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4fnjbk
why has it been so hard for president obama to close guantanamo bay?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fnjbk/eli5_why_has_it_been_so_hard_for_president_obama/
{ "a_id": [ "d2ac679", "d2acf3z", "d2acnxo", "d2adj89", "d2ahnpx", "d2ai2zu" ], "score": [ 68, 4, 6, 9, 2, 22 ], "text": [ "He is the President. He is not Congress. Most of the members of Congress do not want Guantanamo Bay closed. That is the simple answer....
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/23/how-obama-bungled-the-guantanamo-closing.html", "http://cnsnews.com/news/article/poll-democrats-flip-flop-gitmo-support-obama" ] ]
97ttdz
how is a free mobile app, that has neither in-app purchases nor ads, generating roi for the company developing it? (e.g. "zero", a fasting app available in the itunes store)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/97ttdz/eli5_how_is_a_free_mobile_app_that_has_neither/
{ "a_id": [ "e4auaql", "e4augzq", "e4ay5er" ], "score": [ 13, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "Data. They are likely gathering personal information on you and your habits, which can be turned around and sold.", "Two things:\n\n\\-Someone could have simply made the app for fun or to share a ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://medium.com/@kevinrose/introducing-zero-a-new-app-to-help-you-fast-209935e8245d" ], [] ]
29f7pm
millions of years ago when the earth was inhabited by dinosaurs and species of animals that do not exist today, why is it that none of the larger species of animals survived?
You always hear about HUGE dinosaurs and megalodons, and yet today we have no animals that even come close to size in comparison with these extinct animals. Why did all the big ones die off? Edit: Grammar
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29f7pm/eli5_millions_of_years_ago_when_the_earth_was/
{ "a_id": [ "cikbqa1", "cikbuuf", "cikcers" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "As the continents drifted apart the amount of oxygen also decreased. Back then there was way more oxygen availabls that allowed larger creatures to exist. Now that there's less, the size animals can gro...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolly_mammoth", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megatherium", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moa" ] ]
2yvwvs
what's the best water to drink?
Re-Mineralized, reverse osmosis, charcoal filter, low ppm, neutral pH, cold water, plastic or glass bottle. Could someone please explain the science of good drinking water? Is it just spring water? If so does spring water vary?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yvwvs/eli5_whats_the_best_water_to_drink/
{ "a_id": [ "cpdg16b", "cpdg6yg" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "By what criteria?\n\nIn terms of value for money, it's very hard to beat water from your local municipal supply. It's more tightly controlled than bottled water and, unless your area has major problems, it's quite safe. \n\n...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
ts73g
how does zuckerburg have (liquid) money? is it all from ads?
I understand he owns a lot of facebook and ownership of the shares are worth money. But where does his day to day actual cash come from? Does he get a salary or payout somehow from owning so much of the company?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ts73g/eli5_how_does_zuckerburg_have_liquid_money_is_it/
{ "a_id": [ "c4p9hzu", "c4pa3zs", "c4pb5gz" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "I got so much money up the wahzoo i don't even know where it comes from anymore!!", "Basically another investor comes in and is like \"hey zuck, i wanna buy some shares yo\". This is common stuff a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/02/mark-zuckerbergs-salary-dropping-to-1-in-2013-facebook-ipo-filing-says.html" ] ]
1m6z7w
why do they make air conditioning pipes out of copper and then cover them in insulation?
Okay, so I get that copper is quite soft, which makes the job of bending the tubing on-site for tricky installations quite easy. But aluminium is also soft and easy to bend, so you could easily use that and it is cheaper. Also copper is really bad at retaining heat / cooling because it conducts heat so well. So basica...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1m6z7w/eli5_why_do_they_make_air_conditioning_pipes_out/
{ "a_id": [ "cc6cf60", "cc6e25z" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Aluminum is very prone to cracking in piping, some houses have had them and they don't work out well. ", "The high pressure ends of these systems is about 260 psi. I don't know how strong a plastic alternative would be...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
40pcoe
how is the "golden ratio" or "fibonacci's sequence" used in music?
edit: I've marked it explained because I've received some great examples and others have stated that it's not even a concrete idea in music or art. I think the really wild thing is what /u/LeeMorgan said > Number a major scale 1 through 8 on a piano. Then number the chromatic scale 1 through 13 along side it. Now co...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40pcoe/eli5_how_is_the_golden_ratio_or_fibonaccis/
{ "a_id": [ "cyw1b3c", "cyw6p6p", "cyw86f9", "cywfl5z", "cywh7ll", "cywhl0f", "cywjnrr", "cywuuka" ], "score": [ 57, 3, 33, 6, 2, 3, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "The \"golden ratio\" is a number, approximately 1.618. It has some interesting mathematica...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://goldenratiomyth.weebly.com/" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS7CZIJVxFY" ], [], [ "https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk" ], [], [], [], [ "http://youtu.be/RAMUAU1w3q8" ] ]
ared73
why are republicans considered pro-small government and democrats are considered pro-large government? it seems like they both want big government, just in different areas
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ared73/eli5_why_are_republicans_considered_prosmall/
{ "a_id": [ "egmmk75" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "You are correct. For decades, Republicans campaigned for smaller government, lower spending, and a smaller deficit. This defined the party, but that is all in the past and it isn't reasonable to consider the parties using that distinction any lon...
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[]
[ [] ]
2dvzft
why do countries pay farmers to destroy crops or livestock?
Why do countries pay farmers to destroy crops or livestock? I understand it is to prevent prices from going down if there is over production. They don't want farmers to go out of business. Why not pay farmers AND just let the extra food hit the market? Why destroy it? Surely cheap food is a good thing. EDIT: I ask t...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dvzft/eli5_why_do_countries_pay_farmers_to_destroy/
{ "a_id": [ "cjtlg3x", "cjtv1kg" ], "score": [ 14, 2 ], "text": [ "If you flood a market with too much of one thing, the price of that thing will go down as it won't be as competitive. Farmers will lose out if their crops cost less or are worthless because there is so much of it.\n\nYou hi...
