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6zlj1y | when using carbon dating and similar techniques, how do we know the age of the object it made up, rather than the age of the carbon or other isotope from when it was formed in a star? | I hope the wording of my title makes sense. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6zlj1y/eli5_when_using_carbon_dating_and_similar/ | {
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"Carbon dating works of the natural rate at which Carbon 14 (an unstable isotope) decays based on its half life. When things are alive, everything in an environment has an equilibrium of C14 as carbon is... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
fmxdgz | why do our lungs remain full when we hold our breath? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fmxdgz/eli5_why_do_our_lungs_remain_full_when_we_hold/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Actual air does not get into your bloodstream. If it did, you would die. \n\nYour body absorbs more of the oxygen when you hold your breath. We don't absorb 100% of oxygen with every breath.",
"You'... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6y5p4n | why is k-12 a state issue when most citizens look to the federal government? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6y5p4n/eli5_why_is_k12_a_state_issue_when_most_citizens/ | {
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"[Assuming you're speaking of the US]\n\nK-12 is a local government issue, primarily funded through property tax. The federal government sets minimum standards, which the individual states tend to exceed... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
879oc3 | why is it that despite how much cgi has improved in the last 20 years it is always possible to tell when human faces are digitally rendered? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/879oc3/eli5_why_is_it_that_despite_how_much_cgi_has/ | {
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"text": [
"The term is “uncanny valley.” And yes it is much harder to make something real look realistic. Our brain is much better at finding something strange about things that we are used... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
8k57st | why do credit card companies send pre-approval letters for loans? how does this help their business? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8k57st/eli5_why_do_credit_card_companies_send/ | {
"a_id": [
"dz4w49s"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
"They are in the business of loaning money to people, and they make a profit off the interest. The more people they get borrowing money from them, the more money they make.\n\nIf the send out letters encouraging people to apply for credit, then th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
s6dds | how does china's great firewall work? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/s6dds/eli5_how_does_chinas_great_firewall_work/ | {
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"text": [
"Not sure if this totally answers your question, but here goes:\n\n1. All Internet connection provided in China is provided by the same \"company\". Imagine if everybody in the US only got internet from Comcast and there wer... | [] | [] | [
[
"reddit.com"
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4qylfv | how our stomach "know" how much acid it have to use to digest some food? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4qylfv/eli5how_our_stomach_know_how_much_acid_it_have_to/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Food introduces relatively basic material into our stomach. pH receptors in our cells tell the stomach to produce more acid as its contents become more basic. After the food is sufficiently digested, the pH becomes increasingly acidic as more ac... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
26hdhb | what makes an iceberg invisible? | For example, with the Titanic, the captain wasn't able to see the iceberg. It "came out of nowhere." And also on the front page today, there was a video of an iceberg illusion where the iceberg's top part seemed to be floating above the rest of the iceberg. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26hdhb/eli5_what_makes_an_iceberg_invisible/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"In the case of the Titanic, the lookouts had a hard time seeing the iceberg because it was nighttime and because they didn't have any binoculars.\n\nIt's difficult to spot any object on the water when t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3lxhfz | if stem cells can be used to create any tissue and the reason we age is to do with damage occurred during cell reproduction. why can't we stop aging using stem cells gained from embryos? | So the stem cells gained from embryos would have less damage caused by cell reproduction. So wouldn't using these to help rebuild certain areas of your body reduce the effects of aging?
Theoretically speaking. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3lxhfz/eli5_if_stem_cells_can_be_used_to_create_any/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Yes, theoretically, but embryonic stem cells have a tendency to not do precisely what you want, and we still have lots and lots and lots of learning to do before we can use them effectively to \"stop\" aging, and even to slow it down in any mater... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
7ccmjw | how do uhaul and car rental companies get their cars and trucks back when they are dropped off in different states or cities? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ccmjw/eli5_how_do_uhaul_and_car_rental_companies_get/ | {
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"text": [
"Because other cars and trucks are being driven from other cities to that location. It's a constant network of vehicles flowing in and out. I'm sure if there's too much of an imbalance between locations they transfer vehicles... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2b0286 | who/what are the russian "separatists" involved with today's downed airliner? | Just seeing it pop up everywhere, are they living IN Ukraine or IN Russia, and how did they get a surface to air missile launcher? I'm lost in all of this! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2b0286/eli5_whowhat_are_the_russian_separatists_involved/ | {
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"This part is factually settled:\n\nThey're living in a part of Ukraine that they currently have taken control over and want to reincorporate into Russia. \n\... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
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"http://www.c-span.org/video/?319014-1/secretary-kerry-ukraine",
"http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-united-states-russia-/25456999.html",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation_of_Crimea_by_the_Russian_Federation",
"https://news.vice.com/video/russian-roulette-dispatc... | |
2ze3f2 | what happens to headphones when one of the ear buds stop working unless the cord is in the sweet spot? | Just had this happen again. They were working great this morning on my walk to work but on the walk home the left bud would keep cutting in and out. Couldn't deal. Another pair to the grave yard.... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ze3f2/eli5_what_happens_to_headphones_when_one_of_the/ | {
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"text": [
"Inside the bud itself, the wires are soldered onto connecters attached to the speaker part that makes the noise. Because of how thin the wires are, and how cheap ear buds tend to be, they work themselv... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
231g7r | masturbation, oral sex, and other non-intercourse from an evolutionary perspective | I understand why people do it, because its pleasurable. But why do monkeys and other primates do it?
