q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 3 296 | selftext stringlengths 0 34k | document stringclasses 1
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value | url stringlengths 4 110 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
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3xdfyn | why have homework if they could just keep you into school for longer? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3xdfyn/eli5_why_have_homework_if_they_could_just_keep/ | {
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"Homework has the benefit of forcing you to perform practice questions on your own, without coaching from teachers (parents, this means you stay out, even if you are a qualified teacher thing person). Otherwise, you'd just g... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
6q487n | are oilfields huge dinosaur graveyards? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6q487n/eli5_are_oilfields_huge_dinosaur_graveyards/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkudqmu",
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"score": [
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3,
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"text": [
"Contrary to popular belief, most oil isn't actually from dinosaurs. The vast majority of oil was created from plankton and algae. There might be a few molecules of dinosaur but not much.",
"No, the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1rldxy | what is the difference between psychopathy and aspd? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rldxy/what_is_the_difference_between_psychopathy_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdoipxq"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Psychopathy is a term that the American psychiatrist Hervey Cleckley coined in 1976 that actually predates the DSM antisocial personality disorder. Hervey Cleckley's criteria for psychopathology, unlike the DSM diagnostic criteria for APD, refer ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
74bsez | why is it that we put ice on some injuries (e.g. black eyes) but want heat on others (e.g. sprains)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/74bsez/eli5_why_is_it_that_we_put_ice_on_some_injuries/ | {
"a_id": [
"dnx1hyw",
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"score": [
4,
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"text": [
"Because ice is used to reduce swelling while heat is used to bring more blood to the area. Bone injuries and muscle injuries also benefit from the different applications.",
"Yeah for sprains you're still going to want to... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
nvphq | what's the appeal of blonde hair? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/nvphq/eli5_whats_the_appeal_of_blonde_hair/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3cau5m",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"My guess is that its rarer than other colors so people tend to value it. Just like with prec... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.bellasugar.com/History-Blond-Hair-18287324?page=0,0,0"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.bellasugar.com/History-Blond-Hair-18287324?page=0,0,0"
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[]
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47odm5 | why are some movies on torrent sites before they actually release the dvd/bluray? | No, I'm not talking about going with a camera and filming the movie. I'm talking about actual DVD releases, movies like "The Revenant", "The Big Short" and I think that "The Hateful Eight" is also on torrents but i'm not quite sure about that. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/47odm5/eli5_why_are_some_movies_on_torrent_sites_before/ | {
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"text": [
"They were leaked copies. They were probably obtained by hackers, or someone who works for the company somehow released it on accident. ",
"I know that one of the biggest music pirates in history wo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
873sf9 | if moon is visible during daytime, why does it affect tides during night? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/873sf9/eli5_if_moon_is_visible_during_daytime_why_does/ | {
"a_id": [
"dw9ymbv"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"The moon's gravity is what causes tides (so, its position), regardless of when we can see it.\n\nThe moon takes about 28 days to go around its orbit-- its position in its orbit dictates how visible it is to us. If it's closer to the sun, we can o... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
36cuvn | what are the primary limiting factors on the size of submarines? | It seem's like whilst most submarines throughout history have been fairly small, that there have been some exceptions that break the rules (_URL_0_). So I was wondering, are submarines like this simply not built any more because it's not worth it? Or is it because of other problems caused by their size? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36cuvn/eli5_what_are_the_primary_limiting_factors_on_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"crctvd4",
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"text": [
"A larger submarine creates a larger surface area that makes it more vulnerable to pressure, as well as increasing the time it takes to fully submerge / surface. Since submarines are rarely for commercia... | [] | [
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon-class_submarine"
] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1u5sts | would it be legal for someone to build a spaceship in their backyard and fly to the moon? | Assuming they didn't break any laws obtaining illegal materials. What would happen if someone tried this? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1u5sts/eli5_would_it_be_legal_for_someone_to_build_a/ | {
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"score": [
92,
71,
10,
3,
... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
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],
[],
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"http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/PL108-492.pdf"
],
[],
[],
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"http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/"
],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty"
],
[]... | |
1q06v5 | how are close elections called so definitively with such a low % of precincts reporting? | I come across this every election to some degree (and it probably comes up in ELI5, but I couldn't find it in search): I'm currently watching the news, where one of my local races is pitting two candidates against each other.
As of now, Candidate A currently leads over Candidate B, 51%-49%, with only 67% percent of pr... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q06v5/eli5_how_are_close_elections_called_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"cd7ucmd",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Having asked this before myself, it's the [Law of Large Numbers](_URL_0_).",
"Because we have statistical tools that are pretty reliable predictors of such things.\n\nIn your example, in order to wi... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_large_numbers"
],
[],
[]
] | |
47c5tk | why are there no laws against drinking and smoking while pregnant? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/47c5tk/eli5_why_are_there_no_laws_against_drinking_and/ | {
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"text": [
"There's multiple problems. For one, many people would find that an unacceptable intrusion of the government into your life--adults must generally be assumed ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/a-win-against-prenatal-protection-laws-in-wisconsin/410131/"
],
[]
] | ||
1xadfh | after years of persecution and prosecution, why is marijuana suddenly ok now? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xadfh/eli5after_years_of_persecution_and_prosecution/ | {
"a_id": [
"cf9izoq"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"It's actually still illegal at the federal level and 48 of the 50 states (medical not included).\n\nThis sounds like a really loaded question. If you want an answer to the legitimate parts of your question, re-ask them to the search bar."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5g9vng | the first computers were mechanical, bulky and relatively simple. how do you jump from that to operating systems, light-up screens, programs and cursors? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5g9vng/eli5the_first_computers_were_mechanical_bulky_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"daqkbxo",