[]
[ "http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/18/news/europe-farmers-russia/" ]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_Adjustment_Act", "http://www.foodrenegade.com/your-apples-year-old/" ] ]
bsdeak
why can we see hundreds of stars in one part of the world and barely any in another?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bsdeak/eli5_why_can_we_see_hundreds_of_stars_in_one_part/
{ "a_id": [ "eolyqup", "eolyty8", "eolz8h9" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Light pollution. \n\n > For most of Earth’s history, our spectacular universe of stars and galaxies has been visible in the darkness of the night sky. From our earliest beginnings, the vast spectacle a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
7walpt
how do cold-blooded animals live in deserts if it so cold at night?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7walpt/eli5how_do_coldblooded_animals_live_in_deserts_if/
{ "a_id": [ "dtyvf1v", "dtyvouz" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Cold blooded animals would do fine at night, so long as they don’t need to be active they can just kick back and rest until the sun comes up. \n\nIf anything warm-blooded creatures have more of a problem in the desert as the...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_cerastes#Behavior" ] ]
6a6v6p
why do sprinklers spray in bursts, instead of a constant spray?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6a6v6p/eli5_why_do_sprinklers_spray_in_bursts_instead_of/
{ "a_id": [ "dhc6a9s", "dhc6vz2" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Some do have a constant stream. But the type you are referring to do it for two reasons: First is that a constant stream would only water the grass in a thin donut shape around the sprinkler where the stream hits the groun...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrigation_sprinkler#/media/File:An_Irrigation_sprinkler_watering_a_garden.gif" ] ]
5f7lp1
why does milk curdle when you leave it out but not when you heat it up?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5f7lp1/eli5_why_does_milk_curdle_when_you_leave_it_out/
{ "a_id": [ "dai2yyg", "dai3wec" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The curdling of milk is due to the action of the proteins within the milk merging when the pH of the mixture changes. Simply heating the mixture doesn't do that right away.", "It happens when the milk becomes acidic. Le...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2zf2b1
if a person can't be put on trial twice for the same crime, what prevents people who committed a crime and did not get sentenced, openly talk or discuss the crime?
If the person got out on a technicality or a mistake made by the police or the DA, can they just walk out and discuss, lets say, details on how they killed someone?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zf2b1/eli5_if_a_person_cant_be_put_on_trial_twice_for/
{ "a_id": [ "cpib6p1", "cpibcl6", "cpibcr0" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "They can still be sued by the estate of the deceased. Like OJ - wasn't convicted of murder, but had to pay a shitload of money to Nicole and Goldman's family.", "There are crimes you can be charged...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
behjym
how can you work out when a photo was taken (what is exif data)?
I'm vaguely aware that exif (?) data is a thing, but how can you take a random photo on the internet and work out when it was taken? If you save the image at a later date does this data change? Is it a visual thing hidden in the image or do you have to look at the file somehow, in which case can it be hidden?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/behjym/eli5_how_can_you_work_out_when_a_photo_was_taken/
{ "a_id": [ "el5yp7f" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Exif data are informations stored within the photo file itself. You can see them for example (in Windows) under the \"details\" tab in file settings (I hope it's \"details\" because I only use Windows in Polish :') ) or in some more specialised \...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2v1arn
why do some objects such as video game controllers get greasy when left unused?
I started wondering this when I picked up the PS3 after a few months, and had to spend ten minutes wiping the controller down, especially on the joysticks. Why would it get greasy or sticky? It happens with other things in the house.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2v1arn/eli5_why_do_some_objects_such_as_video_game/
{ "a_id": [ "codkjto", "codn4n0" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Oils and sweat from your hands collect and dry on it. ", "Are you by any chance a smoker, or are people smoking inside the house on a regular basis?\n\nIf so, the smoke with all its nasty byproducts will settle down on e...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1wskto
why the edward viii abdication crisis would have made a constitutional crisis and destroyed the british monarchy?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wskto/eli5_why_the_edward_viii_abdication_crisis_would/
{ "a_id": [ "cf51age" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The British monarch has multiple roles, one of which is Head of the Church of England. You can think of that as roughly analogous to the position of Pope, but for Anglican protestants.\n\nIn 1936 the Anglican Church was quite conservative in many...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
17u6mi
buying stocks and how it can get me more money.
I am fifteen years old and just got 25 dollars from a team fortress 2 trade online. I want to be smart and use it to get me more money by buying stocks or shares or whatever they were called. I'm not too sure because I am just making money now, but how will I go about doing this? How does it work? and if there are anot...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/17u6mi/eli5_buying_stocks_and_how_it_can_get_me_more/
{ "a_id": [ "c88vwmw", "c88xq0o" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You buy shares of a company. A share is simply a percentage, you now own a percentage of the company. When the company succeeds those share prices go up in value because more people want in on the success. Then you can se...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
55pd5w
why are disorders renamed between dsm versions? (munchausen's has become factitious disorder, for example)
I just asked my abnormal psychology professor, and she had no clue. What's the reasoning? Illness Anxiety Disorder doesn't seem any more clear than Hypochondriasis, and definitely not when it's been known as something else this whole time. So why?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/55pd5w/eli5_why_are_disorders_renamed_between_dsm/
{ "a_id": [ "d8cjkyy" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "It's done by committee, and when people are given petty power and authority, they usually exercise it. The rationale for any given change is going to be a function of the groups which change it, and whatever it is that they're thinking. It may be...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
f6d6cb
when microwaving food, why does it take longer to heat multiples? example: 1 taquitos takes 35 seconds, 2 taquitos takes 1 minute
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f6d6cb/eli5_when_microwaving_food_why_does_it_take/
{ "a_id": [ "fi3y2be", "fi3yzpm", "fi3zpli" ], "score": [ 6, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Because you have a fixed amount of energy emanating from the microwave magnetron. More food = that energy gets split amongst the different pieces so you have to heat them longer.", "Because the en...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5oa2ds
how do central banks work?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5oa2ds/eli5_how_do_central_banks_work/
{ "a_id": [ "dchr2v6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The primary function of a central bank is to control the nation's money supply (monetary policy), through active duties such as managing interest rates, setting the reserve requirement, and acting as a lender of last resort to the banking sector ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7a4g69
how do the chances of having twins run genetically throughout a family?
My mother has a twin sister and my father has a twin brother. Is there any chance that my genes (male) can cause twins or does only my sister (female obviously) have to worry. Or is it all just luck of the draw!
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7a4g69/eli5_how_do_the_chances_of_having_twins_run/
{ "a_id": [ "dp75rwc" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "It depends on the kind of twins.\n\nTwins can happen due to one of those things: one egg cell is fertilised by one sperm cell but splits early into the growth process and develops into two seperate babies (identical twin) or the female body produ...
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[]
[ [] ]
1w71oq
why defaults have less mods than subreddits with fewer subscribers.
