q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 3 296 | selftext stringlengths 0 34k | document stringclasses 1
value | subreddit stringclasses 1
value | url stringlengths 4 110 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1lmmix | how did wwii flak guns know when to explode? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lmmix/eli5_how_did_wwii_flak_guns_know_when_to_explode/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc0qc76",
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"score": [
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3,
2
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"text": [
"They have a pressure sensor built-in that knows when the height is right.",
"There were also AA shells that contained proximity fuses that were so top secret that the US only shot them over water, s... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proximity_fuze"
],
[
"http://whitect321.webs.com/ww2facts.htm",
"http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/antiaircraft_action_summary_wwii.htm#II",
"http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-01-11/news/1993011049_1_fuse-proximity-smart-weapons",
"http://en... | ||
pj9g6 | what does " < subject > 101" mean? | How does this numbering system work? What does each individual digit convey?
Please provide examples of courses numbered something other than 101. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/pj9g6/eli5_what_does_subject_101_mean/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3pshal",
"c3pvi0g"
],
"score": [
16,
5
],
"text": [
"The 100 conveys that it is a first year class, the final 1 represents that it is also the first class in that curriculum - e.g. \"Economics 101\" would be the first freshman economics course. This numbering system isn't uni... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
9d0p5p | why a muscle twitch almost always stops when you look at it. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9d0p5p/eli5_why_a_muscle_twitch_almost_always_stops_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"e5eqxw1",
"e5er7lf"
],
"score": [
5,
5
],
"text": [
"Tremors can be distinguished by whether they happen when you are actively doing something (action) or not (rest). A rest tremor can go away when you try to touch it or move the area to see if you can look at it. I've had a r... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
54yiiw | how to drive a manual. | I know how to drive manual but I don't exactly know how to explain certain things like why exactly does the engine stall and why you need to go a certain gear depending on the speed and what the clutch does exactly. Please explain in simple terms for most people to understand. Thank you! | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/54yiiw/eli5how_to_drive_a_manual/ | {
"a_id": [
"d860yq8",
"d86soj9"
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"score": [
2,
2
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"text": [
"I'll give it a shot. \n\nClutch- it is the go-between the engine and transmission. When the clutched is fully released it allows the engine to spin free of the transmission. As you engage the clutch you engage the link betwe... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
324tql | why are police officers not held personally liable when brutality or misconduct victims are awarded financial settlements? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/324tql/eli5_why_are_police_officers_not_held_personally/ | {
"a_id": [
"cq7wsp9"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Short answer: Because they don't have money. You can sue a cop, get awarded $10 million and all he has to do is declare bankruptcy. You end up with $0.\n\nThat is why most people sue the PD and/or City since they can afford the payouts."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
cfh86s | why aren't species that have huge populations, like humans or bugs, having a commensurate number of mutations and thus branching off new species? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cfh86s/eli5_why_arent_species_that_have_huge_populations/ | {
"a_id": [
"eu9xrpf"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"2 reasons. First is that simply, not enough time has passed. Modern humans have existed for about 200,000 years. That's simply not enough time for speciation to occur. The second is that we don't exist in isolated populations, which is how specia... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2hrpj5 | what is my cat doing when it's looking at nothing? | Sometimes, he'll stare intently at the ceiling and moves his head all over the place, seemingly following something that isn't there. Can he hear something I can't? See something I can't?
I tried googling this, but the only real answers I got were "paranormal activity," which I don't exactly believe. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hrpj5/eli5_what_is_my_cat_doing_when_its_looking_at/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckve9or",
"ckvecfq",
"ckvekfu",
"ckvem9a",
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],
"score": [
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2
],
"text": [
"Imagining or thinking would be my guesses.",
"Looking at something that you regard as \"unimportant\"",
"Perhaps you have mice or insects in the walls... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3i27o9 | why are well known actors rarely used in horror movies? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3i27o9/eli5_why_are_well_known_actors_rarely_used_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cucnlgq"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Because horror movies are usually rated R which brings in low box office money. The studios know this so they have a terribly low production budget for horror flicks. The directors can't afford to hire a-lister. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
nfgjn | communism. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/nfgjn/eli5_communism/ | {
"a_id": [
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"c38o7k5",
"c38o5wa",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"In capitalism, you work to create goods, then you can sell these goods for other goods or money. The market is not very regulated by the government, and citizens have a say in what... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
19yh1o | why do you have to save a document again after printing, even though you did not alter anything? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/19yh1o/eli5_why_do_you_have_to_save_a_document_again/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8sgdgi",
"c8shdxt"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"The printer settings may be embedded in the document; for example the page layout may depend upon being landscape or portrait. Even if you didn't change this it may trigger a cue to save changes in case you did because the p... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
8g8gcb | why do parents need to force their children to eat? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8g8gcb/eli5_why_do_parents_need_to_force_their_children/ | {
"a_id": [
"dy9m2y2",
"dy9nl5m",
"dy9orgg",
"dy9qorr"
],
"score": [
26,
22,
4,
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],
"text": [
"It's not about forcing them to eat. It about forcing them to ready right. Left up to children they will eat only candy and snacks. That's why parents want their kids to eat al... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
97hequ | why is usa's independence day more well known than india's? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/97hequ/eli5_why_is_usas_independence_day_more_well_known/ | {
"a_id": [
"e4867r2",
"e486bd4",
"e486cfk",
"e486s8f"
],
"score": [
3,
5,
10,
5
],
"text": [
"Just the fact that people know more about America. I mean, the USA is probably the most well known country.",
"Because US TV and Film is much more popular internationally than... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
c99fwl | why does touching ice sometimes feel the same as touching fire? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c99fwl/eli5_why_does_touching_ice_sometimes_feel_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"esurrxd",
"esv15mr",
"esv4sqv",
"esv6bhc"
],
"score": [
35,
42,
10,
7
],
"text": [
"A burn is a transfer of heat that causes damage to your body. When people touch something hot, the heat flows from the hot thing to your skin. When you touch something cold he... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3vmith | how the cold war wasn't just posturing like how north korea pretends to be at war with the us? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vmith/eli5_how_the_cold_war_wasnt_just_posturing_like/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxosv7o",
"cxotfpu"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"North Korea is seen as a joke, a little threat of a little country, that's not what it really is, but that is how it's perceived. The USSR however, was considered a huge threat, with its size and power. We're VERY lucky the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