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"score": [
10,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"You don't \"jump\" from one to the other. You do it in tiny steps.\n\nAfter mechanical computers, you move to electrical computers. They're still bulky. They take their input in the form of punched car... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
fbquc8 | drug tests seem backward. | Why are breathalyzers used to test something you drink and a urinalysis used to test something you inhale? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fbquc8/eli5_drug_tests_seem_backward/ | {
"a_id": [
"fj5zt01",
"fj7794i",
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"score": [
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2,
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"text": [
"Alcohol goes into the blood. The blood goes into the lungs. The alcohol “evaporates” into the air in the lungs that you then breath out. We can measure this and using a ratio we can determine how drunk... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1xx86h | why did birds evolve the attributes needed for flying (hollow bones, feathers, etc) before the ability to fly? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xx86h/eli5_why_did_birds_evolve_the_attributes_needed/ | {
"a_id": [
"cffexls",
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"score": [
3,
3,
3
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"text": [
"A gliding animal like a flying squirrel or flying snake could benefit from many of the same adaptations.",
"Hollow bones allow for lighter body weight, and therefore higher speed. Birds evolved from... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
ddui1y | how do websites like honey make money by finding discounts? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ddui1y/eli5_how_do_websites_like_honey_make_money_by/ | {
"a_id": [
"f2niazc"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"They make deals with companies to get special discounts that they can offer to their users. Then they can give part of the discount to the user so they'll use the service, and keep a referral fee from the company. Its worth it for companies to wo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2q3284 | what's the whole bill cosby scandal and does it seem like he's guilty? | I've been in France for two months, and the first thing I hear upon my return to JFK is about Bill Cosby and his possible assaults or rapes or whatever. Can some one run me through it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2q3284/eli5whats_the_whole_bill_cosby_scandal_and_does/ | {
"a_id": [
"cn2cz41",
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"text": [
"Cosby had been accused of drugging and raping women several times, and in 2006 he paid a settlement to prevent a civil suit about it from going to trial. \n\nThis was reported in the media at the time, but not widely report... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1o74ip | why do some people say that diamonds aren't actually rare at all, but just that some company has a strangle hold on diamonds? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1o74ip/why_do_some_people_say_that_diamonds_arent/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccpdj22",
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"score": [
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21,
4,
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"text": [
"[Article covering the topic, including the \"overhang\"](_URL_0_)",
"Because it's true. The De Beers company had a long history of having pretty much a monopoly on the world'... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/opinion/23iht-edepstein.1.20368819.html"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1td34y | i'm thinking of something right before i fall asleep. i roll over and suddenly i can't remember what i was thinking about milliseconds before. why? | Only happens when I'm very close to sleep, particularly if I'm thinking in narrative (telling myself a story in my head). | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1td34y/eli5_im_thinking_of_something_right_before_i_fall/ | {
"a_id": [
"ce6qxp2"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"I would really like to know the answer to this..."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
8tpqj8 | so when looking at a substance like water that is clear, are we looking at the atoms themselves or are we looking at the space between the atoms? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8tpqj8/eli5_so_when_looking_at_a_substance_like_water/ | {
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"text": [
"When you look AT the water, you see the photons that interact with the water molecules and are sent back to your eyes, so you're looking \"at the atoms.\" But keep in mind that ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://youtu.be/IXxZRZxafEQ"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
2pruld | please explain the joke in this webcomic | I am not a native american/english speaker and I feel like ([his webcomic](_URL_0_) is a culture related joke..
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2pruld/eli5please_explain_the_joke_in_this_webcomic/ | {
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"text": [
"Middle elf has Santa's face so clearly Santa has been having some fun with the lady elves. I don't think this is cultural. ",
"Who's your daddy? Santa!",
"The facial features (nose shape, ski... | [] | [
"http://www.pbfcomics.com/264/"
] | [
[],
[],
[]
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2ihpti | why do airlines and/or banks sped so much money marketing credit cards? what's the relationship between credit cards and the airlines? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ihpti/eli5_why_do_airlines_andor_banks_sped_so_much/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl2a10h"
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"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Airlines love it because it puts passengers in seats, and there's nothing worse than flying a plane with empty seats. They get to place all sorts of restrictions on usage, and you typically pay extras like baggage handling charges on top of every... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
kiz2c | why does shaving with hot water work better than shaving with cold water? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/kiz2c/eli5_why_does_shaving_with_hot_water_work_better/ | {
"a_id": [
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"c2kmpda"
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"score": [
7,
14,
7,
14
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"text": [
"Consider, my five year old, this single piece of dry spaghetti. You can cut it with a knife, but it is hard work, right?\n\nNow, if I soak it in water, it becomes softer and easi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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[]
] | ||
4i71fr | on what bases are scores awarded in gymnastics? why was nadia comaneci the first to get a perfect 10? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4i71fr/eli5_on_what_bases_are_scores_awarded_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2vnofd",
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"score": [
17,
6
],
"text": [
"In general, most routines/exercises start with a \"base score\" of 10. Judges then deduct fractions of points from the score for various mistakes during the routine. The more severe the mistake, the larger the deduction. ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3m381e | martin shkreli: enough blind hatred, break down his points. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3m381e/eli5_martin_shkreli_enough_blind_hatred_break/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvbmmlh",
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
" > Comparable drugs are priced similarly.\n\nThe key here is his definition of \"comparable\" drugs. He's not comparing it to other 60-year-old drugs that cost almost nothing to produce. He's comparing it to other drugs tha... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1sh7ws | how do parapalegics drive? | I have a neighbor paralyzed from the waist down, how do they operate the pedals and such? Thanks!