I see defaults with two mods and one mod bot while having millions of subscribers, but then I see subs with a quarter of the subscriber count having eight mods and no bot. Why is this? Shouldn't subs have more mods as they grow in size to handle the traffic?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1w71oq/eli5_why_defaults_have_less_mods_than_subreddits/
{ "a_id": [ "cezacms" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It depends on what the mods want and how strictly the subreddit is regulated. In some cases, it's just a matter of the mods having their own opinions on how much work they need to do and how much work each of them is able to put in. Often, it's...
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[]
[ [] ]
47h8x3
how do some gas stations stay afloat charging 20 - 30 cents more than the one across the street from them? seems like they're always dead.
I stayed in a hotel for a week. There's a 7/11 across the street with gas at $2.05. A Stop'n'Go across from them at $1.99 and a Mobil across from them at $2.34. I haven't seen one car at Mobil.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/47h8x3/eli5_how_do_some_gas_stations_stay_afloat/
{ "a_id": [ "d0cxgnj" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The actual stations themselves make very little or nothing on gas anyways. Even selling gas at all is really just a way to get people to stop. The money is made on inside sales. So, they may have a better price on say cigarettes or fountain dr...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5cek7y
would a chinese speaker understand someone speaking english with a thick chinese accent, easier than a native english speaker?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5cek7y/eli5_would_a_chinese_speaker_understand_someone/
{ "a_id": [ "d9vt6iv" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Assuming that both parties spoke English, yes absolutely, but that assumes they have the same or similar accents. China is *huge* and has a buttload of regional accents, and of course there are two major languages (Mandarin, and Cantonese). Assum...
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[]
[ [] ]
1vx3ot
superconductors, specifically cooper pairs and the meissner effect
* How are the electrons paired * Why is the magnetic field expelled from inside the superconductor * How are poles formed from a superconductor when a magnet is brought near
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1vx3ot/eli5superconductors_specifically_cooper_pairs_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cewntp9" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "How electrons are paired: \n\nLet's say we've got a metal. What happens in simple metals is that each atom, which starts out with zero total charge, has an electron (or a few) which pops off and is free to wander around the entire material. The a...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday%27s_law_of_induction#Faraday.27s_law", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-temperature_superconductivity" ] ]
2f7s96
when i'm in a crowded room and want to focus on one conversation happening across the room, why does that conversation seem to become more audible, or more easily discerned?
Mostly just curious about how your body knows to essentially block out, or make most other sounds fade out as you focus on that one particular sound, conversation, etc.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2f7s96/eli5_when_im_in_a_crowded_room_and_want_to_focus/
{ "a_id": [ "ck6ovhd", "ck6p3se", "ck6vvpl" ], "score": [ 13, 10, 2 ], "text": [ "It's called selective focus or sometimes it's called the cocktail party effect. There is a difference between perception (actually putting brain power to interpret stimuli) and simple detection by you...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_inhibition" ] ]
2j5gww
where do the erratic/random "call of the void" thoughts/urges come from?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2j5gww/eli5_where_do_the_erraticrandom_call_of_the_void/
{ "a_id": [ "cl8k9ps", "cl8ncxo", "cl8rn34" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Since I don't think anyone is going to have a conclusive explanation for this, I personally think that they come out as a result of your brain thinking \"what if I just did this\" and then you think abo...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/n40zc/does_lappel_du_vide_have_an_underlying/" ] ]
6pbuj0
if the krakatoa eruption was loud enough to circle the earth multiple times, why does a supposedly louder 1 ton tnt explosion not?
I was reading about Krakatoa and how it could be heard around the world. It says the sound traveled around earth 3 or 4 times. However, on almost every source, they claim a 1 ton explosion or the Tunguska meteor was louder. Why were these not heard around the world if they were louder?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6pbuj0/eli5if_the_krakatoa_eruption_was_loud_enough_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dko4gao" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "From _URL_0_: \n\n > Closer to Krakatoa, the sound was well over this limit, producing a blast of high pressure air so powerful that it ruptured the eardrums of sailors 40 miles away. As this sound traveled thousands of miles, reaching Australia...
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[]
[ [ "http://nautil.us/issue/38/noise/the-sound-so-loud-that-it-circled-the-earth-four-times" ] ]
1xno2g
why can speed skiers go faster at 35 degrees than an average skydiver does at 90 degrees?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xno2g/eli5_why_can_speed_skiers_go_faster_at_35_degrees/
{ "a_id": [ "cfcytww", "cfcyufs" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "I think your premise is wrong. I've never heard of a skier going faster than a skydiver at terminal velocity in the position that is fastest (arms to the side, legs together, face slightly down, which is close to 200 MPH)."...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
1wb24e
how do people escape from north korea.
What routes do they take? Do they go to south korea or china? and How do they avoid getting spotted.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wb24e/eli5_how_do_people_escape_from_north_korea/
{ "a_id": [ "cf0bt62", "cf0d0yj", "cf0rhgp", "cf0sph0" ], "score": [ 26, 3, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "North Koreans normally escape by the Chinese border. Crossing the border between North and South is a very bad idea - It's littered with mines, heavily guarded and it's almost gua...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA_G7IwWVDA" ], [], [], [] ]
4bu712
most carcinogens seem to have benzene rings in their chemical structure. how (or why?) do benzene rings likely cause cancer?
A link to a visualization of the chemical structure of a benzene ring: _URL_0_
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4bu712/eli5most_carcinogens_seem_to_have_benzene_rings/
{ "a_id": [ "d1cgg0z", "d1chmsv" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Most of these compounds form large bulky compounds called adducts in the DNA. This causes errors during cell division because the enzymes that replicate the DNA cannot \"read\" these adducts. If the adduct occurs in the righ...
[]
[ "http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/b/e/benzene/image001.gif" ]
[ [ "http://f.tqn.com/y/chemistry/1/S/4/N/1/phenylalanine.jpg" ], [] ]
3oyutf
how do people lipread?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3oyutf/eli5_how_do_people_lipread/
{ "a_id": [ "cw1nyl3" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Your lips generally play a big role in the pronunciation of words. While big movements aren't required (ie ventriloquism), most people tend to make the same shapes with their lips to make the same sounds when speaking. Someone who can lip-read ha...
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[ [] ]
4hugkb
why is it that if you click a web link on mobile, it usually refers you to a 'www.m.' version but often it doesnt work the other way around?
My guesses are that its either something to do with the way mobile browsers are detected or just that more people click web links on mobile than click mobile links on computers.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hugkb/eli5_why_is_it_that_if_you_click_a_web_link_on/
{ "a_id": [ "d2sdw0p" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It's just because the web designers have not set up their website to work that way. They assume that mobile devices have reduced capabilities (or at least a reduced screen width) and refer them to another page meant to accommodate that deficiency...