ezy5up | why do electronics care about voltage and amperage, if they're getting the right wattage? it's the same amount of energy over the same amount of time | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ezy5up/eli5_why_do_electronics_care_about_voltage_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"fgq8oy8",
"fgq8uct",
"fgq9h1j"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"Devices have resistance (and impedance). This means that if you provide power at too low a voltage, the fact that you could provide enough current to meet the power requirement doesn't help because you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5cuhjt | what happens to the air in a room that is not being ventilated for a while? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5cuhjt/eli5_what_happens_to_the_air_in_a_room_that_is/ | {
"a_id": [
"d9zifn1",
"d9ziqcg"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Dust settles. Any odor emitting matter in the room will saturate the air with its smell. A really closed sealed room with a creature in it might lose enough oxygen to be a danger. Closed spaces without ventilation can be a d... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
f1hz80 | does continuing to “fight” actually affect the outcome of a cancer diagnosis? | When someone is diagnosed with cancer, we often see comments like “keep fighting, you’ve got this!”. Is there any scientific basis behind this actually having an effect on the outcome / survival and remission rates? What exactly are they doing when they’re “fighting” that helps to beat the cancer? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f1hz80/eli5_does_continuing_to_fight_actually_affect_the/ | {
"a_id": [
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"fh6fs57",
"fh6irts",
"fh7duxe"
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"score": [
7,
31,
122,
8,
15,
6,
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],
"text": [
"The human body can do some pretty surprising things, and keeping one’s motivation up is at least good for mora... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/lets-stop-talking-about-battling-cancer/"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1cqq9j | why is dzhokhar tsarnaev, the captured boston bomber, not going to be read his miranda rights? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1cqq9j/eli5_why_is_dzhokhar_tsarnaev_the_captured_boston/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9j2tbw"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I have not hear any official statement that they are not going to read him his rights, only that they have not read them yet, things take time and they have time to do this right."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3g5ey9 | marine biologists... what the heck is a portuguese man o' war? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3g5ey9/eli5_marine_biologists_what_the_heck_is_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctuztbj"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Not a marine biologist but [this](_URL_0_) would probably be a worthwhile view."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRk3VqE9Zoc"
]
] | ||
1f0xny | the reasons behind the gfc | Hi guys, just wondering if someone can explain the recent Global Financial Crisis to me like I'm dim witted. Because I am. Thanks a million in advance! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1f0xny/eli5_the_reasons_behind_the_gfc/ | {
"a_id": [
"ca5pze8",
"ca5rwzz"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Going to have to be a bit more specific there, since that acronym can stand for many things.",
"I very strongly recommend taking the time to listen to This American Life's [The Giant Pool of Money](_URL_1_) episode, foll... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/418/toxie",
"http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/355/the-giant-pool-of-money"
]
] | |
2h3gzv | why is the taste of chocolate ice cream so overpowering than other flavors? | Whenever I add a small amount of chocolate to my neapolitan ice cream, it always ends up tasting like chocolate only. why? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2h3gzv/eli5_why_is_the_taste_of_chocolate_ice_cream_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckp2rk3"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Its because most chocolate ice cream is made from the mess up batches of other flavors. A little brown die and some strong chocolate flavor hides all. Especially in Neapolitan where the ice cream is usually cheaper. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3xamgv | what the difference is between inserting your credit card and swiping it | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3xamgv/eli5_what_the_difference_is_between_inserting/ | {
"a_id": [
"cy2z1f7",
"cy2zcjh"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"The swipe reads the magnetic strip (the black band) while inserting it accesses the embedded chip. The chip being the newer of the two designs.",
"When swiping your card all of information is contained on that magnetic ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
4yoqwe | what is happening when my dream coincides with what's about to happen at the same time around me via noise or a feeling? | Sometimes I'll wake up and my dream was overlapping with a sound or a moment that was about to happen in my real life.
I just woke up to my boyfriend coughing in the shower but moments before I had a dream someone was choking.
Does this sort of thing happen to anyone, I hope I'm explaining it right | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4yoqwe/eli5_what_is_happening_when_my_dream_coincides/ | {
"a_id": [
"d6pm7tf"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"An educated speculation will be that since our dreams are occurring in our brains , they are very fast, a five minute realtime can be maybe an hour dream time (if I'm not mistaken) \nYou hear the noise in realtime and you brain registers it and q... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
f4pd32 | how does electricity determine what earth is. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f4pd32/eli5_how_does_electricity_determine_what_earth_is/ | {
"a_id": [
"fhs3vdk",
"fhs48yg"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Earths surface is an electric conductor. So \"earth\" means quite literally \"electrically connected to planet Earth\".\n\nIf you put some soil in an insulated bucket then it's no longer connected and therefore not \"earth\"... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5e18bf | what does "dating" exactly mean in the us? | Foreigner here, trying to improve my English.
So in my country we use "to date" when you casually go out with someone but you wouldn't call that a relationship. You can use "dating" even when you haven't had sex with the other person yet.
I've heard Americans call a serious relationship "dating", though. Like "we're ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5e18bf/eli5_what_does_dating_exactly_mean_in_the_us/ | {
"a_id": [
"da8vpmo",
"da8vrmi",
"da8wz5n",
"da93kqb",
"da99du0"
],
"score": [
9,
5,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"As far as I know, it means everything you mentioned. People commonly refer to it as both a serious relationship and as a more casual scenario. It is not a ver... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
khetx | i really don't understand how american television is organised. eli5? | Like, in Australia we have standard free-to-air channels. With digital now there's about 15 channels that you can pick up for free, which you can pick up all over the country. Mostly. Some major cities may also have community stations too. And then there's Foxtel/Austar which is anywhere between about 25 and 100 extra ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/khetx/i_really_dont_understand_how_american_television/ | {
"a_id": [
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"c2k9mwi",
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"score": [
2,
4,
2,
2,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Most places in America have between 3-15 local stations which either run their own programs or pay fees to carry programs provided by on... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4isw9k | why does nebraska dnc have both a caucus and a primary? what's the benefit of doing that for them? | ---
For those who may be unaware, the Nebraska Democratic primary is nonbinding and has no bearing on the delegates attending the DNC in July.
| explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4isw9k/eli5why_does_nebraska_dnc_have_both_a_caucus_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"d30vbei"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"The state requires that primaries be held but the party decided to use a caucus for the presidential race. Essentially coming back to the whole 'political parties can decide things however they want' angle. However, while the Clinton/Sanders part... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1nkokz | federal vs state parks in america - why does the federal government own parks? can it give it to the state instead? | Why are any parks, located in states, federal property?