How did the animal kingdom discover the other non-intercourse sexual activities? It's my understanding that they know to have intercourse by instinct to ensure offspring. So why do you see primates and monkeys do oral ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/231g7r/eli5_masturbation_oral_sex_and_other/ | {
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"text": [
"They do it for the same reasons we do. It's fun.\n\nThey discover it through experimentation and/or observation.",
"It's apparently just as pleasurable for many other mammals as it is for us.",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
g2ddpi | brain focusing and unfocusing | Can the brain focus on being unfocus so that you won't miss alot of information when you're in focus mode? For example like watching magicians Unfocusing seems to do better than focusing. Does that make sense? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/g2ddpi/eli5_brain_focusing_and_unfocusing/ | {
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"text": [
"Unfocusing is just paying attention to something else, whether it's something in the environment or your own thoughts it doesn't matter. I believe you are trying to ask whether it's better to look at the \"whole image\" (the whole act, the magici... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4rn109 | how is lip syncing done in movies like "kubo and the two strings" | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4rn109/eli5how_is_lip_syncing_done_in_movies_like_kubo/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The dialog is recorded ahead of time, so all of the audio can be timed and charted for the animators. Each scene length is (generally) set in stone, too. So the chart says, \"According to the audio track for this scene, the character should be ma... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://i.imgur.com/un1PzgI.jpg"
]
] | ||
2mnvy9 | what is happening in missouri right now? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mnvy9/eli5_what_is_happening_in_missouri_right_now/ | {
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"text": [
"All is calm in St Louis so far. Still waiting on that Grand Jury for the decision though. Most of the protests have been peaceful, but the governor declared a state of emergency and preemptively called in the national guard in case people are u... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2puhmp | i got hit in the nuts with a soccer ball lastnight, why did i feel such pain in my stomache? | It didn't hit my stomache or lower abs, This was bang-on, bulls-eyed on the nuts as I was goaltending. Knocked me down pretty damn good. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2puhmp/eli5_i_got_hit_in_the_nuts_with_a_soccer_ball/ | {
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"text": [
"The same reason that if you wiggle a finger in your belly button it makes your balls tingle.",
"Every fetus starts out female; the reproductive organs all start out in the gut. If you are finally a male, the organs drop... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
7erdlg | why is it easy to type from the thoughts/words in your head, but difficult to type the alphabet? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7erdlg/eli5_why_is_it_easy_to_type_from_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dq6vgkx",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Muscle memory. \n\n\nYou are used to type these short words over and over. \n\n\nYou have very few words that have more than ABCD or BCDE or CDEF ect connected.\n\nSame reason you can easliy read last names you are used to ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5xb248 | why do the countries that used to be a part of the british empire (canada, new zealand, australia, etc) have a dollar ($) for a currency, instead of a pound (£) like britain? | Just a thought I had, and it made me wonder. You'd think that when Britain gave Australia, Canada, and whatnot, their independence that they would have the pound as the currency. It's like they decided to join America on the dollar bandwagon. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5xb248/eli5_why_do_the_countries_that_used_to_be_a_part/ | {
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"text": [
"Malaysia has been under the British Empire but does not use dollar for currency. Malaysi... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
[],
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"http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/money-exchange-when-australian-swapped-pounds-for-dollars-20160211-gmrm3a.html"
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[]
] | |
453vje | 3/4, 12/8 and similar notations in music. also, 3/4 = 6/8 in this context? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/453vje/eli5_34_128_and_similar_notations_in_music_also/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The top number denotes beats per measure while the bottom denotes which note gets the beat. \n\n2/4 time would mean two beats per measure and the quarter note gets the beat. \n\n2 beats per measure is duple meter, 3 is tripl... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
j6wa8 | what are gas future that i've been told affect our price at the pump so drastically? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j6wa8/eli5_what_are_gas_future_that_ive_been_told/ | {
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"text": [
"So this is how it goes: gas has been transformed in a financial asset! What that means is that you can, today for instance, say to somebody \"I will buy from you 3 papers that repr... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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3vicp4 | what is the difference between decriminalization and legalization? | I'm in Canada and our Prime Minister is intending to legalize marijuana. I noticed other people who were running in the elections wanted to decriminalize it but what's the difference? Is a non-criminal activity different from a legal activity?
[Edit]I've marked this as explained like a million times over the course o... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vicp4/eli5what_is_the_difference_between/ | {
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"text": [
"Decriminalizing simply removes criminal penalties, legalizing involves the process of creating infrastructure for regulation and taxation.",
"Decrimin... | [] | [] | [
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1id1kg | how does paying off a house work? | Start from the second you decide to buy a house and the day you pay it off completely. To make the example easy use a $200,000 house for an example, and typical rates. Explain all the terms. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1id1kg/eli5_how_does_paying_off_a_house_work/ | {
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"text": [
"You put a downpayment on a house. A *downpayment* is a large sum of cash you have on hand. Obviously, most people can't pay for a whole house at once. They go to a bank. The bank checks their *credit rating*, which is based on paying payments for... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
7rxfua | how does sound move onboard the international spacestation? | I know that sound moves via the compression and rarefaction of air. But surely the lack of gravity would impact this? Would speech on the ISS sound different, delayed or weird? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7rxfua/eli5_how_does_sound_move_onboard_the/ | {
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"No, sound is not significantly affected by gravity. Sound on board the ISS is the same as it would be if the ISS were stationary on the ground.\n\nAnd as a side note, there is no lack of gravity on the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://twitter.com/cmdr_hadfield/status/283827015524708353"
],
[]
] | |
misf7 | how do e-cigarettes work? | So I fell for an ad that a company ran on reddit (vapornine). And now I haven't smoked in 3 weeks. But I just don't get how vaporizing works. I understand that it turns the liquid into vapor (but I don't know what this means) and then I inhale the vapor. But I when I exhale, the vapor looks like smoke. Shouldn't i... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/misf7/eli5_how_do_ecigarettes_work/ | {
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... | [] | [] | [
