q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 4 295 | selftext stringlengths 0 34k | document stringclasses 1
value | subreddit stringclasses 1
value | url stringlengths 27 110 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2esd1s | why has summer vacation gradually become shorter since the 1900s? | Now, being a high school student, I'm kind of jealous of my parents and grandparents who probably got an extra month off. I'm not complaining, but I wouldn't mind some extra time away from school. Is there a good reason that the summer vacation became shorter? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2esd1s/eli5_why_has_summer_vacation_gradually_become/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck2gwg5",
"ck2h5jc",
"ck2h70v",
"ck2hbvj"
],
"score": [
10,
2,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"Long summer vacations aren't actually that great of an idea. Because the longer you spend out of school, the more shit you forget, so the more time you have to spend the next scho... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://m.mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=56901"
]
] | |
6qtywu | why is it hard to breathe when taking a shower? | I don't use heavily scented body wash and shampoo, and also there is no steam when I take the shower, but why is it that I find it hard to breathe when doing so? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6qtywu/eli5_why_is_it_hard_to_breathe_when_taking_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkzznup",
"dkzzylo"
],
"score": [
20,
3
],
"text": [
"Maybe it's psychosomatic, maybe it's bad ventilation, maybe you're born with it, maybe it's Maybelline.",
"_URL_0_\n\nThis ELI explains it pretty neatly. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6qpi4t/eli5_why_is_it_more_difficult_to_inhale_when_a/"
]
] | |
7aaex0 | decimal factorials | I understand how factorials with integers work, but how do you calculate factorials with decimals? Aren't there an infinite number of decimals between any 2 integers? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7aaex0/eli5_decimal_factorials/ | {
"a_id": [
"dp8dbv1",
"dp8uccj"
],
"score": [
9,
2
],
"text": [
"Using the [Gamma function](_URL_0_). The Gamma (Γ) function is a continuous function that fulfills the following requirement for every positive integer n: \n\n Γ(n)=(n−1)!\n\nSo you can calculate the factorial of any real... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_function"
],
[]
] | |
6hfhrw | with television, and more recently the internet, are dialects being reduced? | It seems a people that share a common language would gradually learn a single dialect as that dialect was seen as the authoritative one and was made widely and easily available. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6hfhrw/eli5_with_television_and_more_recently_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dixwf11",
"diy1zq3"
],
"score": [
9,
10
],
"text": [
"I'll add, going to college in the south, many journalism majors had to take speach/diction classes in an attempt to learn \"news english\" and diminish, though rarely get rid of their accent",
"Possibly. And while /u/By... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
31riq2 | is uranium oxide heavier than the uranium that is mined from the ground? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31riq2/eli5_is_uranium_oxide_heavier_than_the_uranium/ | {
"a_id": [
"cq49dg7"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"That's an oddly specific question. \n\nFirst off, you probably mean denser, rather than heavier. After all, as we all now, a 1 kg of lead and a kg of feathers weight exactly the same.\n\nAnyway, the problem here is how you define the weight of ur... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_ore#Uranium_minerals"
]
] | ||
2mnpd3 | how do they improve the graphics of a video game in a remastered version without having to go in and redo the entire thing? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mnpd3/eli5_how_do_they_improve_the_graphics_of_a_video/ | {
"a_id": [
"cm5wg83"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"They go in and redo all relevant parts of the entire thing.\n\nAn object in the game is assembled by the graphics card. It takes a wire-mesh and a picture and folds the picture over the wire mesh. You can easily replace the picture with something... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_72A8l1Spm0"
]
] | ||
3s4s26 | what is going on with the myanmar elections? | I've heard reports all day that Aung San Suu Kyi's party is heading for a landslide victory, but this is *Myanmar* we're talking about, and she was previously a political prisoner. How in the hell is she winning?
Also, I read something about the military not giving up much of their power. Then why would they allow the... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3s4s26/eli5_what_is_going_on_with_the_myanmar_elections/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwu1mly",
"cwuf68o"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Aung San Suu Kyi has always been popular in Burma. When she was first imprisoned, she won a landslide election. The military just don't like her proposed reforms.",
"She was a political prisoner just the vary fact that s... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
30iq2f | if the usa consistently ranks so far behind other nations in education, why can't we just study the top 3 and copy whatever it is they're doing so well? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30iq2f/eli5_if_the_usa_consistently_ranks_so_far_behind/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpssk3s",
"cpst0yr",
"cpstzkj",
"cpsvjpj",
"cpsvrvf",
"cpt0oyg",
"cpt104k",
"cpt14f4",
"cpt1alw",
"cpt1eof",
"cpt2p70",
"cpt2y6u",
"cpt3mnm",
"cpt4frm",
"cpt4gix",
"cpt4jrf",
"cpt627f",
"cpt67rq",
"cpt6jzg",
"cpt6lvv",
"c... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
7s547c | the difference between leasing and financing | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7s547c/eli5_the_difference_between_leasing_and_financing/ | {
"a_id": [
"dt218cm",
"dt23ecz"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"When you lease a car you pay a monthly fee for a set number of months (and usually some extra fees as well) and at the end of the lease you return the car to the dealer.\n\nWhen you finance a car you are actually purchasing ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3b1vgp | why would any country ally themselves with north korea? | It just seems like a bad idea when they're a small country but the whole world is somewhat against them already. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3b1vgp/eli5_why_would_any_country_ally_themselves_with/ | {
"a_id": [
"csi1rem",
"csi3038"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Most of North Korea's \"alliances\" are hold overs from the Cold War. While relations between Communist nations was far from perfect (China and Vietnam went too war), they needed to at least appear to be friendly for that wh... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3d34xy | what tools would scientists use, theoretically speaking, to actually build nanotechnology? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3d34xy/eli5_what_tools_would_scientists_use/ | {
"a_id": [
"ct1ddeo"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Bacteria. There's actually some interesting research going on about constructing small parts by using colored lights on specific species. Depending on the light used, the bacteria move in different ways. If you make the parts, you can use the bac... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.sciencefriday.com/video/02/25/2015/dawn-of-the-cyborg-bacteria.html"
]
] | ||
1m1bqr | why wont nuclear weapons have an effect on an incoming asteroid? | I understand the fact that a nuclear weapon, or any other measure that employs a direct effect on an Asteroid will not stop the asteroid's energy, as most of the energy will come from the asteroids speed.