Edit: He lives alone and drives himself to work. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1sh7ws/eli5_how_do_parapalegics_drive/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdxjhss"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"They have specially customized cars with speed controls on the steering wheels."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2d3vr1 | how do baseball pitchers throw those really dynamic breaking balls (curve, slider, cutter, etc)? | As a baseball lover, I have always had a question about how exactly pitchers throw breaking balls? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2d3vr1/eli5_how_do_baseball_pitchers_throw_those_really/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjlscsa",
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"I'm not a pitcher, but my brother was. Most of it has to do with the position of your fingers on the ball. ",
"Former college pitcher here. The ball has 200+ seams. A pitcher tries to make the seams spin downward really ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
111hku | why is my gf cold when my body temp. is just right? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/111hku/eli5_why_is_my_gf_cold_when_my_body_temp_is_just/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6ih6bb",
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"c6ilmn0"
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"score": [
2,
15,
2
],
"text": [
"I've noticed that males' hands are generally warmer than those of females.",
"Metabolism=(catabolic and anabolic actions)\n\nCatabolic actions=breakdown of molecules to form a product\n\nAnabolic a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
22il2l | foucault's theories on sexuality | A broad explanation would be good - I don't know where to start. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/22il2l/eli5_foucaults_theories_on_sexuality/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgn7dvv",
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"score": [
37,
7
],
"text": [
"Foucault was mostly interested in the discourse of sex - rater than studying the actual history of sexuality, he looked at the way people talked about sexuality during history. So, in victorian times, the prevailing discuss... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2ysc3f | why is it referred to as the "self proclaimed" islamic state? why not just islamic state? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ysc3f/eli5_why_is_it_referred_to_as_the_self_proclaimed/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
6,
3,
7,
4
],
"text": [
"Because there is no international consensus on the matter.\n\nIt's like someone saying \"I'm President!\" when nobody voted for them.",
"They are also trying to avoid confusion... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
87bvaj | i jump feet first into a pool of lava. how long before my body is totally gone? what would be the last parts to melt? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/87bvaj/eli5_i_jump_feet_first_into_a_pool_of_lava_how/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwbo3js"
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"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Never, actually, boring as that sounds.\n\nFirst, you can't really jump into a pool of lava. It's LIQUID ROCK, and almost as dense as regular rock. You don't really sink into it, unless you're actually jumping into an actively erupting volcano or... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
jfz3y | what is fairtax? why is it bad? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/jfz3y/eli5_what_is_fairtax_why_is_it_bad/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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2,
2,
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"text": [
"Fair tax is a tax policy that would get rid of the income tax on people and corporations and move the tax entirely to a consumer tax on ... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
[],
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[]
] | ||
5emjxt | drumlines | What specific instruments playing what specific parts add up to make that really full sound? Is there a "standard" rhythm that all drum lines know? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5emjxt/eli5_drumlines/ | {
"a_id": [
"dadl9x6",
"dadljzn",
"daeam4w"
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"score": [
4,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"A standard drum line is made up of base and snare drums. Generally the snare drums play in unison while doing \"street beat\" (that's the music you hear when the band marches) each individual in the bas... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nph2xXDtdU"
]
] | |
7e0xw6 | why does being outside in the cold cause a runny nose/other cold like symptoms? i was under the impression that cold weather causing a cold was a myth. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7e0xw6/eli5_why_does_being_outside_in_the_cold_cause_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dq1n75m"
],
"score": [
16
],
"text": [
"A runny nose due to the cold is not the same as having a cold... The purpose of your nose is to warm and humidify and warm I coming air before it gets to your lungs. When it's cold, your nose ramps up mucus production because cold air is dry and... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3ehk6m | what is the origin of cracking your knuckles before a fight? | this is shown a lot in films, shows, and other media: right before someone gets into a fight or threatens someone, they crack their knuckles, usually with the palm of their other hand. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ehk6m/eli5_what_is_the_origin_of_cracking_your_knuckles/ | {
"a_id": [
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],
"text": [
"I'm guessing this has an origin in movies. Possibly one scene in one particular movie, or it may have evolved naturally as a movie trope.\n\nA very similar trope is the cocking of a gun. It's almost as if people in movie/TV-land can't aim a gun... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
93e4vw | how does electricity "know" when to start flowing? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/93e4vw/eli5_how_does_electricity_know_when_to_start/ | {
"a_id": [
"e3cipxh"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"imagine you have a water pump, connect an empty pipe with a tap on the end and it will fill up the pipe with water. (ignore the air that's in the pipe)\n\nthe same thing happens with a wire. if you connect a wire to the positive of a battery the ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
fr9ydb | why do goat eyes change shape? | My grandparents’ goats eyes were round in daylight and rectangular/horizontal when dark
Why do their eyes change shape?
I couldn’t find anything about it online.
Maybe I was just looking at two different goats but I don’t think so. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fr9ydb/eli5_why_do_goat_eyes_change_shape/ | {
"a_id": [
"flul4b2",
"flutxls"
],
"score": [
5,
3
],
"text": [
"Their pupils are horizontal and will always stay in landscape orientation regardless of how they move their head, like a kind of image stabiliser. This ensures that they can always have maximum visibility to look out for pr... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
kyqj3 | how do land surveyors work? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/kyqj3/eli5_how_do_land_surveyors_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"c2odv4m",
"c2odxm0",
"c2odv4m",
"c2odxm0"
],
"score": [
3,
3,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"I know a little about this so I will share what I can.\n\nYou start out with a point of known elevation. This is your Bench Mark. You set up your eyepiece thing on top of the bench... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
5kl9at | why hasn't snapchat sued facebook? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5kl9at/eli5_why_hasnt_snapchat_sued_facebook/ | {
"a_id": [
"dbopi31",
"dbopm85",
"dbopn5w"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Facebook was around eight years before Snapchat. It's been evolving ever since that day, and no one is going to sue a company for having similar features unless code and designs are literally stolen. \n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
27o42a | why we aren't all just freaking the hell out that we are all going to die and we have no understanding as to why we even exist and no clue what happens after we die? | Seriously.
PS. I kind of have been a lot, lately, after my father died.