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6d6e4q | how do scientists know we're not simply still in the expansion phase of a "big crunch scenario?" | The "Big Crunch" model of the universe has fallen out of favor because we can observe the universe is still speeding up, but how do scientists know it will continue to do so forever? Wouldn't it be possible that the universe is still "exploding," but will eventually run out of steam and collapse? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6d6e4q/eli5_how_do_scientists_know_were_not_simply_still/ | {
"a_id": [
"di08q62"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"It's because of the very fact that the expansion seems to be speeding up (accelerating). If you think of Big Bang as an explosion, the highest velocity is always at the initial time and point. In the Big Crunch hypothesis, with gravity exerting i... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1ohgpt | how do any thing that lay eggs fertilize them? | like does the egg harden when it's fertilised? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ohgpt/eli5_how_do_any_thing_that_lay_eggs_fertilize_them/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccrz9ls"
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"text": [
"Eggs that don't have shells, such as those laid by fishes and frogs, are usually fertilised after being laid. The female produces the eggs and then the male covers them in sperm. It's an inefficient method, which is one reason why these creatures... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
9zlf1o | how does time dialation work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9zlf1o/eli5_how_does_time_dialation_work/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Imagine standing in a train, rolling a ball on the floor. The train is moving at 70 mph. \n\nFrom your perspective inside the train the ball is rolling at 10 mph.\nFrom the perspective of someone outsid... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafele%E2%80%93Keating_experiment"
],
[]
] | ||
c051l6 | why do lips start to stick together when closed for long times? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c051l6/eli5_why_do_lips_start_to_stick_together_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"er2h063"
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"text": [
"We use our tongue to keep our lips moist and when we don't do that, lips lose their moisture- this also happens when we are dehydrated. So when the moisture on the lips dry up, the left over thin coating which is made up of a sticky substance wh... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
8bbtq6 | why do bigger document scanners cost exponentially more? | After a day of scanning in 24in drawings through a scanner at my work each taking 1 min to scan at 300 dpi on a machine similar to [this](_URL_0_) costing easily 3000$ and is slow and okay at scanning. Yet a copier can scan 11in drawings in a row at high quality and relatively fast for relatively cheap. Even a home sc... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8bbtq6/eli5_why_do_bigger_document_scanners_cost/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The main reason is that the market for these devices is very small, so they don't benefit from the economies of large-volume manufacturing and competition.",
"Market size and build quality.\n\nUsually your work wants onl... | [] | [
"https://bycolortrac.com/a1-scanner-smartlf-scan-24-large-format-scanner",
"https://www.amazon.com/Brother-DS-620-Mobile-Color-Scanner/dp/B00EKWE55K/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1523397114&sr=8-13&keywords=scanners"
] | [
[],
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7h7es0 | how did we come to decide which words mean what? are sounds just randomly formed into words or do they carry some sort of meaning? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7h7es0/eli5_how_did_we_come_to_decide_which_words_mean/ | {
"a_id": [
"dqp07xe"
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"text": [
"Originally? We don't really know. However new words are created all the time and gain meaning by their shared use. \n\nAs far as I know, theres no human universal \"meaning\" to any particular sounds, it's just whatever the language evolved to us... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3s8w4i | how come certain videos on youtube can use copyrighted material and others can't, even if it's the same material? | I've never quite got it.
I recently spent 4 months editing a video of a trip I went on to Iceland using the music of Sigur Ros. I figured it'd be fine, they've always been very open with their music and even had contests where fans could pick songs off their album, make their own music videos, and upload them online.... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3s8w4i/eli5_how_come_certain_videos_on_youtube_can_use/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwv4bj6"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It's not fine to simply include commercial music in your videos, even if you see others include the music in their videos. What you did was an explicit copyright violation.\n\nYou are only permitted to incorporate the music into your video when y... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6gkn46 | how do names work in sign language? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6gkn46/eli5_how_do_names_work_in_sign_language/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Fluent in ASL here, ties with Deaf community. \n\nYour sign name is normally given to you, kinda like a nickname as stated prior. ",
"Just as all other communication occurs in this language, name... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
8n1nvp | why can you get food poisoning from cooked chicken that has been left out for 12 hours on the counter, but not from a piece of chicken that has been stuck in your teeth for 12 hours before you brush? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8n1nvp/eli5_why_can_you_get_food_poisoning_from_cooked/ | {
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4y3rgy | the difference between aerobic and anerobic fitness | Redditors,
Im currently studying for my USTFCCCA coaching certification, and in Effectively designing a program for track and field athletes, i need to confidently know the differences between the energy systems so that i can addrsss them in different workouts during the week. Help!!!!
Im understanding the glycolic pr... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4y3rgy/eli5_the_difference_between_aerobic_and_anerobic/ | {
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"Aerobic is when your cells can receive oxygen adequately from the blood. You're currently in aerobic respiration. Anaerobic is when you are hard at work and your muscles can't get adequate oxygen. Aerobic respiration is 26x more efficient than an... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5x449u | if chess is considered a sport, why not checkers? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5x449u/eli5_if_chess_is_considered_a_sport_why_not/ | {
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"A lot of people wouldn't consider chess a sport, a few people would consider checkers a sport. To get to what you're asking in why someone would consider chess a sport, but not checkers, chess has a damn near infinite amount... | [] | [] | [
[],
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45say6 | why is russia a very hated country by a majority of people? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/45say6/eli5_why_is_russia_a_very_hated_country_by_a/ | {
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"text": [
"A lot of it is residual distrust from the Cold War.\n\nBut Moscow under Putin has performed a destabilization in Europe by annexing the Crimea and Russian politics has taken on a somewhat sinister cast. Now we could have used a different sort of... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
8594bq | why is pcr significant? what can it be used for? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8594bq/eli5why_is_pcr_significant_what_can_it_be_used_for/ | {
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"Lots of times when we procure DNA, it's in very limited amounts. [PCR](_URL_0_) allows you to make a lot more of that DNA, so you can do a lot more testing (or whatever you need to... | [] | [] | [
[
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483hlb | how snipers adjust their sights so that they get a 'headshot'? | In movies, the centre 'X' marks the spot and that is where the bullet will go.
But this can't be real.... the barrel is a good inch or so below the sights, and the bullet falls under gravity....