But would the effect of a nuclear weapon exploding on or near the asteroid not degrade the asteroid as a whole? Fo... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1m1bqr/eli5why_wont_nuclear_weapons_have_an_effect_on_an/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc4tt40",
"cc4v18j"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Nuclear Weapons work by delivering massive amounts of energy into the area where they are targeted. That energy causes massive heat, wind, explosive force, etc... And the end result is mass destruction. However, in space, th... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2n0tks | why is it that some words are not capitalized (ex. the, to, a, an) in title of books or movies? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2n0tks/eli5_why_is_it_that_some_words_are_not/ | {
"a_id": [
"cm9az5m",
"cm9bu2f",
"cm9d7fe"
],
"score": [
27,
2,
11
],
"text": [
"[Rule 16A](_URL_0_)\n\nBelow are the basic rules when it comes to whether or not something is capitalized in a title:\n\n* Capitalize the title's first and last word.\n\n* Capitalize verbs, including ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/capital.asp"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
1vz2s1 | american football. the positions, the rules, basically a beginners guide. | I'm a pretty new football fan. When I watch, I have a lot of questions that the commentators don't really clarify, like what the role of each position is, or what the audibles mean, or some of the more confusing flags that get thrown. I'd love an easy to read, bare bones guide. Thanks. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1vz2s1/eli5_american_football_the_positions_the_rules/ | {
"a_id": [
"cex56qo",
"cex5r10",
"cex6uox"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"r/nfl would be my first stop they have a wiki guide.",
"1. The object of the game is to either carry or throw (and catch) the ball over the opposing team's goal line - called the \"end zone\". All o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406"
],
[]
] | |
1xkafd | why do musicians place a rug under their instruments? and how does it improve their sound? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xkafd/eli5_why_do_musicians_place_a_rug_under_their/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfc3no4",
"cfc3zvo",
"cfc5om2"
],
"score": [
2,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Rugs absorb sound waves, meaning there is no echo that will mess with how the music sounds. ",
"Drummer here.\nIt keeps my set from moving while I play.",
"So many answers, but they all neglect ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
9zq2o3 | why is going bald (balding) a thing? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9zq2o3/eli5_why_is_going_bald_balding_a_thing/ | {
"a_id": [
"eabh4g3"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"It is a bug in our evolution that does not limit reproduction and thus is perpetuated. \n\nOver time (decades usually) testosterone collects in and damages hair follicles to the point that they no longer work. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
6wpzpn | how can some animals go without eating for months and months but i'm starving 5 hours after a meal (exaggeration)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6wpzpn/eli5_how_can_some_animals_go_without_eating_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"dma0tg8",
"dmaak0p"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"They can slow their digestive systems for stuff like winter because evolution has given them that ability since they don't eat as much as you.",
"You can go for a month without food as well. Just because the animal is su... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
bcq762 | how shell games work | We’ve all seen those street tricks where the guy has three cups and hides the ball in one. The build up seems easy, he lets you win a couple so you get cocky. But how does he trick you with the last big pay off?
I just fell for it big time and I need an explanation so I feel better. I feel like it involves the five o... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bcq762/eli5_how_shell_games_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"ekskvtm",
"ekskzry",
"eksol93"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"The most common trick to it is to pass the item from under one cup to another as they both pass behind the third.\n\nAnother is for them to use easy, visible patterns for the first two shuffles, then th... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
edchje | how do hotel booking websites like trivago or expedia work? why are their prices cheaper than when you book through the hotel? | Is this a scam? Or are these websites legit? If so how are they so cheap? Does anyone have experience with booking through websites like this? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/edchje/eli5_how_do_hotel_booking_websites_like_trivago/ | {
"a_id": [
"fbgx1j8",
"fbh1x99",
"fbh4eny",
"fbhr8ta"
],
"score": [
13,
28,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"I have booked through these sites often, no problem. I did have one hotel tell me that the advantage of booking through the hotel is the perks/upgrades. There’s not much they can... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2ggell | if oscar pistorius was found not guilty of murder, the crime he was being charge with, how was he found guilty of culpable murder, a completely different crime? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ggell/eli5_if_oscar_pistorius_was_found_not_guilty_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckiu1zf",
"ckiu2py",
"ckj0cww"
],
"score": [
5,
5,
3
],
"text": [
"he was found guilty of something that is similar to manslaughter. This means that through his negligence he caused the death of someone through what might be called an 'accident' but he did not intend t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
75qc3f | why do we give final meals? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/75qc3f/eli5_why_do_we_give_final_meals/ | {
"a_id": [
"do83d0b",
"do83gq4",
"do83ojx",
"do87jmm",
"do8boyn"
],
"score": [
3,
14,
7,
3,
4
],
"text": [
"I'm pretty sure it's based on an old superstition that if you gave them a last meal they wouldn't come back and haunt you but then again that could be a comp... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2014/5/24/the-history-of-the-last-meal-a-final-compassionate-act-or-an-undeserved-reward#.WdPFiltSyUk="
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
kvtri | why my eyesight gets worse as i get older and what i can do to make it better | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/kvtri/eli5_why_my_eyesight_gets_worse_as_i_get_older/ | {
"a_id": [
"c2nrxtk",
"c2nrxtk"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"There is a lens in your eye that is very flexible. This lens is used to create a focus point. When you grow older this lens becomes more stiff and slower so when you focus om stuff far away or close by, the lens is not flexi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
b4se1y | when my mouth waters, my spit tastes different from normal spit(if that actually makes sense). why is this happening? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b4se1y/eli5_when_my_mouth_waters_my_spit_tastes/ | {
"a_id": [
"ej8vft4"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Your salivary glands become overstimulated in anticipation of delicious food that your increased amount of saliva will help to digest. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
8bcmrs | why it is illegal when traveling internationally to bring foods from one country to another, even though those same countries may trade (and sell) the very same foods with which it is illegal for you to travel? | Wouldn’t the trade regulations be the same for the food safety regulations? Or at least similar? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8bcmrs/eli5_why_it_is_illegal_when_traveling/ | {
"a_id": [
"dx5nj2y",
"dx5nngv",
"dx5p5ma",
"dx61hhy",
"dx69kqn"
],
"score": [
19,
3,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Food being shipped can be carefully inspected and treated to avoid bringing in new parasites or diseases. It can also be quarantined for the length of time ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2ez7mm | when speaking to someone on a cell phone and you hear your own voice echoing back to you, what is causing that? | It happens to me alot and it makes me mumble my words because of the delayed feedback. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ez7mm/eli5_when_speaking_to_someone_on_a_cell_phone_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck4d91q"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"On the other end, sound emitted from the person's phone is sent through their receiver (the sound loops back to you). This is why if you put two phones really close together and put them on speakerphone, you get a nasty feedback. The initial soun... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1lcscw | why don't loud motorcycles (i.e. harley davidson) get ticketed for noise violations? | If I blasted music in my car that loud, I'd almost certainly get pulled over and ticketed for violating noise ordinances. Yet it's not uncommon to hear a Harley blast through my neighborhood at two in the morning. Are there exceptions in the law? Is there a big motorcycle lobby? Or do cops just not care? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lcscw/eli5_why_dont_loud_motorcycles_ie_harley_davidson/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbxxwsd"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"In order for the officer to have a basis for the ticketing that will stand up in court, they have to measure the noise level at a particular point, demonstrate the noise is from the vehicle in question, and measure the distance from the point to ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
