kepler and most other means of detecting extrasolar planets work on the principle of periodic dimming of the suspected host star. How do we distinguish between an actual planet transit and a periodic dimming of the host star due to a similar process as we see with the 11 year period of the solar maximum?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11rvdd/how_can_planet_hunters_distinguish_between_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c6p4jge" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The transit method of detecting exoplanets actually yields a significant number of false positives. [Here](_URL_0_), for example, is a paper discussing this problem.\n\nIf the transit method reveals a possible exoplanet, a standard next step is ...
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[ [ "http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/644/2/1237/fulltext/" ] ]
4ph9fo
What was the difference between mandates, protectorates, dominions and colonies in the context of the 20th Century?
Can someone explain in simple words the difference between mandates, protectorates, dominions and colonies in the context of the 20th Century?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4ph9fo/what_was_the_difference_between_mandates/
{ "a_id": [ "d4kzt2p", "d4kzvgu" ], "score": [ 3, 12 ], "text": [ "Follow up. What's a territory as well in this context? How was say, Puerto Rico viewed as a territory and not a protectorate?", "Generally speaking the four terms could be defined as follows.\n\nMandates - These were aw...
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[ [], [] ]
4062tj
What was the extent of glacio-isostatic depression in the last ice age?
How much did the earths crust warp (distance-wise) during the last ice age when covered with up to 1500m if ice? I am sure there is a way of working it out, but cannot find a solution!
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4062tj/what_was_the_extent_of_glacioisostatic_depression/
{ "a_id": [ "cysb5t4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Are you talking about vertical displacement? " ] }
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308cyq
what's stopping us from drilling to the center of the earth (other than economical reasons)
Hi I'm writing a book and was curious how would one get to the center of the earth. What roadblocks are we faced up against? Are there any limitations of modern technology? How would we get there, and what's stopping us from doing so? Thank you for any responses.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/308cyq/eli5_whats_stopping_us_from_drilling_to_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cpq1jf2", "cpq1kt2", "cpq1le1", "cpq2dm6", "cpq3pag" ], "score": [ 2, 9, 4, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Well once you get through the mantle, the inside of the planet is molten magma. You can't drill through a liquid. Plus I think there's also an issue of lots o...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
44s18x
A couple questions about the second Persian invasion of Greece (480 BC)
I've learned a bit about the historical truths to the invasion and the Thermopylae battle that were either false or left out of the movie 300. There some things that I still am curious about though. 1. When looking at [this map of the Greco-Persian wars](_URL_0_) it appears there were two routes the Persians took, one...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/44s18x/a_couple_questions_about_the_second_persian/
{ "a_id": [ "czsis60" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Both your questions are asking the same thing. The Persian sea route was the route by which the fleet advanced parallel to the army. Thermopylae was not an action that took place in a vacuum, there was a naval battle at Cape Artemisium occurring ...
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[ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Map_Greco-Persian_Wars-en.svg/2000px-Map_Greco-Persian_Wars-en.svg.png" ]
[ [] ]
9kqnuu
Were There Witches in the Old West?
Many rural communities in the US held belief in the supernatural for a long time, and Hispanic communities in Mexico and neighboring states have *curandero* folk healers and the like... were these practices considered "witchcraft" during the period of the Old West?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9kqnuu/were_there_witches_in_the_old_west/
{ "a_id": [ "e71o4fk" ], "score": [ 26 ], "text": [ "The problem - as you hint - is one of terminology, namely, at what point do we call a practitioner of magic a \"witch.\" It is a difficult question to address, as expertly considered by [Monty Python](_URL_1_): throughout European history, pract...
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[ [ "https://imgur.com/4ANdUp0", "https://www.flickr.com/photos/27128624@N03/4656225270", "https://imgur.com/BIXNl3m" ] ]
65562l
I see the "no shirt, no shoes, no service" signs everywhere but I don't actually see anyone in public without shirts or shoes. Are these signs a relic? Were people more shirtless in the past?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/65562l/i_see_the_no_shirt_no_shoes_no_service_signs/
{ "a_id": [ "dg7riwh" ], "score": [ 304 ], "text": [ "Followup question(s): is there a reason why pants are never included in this list of items? Is it because nobody would dream of going out without pants on so it wasn't even thought of, or is it because it didn't fit the alliteration? Or both? A...
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318f7l
why do i need to drink water more often than eat food?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/318f7l/eli5_why_do_i_need_to_drink_water_more_often_than/
{ "a_id": [ "cpz9kx3" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "We use water for all sorts of things in our body, food is pretty simple, broken down and used or stored. food can be stored in different forms, water cannot be stored as easily. so we have to replenish more often because we cant store it as easil...
