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3wyl3f | how can i get calls from numbers that, if i try to call back, apparently don't exist? | Every once in a while I get a call from some unknown number, likely some sort of scam. But occasionally I try calling back to see who's on the other end, to get a message saying "this number is not allocated". How do they do this? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3wyl3f/eli5_how_can_i_get_calls_from_numbers_that_if_i/ | {
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"text": [
"Many places of business have their own telephone switch which has a limited number of outgoing lines. The outgoing lines are expensive, so to save money they will oversubscribe the lines as a pool. Wh... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caller_ID_spoofing"
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] | |
5c6gyg | why do drive throughs make you wait out front for your food even though no one is behind you? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5c6gyg/eli5_why_do_drive_throughs_make_you_wait_out/ | {
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"text": [
"Because you sitting at the drive through for several minutes would imply that the drive through is not efficient",
"DQ employee here. \nGet orders done quicker if another customer comes up before we... | [] | [] | [
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11003o | why is marriage under control of the state, in america? | Here I am in Utah, a HUGE republican state, and everyone is all butt hurt about same sex marriage, and I'm wondering why is this even the government's business? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11003o/eli5_why_is_marriage_under_control_of_the_state/ | {
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"text": [
"The government (whether Federal or State) has t... | [] | [] | [
[],
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"http://www.gao.gov/archive/1997/og97016.pdf"
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6ofdhn | why do british criminals typically not use firearms in their criminal activity like their american counterparts. is there not a black market for firearms? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ofdhn/eli5_why_do_british_criminals_typically_not_use/ | {
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"text": [
"Much harder to obtain firearms, very rare to have them in the criminal side of things as well. \n\nThere's far more guns in the countryside due to farmers ..... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
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"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatton_Garden_safe_deposit_burglary"
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5mfzp9 | why are the odds of a coin toss 51/49% in favor of the face-up side? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5mfzp9/eli5_why_are_the_odds_of_a_coin_toss_5149_in/ | {
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"text": [
"One side of the coin is heavier than the other.\n\nIf you were to hold the coin up perfectly at 90 degrees and cut it in half exactly on the balance point touching the surface it is on, so that each half had one face of the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
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"http://statweb.stanford.edu/~susan/papers/headswithJ.pdf"
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b6ucbi | do our bodies really have pressure points that can paralyse certain parts like our arms for example, only if for a couple of minutes? | I’ve been watching a couple of Kung-Fu movies and I’ve been wondering if this is actually true in reality. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b6ucbi/eli5_do_our_bodies_really_have_pressure_points/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"they're called nerves, have you ever sat on you leg till it goes numb and then you feel like what can only be described as \"TV static\". This happens because you nerves send electricals signals to and from the brain but when pressure is applied ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4h7b0f | why do extremist groups hate the western world so much, namely usa? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4h7b0f/eli5_why_do_extremist_groups_hate_the_western/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Because our government has meddled in foreign affairs so many tim... | [] | [] | [
[],
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"http://historybuff.com/hate-us-7-pretty-good-reasons/?utm_content=inf_10_3107_2&utm_source=se_fb&utm_medium=social_fb_cpc&utm_campaign=social_e_fb&tse_id=INF_dbf12ff5cea046a2a29e1bb3d902175e&ts_pid=343"
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ag8c6f | how do multiple programmers work on a game/project together? do they each work on completely different parts or do they have to communicate on what they've been doing and what needs to be done? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ag8c6f/eli5_how_do_multiple_programmers_work_on_a/ | {
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"text": [
"Planning, documenting code, and compartmentalizing tasks.\n\nOr, in lots of cases, it's just total chaos.",
"There is a lot of communication. It's fair... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
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] | ||
fuv2jt | why is it received badly when billionaires “only” donate millions? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fuv2jt/eli5_why_is_it_received_badly_when_billionaires/ | {
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"text": [
"It's generally regarded as not particularly generous to give a fraction of your net worth so small that you probably won't even notice it, particularly if people see your vast wealth as having been obta... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
cvemti | what is the difference between a compound and a mixed substance? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cvemti/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_a_compound/ | {
"a_id": [
"ey3pkv0",