States own reserved open space, right? Why can't they own all of it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1nkokz/eli5federal_vs_state_parks_in_america_why_does/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccjgsbq",
"ccjjaxl"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"The federal government actually owns about 30 percent of the total U.S. landmass, including over 60 percent of Alaska. Most of that federal land is concentrated in the west. The federal government owned the land mostly from ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3j6fa2 | why can .exe only run on windows - not mac or linux? when a file like .mp4 can run on both? can't a compatibility application be made to support .exe? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3j6fa2/eli5_why_can_exe_only_run_on_windows_not_mac_or/ | {
"a_id": [
"cumpf8u",
"cumpvkk"
],
"score": [
10,
8
],
"text": [
"It's not that difficult to write a Mac or Linux program that can read the instructions in a Portable Executable file (the format that Windows uses for .exe files). The problem is that doing so doesn't let you run the progra... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.winehq.org"
],
[]
] | ||
3h7oad | how come some people can seldom or never brush their teeth and seldom or never develop cavities, while others adamantly brush 2-3 times a day, and develop many cavities? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3h7oad/eli5_how_come_some_people_can_seldom_or_never/ | {
"a_id": [
"cu4yodj",
"cu4zd6c",
"cu4zedn",
"cu5d0k6"
],
"score": [
8,
20,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Cavities have more to do with diet than brushing! I recall one study where a dentist went to a very remote village in Africa or Asia and they didn't have tooth brushes. He cleane... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3e8csu | why does radiation cause mutation, such as the recent daisies in fukushima? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3e8csu/eli5_why_does_radiation_cause_mutation_such_as/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctcg413",
"ctcg4ao",
"ctcg4gd",
"ctcin03"
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"score": [
2,
7,
2,
6
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"text": [
"someone else will explain better. but my physics teacher did an eli5, he said the little radiation particles are so small that when they fly through you there is a chance that they... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
8cgilt | how do scientists find out the boiling and melting points of elements with extreme ones? | For example, helium melts at -272°C / -458°F and rhenium boils at 5596°C / 10,105°F, which is about the temperature of the sun's surface. Do they actually place samples of the element into such temperatures? If so, what kind of environment is able to stand such extreme temperatures? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8cgilt/eli5_how_do_scientists_find_out_the_boiling_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"dxeqn1n"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"It's as hot as the surface of the sun, but that's surprisingly not *that* hot. We can make temperatures in that range fairly easily using various techniques, and they are only dangerous on a local level.\n\nThe corona of the sun, just above the v... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
7vqnl2 | why do space shuttles launch from florida and kazakhstan | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7vqnl2/eli5why_do_space_shuttles_launch_from_florida_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"dtubuh8",
"dtude9u"
],
"score": [
11,
6
],
"text": [
"When launching a rocket, you want to be as close to the Equator as possible. \n\nFlorida is about as far south as you can get in the continental US. Kazakhstan was as close as you could get in the old Soviet Union. The Euro... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
11ykaw | fast fourier transform? | Can someone explain to me how a Fast Fourier Transform works? I do a lot of audio manipulation, and I happen upon the term often, but I can't seem to grasp just how it works.
I know the answers I'm going to get are probably not going to have anything to do with audio, and that's totally fine. If someone could come al... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11ykaw/fast_fourier_transform/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6qnb5t",
"c6qpja1",
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"score": [
7,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Well, are you confused about a *Fast* Fourier Transform, or about a Fast *Fourier Transform*?\n\nThe fast just means that it's a fast way of doing a fourier transform. There's a procedure or algorithm t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://i47.tinypic.com/rwnokm.png",
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"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Synthesis_sawtooth.gif",
"http://i46.tinypic.com/hrlzc2.png"
]
] | |
1u0zjx | how are the 'hot' posts sorted on the front page? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1u0zjx/eli5_how_are_the_hot_posts_sorted_on_the_front/ | {
"a_id": [
"cedg51s",
"cedilar"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"It's based on the number of upvotes and the number of comments (and upvotes in comments) a post has received and inversely related to the age of the post.",
"Also how does it scale to the popularity of the subreddit? It ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1lp2om | "this product contains chemicals known to the state of california to cause cancer..." | If a product has chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, why can it be sold freely, and why do they recommend washing one's hands after using said product. I don't see how washing hands in this case will make cancer less dangerous. Am I at risk of developing cancer if I handle a product with this ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lp2om/this_product_contains_chemicals_known_to_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc1dfp1",
"cc1dg58",
"cc1dlx9",
"cc1heu7"
],
"score": [
5,
25,
5,
6
],
"text": [
"California (cancerfornia, commiefornia, etc are used as derisive names) has a very, very large regulatory... policy. Some would argue bloated, other would argue reasonably sized.\... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1m4chx | what is cold, why and how do particles get 'cold' | I've been wondering about this for a while but all I really have to help me is a B grade in GCSE physics so I don't really understand this particular idea of particles getting colder and warmer. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1m4chx/eli5_what_is_cold_why_and_how_do_particles_get/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc5mw8s",
"cc5nd19",
"cc5q83e"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Cold is simply the lack of thermal energy. What is thermal energy?\n\nImagine a tennis ball bouncing around a room, with no gravity and no atmosphere to slow it down.\n\nNow imagine a second tennis ball... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6q8u1i | my understanding is that simple one celled organisms were the first life on earth and they simply copied themselves and split in 2 in order to reproduce. at what point did life split into male and female in order to reproduce? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6q8u1i/eli5_my_understanding_is_that_simple_one_celled/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkvgmkf"
],
"score": [
12
],
"text": [
"For starters we will never know for sure, since the evolution of sexual reproduction happened many millions of years ago. What we can do is make a hypothesis that fits the evidence.\n\nNext, you need to think about ways that single celled organi... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2g02yn | why doesn't the u.s. have a generic version of viagra and/or cialis yet? | WalMart Rx has them for $35 PER PILL in my area. I import generics of them (probably illegally, whatever) for $3 per pill, and they work just as well. So why dont we have generics yet? Dont the manufacturers only have so long to keep it exclusive to them, and hasnt that time passed (especially for Viagra)? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2g02yn/eli5_why_doesnt_the_us_have_a_generic_version_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckec1ac",
"ckee7kv"
],
"score": [
12,
5
],
"text": [
"According to Wikipedia, Viagra's patent for treatment of erectile dysfunction in the US will expire in 2019. It was filed in 1994.",
"Phizer manipulated the patent system in the US to extend the life of the patent. It w... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sildenafil#Patent_issues_and_expirations"
]
] | |
1fodzh | if it's 90f outside, why is my car 120f inside? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fodzh/eli5_if_its_90f_outside_why_is_my_car_120f_inside/ | {
"a_id": [
"cac76rq",
"cac7aim",
"cac97v1"
],
"score": [
2,
6,
3
],
"text": [
"Greenhouse effect I presume",
"Heat is transferred in different ways, and some of these go into your car, but not out. This is the \"greenhouse effect\".\n\nHeat from the sun arrives on Earth in the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
p29kv | romneycare vs. obamacare | I've read [this](_URL_0_), but I can't help but feeling that it's a *little* biased (the site is dedicated to Romney).