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6v8x5z
How did the various 60s experimental bands in Germany react to the rather unflattering term "krautrock"?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6v8x5z/how_did_the_various_60s_experimental_bands_in/
{ "a_id": [ "dlyj0dk" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "Well, suffice to say that they were not flattered by the term. According to David Stubbs' book *Future Days: Krautrock And The Building Of Modern Germany*, 'no German musician of that generation accepts the word 'Krautrock''.\n\nStubbs prefaces ...
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4z0jze
how is code converted to software, how is graphics and code linked together?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4z0jze/eli5_how_is_code_converted_to_software_how_is/
{ "a_id": [ "d6ru635" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Code is a human readable set of computer instructions. You can for instance say that \"x = 1 + (2 / y)\" which is very easy for humans to understand. However computers are made up of billions of transistors and resistors that change currents in w...
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17so0k
If we stopped launching new satellites and servicing the existing ones, how long would it take for them all to eventually become non-functional?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/17so0k/if_we_stopped_launching_new_satellites_and/
{ "a_id": [ "c88hrrv" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This is definitely an interesting question! But not so much a science question. /r/AskEngineers or another subreddit would be perfect for it." ] }
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1uwunm
Can someone tell me if this national park's ruins could have welsh origin rather than Cherokee Indian?
I have visited this park numerous times and there is a lengthy description near the walls that outlines the legends of a Welsh explorer who came to the Americas before Columbus. Is it even possible that he could have made this journey? Is there any evidence that the design of the structures could have been Welsh? ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1uwunm/can_someone_tell_me_if_this_national_parks_ruins/
{ "a_id": [ "cemivhc" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "It's actually unlikely that Fort Mountain was built by either the Cherokee or, especially, the Welsh. I've discussed [the alleged Welsh discovery of America](_URL_0_) before, with emphasis on their supposedly connection to the Mandan, but Fort M...
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[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mountain_State_Park#Ancient_wall" ]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ogxdg/is_there_any_solid_evidence_to_support_the/ccs0vl3" ] ]
19tm3l
Plutarch: Parallel Lives
I am really interested in Plutarch's "Parallel Lives" writings. I found the readings online and read*The Life of Romulus* but do not have the time to go through and read all of them. Anyone know where I can found some summaries of his works? I would like to read his writing about Julius Caesar, Cato and Antony next. ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/19tm3l/plutarch_parallel_lives/
{ "a_id": [ "c8r82hu" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It should certainly be easy to find full copies -- most or all of the Loeb Classical Library's pre-1923 editions [are available for download here.](_URL_0_)\n\nBut summaries? I'm not aware of any that have been made, I'm afraid. There's no Cliffs...
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[ [ "http://ryanfb.github.com/loebolus/" ] ]
18482z
Do you think the Occupy Wall Street movements will be mentioned in the history books of the future?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/18482z/do_you_think_the_occupy_wall_street_movements/
{ "a_id": [ "c8bg7y3" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Yes just like the Populist movement, prohibitionists, nativists etc. The tea party will probably be mentioned as well." ] }
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5w2lug
why does watching a movie on a projector instead of a computer screen feel like a more satisfying cinematic experience?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5w2lug/eli5_why_does_watching_a_movie_on_a_projector/
{ "a_id": [ "de6vmfk", "de6wdj6" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The way that things are presented to you has a strong influence on how you feel about what is being presented. For example, companies go through extraordinary lengths to brand themselves in a certain way, have their stores l...
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[ [], [] ]
fu1inw
all light we see is a mix of three colors with our rods. is how we hear sound the same?
Specifically, we perceive color three-dimensionally, how many dimensions does our perception of sound have? Edit: I'm apparently having trouble expressing the question. I'm not asking about the physical mechanism, but the number of capacities of sensation. Many people have trichromacy, some have tetrachromacy. Is the...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fu1inw/eli5_all_light_we_see_is_a_mix_of_three_colors/
{ "a_id": [ "fmaa2oz" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Sound is perceived by hair cells in the cochlea. Each hair cell is sensitive to a specific frequency. There are thousands of hair cells. So yes, there are similarities, but sound is perceived by a much more high-dimensional system. \n\nAlso our ...
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4fzxc6
Why are so many organic molecules carcinogens/toxic?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4fzxc6/why_are_so_many_organic_molecules_carcinogenstoxic/
{ "a_id": [ "d2dinzc", "d2dtrkq" ], "score": [ 7, 2 ], "text": [ "There's a saying in toxicology, \"the dose makes the poison\". That is to say that almost anything is toxic at high enough concentrations, while anything eventually can be diluted enough that there's no toxicity any more.\n\...