Edit: please no religion stuff. I have a faith, and I don't need the sale. The thing about faith is, that's is faith. It means believing without knowing. I'm asking about why we aren't freaking out that we don't KNOW. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/27o42a/eli5_why_we_arent_all_just_freaking_the_hell_out/ | {
"a_id": [
"ci2pbks",
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"ci2r3oc",
"ci2r5dk"
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"score": [
5,
10,
4,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"I think about this constantly. What is all this? How and why are we conscious right now? What is reality? Why does anyone care about... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4p4q3s | why is the steering inverted on motorcycles at high speeds? | E.g., when I turn my handlebars left and I'm going 40+ mph, the bike tilts and turns to the right. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4p4q3s/eli5_why_is_the_steering_inverted_on_motorcycles/ | {
"a_id": [
"d4i2q69",
"d4i992x",
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"d4iolov",
"d4ixao7",
"d4j77kd"
],
"score": [
51,
3,
2,
2,
2,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"You are turning the front wheel to the left, the wheel goes left slightly, and the entire bike (and you) keeps go... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=twist+of+the+wrist&view=detail&mid=3B160996F26EEB9EB2203B160996F26EEB9EB220&FORM=VIRE"
],
[],
[]
] | |
fbtgcx | how do animals get the flu in the wild and where does the bacteria originate? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fbtgcx/eli5_how_do_animals_get_the_flu_in_the_wild_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"fj6ccoj",
"fj6cuxr"
],
"score": [
6,
5
],
"text": [
"The virus is just another life form that happens to live in that population of animals. There are plenty.\n\nThe problem with diseases that originate in other animals is that when a different type of host takes it, they're o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
64fq40 | when did the idea of featuring other artists in songs become the new norm? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/64fq40/eli5_when_did_the_idea_of_featuring_other_artists/ | {
"a_id": [
"dg2i7jg"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I would say it has become more and more frequent in the last 10-15 years, but it's hard to say exactly when. I think a big part of it is that newer artists can showcase their talents with people who are already established, while big names can d... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5vafo9 | did people sound like they do in black and white movies in real-life or was it an affected accent? if it was, why did they do it in the movies? | Flair: other | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5vafo9/eli5_did_people_sound_like_they_do_in_black_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"de0iaz5",
"de0icww",
"de0jvcj",
"de0kvix"
],
"score": [
15,
6,
2,
5
],
"text": [
"Some people did actually talk like that. Specifically the very rich of New England. It’s called the transatlantic or mid-Atlantic accent. It was specifically taught to kids in ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_accent"
]
] | |
cf1xxp | do memories occupy a physical space in the brain? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cf1xxp/eli5_do_memories_occupy_a_physical_space_in_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"eu6paw8",
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"eu6q431",
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"eu6wjda",
"eu6y4nj",
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"eu70tj0",
"eu73kl3",
"eu76o3v",
"eu7e3i5",
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"score": [
8522,
67,
458,
2,
16,
61,
23,
6,
782,
2,
2,
2,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/sciencecommunication/2016/10/15/organ-transplants-a-change-of-heart-in-more-ways-than-one/",
"https://www.historydisclosure.com/transplant-recipients-pick-up-the-memories-of-their-donors/"
],
[]
] | ||
266f82 | what is cybernetics? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/266f82/eli5what_is_cybernetics/ | {
"a_id": [
"cho554k"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"AFAIK it is a cross-branch study of how everything depends on everything. Something like how the entire internet is one big spiderweb of different and seemingly unrelated issues that have a common line between them, cybernetics aims at studying h... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics"
]
] | ||
wnofg | how do you speak louder? | What can I do to naturally turn up the volume of my voice? When I'm out in public, people crane their heads toward me or they ask me to repeat myself several times. This is after I'm at a level just short of shouting. Any suggestions? Exercises? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/wnofg/eli5_how_do_you_speak_louder/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5evaut",
"c5ewih0",
"c5f0je9"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Put your hand on your belly. Now practice inhaling and exhaling in such a way that your belly expands and contracts, moving your hand outward and inward. Once you've got that down, practice talking lo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoracic_diaphragm"
],
[]
] | |
atl249 | automatic windshield wipers | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/atl249/eli5_automatic_windshield_wipers/ | {
"a_id": [
"eh1phq0"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Some cars have water sensors somewhere on them. When they get wet, their electrical conductivity changes. The car's computer detects this and turns the windshield on. Advanced ones can even detect the rate at which water is coming, meaning they c... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2g9xb1 | i switch my tv off at the wall, but the little red standby light stays on for nearly a minute afterwards. how? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2g9xb1/eli5_i_switch_my_tv_off_at_the_wall_but_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckh17jv",
"ckh18ns"
],
"score": [
10,
6
],
"text": [
"[Capacitors](_URL_0_) store electricity. This is why many electric appliances have warnings that you shouldn't poke around in them, even if unplugged. Some hold enough charge to stop your heart if you short it.",
"Capac... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor"
],
[]
] | ||
60zcu7 | why we can't be friends with russia now that leadership has changed since the cold war, and how its justifiable to be friends with cuba even though they were the biggest concern in the cold war. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/60zcu7/eli5_why_we_cant_be_friends_with_russia_now_that/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfaihgs",
"dfaihwt",
"dfaisi7"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Russia has absolutely no interest in being \"friends\" with the US or the West. They want their status as a superpower back, and that would certainly come at the cost of lowering the west's power, influ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1nxx8w | how does insurance fraud even work? | With the recent dashcam fail vids, how does insurance fraud even work? The "victim" would probably be injured enough or even killed so that they can't see or track the car that "hit" them if the driver drives away. Also how are the "victims" even able to prove that this person hit them? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1nxx8w/eli5how_does_insurance_fraud_even_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccn7uy1"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Get insurance on something, break it on purpose, tell the insurance company it was an accident, get money."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