Also, along with the last point, I'd prefer a non-biased answer please... I know that (the people of) reddit are mostly very liberal or anti-republican.. but just the facts please. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/p29kv/eli5_romneycare_vs_obamacare/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3lwqdg",
"c3lxnau",
"c3lyseh"
],
"score": [
8,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Alot of bad info in that graphic, I could try line by line but I don't have all night. I expect to see a lot more false charts like this (that make up facts, or distort facts, or play off of people's ig... | [] | [
"http://americaneedsmitt.com/blog/obamacare-romneycare-truth/"
] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6cr3vs | if you were to eat a poisonous spider (say a black widow) without it biting you, would you still be poisoned? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6cr3vs/eli5_if_you_were_to_eat_a_poisonous_spider_say_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dhwqr3x",
"dhwquhh",
"dhyf983"
],
"score": [
18,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"Spiders are venomous, not poisonous. For venom to be a danger you have to have it injected into your bloodstream. It is not poisonous and it is actually fully safe to drink it so long as you have no wo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
69wa22 | lots of people have an issue with the word "moist" and find it gross. why do people "jump on the bandwagon" and form such a strong opinion on something as arbitrary as a word? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/69wa22/eli5_lots_of_people_have_an_issue_with_the_word/ | {
"a_id": [
"dh9vxwk"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Word bias, the same goes for names.\n\nYou might've met someone called 'Jim' hypothetically, and he was a complete jerk. Then you'd meet another person named 'Jim' but he's completely different. Yet you still have that small part of you not likin... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
32e3sr | why is it that i can remember and reproduce the melody of songs i've heard only a few times accurately but can't tell you the interval between two notes? | It seems really strange to me that myself and many people could sing or whistle a complicated melody involving lots of pitch intervals reasonably well, but if you played them middle C, whilst they could hum it back to you, when asked to go up a 4th wouldn't know what to do. I mean we obviously know how to go up a fourt... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32e3sr/eli5_why_is_it_that_i_can_remember_and_reproduce/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqadcrp",
"cqagrnf"
],
"score": [
5,
3
],
"text": [
"Many things in our memory are stored as a sequence.\n\nFor example, many people have to go through the alphabet song in their heads to gauge the relative order of the letters in the alphabet.\n\nFor the athletes that compete... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2tckub | why is the new king of saudi arabia the half-brother of the old one and not one of his sons? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2tckub/eli5_why_is_the_new_king_of_saudi_arabia_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnxs3lv",
"cnxs50b",
"cnxs6o6"
],
"score": [
7,
3,
10
],
"text": [
"Titles passing from father to son is known as primogeniture, but primogeniture isn't always the system in use; primogeniture was the standard of Europe in the late middle ages and on. Saudi Arabia has ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegiance_Council"
],
[
"http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primogeniture"
],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnQwkXCwErA"
]
] | ||
3edk06 | if we can look 1400 light years away to find another earth-like planet, what's stopping us from zooming in just a little closer to look for indications of life forms? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3edk06/eli5_if_we_can_look_1400_light_years_away_to_find/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctdwgmq",
"ctdwo1v",
"cte09ei",
"ctfgbsl"
],
"score": [
128,
11,
8,
2
],
"text": [
"You're confused on how we find earth-like planets. We don't actually see them. No telescope ever made can see that far with that much detail. Instead we look at the amount of li... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pluto_animiert_200px.gif",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto#/media/File:Pluto_by_LORRI_and_Ralph,_13_July_2015.jpg"
],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNhhvQGsMEc"
],
[]
] | ||
4jk0yt | how can there be a "controlled explosion" on a non-explosive device? | Looking at the Man. Utd. Incident...how can a non-explosive device explode? I thought the purpose was to use the device in a controlled explosion, not bring in other explosives to do the job? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4jk0yt/eli5_how_can_there_be_a_controlled_explosion_on_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"d3791bj",
"d37a6h1"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Let's pretend we have 2 land mines stacked on top of each other. The bottom is set to go off if the top one is moved. The top one might be easy to disassemble if it was there on it's own. But the second one beneath it increa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2a9bkx | how is it possible to make electronics atomically small? | So I just read an article with the title [In Less Than a Decade Your Computer Could Be Just One Atom Wide](_URL_0_) and I was pretty confused. How is something like this possible and how would you explain it to a 5 year old | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2a9bkx/eli5_how_is_it_possible_to_make_electronics/ | {
"a_id": [
"cisqjck",
"cisynrv"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Our current architectures will not be able to get down to atomic level so we'd need to create a new one to do so. Intel has 5nm technology working in the lab (which is about 22 atoms across or so) which will probably be out ... | [] | [
"http://motherboard.vice.com/en_ca/read/In-less-than-a-decade-your-computer-could-be-just-one-atom-wide"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3uzm0e | how does self-driving cars deal with emergency vehicles like ambulances? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3uzm0e/eli5_how_does_selfdriving_cars_deal_with/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxj13ku"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"The same way they deal with everything else - you have a computer programmed to recognize things it sees on a camera/radar and it's been told how to react. Flashing ambulance lights aren't much different than a traffic signal to a computer progra... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