So do snipers always aim high? Or do they adjust their sights accordingly somehow? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/483hlb/eli5_how_snipers_adjust_their_sights_so_that_they/ | {
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"1) Experienced shooters, from military snipers to police officers don't aim for a \"headshot\" in normal circumstances. They aim center-mass. This means they aim for the torso.\n\n2) For a sniper, th... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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5fw351 | what makes hair go gray for several inches in the middle of a strand then grow dark again? | Does it indicate the pigment cells in the follicle are fluctuating/dying, therefore it's on its way to going all gray next? Is it typical to waver back and forth before a follicle stops producing pigment entirely?
It's just something I've noticed with my hair and it made me curious. Of the twenty or so gray hairs I'... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5fw351/eli5what_makes_hair_go_gray_for_several_inches_in/ | {
"a_id": [
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"Gray hair is caused by the absence of melanin. Your hair follicles use melanin to color the hair. Over time for some people you begin to lose the melanin in your hair.\n\nIn your case you appear to have lost melanin for a period of time. This c... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
9g5od0 | how do "extended release" work? does the tablet just sit in your intestines fizzing away? or is it more complex? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9g5od0/eli5_how_do_extended_release_work_does_the_tablet/ | {
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"It depends on the type of medication. However, typically half the medicine will dissolve very quickly while the other half has a coating of material on it that it takes your body a certain amount of time to break down. An ex... | [] | [] | [
[],
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664xef | how do salt evaporation ponds work? | I understand that the water in the salt water is evaporating, leaving the salt. But why are the multiple levels of evaporation pond needed, and how has the technology developed since its origin? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/664xef/eli5_how_do_salt_evaporation_ponds_work/ | {
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"It's mostly for operational efficiency. The water will evaporate the same no matter where it is. Imagine you have 10 evaporation ponds. Fill 7 with sea water. When those reach a certain level, pump the brine concentrate into 2 spare ponds, and re... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1l90le | depression | Depression is a topic I thought I understood, but as I've seen or interacted with technically depressed people I've slowly lost confidence in my understanding of the topic.
It seems to me, that whenever people discuss Depression in AskReddit threads and the like that they speak about it in a very vague or obscure way... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1l90le/eli5_depression/ | {
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7,
3,
4... | [] | [] | [
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23wld6 | how companies like valve and gog get rights to sell games, when the game creators are out of business? | How can companies sell games that are old and the companies are out of business? How do they acquire the IP's for games when the companies that made them are out of business? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23wld6/eli5_how_companies_like_valve_and_gog_get_rights/ | {
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"text": [
"When a company goes out of business the IP will be sold off or acquired by another company as part of the deal or to pay off debts."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
39t2fk | how was arnold schwarzenegger's rein as governor. | Was thinking about the fact that he was governor and wondered how did he do? Any notable positive or negative changes thanks to him? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/39t2fk/eli5_how_was_arnold_schwarzeneggers_rein_as/ | {
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"Not great, and in the end, shameful.\n\nHe liked to give speeches and hear the people cheer, but had no stomach for taking the criticism the comes with pushing a governor's agenda.\n\nFor example, in 2005, he called for a s... | [] | [] | [
[],
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7h2rfn | nasa engineers just communicated with voyager 1 which is 21 billion kilometers away (and out of our solar system) and it communicated back. how is this possible? | Seriously.... wouldn't this take an enormous amount of power? Half the time I can't get a decent cell phone signal and these guys are communicating on an Interstellar level. How is this done? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7h2rfn/eli5_nasa_engineers_just_communicated_with/ | {
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[],
... | |
20p5sh | the big bang theory. lately, all this talk about the big bang has made me wonder exactly what it is. but from what i can find online, i still don't completely understand. | If you could explain to me what did the universe consist of before the Big Bang? Wiki tells me the "universe was in an extremely hot and dense state". Doesn't this mean that the universe, even before expansion, already existed before the Big Bang? What did the universe consist of before the Big Bang and how did this ma... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20p5sh/eli5_the_big_bang_theory_lately_all_this_talk/ | {
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"Nobody really knows. ",
"We have zero understanding of *how* to answer that question. Science literally hasn’t come up with words to talk about it.",
"[disclaimer:I'm drunk] Scientist will say t... | [] | [] | [
[],
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] | |
1udid2 | what is the evolutionary advantage of having very pale skin? | I have very pale skin (I'm white) and I'm wondering what the advantage is. I would assume better vitamin D absorption but I have a vitamin D deficiency (I live in NYC where there's not a ton of sunlight). Nothing racial supremacy or anything gross, just curious. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1udid2/what_is_the_evolutionary_advantage_of_having_very/ | {
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"I don't think you can really call it an \"advantage\". It is more like \"adaptation\". Pale or what we call white skin is an evolutionary adaptation to the colder, darker European climate - for more V... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
32sp9z | am/fm radio business. how is this still working for people? is there really a big enough audience where this is profitable? it seems incredibly ancient at this point. | An American here. Maybe I'm being ignorant and more people use this than I realize, but I can't imagine the audience size is beneficial to advertising and artist's music playing. Someone please tell me how wrong I am! Or right. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32sp9z/eli5_amfm_radio_business_how_is_this_still/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The radio is used in the automobile while drivers are using said automobile.",
"It is not ancient since it is used by probably 75% of the population daily. It is free so you don't need monthly fees or anything and the q... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
6jinvp | the whole "mining" thing with rx video cards? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6jinvp/eli5_the_whole_mining_thing_with_rx_video_cards/ | {
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"Crypto currency \"mining\" is basically solving a bunch of complex math problems, in exchange you get some of that crypto currency. It just so happens that Radeon graphics cards, specify the newer RX ones, are very good at it. GPU's are better i... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
36bkyl | why/how do some people hold the belief that only white people can be racist? | Lots of people on the internet have differing explanations, like how some people have different definitions of the word "racist", or because white people are the majority and therefore only they are able to oppress. But, for example, if a white man and a black man both applied for a job, and the black interviewer chose... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36bkyl/eli5_whyhow_do_some_people_hold_the_belief_that/ | {
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... | [] | [] | [
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"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/36959m/what_is_the_strongest_opinion_you_hold/crc9ioy?context=3"
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[],
[],
[],
[
"http://racism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=artic... | |
3t9uvi | what actually goes on in your body when you grow taller? | Hi reddit, can anyone give me some information on what actually goes on with your cells, bones, fat, protein, muscles etc...during puberty or when a baby turns into a toddler?