vk7lz | how do capacitors work and what do they do on a motherboard? also why do they leak? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/vk7lz/eli5_how_do_capacitors_work_and_what_do_they_do/ | {
"a_id": [
"c557hc4"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Think about capacitors as a water holder with large hole to fill but it has a small hole that leaks the water anyway. It takes short time to fill it up but longer time to empty, it's used in electronics to save the electric charge for sometime.\n... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
40qp6q | what would happen if the us adopted a compulsory voting policy? (i.e. fine/community service for people who don't vote) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40qp6q/eli5_what_would_happen_if_the_us_adopted_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cywclrt",
"cywe3rb"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"In other countries where mandatory voting is implemented, such as Egypt and Peru, citizens indicate in exit polls (by majority) that they couldn't explain why they voted for the person they did. In short, compulsory voting w... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting#Research"
]
] | ||
2bp2it | if your heart has roughly 1 billion beats before natural failure, why is cardio exersize good for you? | Is it the same principle behind other muscles? Working them out makes them stronger? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bp2it/eli5_if_your_heart_has_roughly_1_billion_beats/ | {
"a_id": [
"cj7hf89",
"cj7htcn",
"cj7i90b",
"cj7x8bd"
],
"score": [
50,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Two reasons.\n\n- Cardio doesn't just exercise your heart. It exercises your lungs and your muscles associated with endurance. This helps your body a LOT, doing things like assist... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1ek072 | the large increase in the cost college today compared to the '80s and it's relation to the rise of student loan debt | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ek072/eli5_the_large_increase_in_the_cost_college_today/ | {
"a_id": [
"ca10jng"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I wrote this about six months ago, just my opinion. I hope I broke it down well enough, I'd be glad to answer any questions you have! \n\n_URL_0_"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://keepwhatsyours.blogspot.com/2012/09/rising-cost-of-education.html?m=1"
]
] | ||
3chkou | why doesn't water go into your various holes when you take a bath? (possibly nsfw) | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3chkou/eli5_why_doesnt_water_go_into_your_various_holes/ | {
"a_id": [
"csvlhou"
],
"score": [
20
],
"text": [
"apparently, a BOT flagged my comment, so ill say it again:\nthe body is made up of various muscles that cling to prevent the release of fecal matter and bodily fluids. \nthe body also has internal pressure than prevents entry of liquids to certa... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3hv8we | why are chinese people in the uk buying so much baby milk powder? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3hv8we/eli5_why_are_chinese_people_in_the_uk_buying_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuaubup",
"cuauksk",
"cuav3ro",
"cub1kgh"
],
"score": [
10,
3,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"They don't trust the shit they can buy in China. It wasn't too long ago that people were caught [intentionally poisoning milk products to increase profits](_URL_0_).",
"No on... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_milk_scandal"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
57hhew | how can you poll a small population (1-2 thousand) and use it as an estimate for how hundreds of thousands will vote? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/57hhew/eli5_how_can_you_poll_a_small_population_12/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8rzmjh",
"d8s01oz"
],
"score": [
2,
6
],
"text": [
"Because that's how it works. A poll's goal should be to exactly reflect the way the actual voting public will vote. You can't really measure this until after the fact.\n\nAfter the vote is taken, if your polling methodolog... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://fivethirtyeight.com"
],
[]
] | ||
9t2z6d | why is corn so different from other grains? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9t2z6d/eli5_why_is_corn_so_different_from_other_grains/ | {
"a_id": [
"e8tb62f",
"e8tbao2"
],
"score": [
5,
4
],
"text": [
"Several millenia of selectively breeding for more and larger grains. Ancient corn looked much closer to other grains. ",
"Corn were domesticated in America while all the other grains were domesticated in Asia. There is s... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
a0zd1f | why are wood baseball bats in mlb milled to have a concave bore at the tip? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a0zd1f/eli5_why_are_wood_baseball_bats_in_mlb_milled_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"ealkvft"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"There are several reasons, the biggest of which are removing weight to increase swing speed, and improving the overall balance of the bat.\n\nSource: Catcher from 2nd place 1992 Little League team. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1494h4 | if i can hold my breath underwater for let's say, 5 minutes...why doesn't it take someone 5 minutes to choke me to death? | Let's imagine a scenario where I'm being choked by the neck and I am remaining completely calm...just focusing on holding my breath. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1494h4/if_i_can_hold_my_breath_underwater_for_lets_say_5/ | {
"a_id": [
"c7ayfyu",
"c7ayqh7",
"c7b5s9x"
],
"score": [
16,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"well inside your neck there are little tubes called arteries and veins. when someone squeezes your neck it cuts off the blood flow to your brain. if you just hold your breath then your blood flow is no... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1r96au | why can we not/do we not store and reuse as much expended energy in cars as possible? | So I have the image in my head of a vehicle. When it turns, something in the car tilts because of that turn. That turn creates a charge, and that charge is stored in a battery tank housed in the floor of the trunk. The driver accelerates, and the rear wheels of this FWD car store more of a charge in the battery tank as... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1r96au/eli5_why_can_we_notdo_we_not_store_and_reuse_as/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdku8y4",
"cdkuaxu",
"cdkub85"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"You don't get energy for free. Any thing you hook a generator up to produces drag (friction), making it harder to create the motion in the first place. You'd just wind up burning more gas.\n\nHybrids an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
12sscn | what makes a circular paper airplane fly so well? | Like this one: _URL_0_ | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/12sscn/what_makes_a_circular_paper_airplane_fly_so_well/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6xu49a",
"c6xurtf"
],
"score": [
5,
10
],
"text": [
"Sorry no answer, but [better vid, with actual flight.](_URL_0_)",
"Stability.\n\n1. Circles are very hard to deform compared to other shapes. This means the \"wing\" will not flutter or collapse, which is the main probl... | [] | [
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Yehe2dbyQ"
] | [
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWhVjL7Lmco&feature=related"
],
[]
] | |
7diuax | how do countries handle the vast discrepancies between international postage costs? | I've got a rough handle on the [Universal Postal Union](_URL_0_) but I'm still not entirely sure how they handle the nuances of balancing the books when it comes to international postal charges.