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"Imagine you have a bucket of lego bricks. Half of them are red and half are white.\n\nIf you just gently stir the bucket, you have a mixture of separate pieces.\n\nIf you go through and stick a red piece on every white piece... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1f8ztw | what are free radicals and antioxidants? | What do they do that makes them bad/good? Why do some foods have more of the antioxidants? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1f8ztw/eli5_what_are_free_radicals_and_antioxidants/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Let's start by talking about oxygen. As I'm sure you're aware, ... | [] | [] | [
[],
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"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Xo5AaTH8U"
],
[],
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[],
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] | |
8v8wrq | why is it that transplanted organs only have a short life span once transplanted? | Two people in my life have had organ transplants in the past 8 weeks. We've been talking about the different 'life spans' of the different organs and want to know why they have a shorter life span (eg. 10 years post-transplant) than if they were just in the one body. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8v8wrq/eli5_why_is_it_that_transplanted_organs_only_have/ | {
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"text": [
"I know it’s impacted by the quality of the organ being transplanted, plus all the anti rejection drugs does have a pretty severe impact on the transplant itself. Sorry to hear you’ve had to go through t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
8v420l | elevator logic | Eli5: I've always thought the programmed logic in buildings with multiple elevators seems inefficient. Recently the thought crossed my mind that the logic dictating how the elevators correlate to each other might be based more on power conservation than speed/efficiency. Or maybe it's just dumb programming ( for exampl... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8v420l/eli5_elevator_logic/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Never worked on an elevator but had to program one as a project in university, so the reality may vary slightly.\n\nElevators are programmed with energy efficiency in mind first. Only then comes time. On high enough building... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2mvrqt | do most presidents issue executive orders? have any been impeached for them? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mvrqt/eli5_do_most_presidents_issue_executive_orders/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The only president not to issue an executive order is William Henry Harrison, who was only president for a month.\n\nFDR issued the most (3,522), then again he was also president for the longest. Follo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
630a4x | if uranium 238 has a half life of 4.5 billion years, does that mean all uranium 238 has experienced a half life by now? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/630a4x/eli5_if_uranium_238_has_a_half_life_of_45_billion/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"This assumes all uranium 238 was created 9 billion years. Remember that heavier atoms like uranium are created when a star dies so new uranium is created all the time"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2xlqdb | why does my sense of humor change from when i'm a child to when i'm an adult? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xlqdb/eli5_why_does_my_sense_of_humor_change_from_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"cp17rns"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Because you are smarter. Your child self probably wouldn't understand the kinds of humor you find funny now."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1pawpv | why do soldiers bother taking pows? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pawpv/eli5_why_do_soldiers_bother_taking_pows/ | {
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"score": [
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11,
4,
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"text": [
"Rules of engagement. By law you can not kill a man that surrenders. ",
"It's the rules, they can be a source of information if you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
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"http://tomdwyer.com/2012/uncategorized/book-spotlight-on-killing-by-david-grossman/",
"http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/y3gctpw.htm",
"http://www.military-sf.com/Killing.htm"
],
[]
] | ||
axqqv4 | what stops an amputee’s bones from trying to regrow through the skin at the site of amputation? | Probably a dumb question, but how does the body know to stop continuing growth at the site of an amputation? Does the process of bone growth stop at a point, compared to how broken bones tend to reheal? Would it be different if a developing body (a child) had an amputation while the body is still growing? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/axqqv4/eli5_what_stops_an_amputees_bones_from_trying_to/ | {
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"text": [
"Bone doesn't grow by itself. Broken bones 'knit' together only when the broken surfaces are essentially in contact with each other.",
"At some point in fetal development you ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5qcsi6 | why is it so difficult to achieve and maintain an erection while standing? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5qcsi6/eli5_why_is_it_so_difficult_to_achieve_and/ | {
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"text": [
"I have never experienced this before. But I can only imagine that it's because when standing, you're pooling blood in you're legs. This would be stealing blo... | [] | [] | [
[],
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] | |
6g2uqi | why are usb, hdmi, etc. connections not designed so there is no 'right way up' | I have a hard time believing it would be that cost prohibitive. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6g2uqi/eli5why_are_usb_hdmi_etc_connections_not_designed/ | {
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"text": [
"The newest iteration of the USB standard, [USB-C](_URL_0_), *is* reversible as far as having no “upside-down.” ... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C"