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[ [] ]
dre1ng
if the flu shot is based on last season’s strain, why would it be effective this season?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dre1ng/eli5_if_the_flu_shot_is_based_on_last_seasons/
{ "a_id": [ "f6hjfp8" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "it's based on the strains that research indicates to be the most common during the next season. usually more than one type of flu viruses are part of the vaccine..." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3vcasi
what happens to my body if i get into the shower (or bath) with extremely hot water right off the bat?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vcasi/eli5_what_happens_to_my_body_if_i_get_into_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cxma1kl" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Depends how hot I guess? Burns are possible, and happens to small kids all the time when kids are put into too hot baths. It's best to just run it to a comfortable temperature." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3hzbjg
what's the difference between a "therapy dog" and a "service dog"?
and can I prevent dogs from entering my establishment if they are therapy dog (or otherwise not a service dog that "does work")?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3hzbjg/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_a_therapy_dog/
{ "a_id": [ "cubwd1d", "cuclfys", "cucygmk" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Therapy dogs do not qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). \n\n_URL_0_ page 4:\n\n\"Social/Therapy Animals \nSocial/therapy animals provide emotional support in places such as elder ca...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://pubs.nal.usda.gov/sites/pubs.nal.usda.gov/files/assist.pdf" ], [], [] ]
9qrgo8
what makes the u.s. dollar so powerful worldwide?
In most countries, people are willing to accept US dollars as payment, but not other currencies. Most, if not all currencies can be converted to the local currency, so why the US dollar?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9qrgo8/eli5_what_makes_the_us_dollar_so_powerful/
{ "a_id": [ "e8b7qka" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "At the end of World War 2, most western nations were recovering as infrastructure and manufacturing suffered damage from the war. Meanwhile, the US infrastructure was undamaged, allowing it to play a key role in reconstruction efforts in Europe....
[]
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[ [] ]
5s8tsl
how does keeping your vehicle plugged in overnight help it start on a cold morning?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5s8tsl/eli5_how_does_keeping_your_vehicle_plugged_in/
{ "a_id": [ "ddd6mpt", "ddd7g6t" ], "score": [ 2, 7 ], "text": [ "This is only for northern, cold climates. What you're actually doing is plugging in a block heater. The heater keeps the engine fluids from freezing or keeping its viscosity low. Without doing this in very cold areas, the en...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3whu0n
why do people buy beauty products/cosmetics and health remedies that are scientifically shown to be nonsense?
Collagen, for example, is only helpful for wrinkles if the body makes it. It's not absorbed through the skin- yet gazillions of women pay a lot of money to buy it and rub it on their faces.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3whu0n/eli5why_do_people_buy_beauty_productscosmetics/
{ "a_id": [ "cxwbpaq" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Many people are unaware of the science behind it, instead they just know the advertising message the product puts out. \n\nMany people also reject whatever the science says and just go with the idea that they like the sound of or want to think is...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3fxin7
are there any known instances of animals or insects who "lie" to or deceive members of their own species while communicating?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3fxin7/eli5_are_there_any_known_instances_of_animals_or/
{ "a_id": [ "ctsvng1" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Plenty. \n\nSome smaller garter snakes pretend to be female so they can get to the center of a mating nest ball.\n\nSmaller cuttlefish hide their tentacles and pretend to be female so they can sneak past aggressive males and get closer to females...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1ni8b2
what exactly happens if you default on a student loan?
Are the consequences bigger if it's federal or private? What if you leave the country (US in this case) and don't come back? Just curious, I'm not in danger of it. At the moment, ha ha ha^sobs
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ni8b2/eli5_what_exactly_happens_if_you_default_on_a/
{ "a_id": [ "ccit2ji", "ccit4qj", "ccithhc", "cciwhjt", "ccj0qud", "ccj4dtt", "ccj7new" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3, 8, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I don't know if it matters much based on whether it's federal or private; what I do know is that if you stay state...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
98xcax
how do our brains let us talk without deliberately thinking?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/98xcax/eli5_how_do_our_brains_let_us_talk_without/
{ "a_id": [ "e4jf4n9", "e4jg5fb", "e4jgz30" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Drastically formulated: you learn to speak before you learn to think. The amazing part is that you're actually able to think without speaking out loud.", "We sure have that ability, but wouldnt it b...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
23z7md
why does your hair and nails continue growing after you die?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23z7md/eli5_why_does_your_hair_and_nails_continue/
{ "a_id": [ "ch207fk", "ch208fu" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "They don't. It's the skin around them that retracts. ", "Long story short, they don't\n\nIt seems like they do because your skin gets dehydrated as your body breaks down and your hair roots and fingernail bits hidden by...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3nzwjq
ghosts.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nzwjq/eli5_ghosts/
{ "a_id": [ "cvsphqs", "cvsphyv" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "There is no science behind them because, of course, they don't exist. \n\nOther than that what exactly is your question? How do they exist? They don't. What are they made of? Nothing, except \"up\". They are made up. ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4095a5
- if humans have been around for 200,000 years and civilization only began about 6000 years ago, what were we doing for the other 194,000 years and what changed?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4095a5/eli5_if_humans_have_been_around_for_200000_years/
{ "a_id": [ "cyse4sf", "cysgyrn", "cysjcp9", "cyso5gn", "cyspo6f", "cysxbuz" ], "score": [ 97, 15, 11, 14, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "For millenia humans were hunters and gatherers. We moved from place to place and ate the plants and animals that grew there. Then, t...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
3miak1
why do streets always appear wet in film and tv even if it isn't raining?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3miak1/eli5_why_do_streets_always_appear_wet_in_film_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cvf5nx0" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "It's an old trick. It makes the roads look better on film. They actively spray it down with a hose to make it look shiny.\n\nSource: watching Terminator 2 with production note subtitles on. Very interesting stuff." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
86ddyy
why do salty foods measure sodium content, but not chlorine content? why are the cations in salts generally listed but anions aren't?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/86ddyy/eli5_why_do_salty_foods_measure_sodium_content/
{ "a_id": [ "dw45qca", "dw4efdh", "dw4jx79", "dw4u6xf" ], "score": [ 245, 49, 11, 10 ], "text": [ "Because it's the sodium that is nutritionally more relevant. Both because people need a certain amount of sodium intake, and because with certain medical conditions too much ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
9hicq1
how does the iss, satellites and probes and spacecrafts like the voyager deal with debris in space?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9hicq1/eli5_how_does_the_iss_satellites_and_probes_and/
{ "a_id": [ "e6c5090", "e6c53kt" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ "Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space.\n\n & #x200B;\n\nFor somet...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6m5bi8
who/what makes the machines that make machines? for instance, the machines that are used in the process of assembling a car. are there machines out there with the sole purpose of making machines that are designed to make other machines? is it an endless cycle? how does this work?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6m5bi8/eli5_whowhat_makes_the_machines_that_make/
{ "a_id": [ "djz0qp1", "djz2jgn" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Cars are made by a combination of standardized machines with custom dies and custom machines. Standardized machines, like the ones that mold plastic into parts, are used in many industries and there are companies that make ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1seo01
where does the stuff go that goes through the wrong pipe?