Let's say I buy something off eBay from China, and have it mailed to me in Australia. The seller in China pays China Post al... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7diuax/eli5how_do_countries_handle_the_vast/ | {
"a_id": [
"dpy6eko",
"dpy9db8"
],
"score": [
5,
4
],
"text": [
"There is an organization called the Universal Postal Union that helps sort things out. Established in 1874, it is perhaps the oldest international governance organization in the world. It is now part of the UN.\n\nThey hav... | [] | [
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
6npfnz | if it's the other harmful chemicals in cigarettes that give cancer etc rather than the nicotine itself, why can't we mix nicotine with other non-harmful chemicals since people only smoke cigarettes for the nicotine? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6npfnz/eli5_if_its_the_other_harmful_chemicals_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkb7bwp",
"dkb7d2q",
"dkb7fj5",
"dkbkgnk"
],
"score": [
13,
19,
6,
3
],
"text": [
"Isn't that what a vape is?",
"You can, that's the idea behind the patches, nicorette gum, and vaping.\n\nNicotine itself isn't completely harmless though, stimulant addiction... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4363846/"
],
[]
] | |
3m4dha | why are houses by the sea often more colorful than houses elsewhere? | At least here in the U.S., many homes near the coast seem to be painted with more vivid and varied colors than houses elsewhere. Is this just a matter of style, or is there some other reason for this? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3m4dha/eli5_why_are_houses_by_the_sea_often_more/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvbvnkh",
"cvbxy2n",
"cvc5epm"
],
"score": [
5,
5,
3
],
"text": [
"Good question and I am no expert but i think the bright colors contribute to the whole \"island vibe\"",
"Saltwater is corrosive and the weather on the coast tends to be windy which combined with sa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6jiooe | polynesian people look very different from east asian people, yet are hypothesized to have expanded out of east asia only a few thousand years ago. how have the come to look so strikingly different, so quickly? | People from Hawaii look extremely different from people from Taiwan, for example. Yet from what I read, Polynesian people were East Asian sea travelers who made land on the various Pacific islands. Why do they look so different from East Asians? How did they develop such different physical characteristics so quickly? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6jiooe/eli5_polynesian_people_look_very_different_from/ | {
"a_id": [
"djema2t",
"djes2vh"
],
"score": [
17,
3
],
"text": [
"Polynesians are thought to be descended from Taiwanese aborigines or Formosan people of Taiwan, which are a different ethnic group from the Han Chinese which mostly populate Taiwan today. ",
"Imagine you have an island... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
amo0df | how come most (all?) mammals have separate liquid and solid waste disposal systems? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/amo0df/eli5_how_come_most_all_mammals_have_separate/ | {
"a_id": [
"efne88w",
"efnembv",
"efnpf0f"
],
"score": [
8,
22,
2
],
"text": [
"One is for blood cleaning (kidneys make piss from it)\n\nThe other is food waste we dont take on.",
"Because the point of urine is only partially to get rid of urea. Mostly the point of it is to ba... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1k9ktl | how iv fluid goes into our veins and ends up as pee | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1k9ktl/eli5_how_iv_fluid_goes_into_our_veins_and_ends_up/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbmq7dh",
"cbmrcol",
"cbmrlyq"
],
"score": [
10,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"All of the organs in your body are connected by your blood. It's how the food that you eat can be sent to your muscles for fuel, how hormones released by your brain can cause your heart to race when yo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidney"
]
] | ||
38yl92 | why doesn't wind cause the air pollution in china to disperse? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38yl92/eli5_why_doesnt_wind_cause_the_air_pollution_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cryw2ej"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Because the sources of that air pollution are pumping it out faster than the wind can carry it away. There may also be some temperature inversions inhibiting sir movement, depending on the season and specific location."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
65cuf7 | why are some drugs absorbed through the gut, and some through intestine? | I have always wondered why, is there an explanation or the researchers just test it empirically to prove it is the way it is for some drugs?
If not, is it possible to predict which drugs will be absorbed in specific places (of course with some small deviation)?
Does it depend on the molecular structure of the drug or... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/65cuf7/eli5why_are_some_drugs_absorbed_through_the_gut/ | {
"a_id": [
"dg98hn2"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"The location in the body at which a drug is absorbed is indeed dependent on its molecular structure. Some drugs can pass right through your cells and into the bloodstream, while others must pass through specialized proteins channels that allow th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6zpu1s | why will the sun burn something through a magnifying glass but if the sun hits eye glasses it wont burn your eyes? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6zpu1s/eli5_why_will_the_sun_burn_something_through_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dmx454h",
"dmxrjcl"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Because glasses don't so much magnify as distort the light going through them to focus it where the eye needs it. You can create a heat spot with some lenses but you have to aim them directly at the sun and angle them just r... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
ctxsot | how do different shipping companies interact to ship goods worldwide? | Example : I order something from China EMS, they ship it to Canada Post which takes care of it. Who makes money here? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ctxsot/eli5_how_do_different_shipping_companies_interact/ | {
"a_id": [
"exow3yd",
"exoyigq"
],
"score": [
3,
5
],
"text": [
"Your question is a huge one. The shipping industry is one of the most complex things in the world so I can only answer in part: about railways. \n\nDifferent rail companies in America have come together to track EVERYTHING i... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3kaunz | how does the placebo effect work? if the body is capable of defeating a pathogen, why does it only do that when it is 'tricked'? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kaunz/eli5_how_does_the_placebo_effect_work_if_the_body/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuw2dz6"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"its not that id only does that when your sick, its your brain that doesnt want to recognize youre getting better\n\nThe human brain is capable of many weird things, like making an amputaded arm hurt like hell even tho its not there\n\nPlacebos ma... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2siul8 | how movie committees choose which films make the nominations for oscars/bafta's and seem to ignore some of the big films of the year? | I was looking at the Oscar nomination lists and it seems that a few films such as The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything seem to be in many categories including best picture whereas big films such as Guardians of the Galaxy or Interstellar which have been praised are only nominated for t... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2siul8/eli5_how_movie_committees_choose_which_films_make/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnpu4ze",
"cnpurzr"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"_URL_0_\n\n > The Sci-Fi Ghetto reflects a long-lasting stigma which has been applied towards the science fiction genre, which frequently leads creators and marketers to shun \"Sci-Fi\", \"Science Fiction\" or \"Fantasy\" l... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SciFiGhetto"
],
[]
] | |
6sr79n | why aren't "season tickets" to your favorite bands a thing? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6sr79n/eli5_why_arent_season_tickets_to_your_favorite/ | {
"a_id": [
"dlexinj"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"I can't speak for everywhere, but the bands I would subscribe too aren't in my area more than once a year, and when they are - it's part of a bigger concert.\n\nI would much prefer to just buy tickets on the fly, for flexibility and the economics... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
44ygua | if before the universe there was nothing, then the universe was created, shouldn't there be a field of nothing at the possible edge of the universe? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/44ygua/eli5_if_before_the_universe_there_was_nothing/ | {
"a_id": [
"cztt08a",
"cztt1bs",
"cztt1lz",
"czttdez",
"czttgc5"
],
"score": [
3,
6,
2,
2,
27
],
"text": [
"There is no evidence that before the universe there was nothing. Everything we have ever observed or studied is part of the universe. There is no reason to... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
78dy99 | how schools choose their curriculum? | I was always curious as to how certain classes got picked but others were not.