23yle3 | why does air heat up when compressed? what is happening when this occurs? | Ideally, I'm trying to wrap my mind around how an object falling to earth at high speed (falling from space, so easily above Mach 2) creates heat by compressing air. I tried searching and apologize if this has been asked, maybe my wording didn't find what I was looking for. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23yle3/eli5_why_does_air_heat_up_when_compressed_what_is/ | {
"a_id": [
"ch1tfy9"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Heat is the movement of molecules. The more they move in a given object/area, the \"hotter\" something is.\n\nImagine a box full of flies, buzzing around. You take one wall and move it inwards, like a booby trap. The flies still buzz around like ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
9wvmft | why did we go from bc to ad? were the people back then aware of the change or was it something we labeled later on? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9wvmft/eli5_why_did_we_go_from_bc_to_ad_were_the_people/ | {
"a_id": [
"e9nmpnp",
"e9nnu2b",
"e9no0i9",
"e9nt9a1",
"e9o6m1y"
],
"score": [
19,
5,
2,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"The numbering system we use today was put into use in the year 525 AD by the Christian church. All the years before that were made part of the AD/BC system r... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
813qv7 | gills. just, everything about them. how? what? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/813qv7/eli5_gills_just_everything_about_them_how_what/ | {
"a_id": [
"dv09gi4",
"dv09i8p"
],
"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Almost like inside out lungs. That are wet.\n\nGills have huge surface area because of lots of branches, folds, wrinkles, etc. \n\nGills also have lots of blood. All the blood. That's why they're red. \n\nTogether this means... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
39j3w0 | if someone is blind from birth and drops acid, what do they experience? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/39j3w0/eli5_if_someone_is_blind_from_birth_and_drops/ | {
"a_id": [
"cs3u3sw"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Psychidelic drugs alter your current sensory perceptions, so a blind person either way won't *see* anything, but they may feel or hear weird things."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
20plus | how can certain bacteria, or even some invertebrates, be resistant to high levels of radioactivity? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20plus/eli5_how_can_certain_bacteria_or_even_some/ | {
"a_id": [
"cg5l9yj"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"All organisms in the world experience DNA damage due to radioactivity, UV exposure, free radicals, etc. Sometimes this damage causes a single stranded break in your DNA (Pretty bad), and sometimes it causes the DNA strand to completely break (Dou... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.pnas.org/content/99/12/7917",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RecBCD"
]
] | ||
ypx6l | how exactly do numbers work? | So I've been asking myself this for a while now, and it's really bugging me. People IRL fail to properly explain it to me, and I can't wrap my head around it.
So, I don't have a clue how numbers work. I mean, I can count, but the numbers themselves seem so meaningless. How can 1 plus 1 mean 2? It's just not logical.
1... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ypx6l/how_exactly_do_numbers_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5xro15",
"c5xrz0w",
"c5xsuzd",
"c5xu5ve",
"c5xvxpq",
"c5xyuz4",
"c5xz2he",
"c5y1c4q"
],
"score": [
17,
3,
18,
15,
3,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"I upvoted this because it's actually an interesting question.\n\nWe do repeat ourselves w... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Diagrams/Babylonian_symbols.gif"
],
[
"http://maryt.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/roman_numerals_complete.jpg",
"http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/4119752098_042e624b24_o.jpg",
"http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Diagrams/Maya_num.gif"
],
... | |
1ukfd9 | what would happen if a nuke was dropped in the arctic, in antarctica, or both? | Interested in both the environmental and political consequences. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ukfd9/eli5_what_would_happen_if_a_nuke_was_dropped_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cej5gi5"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"The environmental impact would be negligible. The size of a nuclear explosion is tiny compared to the size of the arctic/antarctic. \n\nCheck out this neat tool that shows you the size of various nuclear explosions overlayed on google maps. The f... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.carloslabs.com/projects/200712B/GroundZero.html"
]
] | |
dm9zgk | what do people mean when they describe something as a “banana republic”? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dm9zgk/elif_what_do_people_mean_when_they_describe/ | {
"a_id": [
"f4ysezb",
"f4ysrsd",
"f4yt60z"
],
"score": [
5,
10,
5
],
"text": [
"the term banana republic describes a politically unstable country with an economy dependent upon the exportation of a limited-resource product, such as bananas or minerals",
"A banana republic is a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
4hcbu1 | shakespeare lived in the 17th century but he wrote othello in which little bit of black race vs white was involved. did the discrimination against the black start that early? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hcbu1/eli5shakespeare_lived_in_the_17th_century_but_he/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2oyfsg",
"d2oyml3",
"d2ozbla",
"d2ozocp",
"d2p0gkv",
"d2ph42j"
],
"score": [
31,
5,
11,
6,
9,
2
],
"text": [
"Discrimination against people who look different than you has been going on since as long as human history has existed. It has taken d... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1yz79n | when walking on a tightrope with a long bar, why does pushing down on the long bar on the side that you are leaning help balance in the other direction? | why doesn't the weight on the long bar (being lower on one end) cause it to fall to a side?
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1yz79n/eli5when_walking_on_a_tightrope_with_a_long_bar/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfp2k8d",
"cfp4drq"
],
"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Newton's third Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So when I push the bar, the bar pushes me in the opposite direction.",
"When you are pushing on a long rod like that you create a ro... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3nkoss | how did the ancient egyptians know mummification worked? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nkoss/eli5_how_did_the_ancient_egyptians_know/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvowbfw"
],
"score": [
15
],
"text": [
"They knew how to preserve meat and stop rotting in desert conditions. The practices were slightly modified, ceremonialized, and applied to humans.\n\nIt's long been known that removing the blood and organs from an animal prevents the meat from s... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
r3byx | iso, aperture, shutter, all that camera stuff and how it works. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/r3byx/eli5_iso_aperture_shutter_all_that_camera_stuff/ | {
"a_id": [
"c42lqrb",
"c42re3p"
],
"score": [
15,
5
],
"text": [
"A camera is a box with a hole in it that allows light to enter. The light travels through the hole onto the back wall of the box (the image plane).\n\nIf we want, we can put a cover on the hole in order to open and shut it,... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.hp.com/canada/portal/hho/digital_photography/take_better_photos/tips/images/depth_5_275.jpg",
"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Aperture-Lens2.gif/220px-Aperture-Lens2.gif",
"http://www.hp.com/canada/portal/hho/digital_photography/take_better_photos/tips/images/dept... | ||
6jm4df | how does military check for people in radius of atomic weapon test? | There has been hundreds of atomic weapons tests. How is military sure that there is no living people in 100km radius or however big the explosion is?