6rh3zo | when a wave crashes up on the shore, was causes the water to get sucked back into the ocean? | I was sitting on the beach watching the waves crash and come towards me. Before the water reached me they always got sucked right back out. I've seen this soooo many times but realized I didn't understand what was actually happening. What force cause the water to get sucked back? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6rh3zo/eli5_when_a_wave_crashes_up_on_the_shore_was/ | {
"a_id": [
"dl4z03e"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
" > What force cause the water to get sucked back?\n\nThat would be gravity. The trough of the wave is in essence the water level for that on the sloped beach, so it runs down the slope into the ocean."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3xpy0y | how do un diplomats understand each other? | Do they have some kind of quick conversation translator? If so, why is it not available for common use? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3xpy0y/eli5_how_do_un_diplomats_understand_each_other/ | {
"a_id": [
"cy6pxta",
"cy6py9k"
],
"score": [
4,
6
],
"text": [
"They have interpreters who listen to what one person is saying and repeat it in a language that the other understands. For the large meetings, everyone has an earpiece and can choose which interpreter to listen to. ",
"T... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1bes6k | april fool's day. | Why is this day dedicated to pranks and tomfoolery? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1bes6k/eli5_april_fools_day/ | {
"a_id": [
"c967sca",
"c9684hw",
"c968e9b",
"c9690xa",
"c96996e"
],
"score": [
56,
16,
2,
6,
6
],
"text": [
"When you retire you can claim any April Fool's days you participated in for a modest tax break in most European and North American countries.\n\nIt's suppos... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.hulu.com/watch/1185"
],
[
"http://youtube.com/watch?v=fJf4nNaj__c"
]
] | |
egbpnn | why do tanks of compressed air get cold, to the point of frosting over, when the gas is let out quickly? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/egbpnn/eli5_why_do_tanks_of_compressed_air_get_cold_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"fc5h6dc",
"fc5jmmk",
"fc5l5ow"
],
"score": [
3,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Heat is basically atoms and molecules bouncing off each other. (NOTE: there *is* radiant heat, but that’s a different thing and doesn’t apply here). When you get a temperature reading, what you’re actua... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://youtu.be/BxUS1K7xu30"
]
] | ||
67v5l2 | why is there a big hubub about lack of women in stem fields such as programming but not in trade fields such as plumbing? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/67v5l2/eli5_why_is_there_a_big_hubub_about_lack_of_women/ | {
"a_id": [
"dgtgis3",
"dgtgnd2",
"dgtgpas",
"dgtgwsi",
"dgtgy52",
"dgth1wb",
"dgth719",
"dgth923",
"dgth9ak",
"dgth9c7",
"dgthbgn",
"dgthheu",
"dgthqt2",
"dgthxwg",
"dgti0ga",
"dgti2fk",
"dgti6cz",
"dgtia8a",
"dgtigqs",
"dgtipe3"
],
... | [] | [] | [
[
"usfirst.org"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
29vdcp | why do only white people have varying hair colors, while people with other skin colors typically only have one hair color? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29vdcp/eli5_why_do_only_white_people_have_varying_hair/ | {
"a_id": [
"ciovfkd",
"ciox6zf",
"ciox738",
"cioxe8y",
"cioxggq",
"cioxpgb",
"cioxwrt",
"cioxynh",
"cioy20v",
"cioypve",
"cioyqxx",
"cioz84c",
"ciozy2w",
"cip01r3",
"cip0ltu",
"cip12qw",
"cip1tub",
"cip2t1n",
"cip31z2",
"cip32fy",
"c... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blond#Oceania"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.odditycentral.com/news/black-and-blond-the-origin-of-blond-afros-in-melanesia.html"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://swtlaughinlivinlovin.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/africans-natural-b... | ||
3vgdi5 | why do short versions of many names end in 'y'? | (i.e. Jenny for Jennifer, Toby for Tobias, ..etc) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vgdi5/eli5_why_do_short_versions_of_many_names_end_in_y/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxnafih"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Many languages have endings that make a word small and/or cute. These are called [diminutives.](_URL_0_) \n\ndog - > doggy\n\nJohn - > Johnny\n\nElizabeth - > Betty\n\npig - > piglet\n\ntaco - > taquito\n\ncabin - > cabinet\n\n"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/diminutives-let-y-and-mini"
]
] | |
foqal2 | the us has $21 trillion dollars in debt, what happens in the long run if this debt keeps accumilating? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/foqal2/eli5_the_us_has_21_trillion_dollars_in_debt_what/ | {
"a_id": [
"flgimwb",
"flgj8xr"
],
"score": [
12,
4
],
"text": [
"First off, the US is constantly in a state of paying off old loans and acquiring loans. Although it varies by year, we pay somewhere around 8-10% of our yearly budget just on interest rates on loans. About 25% of that goes ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1cme7e | why did the gun bill get rejected by the senate if there was a 90% approval rating? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1cme7e/eli5why_did_the_gun_bill_get_rejected_by_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9hvhdj",
"c9hvrwy",
"c9hwsls",
"c9i7k58"
],
"score": [
12,
8,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"because the US is not a direct democracy, it is a representative democracy which means special people are elected to vote as a representative of the public. If people do not like ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1l34wr | what makes the funny bone funny? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1l34wr/eli5what_makes_the_funny_bone_funny/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbvea76"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I always thought it was because when you hit it, it hurts like a bitch so much that your cry of pain sounds like laughter."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1znx62 | why are online ads (mostly) so dodgy? | ELI5 please :) When I browse the interwebz I usually have adblock off, and the amount of dodgy ads is mind-blowing. Why is this the case in this day and age?