Would consuming any specific food or water causes things to go differently?
Thanks! | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3t9uvi/eli5what_actually_goes_on_in_your_body_when_you/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"In short you have [growth hormone](_URL_0_) that is anabolic (growing up)it stimulates growth as per its name, it affects your whole body basically except the brain. \nOther factors come into play when deciding your height,... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone"
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[]
] | |
508yyk | why is it that a light flashing at 60 hz is perceived by our minds as "always on", but not "always off"? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/508yyk/eli5_why_is_it_that_a_light_flashing_at_60_hz_is/ | {
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"When you see a light that is off, you see no light coming from it. \n\nA light running on mains power receives oscillating AC power at 50 or 60 Hz. This graph shows what the voltage would look like oss... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://home.windstream.net/okrebs/Ch8-10.gif"
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[
"https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_FlV6pgwlrk"
],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FlV6pgwlrk"
]
] | ||
70iimp | if the main goal of our brain is survival, why does it let get depressed and in some cases commit suicide? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/70iimp/eli5_if_the_main_goal_of_our_brain_is_survival/ | {
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"d... | [] | [] | [
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21lda6 | people who are hearing at an older age for the first time- how do they understand the language? | There have been a few videos going around lately of people who are hearing for the very first time at an older age, and they seem to understand the language. If you've never *heard* a word being said before, despite understanding how it's spelled and what not, how do you actually comprehend what people are saying to yo... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/21lda6/eli5people_who_are_hearing_at_an_older_age_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"cge5ius",
"cge6c1r",
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"score": [
13,
6,
2
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"text": [
"They're still lip-reading.",
"Lip-reading most likely. They know the movement a mouth makes for a certain word. When they hear the spoken word they know that the way the mouth moved = that sound an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6q9djy | why do some houses/buildings have balconies without a door leading out onto the balcony? | I see so many houses with very pretty balconies and then I realize that the only way to get onto the balcony is by climbing out one of the windows. I am sure it saves a little bit of money by not adding a door, but there most be some other reason | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6q9djy/eli5_why_do_some_housesbuildings_have_balconies/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"These balconies are meant only as decorations, to make the building look prettier from the street.",
"There are a lot of balconies without doors in New Orleans, and it's because there was a door tax at some point in the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
7anp9j | is there any scientific basis in the idea that full moons affect the world in strange ways (e.g., more births, more murders, more freakouts, more gettin' lucky)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7anp9j/eli5_is_there_any_scientific_basis_in_the_idea/ | {
"a_id": [
"dpbez88"
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"text": [
"other than the psychological effect? nope. We can make astrology be true without intending it, or even realizing it. \n\nIf people say full moons are an aphrodisiac, that will hang in the back of your mind."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2j8ddt | defined benefit pension | Hey there,
ELI5: My employer offers a defined benefit pension plan. There is a formula and a lot of literature but its going way over my head. The plan vests 20% per year over 5 years.
Additionally, the formula for fully vested until retirement is :
2.5% x Final Average Earnings x first 15 years of Credited ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2j8ddt/eli5defined_benefit_pension/ | {
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"score": [
3
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"text": [
"I'm having a little trouble translating the \"If you leave before retirement\" portion. I think you're saying that if you terminate prior to retirement, then your benefit is reduced by a factor of 'actual credited service' divided by 'total serv... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4exg1x | why does pi(π) never end? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4exg1x/eli5why_does_piπ_never_end/ | {
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"text": [
"Its called an irational number. It cant be represented by the ratio of two integers. And some super smart math people proved that its irrational. Using math.",
"Pi the number does end. Pi is a finite number. It is exac... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
ckgil4 | why can people with alzheimer's easily remember their childhood and young adult life but not recent events? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ckgil4/eli5_why_can_people_with_alzheimers_easily/ | {
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4,
2,
2
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"text": [
"It could be that long term memories are stored in the frontal lobe of the brain and Alzheimers first targets the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory reconsolidation (the creation of long term m... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6o785v | why is baltimore such a violent city? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6o785v/eli5_why_is_baltimore_such_a_violent_city/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkf98xc",
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25,
31
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"text": [
"Economist here: Income inequality, which is pretty much the answer to why is X so violent 70% of the time.\n\nThe Baltimore area has the highest percentage of college graduates in the US and some of the highest paying jobs... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
28hqtn | jumping on a grenade | Ive heard of heroic people jumping on grenades to save others, how is their body not non existent afterwards when a grenade creates such a massive explosion | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28hqtn/eli5_jumping_on_a_grenade/ | {
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"Real grenades don't work like they do in the movies. There isn't some massive fiery explosion which vaporizes everything in a 50 foot radius. There's a small explosion, and then a ton of shrapnel, which is what does most of the killing. So if you... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3dd7il | exactly where is the new horizon now after passing by pluto? | Bonus: Will it ever come back to Earth? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dd7il/eli5_exactly_where_is_the_new_horizon_now_after/ | {
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"It's just on the other side of Pluto. It's traveling at about 14.5 km/s, or about 32,500 miles per hour, which is really fast, but Pluto is about 3 billion miles away from Earth, so it's not going that fast relative to the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
aygp9o | why is pressure cooking (instant pot) affected by altitude, when cooking pressure inside the pot is preset? | I understand that lower pressure at altitude lowers the boiling point of water in a pot.
But if a pressure cooker (instant pot) is going up to a specific pressure to cook, why are any adjustments needed? Doesn't that negate ambient pressure differences?