Pretty sure they kill animals but we never hear about people who died during those tests. If there was so many and explosions are so huge, there must have been casualtie... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6jm4df/eli5_how_does_military_check_for_people_in_radius/ | {
"a_id": [
"djf8ibd",
"djf97uk",
"djfb5al",
"djfdwkl",
"djfopf9"
],
"score": [
5,
3,
6,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Most of these tests were in two areas:\n\n1) Pacific islands. Here it's pretty easy to look for people: there's only so many surrounding islands.\n\n2) The N... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://web.archive.org/web/20081010232525/http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/virtual/VirtualMuseum_e/exhibit_e/exh0503_e/exh05032_e.html"
],
[],
[
"https://www.google.co.in/maps/@37.1742532,-116.051278,5717m/data=!3m1!1e3"
]
] | |
30o572 | why would a large number of international politicians be interested in allowing corporations to sue countries? is there a reasonable explanation for this part of the tpp? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30o572/eli5_why_would_a_large_number_of_international/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpu7kl7",
"cpu9cnf"
],
"score": [
3,
4
],
"text": [
"Because to them the people are just the idiots who vote them in. The corporations are the ones who pay them.",
"First of all, corporations are already allowed to sue countries. That's a basic feature of rule of law: the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
w0wf4 | which drugs are/are not harmful for you and why? | Only within the last few years have I become more informed and realized the amount of propaganda and brainwashing I've undergone my whole life in regards to drugs. I know that marijuana is more harmless than cigarettes and alcohol, but only recently have I learned that the same may be true for other substances. I'd l... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/w0wf4/eli5_which_drugs_areare_not_harmful_for_you_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"c59aap6",
"c59al2u",
"c59b2m3"
],
"score": [
3,
9,
2
],
"text": [
"There isn't a list of substances you can put in your body consequence free. It probably won't hurt you to examine different perspectives on the issue in trying to arrive at an informed decision about w... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.fcaglp.unlp.edu.ar/~mmiller/espanol/Variedades,%20politica/drogas_Journal.pdf"
],
[]
] | |
3urk1i | what is haskell and what is it used for? | I know that it is a programming language but what is it special for and what is it most used for? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3urk1i/eli5_what_is_haskell_and_what_is_it_used_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxh6vhx",
"cxh8gth"
],
"score": [
3,
5
],
"text": [
"It isn't really used for much of anything - it's more of a philosophical experiment than anything else.\n\nHaskell is an example of a 'functional' programming language. Unlike conventional imperative languages, functional p... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://learnyouahaskell.com/introduction#so-whats-haskell"
]
] | |
3xcg8q | what is the reason for car alarms going off due to vibration? | Our neighbors car alarm goes off every time the trash truck goes by. Some quick googling shows it is likely due to the low vibrations caused by the trash truck. Why would a car alarm be set to go off due to vibration? Is there some thievery method that requires a car to be vibrated in some way to force a window or d... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3xcg8q/eli5_what_is_the_reason_for_car_alarms_going_off/ | {
"a_id": [
"cy3ekul"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"10+ years selling/installing alarms here.\n\nIt's not a vibration sensor, it's a \"shock\" sensor. 504D is a common part number.\n\nIt alerts the owner to an impact. For instance, your ex taking a Louisville Slugger to both headlights, or a thief... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
b047f2 | what skill is involved in fishing competitions? how do competitors distinguish themselves from one another? | Because at face value, it just seems like RNG to me. Hope the biggest fish takes your bait. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b047f2/eli5_what_skill_is_involved_in_fishing/ | {
"a_id": [
"eic2iwg",
"eic4ecx",
"eic5c0l"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Your right, luck has a large part in your success but so does as individuals skill in setting up the hook properly and reeling it in with minimal resistance to increase ur chance of a successful catch. ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5y3dws | do super cars have to go through the same crash testing as normal cars? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5y3dws/eli5_do_super_cars_have_to_go_through_the_same/ | {
"a_id": [
"demuuai"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Yes they do. At least the basic tests. Any car that will be driven on the road as a production car will have to demonstrate a minimum standard of safety and emissions before it can be given a VIN number. Without one it can't be registered and gi... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
32xuql | why do some people want to end the epa? | I have heard some politicians talking about ending the EPA.
I understand the organization probably has many flaws, but isn't it designed to stop corporations or people from dumping toxic chemicals or destroying the environment?
Do they think people should have free reign to do whatever they want, even if it destro... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32xuql/eli5_why_do_some_people_want_to_end_the_epa/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqfmjud",
"cqfmozj",
"cqfmpht"
],
"score": [
2,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"The EPA fines businesses who pollute. People with businesses don't want that kind of oversight and want to do what they want without paying penalties. \n\nIt all boils down to greed sadly.",
"Becaus... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6z39ox | what was grocery shopping like before scanning? | was it really slow for people buying stuff in bulk? how did they handle it back then? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6z39ox/eli5_what_was_grocery_shopping_like_before/ | {
"a_id": [
"dms4ip7",
"dms4itf",
"dms4llq",
"dms4wkc",
"dms56ij",
"dmsfzla",
"dmsgppx",
"dmshf4b"
],
"score": [
2,
8,
3,
4,
25,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"They had carbon copy paper where they would write down what you bought.\n\nYou would get a ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
281ozq | why does it feel like there is something in my eye, when there isn't | When it feels like you have an eyelash in your eye, but there isn't | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/281ozq/eli5_why_does_it_feel_like_there_is_something_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"ci6ibei",
"ci6k05e",
"ci6ljts",
"ci6m7zl"
],
"score": [
6,
2,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Usually the reason is lack of moisture.\n\nWhen you blink, your eyelid 'smears' a tear film over the surface of your eye. Due to some situations and/or diseases, this tear film bre... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
28q4i4 | when will we run out of usable radio frequencies? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28q4i4/eli5_when_will_we_run_out_of_usable_radio/ | {
"a_id": [
"cidc8mn"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"In 1927.\n\nWhy 1927? That was the year it was thought necessary to set up the [ITU-R](_URL_0_) to coordinate international use of the radio spectrum. Of course the efficiency offered by the technology of the day has much to say about how crowded... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITU-R"
]
] | ||
onhvl | closing certain programs in order to install others. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/onhvl/eli5_closing_certain_programs_in_order_to_install/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3im9q0",
"c3in72u"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"When a program runs, it often uses a handful of other files to help it run. Those files are all loaded into memory (RAM), and those files are said to be \"locked\" from changes. \n\nWhen a program wishes to run an update, ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
53g1qu | why we use lead to encase radiated objects | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/53g1qu/eli5_why_we_use_lead_to_encase_radiated_objects/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7ssrqh"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Lead is very dense. So there's just more stuff in there, electrons and atoms that can get in the way of radiation. The radiation basically just keeps going until it hits something. Some forms of radiation like alpha particles, are big and hea... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3k3d86 | why does it take such a long and complicated process for the us to accept immigrants from highly developed countries, such as germany? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3k3d86/eli5_why_does_it_take_such_a_long_and_complicated/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuueexw",
"cuupuct"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Because the U.S. is already a highly developed and educated nation. The government would rather have companies hire Americans than Germans.",
"Because German aren't an important political constituent. The Democratic part... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
ctb0ak | how do blimps control their altitude? | I've been trying to think about how this would work, but honestly, I'm stumped. Once they're up in the air, they can't add more weight to counterbalance the lift of the blimp so that theory is out. Depending on the gas used for lift, adding heat to gain more lift would be super dangerous. How does that work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ctb0ak/eli5_how_do_blimps_control_their_altitude/ | {
"a_id": [
"exjqrxv"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"There's two smaller balloons inside the main balloon called balloonettes. \nOne in front, one in back. \nThese balloons are filled with air. \nWhen they want to sink, they pump air from outside into these balloons making the whole thing more h... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3trzx0 | why do we find things creepy? | I was on youtube, and I came across this video. _URL_0_ Neat little optical illusion, but I found everything about it disturbing. None of my friends found it creepy. That made me think why do we find things creepy or disturbing? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3trzx0/eli5_why_do_we_find_things_creepy/ | {
"a_id": [
"cx8pwrm"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Vsauce has a great [video](_URL_0_) about it. You should check it out and could probably explain it better than I could."