Some examples:
"You're our 100 000th visitor. Click here to claim your reward"
"7 investment tips you don't want to miss out on. Click here to download the PDF... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1znx62/eli5why_are_online_ads_mostly_so_dodgy/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfvcd9c",
"cfvddg6",
"cfvdxiy",
"cfvkey1"
],
"score": [
12,
20,
2,
9
],
"text": [
"Think of it in this context..... SPAM..... now you hate spam, I hate spam, everyone we know hates spam.... however... it simply MUST be working.... otherwise.... spammers wouldn'... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6OXjnBIW-4"
],
[],
[]
] | |
3h7jsi | why are many greek and roman statues missing their hands and head? | As the title says. I'm in the metropolitan museum right now and it's a fairly consistent theme I noticed. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3h7jsi/eli5_why_are_many_greek_and_roman_statues_missing/ | {
"a_id": [
"cu4x8gc",
"cu4zdfu",
"cu4zg8t",
"cu5046r",
"cu50mv2",
"cu59zjo",
"cu5c4to",
"cu5l91t"
],
"score": [
273,
24,
4,
20,
39,
3,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Because those are the weakest points in its construction. After 2500 years of wear and ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1slr2f | if the geology of the earth were reversed (70% land/30% water) how different would our lives be? | How would the climate change, what would civilization and the animals be like? Would we even be able to survive in a setting like that as we are now? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1slr2f/eli5if_the_geology_of_the_earth_were_reversed_70/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdytfja",
"cdyv40f",
"cdyxed7"
],
"score": [
11,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Possibly non existent. The oceans regulate the temperature. If it was too much land we'd just be a desert planet with small seas. ",
"Possibly cavernous oceans would form through erosion but the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
145t3b | why there are different sockets around the world and not 1 universal one | [like this](_URL_0_) it makes more sense if there was just one wouldnt it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/145t3b/eli5_why_there_are_different_sockets_around_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"c7a4p6b"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"It is a safety feature. See this wiki page: _URL_1_ for a more detailed look, if you so desire.\n\nAs shown in [this image](_URL_2_), many different countries have many different standards for their outlet voltages and frequencies. Power sockets ... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/w9RrR.jpg"
] | [
[
"http://xkcd.com/927/",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_outlet",
"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Weltkarte_der_Netzspannungen_und_Netzfrequenzen.svg"
]
] | |
3cwz5r | do actor's producer credits on tv shows and movies actually mean they are involved in production? or is it something you earn after long career? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3cwz5r/eli5_do_actors_producer_credits_on_tv_shows_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cszpvei"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"There are some occasions on TV shows where actor's might be credited even if they were not in the particular episode.\n\nWith movies, yes, everyone is involved with the production, but sometimes not very directly. For example, the \"Executive Pr... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2eim8j | why is it when my nose itches and i scratch it, it will never stop feeling itchy? | It drives me crazy and i can never stop. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2eim8j/eli5why_is_it_when_my_nose_itches_and_i_scratch/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjzw15i"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Also, no matter your resistance, if you choose to not scratch it it will also never stop feeling itchy."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5xji1x | how do doomsday predictors and religious zealots cope/rationalize when the "end" never comes and their predictions are false? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5xji1x/eli5_how_do_doomsday_predictors_and_religious/ | {
"a_id": [
"deij3z2"
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"text": [
"My mom's husband at the time when I was growing up was and still is a doomsday prepper. It almost seemed like it was just regular conversation for him how the rapture would happen or Nostradamus predicted on a date, the New World Order, the mark ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3kw6rs | how does youtube's auto caption function work? | It always seems to mess up... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kw6rs/eli5_how_does_youtubes_auto_caption_function_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"cv10jyt"
],
"score": [
3
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"text": [
"Well yes.\n\nIt utilizes a speech to text program, which is the computer trying to recognize words. It is not very good at this, but things are improving."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
57ft3c | ikea furniture and formaldehyde | Is there any danger at all due to exposed exposure and the like? Most of my room is IKEA furniture and on my 'desk', I've scraped a front bit out when bored. Should I worry about potential long term effects? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/57ft3c/eli5_ikea_furniture_and_formaldehyde/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8rm77b"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"So, to start, formaldehyde is a binder, that helps keep the wood conglomerates all together. It has been widely used in the industry for the production of MDF (medium density fiberboard), but its use has been decreasing due to health risks.\n\nT... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://lifeathome.ch/en/2014/05/formaldehyde-and-ikea-furniture/"
]
] | |
6e08hn | why do most species of butterflies hold their wings vertically at rest while moths hold them horizontally? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6e08hn/eli5_why_do_most_species_of_butterflies_hold/ | {
"a_id": [
"di6o2yf"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Butterflies often use visual cues (although not exclusively) for mate choice - the upper side of their wings is therefore often brightly coloured or patterned to attract mates. The underside is normally dark and camouflaged. When resting, butterf... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1qqlt6 | crayons | I just can't seem to grasp it. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qqlt6/eli5crayons/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdfg6lk"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I think Mr. Rogers visited the crayon factory one time.\n\n[Here it is](_URL_0_)"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59e7WYd24gI"
]
] | |
6hu9xi | how can a company "restructure its stocks" in the way google did with alphabet inc.? | Based on [this](_URL_0_) article, when Google restructured into Alphabet Inc., it designated three classes of shares, A, B and C. The common shareholder's stocks were converted to class A, which owns 1/10th of the voting rights of class B shares, mostly owned by the company founders.
I am looking to understand:
- Wha... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6hu9xi/eli5_how_can_a_company_restructure_its_stocks_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"dj17ts8"
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"text": [
"Alphabet's restructure did not change anyone's voting power. The 10-vote class B shares (which are only owned by the co-founders) have existed since the company went public. What Alphabet did was split the existing shares- for every share that so... | [] | [
"http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/class.asp"
] | [
[]
] | |
447xv8 | fourier and z transform | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/447xv8/eli5_fourier_and_z_transform/ | {
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"There's no ELI5 for this. I'm going to assume you have some background in math and electronics. \n\nTransforms take a function (like a signal, or a system) and moves them into a different domain. This lets us glean some addi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.labkitty.com/2015/12/a-primer-on-fourier-analysis-part-i.html"
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236ijr | how is it that morbidly obese people can lose 100lbs+ and fit into a size 4 when normal people have trouble losing 5lbs? | if they have that much willpower, how come it took so long to start? why don't they stop at size 10 or 12?
this isn't meant to be offensive. anyone of any weight can answer. i just don't get it. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/236ijr/eli5_how_is_it_that_morbidly_obese_people_can/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgtwldm"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The human body has something called a Basal Metabolic Rate, which predicts how many calories they burn in a day.\n\n_URL_0_\n\nEnter your age, sex, height and weight here. That is the amount of calories you will burn if you laid in bed all day, b... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/"
]
] | |
33fxlb | what makes the jupiter storm permanent, why don't we have one like that? | The 'eye' looks cool, but is it immortal? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/33fxlb/eli5what_makes_the_jupiter_storm_permanent_why/ | {
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"text": [
"It's not permanent. It's just been a perfect storm that has lasted for over 400 years.\n\nNasa has been tracking it and it's been shrinking by about 1,000 km per year (that's about the size of Washington D.C. to Chicago Il... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
efvo7u | how does a phone know how to "fast charge" when using the official charger and how to "slow charge" when using a generic charger? | I have a Samsung phone and when I use the proper Samsung cable and plug piece it charges quickly however when I use a generic cable or plug piece it charges significantly slower. How does my phone recognise the difference, isn't electricity all the same? (insert Mr Incredible meme). | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/efvo7u/eli5_how_does_a_phone_know_how_to_fast_charge/ | {
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"fc2odoq",
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"text": [
"It's the current the adapter allows through. Normal USB charging is around 2.5 watts (.5amp at 5 volts). Fast chargers increase both the amperage and voltage for a higher watt out... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2taimn | why do some vaccines "last" longer than others? what's the difference? | I'm thinking of the flu - we need to get a flu shot every year because there's a different strain predicted to be the most prevalent, and because those strains keep evolving.