Also, why is a longer time needed? I'd think that if water b... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aygp9o/eli5_why_is_pressure_cooking_instant_pot_affected/ | {
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"text": [
"Pressure cookers report internal pressure as how much they are higher than outside. So a 10 psi pressure cooker at sea level would have an effective pressure of about 25 psi (10 + \\~15 psi in the atmosphere), whereas if you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
8v2bgi | does heat produces light or light produces heat ? | Edit : Thank you everyone for answering
One more question What about infrared , we dont see it but it heats ? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8v2bgi/eli5_does_heat_produces_light_or_light_produces/ | {
"a_id": [
"e1jz77j"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Both\n\nAn object emits radiation which changes with its temperature. A hot enough object will produce visible light.\n\nObjects absorb some of the light that hits them and that energy becomes heat.\n\nIf you hit an object with enough light then... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3l6rd7 | what is an electric field? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3l6rd7/eli5_what_is_an_electric_field/ | {
"a_id": [
"cv3o3sp"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"I like to think of a field as a \"region of influence\". For example: earth has a gravitational field. It has an area around it that can influence other objects with mass like people, cars, and the earths atmosphere. This region technically exten... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
72q74x | what are the actual negative effects of drugs like ecstasy and molly? | Most websites I've found just say that they will cause increased body temperature and dehydration, but I've heard others warn that they can "melt your brain." Are there any studies or evidence to show how bad they actually are for you? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/72q74x/eli5what_are_the_actual_negative_effects_of_drugs/ | {
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"text": [
"Hyperthermia, hypertension, excited delirium, and psychosis are the most likely. I work ems and teach responders about dealing with pa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/mdma_neurotoxicity1.shtml",
"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MDMA"
],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3c6499 | why are the mega-rich praised for committing their fortunes at deaths to charity when the majority of charities have been proven to be fraudulent with no benefits to those they supposedly commit to serve? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3c6499/eli5_why_are_the_megarich_praised_for_committing/ | {
"a_id": [
"csskyqj"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"It is a common urban legend among the miserly that charities do not benefit those they serve. But it is absolute bunk.\n\nFew charities spend more than 20% of their operational budget on administrative staff, and all give tangible services. Food ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://data.unicef.org/corecode/uploads/topics/figures/uploaded_images/corecode/HIVAIDS_GlobalTre_1Dec2014_Fig1_72ppi_113.png"
]
] | ||
7o5hqv | why are spiderwebs so durable and what are they made of? do we have a synthetic equivalent? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7o5hqv/eli5_why_are_spiderwebs_so_durable_and_what_are/ | {
"a_id": [
"ds6ybsb"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"It is made of spider silk, a sort of protein. \n\nAnd we do not have a synthetic equivalent - but we really would like to. That stuff is pure magic and a true SciFi material that would allow us to replace steel cables with something much lighter,... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator"
]
] | ||
626pxp | how am i able to play complex chords and intricate riffs on guitar with my non-dominant hand, yet can't even write my name with it properly? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/626pxp/eli5_how_am_i_able_to_play_complex_chords_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfk3ttg"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Because you practiced and learned muscle memory. Spend 2 hours a day writing your name with that hand and youll be able to do that too"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
32wqo5 | wombats faeces are cubed. how is that possible?? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32wqo5/eli5_wombats_faeces_are_cubed_how_is_that_possible/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqfc0ip",
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"score": [
51,
12,
5
],
"text": [
"You totally only posted this as an excuse to say a square peg coming out of a round hole.",
" > Wombats have a long digestive process which takes about 14-18 days (Philip Ross, 2013). Most of the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://factually.gizmodo.com/wombat-poop-is-cube-shaped-1603606922"
],
[]
] | ||
1frvtg | why does every newly discovered virus out there always seem to cause the same "flu-like symptoms"? | Aren't there lots of different kinds of viruses? Shouldn't they have lots of different kinds of symptoms? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1frvtg/eli5_why_does_every_newly_discovered_virus_out/ | {
"a_id": [
"cad6o0n",
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"Wall of text version (skip ahead for ELI5)\n\nThe symptoms of a virus are just the way the body attacks it. A fever is trying to kill the virus with heat, for example. \n\nAlso, many flu viruses are almost the same, except f... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2a12gn | why can i smell food better farther away than when i'm eating it? | And maybe this is just me. But popcorn for instance. Fills the whole house with its buttery goodness. Can't smell it as well when its right in front of me. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2a12gn/eli5_why_can_i_smell_food_better_farther_away/ | {
"a_id": [
"ciqtb1m"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Your nose becomes aware to new smells and over time lessens the ability to smell it. Same reason pubescent boys drench themselves with cologne. Everyone around the person can smell it fine but the boy is used to the smell and thinks it isn't work... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2j19md | when a guys pee hits the toilet water and causes splash droplets that spray out of the bowl are the droplets pee or toilet water? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2j19md/eli5when_a_guys_pee_hits_the_toilet_water_and/ | {
"a_id": [
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"cl7fqp0",
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"cl7gdqu"
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"score": [
43,
16,
2,
5,
14,
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],
"text": [
"I would imagine the line between piss and water gets fuzzy pretty quickly. ",
"In chemistry labs in college we were always told t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2tnpm2 | von neumann machines | They were mentioned in an AskReddit thread earlier today. ELI5? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2tnpm2/eli5_von_neumann_machines/ | {
"a_id": [
"co0pbs8"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Simply put they are machines that travel through space, land on a planet and build more of themselves then repeat that process"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
38v4ih | if sweating is supposed to cool you down, why is high-humidity heat more unpleasant or draining than "dry heat"? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38v4ih/eli5_if_sweating_is_supposed_to_cool_you_down_why/ | {
"a_id": [
"cry2sch",
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"cry91za",
"cryahje",
"crydeb3"
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"score": [
11,
116,
25,
2,
8,
2,
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"text": [
"The sweating tell doesn't actually cool you, it is the sweat evaporating off your skin which slightly absorbs ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet-bulb_globe_temperature"
]
] | ||