You know when you are eating/drinking something, and you have the sensation of it going through the wrong pipe. Does it actually end up in your lungs and does it stay there forever? Where does it go?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1seo01/eli5_where_does_the_stuff_go_that_goes_through/
{ "a_id": [ "cdwu4sd" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "It sticks to the mucus and is wiggled to the proper pipe by tiny hairs.\n\nBig enough objects are just coughed away." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2y2iyr
why can people sue for injuring themselves (e.g simply tripping) on private property when it's really no ones fault?
I was reading a thread about personal injury lawsuits and I starting thinking about how ridicules it is that someone accidentally hurting themselves can somehow become the fault of the property owner. It's one thing when negligence and unsafe conditions lead to the injury, but when it's just a random accident that coul...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2y2iyr/eli5_why_can_people_sue_for_injuring_themselves/
{ "a_id": [ "cp5m3o7", "cp5mpru" ], "score": [ 3, 5 ], "text": [ " > It's one thing when negligence and unsafe conditions lead to the injury, but when it's just a random accident that could have occurred anywhere how do the courts justify fault of the owner\n\nBut where the line is drawn ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
41mhkt
why the ratings on netflix are so different from imbd or rotten tomatoes.
A movie or show will get 5 stars on Netflix, but only a 20% on RT!? Or it will get one star on Netflix and a 90% on RT 😠
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/41mhkt/eli5why_the_ratings_on_netflix_are_so_different/
{ "a_id": [ "cz3hhxo" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "As I understand it, the ratings on Netflix aren't so much ratings as a guess of how much you would like it based on your viewing history." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5b3v9w
why are so many of samsung's seemingly unrelated (washing machines and tablets) catching fire or exploding?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5b3v9w/eli5_why_are_so_many_of_samsungs_seemingly/
{ "a_id": [ "d9liuag", "d9lizyp", "d9lmf6v", "d9lmjcc", "d9lp8oy", "d9lsco6", "d9lssp8", "d9ltkqq", "d9ltwlb" ], "score": [ 14, 111, 10, 7, 23, 2, 19, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The tablets/phones were a result of the company switching to a c...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
4y7mhk
how is every pixel on a monitor controlled individually?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4y7mhk/eli5how_is_every_pixel_on_a_monitor_controlled/
{ "a_id": [ "d6lmgd7", "d6lnu4s", "d6m2xad" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 6 ], "text": [ "I think your question relates to how can we reference so many pixels with so few data lines.\n\nThe answer is simply that the monitor updates one pixel at a time (starting from the top left corner). \n\...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.explainthatstuff.com/lcdtv.html" ], [] ]
69f1cz
what makes prince charles so unpopular?
Was it a certain event or many events that make the general populace want to bypass him straight to William? As a child growing up I remember unpopularity due to his infidelity to Diana, but was that the only reason?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/69f1cz/eli5_what_makes_prince_charles_so_unpopular/
{ "a_id": [ "dh61awq", "dh65btg", "dh67tjl" ], "score": [ 11, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Oh it's a lot... for a lot of people he's just seen as a moron, he believes in homeopathy... that kind of thing. \n\nIt's not that he's seen as a bad person, just... a complete tool. There's an excelle...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Prince-Charles-unpopular" ], [], [] ]
w0dko
what's with the sudden increase of children being born with downs syndrome?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/w0dko/eli5_whats_with_the_sudden_increase_of_children/
{ "a_id": [ "c595jcd", "c59933y", "c59cmwd" ], "score": [ 18, 18, 12 ], "text": [ "Is there a sudden increase of children being born with Downs Syndrome? Do you have evidence of this?", "As a whole, Women are giving birth later in life than in previous decades. That increases...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
fdr7z8
how are the photos from the rover so clear?
The new pictures from the mars rover are incredible, but I would think the camera lenses would be filthy due to the wind and dirt. Obviously, there’s no one there to wipe the stuff away, so how are the photos so clear?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fdr7z8/eli5_how_are_the_photos_from_the_rover_so_clear/
{ "a_id": [ "fjjgs0y" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "The atmosphere on Mars is less than 1% as thick as Earth's, so yes, there's wind, but even a 60mph wind on Mars has the same amount of force as a gentle breeze. The wind can only pick up the tiniest particles. It's just as likely to clean the cam...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4w43y6
why your signature is as valid a form of verification as your fingerprints?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4w43y6/eli5_why_your_signature_is_as_valid_a_form_of/
{ "a_id": [ "d63sb9r" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Your question is worded incorrectly. It isn't valid verification. It's an acknowledgement. It's basically the company saying we obtained an acknowledgement from the person claiming to be said person. You can dispute nearly anything, especially in...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5s765c
why didn't any other species make as many advancements as humans?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5s765c/eli5_why_didnt_any_other_species_make_as_many/
{ "a_id": [ "ddcvshc", "ddcvwyf", "ddcwbzz", "ddcxv63", "ddd0neq" ], "score": [ 3, 5, 40, 2, 7 ], "text": [ "It's because we have incredible curiosity and a high ability to adapt to new environments and situations.", "A couple things really. First of all, when p...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
1myb7c
why do we find things like a emergency warning to be creepy or eerie?
I have seen a few answers for this, and watched the vsauce video about why things are creepy. But why are emergency warnings so creepy sounding? There was a nuclear warning I saw (that was real but never used) that just have me the shivers. I don't understand why this is, an all the reasons I saw I don't really underst...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1myb7c/eli5_why_do_we_find_things_like_a_emergency/
{ "a_id": [ "ccdqzbt" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It's more the association of a warning with something bad. For example, if the first time you met a puppy, it bit you really bad, the next time somebody said lets go get a puppy, you would probably be nervous. The same thing applies when hearing ...