]
} | [] | [
"https://youtu.be/oAAFN4Ym95I"
] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEikGKDVsCc"
]
] | |
1i5qa1 | why do a bunch of water molecules put together look like water? | I know that a water molecule is an oxygen atom connected to two hydrogen atoms. How do all these molecules together make the appearance of water? I don't get it! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1i5qa1/eli5_why_do_a_bunch_of_water_molecules_put/ | {
"a_id": [
"cb1bg0h"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Imagine a swarm of bees. Standing well back, you can't see the individual insects, but each individual one blocks just enough light that the whole swarm looks like a dark cloud.\n\nMolecules of water (and all other substances) are like that. The ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3x9qax | why are most rappers signed to multiple labels? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3x9qax/eli5_why_are_most_rappers_signed_to_multiple/ | {
"a_id": [
"cy2xefb"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"Ok, I can't speak to rap specifically, but i do know about rock labels and it must be similar: \n\nYou're an up and coming rock act, but as of yet haven't collected much renown. You're known in your city and in your circles, but not much more. Yo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3loq3x | what does 'organic' mean in the real world? is it a real, measurable, testable thing, or just the latest buzzword to justify higher prices? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3loq3x/eli5_what_does_organic_mean_in_the_real_world_is/ | {
"a_id": [
"cv7ypjy",
"cv7yqbl",
"cv84mhz",
"cv8dqu3",
"cv8dzb8",
"cv8jqbw"
],
"score": [
33,
6,
7,
5,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"In Chemistry, it means anything made of carbon. With food, it means stuff grown without using synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilize... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://organic.cdfa.ca.gov/",
"http://www.ccof.org/ccof",
"http://tilth.org/"
],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_certification#United_States_of_America"
],
[]
] | |
2rxhbd | could someone "survive" if we pumped oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood to their brain/head? | It would seem that everything besides the brain is there to keep the brain running. Could someone live if we gave their brain everything it needed to keep thinking/hearing/speaking even? Or is something else located in the rest of the body absolutely crucial to survival? I can only imagine the reason we haven't saved a... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rxhbd/eli5_could_someone_survive_if_we_pumped/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnk727z",
"cnk8i4d"
],
"score": [
5,
6
],
"text": [
"Yes, this is what a heart-lung machine does during major surgery.\n\n_URL_0_\n",
"This has been done before, with animals. \n\nHere is a video **allegedly** showing an old Russian experiment done with a dog. It looks re... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_bypass"
],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSrIkUXwsNk"
]
] | |
2fb12w | why are emergency situations coded by different color names? where did this originate from? | "Code red!" | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fb12w/eli5_why_are_emergency_situations_coded_by/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck7jqt5"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Because it's easier to say \"Code Pink\" (indicates a kidnapped baby at the hospital I work at) rather than trying to explain the situation over the intercom. It's also used to make sure people don't panic \"Code Black\" (indicates severe weathe... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5rtu8i | how does a gravity boost work? | I have heard that many missions which take satellites beyond earth have used a gravity boost from Jupiter to speed up. But how would that work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5rtu8i/eli5_how_does_a_gravity_boost_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"dda14rm",
"dda1uvy",
"dda3psf",
"dda4t9s"
],
"score": [
2,
6,
3,
5
],
"text": [
"It's essentially just a very complicated trajectory where they send the spacecraft on a precise flight path toward a planet. As the planet is moving through space, you time the fli... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://imgur.com/a/Y4WG0"
],
[],
[]
] | |
rhc1s | vpns and proxies | as well as the pros/cons, and whether or not they will be able to facilitate me doing whatever the hell I please online, despite any impending, fascist legislation
edit: I noticed that VPNs had already been addressed earlier...I still would like to know what a proxy is/how to get one/what's so great about being behind... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/rhc1s/eli5_vpns_and_proxies/ | {
"a_id": [
"c45ts4d",
"c45va1b"
],
"score": [
10,
6
],
"text": [
" > I still would like to know what a proxy is/how to get one/what's so great about being behind 7 of them lol..\n\nA proxy is 'another server' through which you do all of your browsing. So in a default situation, you are '... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://xkcd.com/713/",
"reddit.com"
],
[]
] | |
95tspw | what science in a car allows it to be able to tow heavy loads? | My 2.0L 4cyl sedan back in the day was rated to tow 1000kg but my current 5.0L V8 is not rated to tow at all, in-fact if I towed anything with it I'd void the warranty. I assumed that power is needed for the tow rating but it doesn't seem like it's the case. Is it all in the chassis? Or is there something else at play ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/95tspw/eli5_what_science_in_a_car_allows_it_to_be_able/ | {
"a_id": [
"e3vex15",
"e3vex8g",
"e3w72wa"
],
"score": [
11,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Your engine has to be strong enough to pull the load.\n\nYour transmission has to be strong enough to handle the load.\n\nYour chassis has to be strong enough to carry the load.\n\nYour springs and sho... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
ai3eyb | why did space shuttle have a rounded nose cone, instead of having a longer but sharper one? | I know the shape of nose cone was supposed to reduce the resistance and heat upon entering the atmosphere from space, but wouldn't sharper and longer nose be better for that? Like, wouldn't the sharper shape create less friction with atmosphere and be better at dividing streams of air than shorter but more rounded shap... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ai3eyb/eli5_why_did_space_shuttle_have_a_rounded_nose/ | {
"a_id": [
"eekqlc3",
"eekrb9i",
"eeksw8y"
],
"score": [
4,
2,
7
],
"text": [
"No actually. At speeds well above super Sonic, a pointed nose punches through the shock wave, and things get ugly. The relatively blunt front causes the shock wave to build up in front of the craft, and... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://science.howstuffworks.com/space-shuttle7.htm",
"https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19850008597"
],
[
"https://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/images/physics_airplanes_2.png"
]
] | |
1p20dj | how does ups work? | I have two packages being sent to me. I live 23 miles from the main distribution center in Earth City, MO. Package #1 arrived at carrier facility on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at 4:14 PM. Package #2 left San Pablo, CA at 3:31 PM. Both packages are scheduled to arrive on Friday.