yxtls | why do we dismiss the idea of life on a planet just because nothing on earth could live on it? | If a planet is like Jupiter and made mostly of gas, what's to say there isn't a form of life on it that thrives off of helium and hydrogen? Is there some essential ingredient to life that the planet lacks? Or do we just ignore it because we couldn't colonize it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/yxtls/eli5why_do_we_dismiss_the_idea_of_life_on_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5zreto",
"c5zrha7",
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"score": [
5,
2,
2
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"text": [
"No, we don't dismiss planets, or even moons of planets because nothing on Earth could survive there. \n\nWe do know a couple things about how life formed on the Earth and tend to think you need the same... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/liquid-of-life.html"
],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/yxtls/eli5why_do_we_dismiss_the_idea_of_life_on_a/c5zreto"
]
] | |
qz1sf | what makes denim such a durable fabric? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qz1sf/eli5_what_makes_denim_such_a_durable_fabric/ | {
"a_id": [
"c41lhv6",
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],
"score": [
8,
8
],
"text": [
"From what I understand, it's two layers of fabric woven together to create a very sturdy weaved pattern. The white and blue threads are woven together diagonally giving the fabric its signature texture.",
"First of all,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
55qv7h | difference between pond, lake, and lagoon? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/55qv7h/eli5_difference_between_pond_lake_and_lagoon/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8cvqtt",
"d8d3k7y"
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"score": [
10,
16
],
"text": [
"Lagoons are shallow bodies of water which got separated from a larger body of water by some barrier or reefs. You will often see them on islands, where there is also water around the land, close by. A pond is a body of sti... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagoon"
]
] | ||
dti011 | the chances of there being other forms of intelligent life in the universe | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dti011/eli5_the_chances_of_there_being_other_forms_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"f6wpk12"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Imo intelligent life like human life (equally capable) is _extremely_ low. Reason being we don't appear to have evolved at the earliest possible moment - our sun had at least several generations of other suns before it. In other words if intel... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
fl1rp9 | not sure how eli5 this can get, but how is that two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen combine into something (water) that's heavier than air even though they're lighter than air separately? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fl1rp9/eli5_not_sure_how_eli5_this_can_get_but_how_is/ | {
"a_id": [
"fkw59ih",
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"score": [
30,
2
],
"text": [
" > water is heavier than air\n\nOh but that's the typical riddle: which one is **heavier**, 1 Kg of water or 1 Kg of air? Answer: naturally, they weight exactly the same, 1Kg. \n\nWhat to want to look at is not the *weight... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
22f3ys | why do my eyes water when i drink fizzy drinks really fast? | When I drink fizzy drinks fast my eyes water up! Why is that? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/22f3ys/eli5_why_do_my_eyes_water_when_i_drink_fizzy/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgm6ia7"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Cause the fizzies go up into your eyes"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
9z6y8r | why is the us so socially conservative compares to most other western democracies? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9z6y8r/eli5_why_is_the_us_so_socially_conservative/ | {
"a_id": [
"ea6sgv7",
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"score": [
9,
2
],
"text": [
"A lot of America's wealth comes from primary industries: mining, drilling, farming. Those jobs don't require much in the way of education. People with less education tend to be socially conservative. The way the American sen... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
6sojim | why is satan bad? isn't he just an angel who rebelled against serving god for eternity, made humanity gain massive intellect and the only representative of those who oppose the ethically questionable actions and ideas of god? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6sojim/eli5_why_is_satan_bad_isnt_he_just_an_angel_who/ | {
"a_id": [
"dlebtbf",
"dled4wu"
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"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"That is a complicated question to answer, because the role of \"Satan\" changes depending on what part of the bible we are reading. In the Garden, he was the snake that tempered Adam and Eve to rebel against God, in Job he ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Examples_of_God_personally_killing_people"
]
] | ||
53f7dp | where does the blocked sperm go with male contraception like vasalgel? | All these articles have come out recently talking about how male birth control uses a polymer injected into the sperm tubes that blocks sperm, but allows other substances to pass through. Where does the built up sperm go if it's not ejaculated? Would this not be painful/uncomfortable? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/53f7dp/eli5_where_does_the_blocked_sperm_go_with_male/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7sjvp4"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"The built up sperm gets reabsorbed by the body. Very similar to what happens when a male gets a vasectomy. No, it's not painful at all...you won't know the difference."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
cm61p9 | how did culture's such as ancient egypt and ancient china write names? | I may be wrong but the Egyptians used hieroglyphics which were pictures that described the word. Each word had a unique symbol. How would they write names if they did not have an alphabet? I belive China also did something like this. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cm61p9/eli5_how_did_cultures_such_as_ancient_egypt_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"ew075m8",
"ew07sw9",
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"score": [
6,
6,
5
],
"text": [
"They would name people after their words, such as King Tuts name literally meaning “the living image of Aten” This is why a lot of cultures names have a word meaning associated with them",
"Well, co... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4vfvln | among animal species, why do humans have a need to be clothe, especially in public | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4vfvln/eli5_among_animal_species_why_do_humans_have_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"d5y4oms",
"d5y71d9"
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"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"I'm pretty sure it's just a societal thing. If you look at pictures of indigenous tribes in Africa or South America some of them don't dress for modesty at all but for tradition and whatnot. Basically, our society and cultur... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
9h5qvz | why is africa less affected by hurricanes and earthquakes than other continents? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9h5qvz/eli5_why_is_africa_less_affected_by_hurricanes/ | {
"a_id": [
"e69akav",
"e69ao99"
],
"score": [
5,
3
],
"text": [
"North Atlantic winds are generally east-to-west, so storms move westward, building in intensity as they go. This is why most storms hit the Americas, not Africa.\n\nSouth Atlantic winds are generally west-to-east, but condi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3p56qr | why does keeping a pillow between the legs near the crotch feel comforting(is it just me?)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3p56qr/eli5_why_does_keeping_a_pillow_between_the_legs/ | {
"a_id": [
"cw37wbw",
"cw38l1d",
"cw39zdu"
],
"score": [