But then I think of, say, diphtheria. We only get that vaccine once or twice (by my recollection). Same for measles-mumps-rubella. Tetanus is on... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2taimn/eli5why_do_some_vaccines_last_longer_than_others/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnx7e6c",
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"score": [
21,
16,
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"text": [
"The primary difference is the disease. The Flu virus is more prevalent and it also mutates quicker than some other viruses, and so a vaccine that worked last year likely won't work this year as the v... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
75da7j | how do people come to power? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/75da7j/eli5_how_do_people_come_to_power/ | {
"a_id": [
"do59y2a",
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"score": [
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Two ways, either by an established process or by force or the threat of force.\n\nEstablished process: elections, hereditary succession, designated successor (either by the previous ruler or by a cabal ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
67k07j | how can soft drinks, with many ingredients, be cheaper to purchase than water? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/67k07j/eli5_how_can_soft_drinks_with_many_ingredients_be/ | {
"a_id": [
"dgqzkzk",
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"score": [
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3,
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"text": [
"It's what people are willing to pay.\n\nYour example isn't always true (it's one of those \"every square is a rectangle, not every rectangle is a square\" thing).\n\nIf you buy a case of aquafina water,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
206hg7 | why are some people so adamant about investing in gold? is it a good idea? what are the risks? | I do some very casual investing in the stock market. I have a small but well-diversified portfolio that has been doing well the last few years. I balance it once or twice a year and I've been happy with the results. Despite this, a relative has been constantly telling me I need to invest in gold stocks. GDX, GLD, RGL, ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/206hg7/eli5_why_are_some_people_so_adamant_about/ | {
"a_id": [
"cg089fy"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It's not a bad idea. Wether it is a good idea depends on many factors.\n\nGold is essentially a hedge. An investment in gold is usually designed to provide some upside in a portfolio that would otherwise be substantially affected by inflation o... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
422nry | why does a 100ms increase in ping drastically affect online gameplay? | How does such a small increase in latency make a multiplayer game go from smooth sailing to completely unplayable? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/422nry/eli5_why_does_a_100ms_increase_in_ping/ | {
"a_id": [
"cz74dhm"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Only in games like Smash bros or first person shooters that are all about timing. 100ms is not a small increase but pretty significant. That is 1/10th second extra for everything you do to reach the server. So it can affect aiming, especially ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
bbeemc | why can human eyes rotate quickly together, but not when going or returning from being cross-eyed? | Situations where humans must repeatedly change between very near and far vision rapidly are uncommon.
However, if you go cross-eyed and then relax, it takes a while the eye orientations to return to normal.
How is this different from rapidly being able to look left and right, when both eyes move in the same directi... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bbeemc/eli5_why_can_human_eyes_rotate_quickly_together/ | {
"a_id": [
"eki8pr4"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Our eye muscles are designed to work in tandem, and we are constantly strengthening that uniformity through usage (just think of how often you move your eyes together). Just as it’s sometimes difficult to move other body parts in an unusual way (... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
fddkc7 | why exactly does walking after falling or experiencing some other similar injury help reduce the pain? | I was wondering about the "walk it off" phrase, why does walking help with pain? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fddkc7/eli5_why_exactly_does_walking_after_falling_or/ | {
"a_id": [
"fjhp99v"
],
"score": [
14
],
"text": [
"Neuroscientist here! It really depends on the type of injury, but generally it comes down to the nature of pain. Pain is basically just a series of electrochemical signals generated by nerve cells that then travel to your brain and are then inte... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2zv3ih | what would happen to the economy of everybody reverted back to trading for everything? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zv3ih/eli5_what_would_happen_to_the_economy_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpmjsig",
"cpmjz23",
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8,
37,
3
],
"text": [
"The majority of the planet would literally starve to death.",
"Almost complete collapse. Realistically, very few people have anything worthwhile to trade aside from their time and personal possessi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3mejeb | why aren't batteries included? | Talking about toys and gadgets advertised on TV. Wouldn't it make it easier if batteries were included? Then they wouldn't have to say "batteries not included" on every commercial. Is it that hard to just include some batteries? I can buy some at the grocery store that have an expiration for 10-15 years from now - so i... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mejeb/eli5_why_arent_batteries_included/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvec8u3",
"cvecbxk",
"cvecdqc",
"cvedeq9",
"cvej6ma"
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"score": [
8,
4,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Money.\n\nIt costs the manufacturer money to include batteries, making the product more expensive, making you less likely to buy it.",
"Batteries are expe... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
25q21k | when a company like whatsapp is valued at $19b, where did the valuation come from? was it taken away from another product or service? | Was it created from 'nothing' and just add to the GDP, or did some other product/service lose value because of this? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/25q21k/eli5_when_a_company_like_whatsapp_is_valued_at/ | {
"a_id": [
"chjmf8z",
"chjmi8y",
"chjn6me"
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"score": [
5,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Don't use whatsapp as an example, that $19B valuation is so insane that it confuses everything everyone knows about valuations.",
"It was the price that Zuck was willing to pay to buy up the stakes ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
36uyet | why are heart murmurs dangerous for animals and not humans? | I searched heart murmur on reddit, and loads of posts came up about dogs and cats having to be put down because of their heart murmur. Yet for humans, apparently a heart murmur is nearly always 'innocent' and presents no symptoms/cause for concern at all. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36uyet/eli5_why_are_heart_murmurs_dangerous_for_animals/ | {
"a_id": [
"crhf8v0"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Most heart murmurs don't cause any problems for animals either. My cat Bandit lived 10+ years with a murmur without the slightest ill effect. \n\nIn humans, murmurs that have the potential to be impairing are usually corrected by surgery. In ani... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4f61mz | how does electrolysis actually break down water? how feeding an electric current get hydrogen and oxygen? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4f61mz/eli5_how_does_electrolysis_actually_break_down/ | {
"a_id": [
"d266ybb",
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4,
3,
2
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"text": [
"H2O is a pretty stable bond, because it doesn't require a lot of energy. O2 and more so H2 are less stable and require more energy. \n\nIf you deliver that energy through electrical current, a double re... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