How does UPS work? Yesterday I had one 23... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p20dj/how_does_ups_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccxwmhp",
"ccxwthp"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"One package may have made it to your local distribution center on Wednesday, the other may not arrive until Thursday, but that does not really matter. What matters is that you will have paid for a shipping service to deliver... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2uui8f | why is palestine at war with israel, when it was the british and french who went against their word and put israel there? | Shouldn't Palestine be angry at the British and French who won the land in WWII, promised to give it to Palestine, then took it back and decided to put Israel there, rather than Israel itself? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2uui8f/eli5_why_is_palestine_at_war_with_israel_when_it/ | {
"a_id": [
"cobsrmj"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Sure...They are angry at Britain and France but those countries are a thousand miles away and Israel is right in their backyard."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2xyec2 | why do languages develop words with double meanings? (like "right" in english) | words that mean different things on different contexts. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xyec2/eli5why_do_languages_develop_words_with_double/ | {
"a_id": [
"cp4jofk"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"Possibly because the 'same' word came from two different places. More often, though, it's just a branching out from the original meaning. The word 'right' is a good example given how many things it can mean, but really, in a certain sense, it mea... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=right"
]
] | |
5uu4ze | exactly how much of the u.s. economy depends on labor from illegal immigrants? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5uu4ze/eli5_exactly_how_much_of_the_us_economy_depends/ | {
"a_id": [
"ddwync2"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"It's hard to know exactly because it hasn't happened yet, but a [conservative think tank estimated that Donald Trump's plan would shrink the US economy by 2%.](_URL_0_) The US economy would shrink by about 400 to 600 billion dollars."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-deportations-idUSKCN0XW0TP"
]
] | ||
1yrhos | search engine optimization. if i make a website and i want others to find it through a search engine. a huge topic but is there a way to explain it like i'm 5. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1yrhos/eli5_search_engine_optimization_if_i_make_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfn4o5f"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"[Google has a website explaining the basics of SEO](_URL_0_)."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.google.com/webmasters/"
]
] | ||
4r8vpl | how do animals like human babies and puppies learn their name and language? | This is less about dogs and more about babies. When babies are born, they have had about 9 months of listening to the language native to the area their mother lived in but don't have the ability to speak or understand language. How does a baby learn that it is referred to by a certain name, and that it should react to ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4r8vpl/eli5_how_do_animals_like_human_babies_and_puppies/ | {
"a_id": [
"d4z8g1h"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Comparing animals and humans is comparing *qualitatively* different things. Animals do not learn languages or their names, they recognize sounds. Dogs have also evolved over thousands of years to be very sensitive to human moods and emotions. The... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4dkeft | where did the term "one nation under god" come from? the us pledge of allegiance, originally penned in the 1800's, didn't mention anything religious until a revision in the 1950's - how/why did this revision happen? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4dkeft/eli5_where_did_the_term_one_nation_under_god_come/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1rsjba",
"d1rsox6",
"d1rz9wy",
"d1rzpiy"
],
"score": [
245,
90,
12,
4
],
"text": [
"It was during the Cold War, Communist states were state atheist so it was a symbolic gesture to show that we were not communist.",
"Because Commies.\n\nThe idea there was t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamy_salute"
],
[
"http://priceonomics.com/the-marketing-of-the-pledge-of-allegiance/"
],
[]
] | ||
120236 | how are military units numbered? | This is something I always wondered, for example, when I was in the Yugoslav army I remember a 276th Artillery Battalion (might have messed up the numbers there) being in our brigade, but there was no 275th or 274th battalion etc. in existence as far as I was aware.
My unit was neatly numbered as 2nd Mountain Infantry... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/120236/how_are_military_units_numbered/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6r0dl6",
"c6r0tag",
"c6r70ti"
],
"score": [
9,
31,
2
],
"text": [
"first off, props to a fellow ex-yugoslav.\n\nsecondly, I don't think there is any special explanation behind the way military units or formations are numbered. I'd wager (potential) enemy deception bei... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/pattons-ghost-army/"
],
[],
[]
] | |
4czwad | how does united arab emirates only have a ~26% women population | See here for [source](_URL_0_). Same questions go for similar countries.
Walk me through why, what happens to the men, and their population in the future?
Thanks
| explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4czwad/eli5_how_does_united_arab_emirates_only_have_a_26/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1mnk66",
"d1mnl8z"
],
"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"UAE and other Gulf Arab states have huge populations of migrant workers. Most of them are from the Indian subcontinent. In fact, South Asians constitute about half of the total population. However, they aren't citizens, or p... | [] | [
"http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS?order=wbapi_data_value_2014+wbapi_data_value+wbapi_data_value-last&sort=asc"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
9olkci | how does binary code translate into, for example, a 4k movie? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9olkci/eli5_how_does_binary_code_translate_into_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"e7uxiwe",
"e7uyrm4",
"e7vvrt3"
],
"score": [
3,
8,
2
],
"text": [
"You've got your movie file downloaded, on a disk or on a USB. Firstly, the video player will open it and detect the file format so it knows how to read it.\n\nOnce open, it'll start reading the file dat... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
6mq9w2 | how does public transportation work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6mq9w2/eli5_how_does_public_transportation_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"dk3jaed",
"dk3kgds"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"One thing to keep in mind if you're looking at the route schedules online is that in many cases they're compressed and only list key timepoint stops. \n\nFor example, if you look at the posted schedule of [one bus](_URL_0... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.riversidetransit.com/images/stories/DOWNLOADS/ROUTES/001.pdf",
"http://70.88.164.93:8081/portal/fr2/index.jsf"
],
[]
] | ||
2jz0ux | why is it that i feel like i've been hit by a train after taking a nap | As far as i'm aware sleep cycles last for roughly 90 minutes, however regardless if I nap for 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes, I feel worse than I did beforehand.