2,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Not just you, I do the same thing. However, not sure why either. Only thing I have been able to conclude, is it helps support your knees and joints from being bent and stressed in awkward positions for ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2kgbib | what exactly is shadow banking? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2kgbib/eli5what_exactly_is_shadow_banking/ | {
"a_id": [
"cll250g",
"cll3t7f",
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"score": [
18,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Shadow banking is the collective term for organizations that offer bank like services, but aren't regulated as banks. \n\nBecause banks take deposits from the public, they allow ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dark_pool_liquidity.asp",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_banking_system",
"http://www.philstockworld.com/2010/11/23/humongous-shadow-banking-chart-designed-by-ny-fed/",
"http://www.newyorkfed.org/research/staff_reports/sr458.pdf",
"http://en.wik... | ||
150ryc | why can admitting to murdering someone yield an arrest, but admitting to doing illegal drugs doesn't? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/150ryc/why_can_admitting_to_murdering_someone_yield_an/ | {
"a_id": [
"c7i7tn8",
"c7i7yw7"
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"score": [
16,
3
],
"text": [
"Because generally \"doing illegal drugs\" is not a crime. It's possession or distribution that is the crime.",
"I am not sure about the laws in every state, but in New York, under [New York Penal Law Article 220](_URL_0... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://ypdcrime.com/penal.law/article220.htm"
]
] | ||
6db79s | audio equipment has objective measurements of audio quality like frequency response & signal to noise ratio. why is this not used as part of the specifications for speakers etc? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6db79s/eli5_audio_equipment_has_objective_measurements/ | {
"a_id": [
"di19c27",
"di19vrk"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"They are... For good speakers. Not good speakers don't bother proving to you that they aren't very good.\n\nIf you buy a good speaker or microphone, it will likely come with a frequency response curve showing how accurately... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.audioholics.com/soundbar-and-satellite-speaker-reviews/yamaha-ysp-1/page-3"
]
] | ||
b9ys8r | how in the hell does electromagnetism work? | Seriously, I’ve been baffled to this day about charges, what “positive” and “negative” actually mean, and how magnets can repel or pull towards one another just based on proximity. How do the molecules know they’re close to each other? Is it some basic chemical principle that says “okay, you do this”, or is it somethin... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b9ys8r/eli5_how_in_the_hell_does_electromagnetism_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"ek7vqie",
"ek86az8",
"ek8eqqw",
"ek8nlob"
],
"score": [
13,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Certain particles have charges. Charges can be one of two types, called positive and negative. There's no real reason positive charges are called positive or negative charges are ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO0r930Sn\\_8",
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO0r930Sn_8"
],
[
"http://amasci.com/elect/charge1.html",
"http://amasci.com/miscon/voltage.html"
],
[]
] | |
2h55iz | what is the benefit of being paid salary vs being paid hourly? | As far as i know, someone making $50/hour is making as much money as someone making $100k/year, so why is salary considered to be more prestigious? To me it just seems like a trick used by employers so they dont have to pay overtime. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2h55iz/eli5what_is_the_benefit_of_being_paid_salary_vs/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckpglsl"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"It really depends on the business & how they structure compensation.\n\nIn some places, \"salary\" just means you're going to be working unpaid overtime. In other places, you're actually given flexibility in your hours & get your full pay fo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1vvmtn | how come supercars (like the $2 million bugatti or others) aren't talked about for their safety features? do they not have to do the test crashes that "regular" cars have to do? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1vvmtn/eli5_how_come_supercars_like_the_2_million/ | {
"a_id": [
"cew7ts7",
"cew7xuk",
"cewecbi"
],
"score": [
7,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Safety isn't a selling point for a supercar. No one buys the safest supercar, they buy the fastest, flashiest pussy magnet they can afford.",
"You hit a wall at 180+ mph the safety features of the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2qz1h1 | why do monitors advertise screen ratios of 16:10 instead of 16:9? | Looking through monitor specs and this has been bugging me. Why don't they reduce the ratio? Is there a reason behind this? Thanks :) | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qz1h1/eli5why_do_monitors_advertise_screen_ratios_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnavhi9"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Slightly more vertical resolution with 16x10, 1200 pixels instead of 1080. Yes you get black bars when watching 1080p video but more vertical space for everything else."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
40ktph | how does a company mark the level of spice in a salsa? | As someone who eats a lot of salsa, I recently purchased 3 jars of Hot salsa. One of them tasted very mild and another was much spicier than I expected. Do companies have a way to test the level of caspcians before sealing? I don't care about differences from brand to brand, but rather these were the exact same jar of ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40ktph/eli5_how_does_a_company_mark_the_level_of_spice/ | {
"a_id": [
"cyuyolj"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Yeah, that just sounds like bad quality control.\n\nIdeally, the recipe should call for a certain number of a certain kind of peppers. Assuming they use the same kind of pepper, they can get a pretty good idea of the [Scoville heat scale](_URL_0... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale"
]
] | |
42woab | instead of building a space elevator from the earth upwards, why don't we build one that starts in space and reaches downwards? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/42woab/eli5_instead_of_building_a_space_elevator_from/ | {
"a_id": [
"czdo8qh",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Any space elevator would be build from the top down. After all, it's held up by the object it's anchored too in orbit, so you can't build it from the ground up.\n\nThat said, the i... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_(structure)"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
624mxe | why are body fluids salty? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/624mxe/eli5_why_are_body_fluids_salty/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfjpnuu",
"dfjpv54",
"dfjt7ni"
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"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Can you confirm they are salty?",
"Our ancestor species lived in the ocean, which is salty, and grew to thrive in their only available habitat -- salt water.\n\nAs the next speciel started to climb ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3fk32l | how does a small bullet that doesn't pass through the brain or heart kill a person? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3fk32l/eli5_how_does_a_small_bullet_that_doesnt_pass/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctpbtv8",
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"ctpg2a6",
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"score": [
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23,
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"text": [
"Like a .22? Hitting arteries, internal organs etc. You take a hit to the liver your going down unless your close to a trauma center. apologies for not going into more detail. Basi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://i40.tinypic.com/2mywakg.jpg"
],
[]
] |
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