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3qn2bx | how is it that the media (often quoting law enforcement) seem to know all of the big players in the mafia but can't arrest them even after years and years and years? | Edit: Ok, I get it. You need proof. But if they know who the people are, enough that they can say their names in the news, why is it so hard to get proof? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qn2bx/eli5_how_is_it_that_the_media_often_quoting_law/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Because there's a difference between knowing who the big players are and having evidence against them.\n\nIn a country like North Korea, that won't matter much. But in countries with the rule of law, you need to have adequat... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
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36b6eg | is islam truly not a religion of peace, or is that just a radical interpretation? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36b6eg/eli5_is_islam_truly_not_a_religion_of_peace_or_is/ | {
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"text": [
"You can make an argument for Islam being peaceful, and you can make an argument for Islam being violent. You can also similarly make the case that Christianity is peaceful or viol... | [] | [] | [
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1rurs8 | pros and cons of private/for-profit prisons. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rurs8/eli5_pros_and_cons_of_privateforprofit_prisons/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"This is obviously a controversial issue and I'll try to keep these as unbiased as possible. \n\nPros:\n\n* Fixed costs for governments. The prison contractor and a government typically have contracts for a set number of years at an agreed upon ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
40wmj1 | when muscles grow, how does the skin expand to keep up? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40wmj1/eli5_when_muscles_grow_how_does_the_skin_expand/ | {
"a_id": [
"cyxp9ff"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Not sure why I have to point this out, but skin *also* grows, in addition to being somewhat elastic.\n\nNow, sometimes you get big faster than the body can compensate, and you get stretch marks- I've never heard of this happening due to muscle gr... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5uf3se | how does port forwarding help improve ping in online games? | If the games need port forwarding, wouldn't they just have no connection at all? I turned it on for my computer's IP address and my ping went from ~400 to around 30, but before then I could still establish a connection. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5uf3se/eli5_how_does_port_forwarding_help_improve_ping/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"When a port is forwarded it is open to all connections. Without the port being forwarded the incoming connections are screened as a safety check for malicious content. Without that screening process the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1o1m18 | if bacteria thrives in warmer conditions, why are you more likely to get ill in colder months? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1o1m18/eli5_if_bacteria_thrives_in_warmer_conditions_why/ | {
"a_id": [
"cco12ga",
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3
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"text": [
"Most of the seasonal illnesses you get are viral, not bacterial -- colds and the flu are both viruses, which is why you should never pressure your doctor for antibiotics when you're plain-old sick. They don't work.\n\nThe \... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
8fwcu7 | what makes a tire rotation necessary? do they switch sides when rotated? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8fwcu7/eli5_what_makes_a_tire_rotation_necessary_do_they/ | {
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"text": [
"front and rear tires wear differently because different loads are placed on them. front wheel drive cars wear the front tires quicker. rear wheel drive cars wear the rear tire... | [] | [] | [
[],
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] | ||
bnjqvf | how does noise cancelling work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bnjqvf/eli5_how_does_noise_cancelling_work/ | {
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"text": [
"Active noise cancelling works by the headphones having a microphon... | [] | [] | [
[],
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2xe4gp | difference between feudalism and serfdom. | Searched for the definitions and assumed the terms may be used interchangeably, but this seems incorrect. In my Russian history class, Ivan the Terrible was known to end the practice of feudalism forever in Russia whilst consolidating his power by marginalizing the Boyars; however, we later learned the Mikhail Romanov,... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xe4gp/eli5_difference_between_feudalism_and_serfdom/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Serfdom is an economic system where peasants are bound to land that they have to work and in exchange they get protection from their lord and a little land of their own for subsistence farming. I don't know how similar or different the varying sy... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic1350026.files/Brown-Tyranny-of-a-Construct.pdf"
]
] | |
2fi15g | why is a fertility rate of 2.01 below the replacement rate for a nation? | If two people have, on average, 2.01 kids, doesn't that mean that there is technically a tiny bit of growth? (2.01 is the estimated fertility rate for USA in 2014.) I read on Wikipedia that this is because it takes female mortality before the end of childbearing years into account, but isn't that accounted for becaus... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fi15g/eli5_why_is_a_fertility_rate_of_201_below_the/ | {
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"text": [
"If a couple has two kids and one of those kids dies, they effectively only had one in terms of maintaining the population.",
"The fertility rates are an a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
302hid | the role of the president-elect | From what I've noticed, American presidential elections are in November but the winner doesn't actually take office till January.