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[]
[ [] ]
24wa8i
why are some people more affected by seeing something traumatic than others
Why do NSFL videos not affect me in any way but to some people they are traumatizing? Does it have to do with what kind of environment they grew up in or how much violence they had seen before?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/24wa8i/eli5why_are_some_people_more_affected_by_seeing/
{ "a_id": [ "chbazsa", "chbgbpg" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Some people have way more empathy than others. ", "A combination of nature vs nurture. Some people can be desensitized, others might have never seen anything worse than a simple cut. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2slg7z
this feeling like everything is loud and intense and urgent, hands feel enormous
Ive had these experiences since i was pretty young and it usually happens when im in nearly complete silence. Sometimes i get this overwhelming feeling of urgency and everything i hear or say is super intense. For example ill have one of these "attacks" and to try to surpress it ill turn on some cartoons(spongebob usua...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2slg7z/eli5_this_feeling_like_everything_is_loud_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cnqmzg9", "cnqnka5", "cnqv9p0" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "My hands looked huge when I was trippin balls on acid", "I used to have this same exact feeling when I was little. Usually when I was laying in bed about to fall asleep. It's weird thinking about it...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1n2uen
alaska is known for its prolonged days and nights, what makes this happen?
I understand the basics of the day and night cycle, but how can one part of the earth seemingly have its own cycle?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1n2uen/eli5_alaska_is_known_for_its_prolonged_days_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cceweh9", "ccewilx", "ccewjad" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "The latitude of the area causes that to happen. Because it is located closer to the North Pole, it gets more prolonged amounts of day and night during the winter and summer.\n\nIt's not LY5, but this ex...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.alaska.com/2008/10/16/1920/daylight-and-darkness.html" ], [], [] ]
d3zdmv
how did pacific islanders carry enough water with them for long sea voyages?
Their boats don't seem like they were very big. The Pacific is freaking enormous. At least for the discovery/ exploration phase, they didn't know where they were going. How did they manage to carry enough food and water (but especially water) to make those crossings?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d3zdmv/eli5_how_did_pacific_islanders_carry_enough_water/
{ "a_id": [ "f063kqo", "f063r30", "f064vv2", "f06f64t", "f06q8vg", "f070699" ], "score": [ 22, 4, 32, 208, 40, 3 ], "text": [ "They had some versions of their boats that were enormous. These could carry a lot. They commonly kept chickens on-board for eggs, a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://archive.hokulea.com/ike/canoe_living/holmes_provisioning.html", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_plants_and_animals_of_Austronesia", "http://archive.hokulea.com/ike/kalai_waa/kane_search_voyaging_canoe.html" ], [ "http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/friends/Tec...
5v49di
why are hostage takers not considered terrorists and negotiable?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5v49di/eli5_why_are_hostage_takers_not_considered/
{ "a_id": [ "ddz3yh4", "ddz4jir", "ddz9x8g", "ddzdvfi", "ddzl87t" ], "score": [ 59, 3, 2, 17, 2 ], "text": [ "Terrorism is as much defined by the goals as by the acts. If you go blow up a plane because you're angry at your ex who is on the flight crew, that's not re...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
by1lc5
when people talk about nuclear waste, what are they really talking about? whats in those scary barrels buried deep in a bunker if it isn't "glowing green goo?"
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/by1lc5/eli5_when_people_talk_about_nuclear_waste_what/
{ "a_id": [ "eqbnxnq", "eqbp015", "eqbqna0", "eqcbxu8" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 15, 5 ], "text": [ "Any kind of byproduct that is radioactive. The main one is spent fuel. Nuclear power plants take a fuel (typically enriched uranium). When this fuel us used (fission) other radioa...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
7z6dto
what's a pki
I'd like to know what is the meaning of PKI and what does it has to do with certificates in the most simple way
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7z6dto/eli5_whats_a_pki/
{ "a_id": [ "dulnnoe" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Public Key Infrastructure is any infrastructure for distributing public encryption or signing keys. In public key cryptography you create a private key that can be used for either decrypt or signing documents. The other end needs a matching publi...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1usszs
when a freight train passes by, why do some of the waggons make much more noise than others?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1usszs/eli5_when_a_freight_train_passes_by_why_do_some/
{ "a_id": [ "celb60k", "celcviz", "cf2xdb9" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "They are empty. Hollow is louder than filled.", "waggons? how old are the trains you are looking at?", "Flat spots on the wheels develop over time as a result of the braking action, especially ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
4ytge1
long term damage of watching r rated movies at a young age.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ytge1/eli5long_term_damage_of_watching_r_rated_movies/
{ "a_id": [ "d6qbsem", "d6qbsy3" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It really depends. Honestly I don't think we know enough about the human brain, emotional trauma, the effects of media, what stages the brain starts to understand the difference between make believe and real life, etc. Perso...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
cp3d0b
how / when did having a first and last name become global commonplace?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cp3d0b/eli5_how_when_did_having_a_first_and_last_name/
{ "a_id": [ "ewmwn7a", "ewmxj1b", "ewmzzpp", "ewn1obg", "ewn3ycp", "ewnm8zh", "ewno7w2", "ewnuh3y", "ewnv1bh", "ewnwb75", "ewnwxow", "ewnx8fs", "ewnxdp3", "ewnzolv" ], "score": [ 29, 31, 155, 10, 18, 4, 28, 3, 3, 2, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parish_register" ], [], [], [], [] ]
1recgd
how does google calculate the usage of words?
I don't know how many of you use Google to define words, but if you click the arrow to expand after defining a word you can see it's usage. Does anyone know how Google calculates this?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1recgd/eli5how_does_google_calculate_the_usage_of_words/
{ "a_id": [ "cdmen2i" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Basically, they have a database, known as a \"corpus,\" that consists of the text of a whole bunch of books, periodicals, and such from 1850 to the present, so they can figure out how often any given word appears in that database for any given pe...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://books.google.com/ngrams" ] ]
6z3tmp
why are class action lawsuits settled for such low amounts that are usually less than actual damages, especially when there is a high chance of winning in court?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6z3tmp/eli5_why_are_class_action_lawsuits_settled_for/
{ "a_id": [ "dmsa4lq" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Long trials are very expensive, and the lawyers for the class representatives normally get the costs from the amount they win. There is also an element of unpredictability--you can never be quite sure what a jury will decide and, if you win, how ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9744if
how do "active"/powered styluses work?