Without fail the following occurs: Extremely dry throat/mouth, groggy, bad mood, dehydrated - regardless of making an effort to drink a few glasses of water bef... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jz0ux/eli5_why_is_it_that_i_feel_like_ive_been_hit_by_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"clgdigi",
"clgdils"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"What you described sounds like if you wake up in the middle of a deep sleep phase - if it happens even if you put an alarm clock 30 minutes after you lay down it means you fall asleep veeeery fast :D\n\nIt's all about testin... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://it.reddit.com/r/polyphasic/"
],
[
"http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_inertia"
]
] | |
27y1qr | eli 5: do microscopic organisms such as dust mites have mini predators that hunt them | does in happen in incredibly slow motion (as i was brought to believe that they live ) | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/27y1qr/eli_5_do_microscopic_organisms_such_as_dust_mites/ | {
"a_id": [
"ci5i5p7",
"ci5le88"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Yes, there are predatory mites, Cheyletus sp. ",
"As far as your speed (temporal perception) is concerned, generally; the smaller you get the more rapidly things occur. \n \nFor example: a whale reacts proportionally ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
359xqd | what is proprietary about tesla's powerwall battery? | I'm trying to establish the hype. Main component seems to be a lithium-ion battery which is existing technology. Is it the design? Is the battery used not available to consumers? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/359xqd/eli5_what_is_proprietary_about_teslas_powerwall/ | {
"a_id": [
"cr2hbas"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Not much really. The hype is mostly marketing, but it will be very popular on Reddit because Musk and Tesla are a big champion here. Reddit is mostly young ideal college aged males who are very passionate about wanting to change the world witho... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
71bu8f | do spiders vary their web mesh density based on the nutrition they're getting? | I imagine that since web spinning requires resources from the spider, a well-fed spider might weave a more dense mesh into their web than a malnourished spider, thereby catching even more food. Or, do spiders spin their webs based on a genetic blueprint, and their food intake plays no part in it?
If the second is the... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/71bu8f/eli5_do_spiders_vary_their_web_mesh_density_based/ | {
"a_id": [
"dn9rtmr",
"dnfw6rd"
],
"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"First, spider silk is *highly* variable, even within a single animal. Those spiders that spin webs are capable of producing numerous different kinds of silk, e.g., the thicker fibers used for the web's basic structure, stick... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.2108/zsj.18.585"
]
] | |
4xn2z1 | what is the scientific reason we get "bad vibes" about a person/place/situation? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4xn2z1/eli5_what_is_the_scientific_reason_we_get_bad/ | {
"a_id": [
"d6gtcn8",
"d6gtm3h",
"d6gtwk5"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
6
],
"text": [
"My best bet is subtle body language changes of those around us that we subliminally pick up on.",
"Well, I was mainly asking because I was reading a thread fr a year ago about \"who is the scariest ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2nltou | what's the technical difference between a green screen and a blue screen (besides the fact that one is green and the other is blue)? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2nltou/eli5_whats_the_technical_difference_between_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmepq7s",
"cmeq0ue",
"cmes7j7",
"cmetjzv",
"cmexhxo",
"cmez93g",
"cmf7uo0"
],
"score": [
295,
65,
7,
9,
11,
7,
4
],
"text": [
"That's it. The equipment has to be adjusted to key on the color used, and digital cameras tend to work better ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://vimeo.com/70304814"
],
[],
[
"http://motion.kodak.com/motion/uploadedFiles/US_plugins_acrobat_en_motion_education_kodak_color_films.pdf",
"http://www.arri.com/fileadmin/media/arri.com/camera/Digital_Cameras/Workflows/ARRIRAW/ARRIRAW_color_reconstruct.jpg"
]
] | ||
2rxa6e | certain news channels are clearly biased and sometimes very misleading. why hasn't this been made illegal yet? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rxa6e/eli5_certain_news_channels_are_clearly_biased_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnk4wsv",
"cnk4x9j"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"It's called freedom of speech/freedom of the press. Legislating free speech is a very slippery slope. There isn't a single news agency that doesn't show some sort of bias, it's not 'certain' ones like you suggest.",
"B... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
aoyorw | what are lymph-nodes? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aoyorw/eli5_what_are_lymphnodes/ | {
"a_id": [
"eg4jo69",
"eg4me0h"
],
"score": [
8,
15
],
"text": [
"Lymph nodes are like central relay and collection points in your lymph system. White blood cells can hangout here and other debris gets sent to them for destruction or movement out of the body. ",
"So the body has a lot... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2vclnq | why do black people hang around barbershops so much and if they don't, where does this stereotype come from? | I just watched the trailer for the NWA movie and at the beginning (the real part with Ice Cube and Dre) Ice Cube is just meeting with some random dude while he's getting his haircut and they start chatting and stuff. I would think it so strange if some friends of mine walked into my barbershop - they don't even know wh... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2vclnq/eli5_why_do_black_people_hang_around_barbershops/ | {
"a_id": [
"coggzrd",
"coghbjy"
],
"score": [
8,
19
],
"text": [
"Coming from a family that owns and runs a hair salon, it actually is a social hub for a lot of people. There are many little old ladies and middle aged women who come in very often, sometimes not for a haircut but just for ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-empowering-evolution-of-black-barbershops/"
]
] | |
68plbt | what's up with the white garb nuclear scientists and power plant workers wear? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/68plbt/eli5_whats_up_with_the_white_garb_nuclear/ | {
"a_id": [
"dh09unc",
"dh0boot",
"dh0cpf6"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"In what context? Do you have an example? I am a nuclear scientist and I wear regular clothes to work.",
"The \"white garb\" is probably referring to [clean room suits](_URL_0_). These are actually m... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.cintas.com/App_Themes/Cintas2015/img/uniforms/cleanroom/cleanroom.jpg"
],
[]
] | ||
2dpmuj | why can i lift something heavy one day and not the next ? | something like 100 pound one day then the next i cant lift something near or half of that weight. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dpmuj/eli5why_can_i_lift_something_heavy_one_day_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjrt0jz"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"Because your muscles tear and, until they're repaired, they're weakened. It's like a cooldown on a D & D spell."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
9wlix1 | how to cook eggs | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9wlix1/eli5_how_to_cook_eggs/ | {
"a_id": [
"e9lk0q3",
"e9lkf5v"
],
"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Seasoning is your friend. Start with basic seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and go from there. You can get seasoning blends like adobo premixed to make it easier. ",
"Edit: I misread this as asking fo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
823ib6 | why is fish (or sea food) so much softer than mammal meat? | Context: I was cooking fish a few minutes ago and wondered why it seemed to cook so much faster than other meat. As I ate it and actually paid attention to fish as a meat in comparison to other meats, I recognized that fish also seems a lot softer than something like a steak. I came up with a few hypothesis - like diff... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/823ib6/eli5_why_is_fish_or_sea_food_so_much_softer_than/ | {
"a_id": [
"dv7727z",
"dv7753e"
],
"score": [
7,
2
],
"text": [