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41qhv6
Why did tricolours became the most common type of flag used by nations?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/41qhv6/why_did_tricolours_became_the_most_common_type_of/
{ "a_id": [ "cz4pftc" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "The Dutch were the first to use the tricolour during their revolution, making themselves a republic. The tricolour then became a symbol of republicanism and became very popular during the French Revolution which shook the ground of Europe, inspir...
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avzu35
why aren't charger/data ports in phones shaped more like a headphone jack?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/avzu35/eli5_why_arent_chargerdata_ports_in_phones_shaped/
{ "a_id": [ "ehj1yeo", "ehj3n36" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "It might be related to the size and complexity of a headphone style jack, which has to grip the tip mechanically with a spring steel part.", "Headphone jacks aren't really a great design, but they usually work OK if you ...
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[ [], [] ]
4lmcd0
What is the origin of adenosine to create cAMP and ADP/ATP in the body?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4lmcd0/what_is_the_origin_of_adenosine_to_create_camp/
{ "a_id": [ "d3ph685" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Your body has a constant supply of nucleosides, of which adenosine is one. You get most from the food you eat, but the body also [synthesizes its own, either through _de novo_ or salvage pathways](_URL_0_)." ] }
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleotide#Synthesis" ] ]
5simkl
why do all currencies undergo inflation over time?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5simkl/eli5_why_do_all_currencies_undergo_inflation_over/
{ "a_id": [ "ddfc5vg", "ddfihkw" ], "score": [ 3, 4 ], "text": [ "That's an over-generalization. The underlying resources that give value to a currency tend to expand over time. In the rare instances where they contract over the long-term - such as the Japanese population declining - cur...
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[ [], [] ]
3z7hpc
Can we have lenses for sound?
So that we could derive information about our surroundings similar to what optical lenses provide.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3z7hpc/can_we_have_lenses_for_sound/
{ "a_id": [ "cyjy408", "cyk3izm", "cyk41h1", "cyk5usc", "cyk7qw6", "cyk898c", "cyk8p8s", "cyk8zg9", "cyk9309", "cyka89d", "cykbemr" ], "score": [ 92, 3, 34, 5, 11, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You could, but if it's ...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple/explore/acoustics/parabolicsoundmirrors/" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabolic_microphone" ], [ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_metamaterials" ], [], [], [], [ "http://www.google.com/patents/US5163167", "http://www.renkus-h...
2rr1wu
if you were to rip out a person's eyeball without snapping the optical nerve, and then made it face the other eyeball (aside from pain and whatnot) how would your brain put together the image?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rr1wu/eli5_if_you_were_to_rip_out_a_persons_eyeball/
{ "a_id": [ "cnifm7o", "cnifn8k", "cnigizy", "cnih6oo" ], "score": [ 11, 4, 3, 5 ], "text": [ "I assume it would try its best to make \"sense\" out of the information.\n\nYou might get two superimposed images and just see a \"single\" eye.\n\nYou can definitely do this with...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1bzv4p
Why do so many people seem to have insomnia to some degree?
It seems like every other person I know is taking some form of sleeping medication. Is this even a new phenomenon, or is it just more apparent because the medications are more readily available? Is this common world wide?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1bzv4p/why_do_so_many_people_seem_to_have_insomnia_to/
{ "a_id": [ "c9bofp8" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Insomnia is extremely common today, and [yes it is common worldwide](_URL_2_). When talking about this, it is important to draw the distinction between the [different types of insomnia](_URL_7_).\n\n* *Transient insomnia* is for a period of up t...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysomnography", "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079202901863", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1978319/", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_response_curve#Light_PRC", "http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/07853899908...
ft195s
how can factories that use specialized machinery to produce a certain thing quickly change production to a completely different thing. (i.e. automobiles to ventilators)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ft195s/eli5_how_can_factories_that_use_specialized/
{ "a_id": [ "fm4fso0" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It is never quick as you are thinking. You need to set up an assembly line for different components in a spare space and you need to order any needed assembly machines and you need to order the raw components going into the finished product and ...
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14kbvu
What happens to the vitamins and minerals in an avocado as it ripens? (or similar fruits)
Let's suppose a ripened avocado is kept at ambient temperature. 1) What will happen to its vitamins and minerals as time passes and it ripens even more? 2) What about the carbs, proteins and fats?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/14kbvu/what_happens_to_the_vitamins_and_minerals_in_an/
{ "a_id": [ "c7e83sg" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Well considering that fruits taste sweeter as they ripen, the complex carbs in the fruit must be converting into sugars. So, less carbs more sugar." ] }
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