My question here is, why? In the UK after a general election the loser is booted out of 10 Downing Street immediately whereas in the States it seems as if the loser gets another 2 months w... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/302hid/eli5_the_role_of_the_presidentelect/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Originally it was probably to allow time for the winner to ride his horse to DC... But nowadays the president elect uses the time to get together his staff and to coordinate the hand-off of power with the current president's... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2rzffg | how does mega 'download' your files on the webpage and then send them to your computer in seconds? | Mega has a built-in downloader that's really aesthetically pleasing. But I don't understand how all the downloads can take place on the page THEN get sent to your downloads folder. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rzffg/eli5_how_does_mega_download_your_files_on_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnkoxry"
],
"score": [
3
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"text": [
"It's downloaded to your browser cache temporarily (this happens at your actual download speed) and then is moved to wherever you want to save it (this part happens very quickly)"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
49qoph | if inflammation is a healing process, why are we always told to ice and elevate injuries? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/49qoph/eli5_if_inflammation_is_a_healing_process_why_are/ | {
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"text": [
"The body a lot of times over exaggerates causing more inflammation that it actually needs. Icing and elevating the injuries reduce pain.",
"My understanding is basically that the body simply reacts.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
9otbag | why do people adore cute things in a violent manner? ex: oh it's so cute i want to squeeze it to death | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9otbag/eli5_why_do_people_adore_cute_things_in_a_violent/ | {
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"The cute thing is distracting you and lowering your guard, it needs ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
30wva6 | how do american colleges work in terms of what classes you can take? i.e. how many classes can you take that are unrelated to your degree subject? | I'm interested because in many movies/shows (not a good indication I know!) the students will take up bizarre classes completely unrelated to their degree, in order to make up credits. For example somebody doing a physics degree might take a class in Japanese film. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30wva6/eli5_how_do_american_colleges_work_in_terms_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpwj2t8",
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"Typically you are required to take between 30-40 classes to complete a bachelors (depending on the college). To complete a major you need to take between 10-14 classes (usually) in your subject. So you actually do have a lot... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://seas.yale.edu/departments/biomedical-engineering/undergraduate-study/undergraduate-curriculum-information"
]
] | |
6qwshq | writing with the non dominant hand | when practicing daily will my non dominant hand be as smooth and as fluent as my dominant hand | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6qwshq/eli5_writing_with_the_non_dominant_hand/ | {
"a_id": [
"dl0jx5i"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Eventually, but it will take years. I broke my arm as a kid and wrote with the other hand for 14 weeks. It went from \"OMG this kid has brain damage\" to \"where is the kindergartner who wrote this scribble\". Another couple of years of doing ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
eudnxi | why is saliva thicker than water? | I understand it can be thicker for someone who isn’t hydrated enough. This question strictly refers to a healthy well hydrated individual.
Bonus question- what governs saliva to sometimes have bubbles and sometimes don’t? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eudnxi/eli5_why_is_saliva_thicker_than_water/ | {
"a_id": [
"ffoqlu0",
"ffosg91"
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"score": [
2,
2
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"text": [
"Because it has stuff other than water in it. A whole bunch of electrolytes and importantly mucus, proteins and amino acids which have a variety of functions but also contribute to the viscosity significantly. \n\nRe: bubbles... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5u50bk | why do wider tires give cars more grip? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5u50bk/why_do_wider_tires_give_cars_more_grip/ | {
"a_id": [
"ddreq0z"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"In physics you assume that when an object slides the two surfaces are hard and durable and that the motion is between the two surfaces. You also learn that surfaces are nicely behaved which simplifies things.\n\nThe standard physics equation of ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fPjgf-6ELgc/UIWW-rntd8I/AAAAAAAAARM/NEh4nbnXlCM/s1600/CoF+VS+Slip+Angle.jpg"
]
] | ||
9xnf5s | when you are cold, is that feeling you get pain? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9xnf5s/eli5_when_you_are_cold_is_that_feeling_you_get/ | {
"a_id": [
"e9tl1xl"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"That's somewhat subjective. Pain is an uncomfortable sensation usually associated with a negative stimulus. But there's not a hard line that says \"this is uncomfortable\" vs \"this is pain\""
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4afad3 | why do some tv channels (like comedy central) run their programs 5 minutes off the hour or half hour sometimes? (1:05-1:35 and so on) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4afad3/eli5_why_do_some_tv_channels_like_comedy_central/ | {
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"text": [
"To prevent people from recording them. I used to have a PC that had cable input on it so I used a program to automatically record shows that I liked so I could watch them at my ow... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1626/why-do-wtbs-shows-start-at-05-and"
]
] | ||
10sswc | how can/why do ford and mercury sell identical cars with different names? | For example:
The Ford Taurus and the Mercury Sable.