Adonit Dash works with no Bluetooth even?? And how are some device specific, like Adonit Pixel/Apple pencil? I'm so confused by these powered styluses
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9744if/eli5_how_do_activepowered_styluses_work/
{ "a_id": [ "e45s2vm" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "For things that work* before you touch the screen (like the pen for my surface pro 3) it uses a type of NFC tech (Near Feild Connection(?)) that communicates with sensors in the screen to tell the computer the approximate X and Y axis location of...
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5458ig
why do we feel the movement of a car, such as turning and slowing down, more than we feel the movements and changes of speed in an airplane?
You know how you lurch forward or lean to a side when the car slows down or makes a relatively fast turn. Why is it not the same when an airplane banks or slows down?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5458ig/eli5_why_do_we_feel_the_movement_of_a_car_such_as/
{ "a_id": [ "d7zdtjq", "d7zj5jv" ], "score": [ 6, 5 ], "text": [ "It is the same. Commercial airliners just don't make relatively hard maneuvers in most cases, so it's like someone making gentle turns or more slowly changing speed. Fighter jets, on the other hand, can produce a *lot* more ...
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[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_rate_turn" ] ]
2p4ao3
some bodybuilders build muscle for looks, not strength. how does that work? how do they not get super strong at the same time?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2p4ao3/eli5_some_bodybuilders_build_muscle_for_looks_not/
{ "a_id": [ "cmt89l9", "cmt8fte", "cmtbq2a" ], "score": [ 2, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "They do get super-strong. Just not as strong as the powerlifting/truck-toting types, because they try to maintain minimal body fat at the same time. ", "Most bodybuilders, actually, are really stron...
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[ [], [], [] ]
1zmora
what would happen if an emp hit america?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zmora/eli5_what_would_happen_if_an_emp_hit_america/
{ "a_id": [ "cfuzgyh", "cfuzvui", "cfv0s0d", "cfv5iix", "cfv5qze" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "ggs would be called", "milk and bread would disappear in a second :)", "Millions of people would die in the first days alone due to failure of autos a...
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[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.empcommission.org/docs/GRAHAMtestimony10JULY2008.pdf", "http://www.empcommission.org/docs/empc_exec_rpt.pdf" ] ]
9iz7zj
how the hell does this mentalist do this trick? o_o
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9iz7zj/eli5_how_the_hell_does_this_mentalist_do_this/
{ "a_id": [ "e6nj9lw", "e6njzag", "e6nk04q", "e6nszew" ], "score": [ 8, 9, 6, 6 ], "text": [ "You've linked to a 10 minute video. Can you describe the trick briefly?", "There are two basic methods used in such tricks. \n\n1. A *force,* which means the person who thinks ...
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[ [], [], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/4oryha/magician_completely_baffles_penn_and_teller_ill/" ] ]
ckhtnj
how do seagulls detect that a field is being plowed far of the coast?
Heya, Been thinking about this for a while. While I was living in the country side here in Sweden I noticed that every time a field was plowed it didn't take more than a few minutes before seagulls were swarming the area. I get that it wouldn't be much to think about if it was close to the coast, but it was 60km (37....
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ckhtnj/eli5_how_do_seagulls_detect_that_a_field_is_being/
{ "a_id": [ "evngze5" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Seagulls don't only live at the sea. They live pretty much everywhere. The seagulls that show up when a field is being plowed, live nearby. The name is a misnomer, and they are more generally called just gulls." ] }
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2jjbsi
when someone sues the government and wins, do tax payer dollars go towards the settlement? do we pay for the actions of idiotic federal employees?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jjbsi/eli5_when_someone_sues_the_government_and_wins_do/
{ "a_id": [ "clc8t5m", "clc91ll", "clc940e", "clc9996", "clcauzs", "clcc7e3", "clck9os", "clcomss", "clcpi7w" ], "score": [ 3, 29, 3, 2, 5, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes. But it's directly paid by insurance. Which the premiums are ...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
972f97
if 1/6 people have genital herpes, how can the rate of transmission be so low?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/972f97/eli5_if_16_people_have_genital_herpes_how_can_the/
{ "a_id": [ "e450035", "e451lu2", "e45lsle" ], "score": [ 7, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Its not low, its highly contagious--The amount of people with Genital Herpes is 20 times higher today than it was in 1967 by one measure(doctor visits), increasing every year", "Because once you hav...
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[ [], [], [] ]
2m2h37
how do coroners determine what order wounds were inflicted?
I used to watch a lot of Law & Order and CSI, and in those shows, the coroner was able to determine that "the head trauma came before the knife wound", etc. Is this based in reality? If so, how, especially since in most murders, those wounds are usually within seconds of each other?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2m2h37/eli5how_do_coroners_determine_what_order_wounds/
{ "a_id": [ "cm0biu8", "cm0elta" ], "score": [ 12, 5 ], "text": [ "They cant really. As you say, those injuries would be seconds or minutes apart. I'm studying medicine right now, and I've had to observe a few autopsies last year. They cant tell which came first or what.\n\nI mean sure the...
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2gmf5l
what does colorado amendment 68 entail?
I can't get an unbiased description of it. It either helps schools, or it destroys the Colorado economy while solely benefiting Rhode Island due to a casino that the local area doesn't approve.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2gmf5l/eli5_what_does_colorado_amendment_68_entail/
{ "a_id": [ "ckkinh4" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It'll allow for a few horse racing tracks to also open limited gambling facilities. State taxes from this go to schools. Not sure how this would ruin the state economy, but it would increase competition with local casinos.\n\nThe top contributor ...
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56jbrj
why is the dirt taken out of the hole rarely enough to fill it back?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/56jbrj/eli5_why_is_the_dirt_taken_out_of_the_hole_rarely/
{ "a_id": [ "d8jqlsl", "d8jqqry", "d8jrhha" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 5 ], "text": [ "Maybe some of it flies away with the wind since its now loose and manueverable. In addition some dirt will just resettle on top of the ground nearby and you don't notice since it evenly displaces itself...
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[ [], [], [] ]
651ro8
how do the o2 monitors you clip to your finger work?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/651ro8/eli5_how_do_the_o2_monitors_you_clip_to_your/
{ "a_id": [ "dg6qo09", "dg6qp9h", "dg6qq57" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The protein in your red blood cells called hemoglobin has a small molecule of iron on it. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in your body, and the oxygen is stuck on that molecule of iron. When the iron has oxyg...