Why do we learn the poems of a guy who died 400 years ago, over financial and tax systems. Why do we learn trigonometry over statistics. That sort of stuff.
Edit:
High schools and lower preferred. But higher education as well. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/78dy99/eli5_how_schools_choose_their_curriculum/ | {
"a_id": [
"dotbbeu"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"In some countries, it is dictated by law what subjects must be touched upon. These laws are created under the advisement of a national school board, consulting experts, etc.\n\nEach school is then free to choose their own classes and class conten... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2igkkd | the supreme court chose not to take up the cases on gay marriage. if the 6th circuit court upholds bans in ky, oh, tn and fl, what happens now? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2igkkd/eli5_the_supreme_court_chose_not_to_take_up_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl1z1co"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"They may reconsider taking up the issue next term. There are no current splits so the Supreme Court prefers to let it play out in the lower courts until that becomes a bigger issue. They do not want to take the flack for cowardly politicians, who... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3b7y16 | when a plane turns in the air why don't things slide? | I've been wondering.. I can see the plane turning and doing a diagonal motion but the water on my tray or the food stays in position.. It doest start to slide.. What is the logic begins this? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3b7y16/eli5_when_a_plane_turns_in_the_air_why_dont/ | {
"a_id": [
"csjo7tp"
],
"score": [
15
],
"text": [
"This is called a coordinated turn. The pilot (or autopilot) controls the angle of the wings to balance the plane through the turn, like you would do while riding a bike. It makes for a more pleasant ride. The net force of gravity plus the tur... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4zk6r5 | if there's only so much gold available in the world, why does goldschlager and edible gold flakes for baked goods exist. aren't we depleting our supply? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4zk6r5/eli5_if_theres_only_so_much_gold_available_in_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"d6wgr8w",
"d6wh06a",
"d6wh2fx",
"d6wjdh0",
"d6wkq9n",
"d6wli3y",
"d6wodh4",
"d6worbj",
"d6wreva",
"d6wuo11",
"d6wxm8s",
"d6x0gh1",
"d6x0p0s",
"d6x3dz2",
"d6x6q9u",
"d6x7kux"
],
"score": [
104,
115,
8,
183,
5,
2,
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/gold/eureka/gold-fun-facts/"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cripple_Creek_%26_Victor_Gold_Mine#Production"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
65inca | why can men keep producing children in old age but women have the menopause? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/65inca/eli5_why_can_men_keep_producing_children_in_old/ | {
"a_id": [
"dgak6v7",
"dgakfie",
"dgazwow"
],
"score": [
2,
25,
2
],
"text": [
"As women get older it becomes increasingly likely that there will be complications prior to and during child birth. In evolutionary terms it's better for the species to only allow child birth during a ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/01/science/research-on-birth-defects-shifts-to-flaws-in-sperm.html?pagewanted=all"
]
] | ||
7lzsmw | why do parents work so hard to manage the sleep of young children (and is there an alternative)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7lzsmw/eli5_why_do_parents_work_so_hard_to_manage_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"drqb8ra",
"drqbl0c"
],
"score": [
5,
4
],
"text": [
"These parents are often exhausted and would really, really like to get more rest. That's why they are so keen on having their child sleep.",
"Yes, the child will eventually run out of batteries and collapse from sheer ex... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
a0wwr4 | i found this mentioned on /r/science, can someone explain what "'twisted' light" is? | Thanks if you can! | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a0wwr4/eli5_i_found_this_mentioned_on_rscience_can/ | {
"a_id": [
"eal0l1t",
"eal14w3"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"I haven't seen the post but from what I can guess from the name they are using circular polarised light. And the way this is interesting is that you can encode more information.\n\nLets say that you see a photon, this is the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5c0baw | when animals are fighting, why do they sometimes pause in the middle of the fight and stare into empty space? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5c0baw/eli5_when_animals_are_fighting_why_do_they/ | {
"a_id": [
"d9snexc",
"d9snoyx",
"d9szfjt",
"d9szs24",
"d9tbks1"
],
"score": [
15,
43,
3,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"They're trying not to get hurt. Animals fight for their lives and any injury could essentially be a death sentence.\n\nMore than likely they're considering... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
30wlmm | why do i need to press ctrl alt delete before i can use my school's computer? | It doesn't really seem like a security feature, since if a hacker could enter a username and password, they wouldn't have problems with a button combination. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30wlmm/eli5_why_do_i_need_to_press_ctrl_alt_delete/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpwh8ta"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"It's a security feature to make sure that you're typing your password into the real login screen, and the last person to use the machine didn't leave it running a fake login screen to collect people's passwords.\n\nFor historical reasons, the Ctr... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1z4gyh | pain threshold. is it a real thing? what exactly is it? | What exactly is a persons pain threshold? Is it an actual physical thing or is it just in our heads? Can it be measured? Can it be increased? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1z4gyh/eli5_pain_threshold_is_it_a_real_thing_what/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfqf4cj"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"A pain threshold is the point at which pain is felt. As an example I grab your arm and start squeezing. At first you feel pressure and that increases. At some point you will begin to feel pain. That is the threshold of pain. \n\nIt can be inc... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
blqg45 | what's the difference between a samsung "fast charging" plug and a standard iphone one? is there any science to it or is samsung just trying to shoehorn my money into their pockets by limiting the amount of power its consuming? | Title says it, I have to lug around this bulky plug anywhere I want to have my phone charge faster than 22 hours for a full charge, while my girlfriend can plug her iPhone into pretty much any usb. Is there science behind it? Because it seems like the power source is the same. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/blqg45/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_a_samsung_fast/ | {
"a_id": [
"emqi4zr",
"emqmus2",
"emr0ux0",
"emr7hl2"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"The power sources are not necessarily the same. Yes, they'll all provide 5V over the USB connection, but phone chargers are often limited to 1 Amp of current \"draw\" and tablet ch... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3k7k6q | how do so many average or even bad video games and movies consistently get so many high star ratings to display in their trailers and advertisements? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3k7k6q/eli5_how_do_so_many_average_or_even_bad_video/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuvdvxz",
"cuvemyf"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Any examples? In my experience, that doesn't really happen...",
"If enough people review you, you're almost bound to find *some*one who likes you enough to give a good enough review to use. Or you grab specific words fro... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1c9gzm | why has the western world "forgiven" germany for wwii, but the eastern/asian world still hates japan? | What I mean by "forgiven" is that you **generally** don't see Western countries and its citizens holding contempt for and openly berating Germany for its WWII war crimes.