"Basically fish have less collagen that attaches muscle to bone because fish don't need the skeleton to support them because they swim in the water every day. Also their muscle fibers are shorter that's why when you eat fully... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2tmjtt | how do nature documentaries get /those/ shots? | So I was watching Planet Earth yesterday and I was, once again, stunned by some of the shots. You know those shots from the weirdest angles, filming the rarest events in nature, from really close, seemingly without disturbing the animals? So... How the hell do the filmmakers even get these shots? How do they know where... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2tmjtt/eli5_how_do_nature_documentaries_get_those_shots/ | {
"a_id": [
"co0chc2",
"co0chin",
"co0fd21"
],
"score": [
5,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"This isn't an answer but this probably will interest you. I'm not sure if you have watched it or not but the documentary series Human Planet may interest you! \n\nAt the end of every episode they have a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2dm6ob | if resolution has reached its maximum that eyes can detect, why do videos not appear with same clarity as looking through a window? | _URL_0_
I read this thread which made complete sense from a theoretical perspective. If all of this is true, I dont understand why "real life" has so much more "clairty" than anything I see with a device. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dm6ob/eli5_if_resolution_has_reached_its_maximum_that/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjqtwv2",
"cjqtzry",
"cjqu53x"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"because light is so much more than pixels.\n\nThink of it like this: I can take a picture, with lets say 1280x720p resolution put it on my realLife UHD^^TM 12K TV and notice it doesn't take up the full... | [] | [
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dj5v2/eli5_will_screens_continue_to_have_more_and_more/"
] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4vznik | why does the beam from a tv remote control show up as blue/purple on a camera? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4vznik/eli5_why_does_the_beam_from_a_tv_remote_control/ | {
"a_id": [
"d62pxk5"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Because digital camera sensors are sensitive to the infra-red light remotes give off, invisible to us, and will reproduce it as purple visible light. \n\nThere are filters built into the camera to try and minimize this effect, but as can be seen,... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3a3oo1 | who controls information classified above "top secret", like cosmic level classified information? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3a3oo1/eli5_who_controls_information_classified_above/ | {
"a_id": [
"cs8zd3d",
"cs8zs6u"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"No one, because there is no such thing.\n\nIt's Top Secret, compartmentalized , need to know.\n\nI have no idea which conspiracy whack jobs website you got the information, but you should probably stop visiting it.",
"CO... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1jdpwf | what is that "feeling" you get when you're near someone even if you can't see them. | This seems to be some kind of "sixth sense" that people can detect when someone is near them or watching them without ever seeing anyone. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jdpwf/eli5_what_is_that_feeling_you_get_when_youre_near/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbdnrp1",
"cbdnswf",
"cbdq9p4"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
11
],
"text": [
"I don't know the exact name of it but my understanding of it is this. We're all taught from children that we have 5 senses. That's not necessarily the case, especially when you count the definition of ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://janelangille.com/echolocation-helps-blind-people-navigate-everyday-life/"
]
] | |
5xexg2 | why do subreddits need moderators when reddit's voting system filters bad posts/comments? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5xexg2/eli5_why_do_subreddits_need_moderators_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"dehjlcv",
"dehjn7u"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Because some redditors are assholes, pedophiles, or break reddit TOS other ways.\n\nAlso if you're making posts about the inevitable heat death of the universe and dark matter on the One Piece subreddit, there's a good chanc... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2jjm2q | why does it cost more to rent an apartment for one person than it costs to rent an apartment for multiple people? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jjm2q/eli5_why_does_it_cost_more_to_rent_an_apartment/ | {
"a_id": [
"clcbmi9",
"clcbn5d"
],
"score": [
2,
6
],
"text": [
"Apartments with more bedrooms tend to be more expensive. However, an apartment with two bedrooms is not twice as expensive as an apartment with only one bedroom. Thus splitting the rent of a large apartment is cheaper per-... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
4oy4mt | universal basic income. if every citizen over 18 receives $1,000 a month then what would stop the cost of living to rise and negate the income being received? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4oy4mt/eli5_universal_basic_income_if_every_citizen_over/ | {
"a_id": [
"d4ghm2m",
"d4ghuv8",
"d4gi0bc",
"d4gi9g0",
"d4giq0a",
"d4gish9",
"d4giuwj",
"d4gj23i",
"d4gj44a",
"d4gj963",
"d4gjgnn",
"d4gjifx",
"d4gjnfi",
"d4gjs2p",
"d4gjvnc",
"d4gk05s",
"d4gk1gm",
"d4gk3jw",
"d4gk6hw",
"d4gkkin",
"d... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
emryuc | why fruits like bananas and apples rich in antioxidants, themselves undergo oxidation upon exposure to air. | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/emryuc/eli5_why_fruits_like_bananas_and_apples_rich_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"fdqmhf5"
],
"score": [
21
],
"text": [
"The reason the plant antioxidants don't stop the browning on their own is that there's a constant supply of fresh oxygen, so they run out long before the air does. Secondly, cutting the fruit mixes contents of different compartments of the cell.... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
bgpq57 | why is it so much faster to cook on the stove than in the oven? | Oven = surround sound = slower?
Stove = heat from underneath only = faster? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bgpq57/elif_why_is_it_so_much_faster_to_cook_on_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"elmoyff",
"elmrgpn"
],
"score": [
8,
2
],
"text": [
"In the oven, food is cooked by radiation and by contact with hot air. This is a relatively slow method of heat transfer. You can put your hand in a hot oven for a moment without harm, as long as you don't touch anything.\n\n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://discord.gg/X96ZuGV"
]
] | |
260xdp | if the nsa is recording every single email and/or phone call in the world, how can they analyze so much data? | Surely computers can't do 100% of the work, right? Do they have such a badass computer that it would understand spoken subtext in a phone call? How do the people that work for NSA know where to look in so much data? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/260xdp/eli5_if_the_nsa_is_recording_every_single_email/ | {
"a_id": [
"chmko88",
"chmkpf1",
"chmqrdy"
],
"score": [
35,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"First, they aren't doing that.\n\nWhat they do is record phone *records*. As in who called who and when. This is useful because if they have a bombing and then capture a suspect, they might look at the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6o7i6r | how can ceos of large corporations run them into financial ruin, but get super-wealthy in the process? why are they not paid based on company performance? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6o7i6r/eli5_how_can_ceos_of_large_corporations_run_them/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkf6i3m"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Ah, one of the tricky ones. Well, CE's are paid based on company performance however the metrics used focus on quarterly results which encourage exec's to sacrifice long term stability for short term profit. There's another undesirable effect at ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3qgvdi | why are mice seen as cute yet rats are universally hated and feared? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qgvdi/eli5_why_are_mice_seen_as_cute_yet_rats_are/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwf30zs",
"cwf4gut",
"cwf4lvy",
"cwf85ix",
"cwfcy1o",
"cwfdiwu",
"cwfdps1",
"cwfdsi9",
"cwfh5vi",
"cwfsbuu"
],
"score": [
14,
12,
223,
33,
5,
2,
7,
6,
9,
2
],
"text": [
"Because mice are small, cousins of the cute... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://erectuswalksamongst.us/Images/Figure%206-1.GIF",
"http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/images/content/mouse_vs_rat.jpg",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny",
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Animal_human_growth_skull_neoteny_cuteness_maturation.png"
],
... |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.