mkdol | tax write offs. | Currently, by understanding of write offs is about as deep as [Kramer's](_URL_0_). | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mkdol/eli5_tax_write_offs/ | {
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"score": [
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10,
2,
3,
2,
13,
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"text": [
"You pay taxes on your total income, when you... | [] | [
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCZRqH7sRyA"
] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mkdcx/eli5_generic_accounting_and_what_writing_things/"
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[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mkdcx/eli5_generic_accounting_and_what_writing_things/"
],
[],
[]
] | |
26uqji | why do government files have to be declassified and who sets the term on how long it has to be kept a secret? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26uqji/eli5_why_do_government_files_have_to_be/ | {
"a_id": [
"chuntl6"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Government files need to be declassified once they are politically/militarily irrelevant. This enables people to check on what the government has been up to so that nothing that is overtly unethical is going on behind the scenes. It also contribu... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
73xvp0 | when does a dialect become it's own language? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/73xvp0/eli5_when_does_a_dialect_become_its_own_language/ | {
"a_id": [
"dnu0t2v",
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"score": [
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... | [] | [] | [
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4kdbu1 | it seems like every day something new comes out in the panama papers. is there gonna be anything actually done to the accused? who is in charge of prosecuting? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4kdbu1/eli5_it_seems_like_every_day_something_new_comes/ | {
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"d3e2h88",
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"score": [
158,
4,
7,
40,
5,
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"text": [
"Merely setting up a company in a tax haven doesn't mean you've actually done anything wrong. Its not evidence of a crime by itself.",... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
b6s12p | why does fire, or any heat source, produce light particles/waves? and why do some non-heat or low-heat sources produce light? do they work differently? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b6s12p/eli5_why_does_fire_or_any_heat_source_produce/ | {
"a_id": [
"ejmqo0n"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Deep down it's all the same.\n\nFirst, electrons are given energy. But they don't like to have extra energy, so they emit light to get back to a lower energy state. Electrons can receive energy in different ways. In a fire pit old-school light bu... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3t806c | why do horns sound less brassy than other brass instruments. | Instruments of the same class often sound similar to each other. For example, it's difficult for the unitiated to hear the difference between the violin and the viola. Brass instruments have a brassy tone. The horn, however, has a much mellower tone. At high ranges it sounds nothing like a trumpet, and at low ranges it... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3t806c/eli5_why_do_horns_sound_less_brassy_than_other/ | {
"a_id": [
"cx3w06p"
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"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"There are two subtypes of brass instruments. One uses the same diameter through most of its length (cylindrical) and one gets bigger near the end (conical).\n\nCylindrical:\n\n- trumpet (all varieties)\n- baritone horn\n- trombone\n\nConical:\n\... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6ezsl2 | why is the dmv so shitty? and why hasn't anyone brought it into the 21st century? | Everyone hates the DMV. Its slow and archaic and hasn't changed in years. Why? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ezsl2/eli5why_is_the_dmv_so_shitty_and_why_hasnt_anyone/ | {
"a_id": [
"diec4du",
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2,
6,
3
],
"text": [
"Depends on where you live. In New Jersey the DMV has been overhauled and modernized quite a bit over the past decade. They have moved as much as possible to the web, inspection stations are pretty much ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
d7256g | - what happens to dirty recycling? if i don’t wash out my peanut butter jar, does it still get recycled? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d7256g/eli5_what_happens_to_dirty_recycling_if_i_dont/ | {
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5,
2
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"text": [
"Toured a recycle facility not long ago. They said it makes their job easier/quicker if everything is rinsed clean and broken down (such as boxes) prior to their getting it but it i... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.npr.org/2019/07/12/741283641/episode-926-so-should-we-recycle"
],
[]
] | |
6mv6vk | because most of us have descended from common ancestors, would it be fair to say that most of us have at least a dusting of inbreeding going on? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6mv6vk/eli5_because_most_of_us_have_descended_from/ | {
"a_id": [
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32,
4,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Yes, if you are very broad with your definition. Literally *all* humans are related, at least distantly. The same for members of any species, actually.",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://io9.gizmodo.com/5791530/why-humans-all-much-more-related-than-you-think"
]
] | ||
fwigq6 | why do your eyes “play tricks on you at night” like seeing shapes that aren’t there? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fwigq6/eli5_why_do_your_eyes_play_tricks_on_you_at_night/ | {
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72,
5315,
271,
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12,
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3y8tkj | why is it that when a plane touches down, it sounds as if the engines rev back up? | Every time I'm on a flight that lands, just as the plane touches down, the engines sound as though they're revving back up. But clearly, the plane slows dramatically once it hits the ground. Is the energy from the engines being redirected? Or is this an illusion of some kind? What is actually happening? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3y8tkj/eli5why_is_it_that_when_a_plane_touches_down_it/ | {
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],
"text": [
"Exactly. Thrust reversers redirect thrust to help slow the plane down. If you look out the window, you can usually see sections of the engine cowling pop open to facilitate this.",
"[Here](_URL_0... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/F-GTAR_Air_France_%283698209485%29.jpg"
],
[
"http://youtu.be/VrETuZeahbg"
]
] | |
9uq07n | how is it that so many different languages use the same a-z alphabet with different sounds for the letters. how is there not a spanish alphabet, a french alphabet etc.? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9uq07n/eli5_how_is_it_that_so_many_different_languages/ | {
"a_id": [
"e962f2u",
"e962ylu",
"e964lj6"
],
"score": [
15,
10,
6
],
"text": [
"Those alphabets and languages are all descended from Latin, and each letter usually makes the same sound despite the different language.",
"The A-Z alphabet, which we call the *Latin alphabet*, wa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3shgjf | why is orange juice usually sold under dairy? | In almost every grocery store, orange juice is in the dairy section.
Why is that? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3shgjf/eli5why_is_orange_juice_usually_sold_under_dairy/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwx8ahk",
"cwx8lcy",
"cwx8vgd"
],
"score": [
14,
5,
4
],
"text": [
"Because OJ is a complementary purchase to milk, breakfast item. OJ tends not to be a destination item like milk is. In a traditional grocery store set up. \n\nMilk, eggs and juice in back center, or a ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] |
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