However, you still hear in the news about tensions between China and Japan that root back to WWII, and many Asians today still harbor deep hatred tow... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1c9gzm/eli5_why_has_the_western_world_forgiven_germany/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9ec21c",
"c9ec6m1",
"c9eccef",
"c9ecgjo",
"c9een9s",
"c9elh5e"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
2,
12,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"Japan conquered Korea and parts of China *before* World War II. So even if they forgave everything during World War II, there would sti... | [] | [
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan"
] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_history_textbook_controversies",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasukuni_Shrine#Controversy",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_women#Apologies_and_compensation"
],
[],
[]
] | |
aa45le | what allows modern thermometers (for measuring body temperature) to get a reading so much quicker than the older mercury in-mouth thermometers? | For example, nowadays in-ear thermometers and no-touch forehead thermometers are pretty common, can be bought for like $25, and give a (more or less) accurate reading in seconds whereas old in-mouth under-tongue thermometers used to take minutes.
I guess, specifically, what's the technology that allows this? Is it inf... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aa45le/eli5_what_allows_modern_thermometers_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"ecphtm6"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It is infrared imaging technology, and there are a number of elements that have come down in price to make this technology meet the consumer price point. But it's really the push to eliminate the danger of glass thermometers that had lead to the ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6zr06v | how is lossless compression so good? (detailed) | To start off, yes, I know how it works, I know how specialized algorithms can do amazing things with ratios of 25% sometimes when time is not a concern.
What I am asking is how it can get below 100% ratio in every situation that you would use it for.
The reason why this is confusing for me is because I was thinking... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6zr06v/eli5_how_is_lossless_compression_so_good_detailed/ | {
"a_id": [
"dmxdntm",
"dmxec7j"
],
"score": [
3,
4
],
"text": [
" > Example: Say you wanted to compress a set of 8 bits to 7 bits. 8 bits can represent 256 DIFFERENT values, while 7 bits can only represent 128 values. So that means that half of the files are IMPOSSIBLE to compress, even w... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.bestwordlist.com/10letterwords.htm"
]
] | |
e1w2td | internet cookies and what happens if i don’t enable them? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e1w2td/eli5_internet_cookies_and_what_happens_if_i_dont/ | {
"a_id": [
"f8s1etd",
"f8s1uvu"
],
"score": [
7,
2
],
"text": [
"A cookie is a piece of data that a website can ask your browser to store. Whenever you visit any page in the website, your browser will automatically send this data back to the site.\n\nCookies are used for storing informati... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7uw4a3 | compared to talking in person, why can two people talk normally on the phone but video chatting is so awkward and interrupting each other? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7uw4a3/eli5_compared_to_talking_in_person_why_can_two/ | {
"a_id": [
"dtnm5hl",
"dtnnsk0"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Body language might be a factor. When you are sitting face to face with a person, subtle clues about how they are feeling, or what they are intending to do may be more visible. For example, you may see and hear someone tak... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7lo4r5 | how is concrete poured/set underwater when making bridges? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7lo4r5/eli5_how_is_concrete_pouredset_underwater_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"drno77k"
],
"score": [
14
],
"text": [
"When they can or are required to, they remove the water from the area by putting down something around the intended concrete volume to keep the water out, essentially like a \"moat of air\" that's either open on top or fully sealed. [It's called... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.thehansindia.com/assets/5210_Classroomcofferpic.jpg",
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Confederation_Bridge_Segment.jpg"
]
] | ||
2yjnty | if the half-life of the fuel is so long, why do nuclear power plants need to be refuelled? | Surely the fuel will keep releasing energy? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yjnty/eli5_if_the_halflife_of_the_fuel_is_so_long_why/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpa70o1"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"Nuclear engineer here. You are confusing radiation with fission. They are two different things. \n\nWhen we split the atom, we take a fissile fuel material like uranium-235, and we split the atom. Once it is split, it becomes smaller atoms which ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5vt2n7 | if hipothetically around the world, we all lower 10% of the cost of everything, will we effectively lower 10% of global inflation? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5vt2n7/eli5_if_hipothetically_around_the_world_we_all/ | {
"a_id": [
"de4mv03",
"de4mznb"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"If you're changing salaries and savings too then you're effectively re-scaling the currency, which isn't the same as inflation. It's highly frowned upon because the logistics are nightmarish, but countries have done it occa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2r7cuy | why don't u.s.-based websites have a two letter code like the rest of the countries?(like .it for italia, .br for brazil, etc) | Explained | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2r7cuy/eli5_why_dont_usbased_websites_have_a_two_letter/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnd4902",
"cnd4kbl",
"cnd7r9x"
],
"score": [
3,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"com does not mean its US based website. if you are asking why some are .com and others are .it .br etc.",
"It used to be a reserved domain until \"recently,\" so companies turned to .com making it t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.revenue.state.il.us",
"Http://dnr.state.il.us",
"Http://ides.state.il.us"
]
] | |
1e2ial | github. | Can someone explain to me what the purpose of github is, what it does, how to use it etc. Never done enough digging to truly understand and what I do find seems to be written for developers.
Thanks!
edit: spelling | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1e2ial/eli5_github/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9w5d86"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Github is just a place to host git repositories. You could make your own such server, or even just keep a p2p version of git. Github gives a few advantages, but nothing you couldn't get from dropbox or just any other form of good backup. \n\nBut ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1ypxf3 | why do organic eggs have a lighter yolk than free run/barn eggs? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ypxf3/eli5_why_do_organic_eggs_have_a_lighter_yolk_than/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfmox98"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Egg yolk color is controlled by the chicken's diet. Most of the orange/yellows come from carotenoids (like b-carotene) and xanthophylls. Not all of these have any nutritional value, but some (b-carotene) do. Intensively farmed chickens tend to ha... | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
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