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6t3azv
why are we expected to dress formally in certain situations such as court, fancy restaurants, and weddings?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6t3azv/eli5_why_are_we_expected_to_dress_formally_in/
{ "a_id": [ "dlhl323", "dlhle7x" ], "score": [ 9, 27 ], "text": [ "To show respect for the occasion and the people involved in it. I would add to the list live theater and church.", "These occasions are *rituals,* that is, things we do partly for their symbolic value. Doing them is lik...
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2udn5w
why do people think public schools are so bad?
I see a lot of people on Reddit and in other media claiming that the public school system in the US is horrible, but none of them ever seem to say what in particular is wrong with it. Maybe I'm an outlier, but I went to a public school (graduated last year) and got a great education. What am I missing here?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2udn5w/eli5why_do_people_think_public_schools_are_so_bad/
{ "a_id": [ "co7fzlq", "co7gu29", "co7ib63", "co7nobf" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It's definitely hard being an art student in public school. There are always cuts in funding.", "the big problem in my mind is that it really depends on where the school is loc...
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4ch3iu
why is so much false information - especially history - taught to young school children?
For example, Columbus discovering "America" and the tongue-map.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ch3iu/eli5_why_is_so_much_false_information_especially/
{ "a_id": [ "d1i3i2y", "d1i7g58" ], "score": [ 5, 4 ], "text": [ "on one hand it's easier to teach simpler concepts to kids than the more complicated truth. like the taste map - it's gonna be hard to explain to 7 year olds that tasting actually takes place in their nose and throat.\n\nlike...
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231v7t
how can we put an estimated time until death on our own sun?
I mean, scientists always say things like, "Our sun will burn out and implode/explode/whatever in X amount if years."
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/231v7t/eli5_how_can_we_put_an_estimated_time_until_death/
{ "a_id": [ "cgskz7i" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "we can estimate/calculate the mass of the sun. we know how gravity and temperature works. we know the rate of consumption of hydrogen. from there, it's just making a model of the sun and running the calculation forward until it starts expandi...
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bh56ed
what are chromosomes and how exactly do they work? is there a difference between them and dna?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bh56ed/eli5_what_are_chromosomes_and_how_exactly_do_they/
{ "a_id": [ "elq3vig", "elq5xuw", "elq7vaa" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Chromosomes are structures composed of DNA. If the chromosome is a book, then DNA is the pages within that book.", "Chromosomes are organized structures of DNA. Basically it's a structure made up of...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://sites.google.com/a/gshare.blackgold.ca/nielsen/home/biology-30/cells-chromosomes-dna/chromosomes-genes-nucleotides-dna-base-pairs-and-the-future-of-human-evolution1.png?attredirects=0" ], [] ]
9u38sj
two phones are connected via a call, both have their speakers on and are placed next to each other. cue the deafening echoes and screeching. what is happening?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9u38sj/eli5_two_phones_are_connected_via_a_call_both/
{ "a_id": [ "e9155rr" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Phone make voice louder and higher. Sound travel very fast means voice gets higher and louder very fast." ] }
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60wwn8
why lullabies really do send babies to sleep
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/60wwn8/eli5why_lullabies_really_do_send_babies_to_sleep/
{ "a_id": [ "dfa2q1c", "dfaxnaf" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Children naturally respond to voices with giggles and laugh but a quiet lullaby can soothe a child into a calm motion.Thats why you whisper when there's a baby sleeping in a room because loud sounds makes the children sad an...
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7keovi
how does a big truck steer?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7keovi/eli5how_does_a_big_truck_steer/
{ "a_id": [ "drdq02v" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The rear wheels on the trailer are also steerable, usually operated by someone who's sitting in one of those yellow cars behind the truck. " ] }
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8otz5z
what exactly is a raw image (or video file) and how does it allow extensive digital color processing when it's so grayish?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8otz5z/eli5_what_exactly_is_a_raw_image_or_video_file/
{ "a_id": [ "e062nm9", "e06d8uh" ], "score": [ 9, 3 ], "text": [ "it's the raw data from the image sensor; there's way more data than you'd get with a JPEG or TIFF, but it hasn't been cleaned up for presentation. It has the advantage that all the extra data hasn't been thrown out yet, so ...
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1sni1f
where do i begin to start upgrading my computer's gaming capabilities?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1sni1f/eli5where_do_i_begin_to_start_upgrading_my/
{ "a_id": [ "cdzbubl" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "You start over in /r/buildapc \n\nThis post is not asking for a layman-friendly explanation to something complicated or technical, so it doesn't belong here and has been removed." ] }
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6x4wfj
why do some people actually enjoy the smell or certain things, while those same things may make others nauseous?
Some people say they actually like the smell of gas, or vinegar or something. But those same things may make others sick. What's the difference between the people?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6x4wfj/eli5_why_do_some_people_actually_enjoy_the_smell/
{ "a_id": [ "dmd5vk6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Usually because they associate those smells with good experiences. Humans associate smells with memories very strongly. Personally, I associate the smell of gasoline and engine exhaust with working on projects with my grandpa, and personal projec...
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35pkyd
. how can car dealerships be selling 2016 models already when it's only may of 2015?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/35pkyd/eli5_how_can_car_dealerships_be_selling_2016/
{ "a_id": [ "cr6jssj", "cr6jvnu" ], "score": [ 2, 11 ], "text": [ "Car models commonly release the summer before the model year. They sell at full price, or sometimes, even a premium if there is demand. When the year switches over, the premium usually disappears, and \"last years model\" u...
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349i1g
what actually is "free space" on an electronic storage device ?
Is it just some arbitrary bits that can be overwritten with meaningful data?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/349i1g/eli5_what_actually_is_free_space_on_an_electronic/
{ "a_id": [ "cqspp6q" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Here's my try\n\nImagine, a library. There are many bookshelves that are empty. Now, someone comes, and puts a book in a place of a shelve, and there's this big book at the entrance of the library, where its written that \"book 'x' is stored in a...
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1jb026
how do big tech companies (microsoft, apple, adobe, etc.) justify charging up to 200% more for their products in australia?
How and why is this so widespread?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jb026/eli5_how_do_big_tech_companies_microsoft_apple/
{ "a_id": [ "cbcuwd3", "cbcv30a" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "They don't have to justify it, they just do it. Businesses can charge whatever they want (as long as laws aren't being violated). If the price is too high, customers won't buy it and will find an alternative product for chea...
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563342
why do people's asthma flare up when they sneeze?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/563342/eli5_why_do_peoples_asthma_flare_up_when_they/
{ "a_id": [ "d8gajst" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The sneezing does not cause the attack. Whatever causes the sneeze also causes the asthma attack. Something the person is allergic to. For me, dust does it every time." ] }
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