The Ford Crown Victoria and the Mercury Grand Marquis.
The Ford Explorer and the Mercury Mountaineer.
I know that Ford and Mercury belong to the same parent company, but I've never understood why it'd be beneficial to do things this way. Thanks! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/10sswc/eli5_how_canwhy_do_ford_and_mercury_sell/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6gby6s",
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"score": [
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11
],
"text": [
"It saves quite a lot of money to share parts on cars. While the examples you listed are a bit of an extreme case, other car manufacturers share thing between different brands all the time.\n\nFor instance, a Scion xD is ju... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
bg7m1f | i‘ve heard that in a small closed system entropy can decrease for a short period of time does that mean that time went backwards | If passing of time is defined as an increase of entropy does it mean that it can just as well go backwards like in the mentioned example(just in theory) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bg7m1f/eli5ive_heard_that_in_a_small_closed_system/ | {
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"elixvnu",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"If you define time that way, then yes, the reversal of entropy would mean going back in time. However, time is more accurately define as \"the indefinite continued progress of exis... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1dwxxd | is it true that aluminum products (like pop cans) in the us can only be 20 percent recycled? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1dwxxd/eli5is_it_true_that_aluminum_products_like_pop/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9uoedx",
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"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"I always heard that aluminum was the easiest and most efficient recycling material by far. Plastic and glass are generally much less cost effective. \n\nSource - an episode of Penn and Teller's Bullshit",
"Drinks cans an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
33ym95 | if i hear things because the hammer in my inner ear hits the anvil, how do i hear things without gaps of silence? | Shouldn't there be little gaps where you hear nothing because the hammer has to swing back and forth before it can hit the anvil again? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/33ym95/eli5_if_i_hear_things_because_the_hammer_in_my/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqpkun6",
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"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"The hammer doesn't swing back and forth as you think. The bones rest on each other so the vibration from the eardrum can travel through them.",
"They're actually attached to one another. It's just a joint like any other.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/images/glossary/ear_bones.jpg"
]
] | |
12gg15 | what are the downsides to the uk's national health system? | I keep hearing wonderful things on Reddit about the NHS in the UK. Are there any downsides?
In the US, for example, I can schedule an appointment to see my doctor for the current day usually, and I only have to wait about 10-20 minutes to see him after I arrive. Also, an appointment to see a specialist (e.g. derma... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/12gg15/eli5_what_are_the_downsides_to_the_uks_national/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
3,
2,
15,
14,
2,
3
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"text": [
"The waiting times aren't great. You can be seen the same day if it's something urgent, but if it's something minor like an ear infecti... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
62ccmh | why does testosterone have such a big effect on biological females when estrogen seems to do so little for biological males? | Mostly regarding HRT: FtM people put on testosterone have a wide range of pronounced physical changes, but MtF patients don't seem to have anywhere close to as radical a change. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/62ccmh/eli5_why_does_testosterone_have_such_a_big_effect/ | {
"a_id": [
"dflis3g"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Because males already have estrogen. It is excreted by the pituitary gland to help in sperm production, however females have very low levels of testosterone mainly causing the growth of pubic hair and auxiliary hair in puberty. Testosterone contr... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
b0njv3 | why does cancer that originates in different parts of the body behave so differently and have drastically different outcomes/life expectancies? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b0njv3/eli5_why_does_cancer_that_originates_in_different/ | {
"a_id": [
"eifr3mv"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"It's the stage that matters. Pancreatic cancer has no symptoms and no way to diagnose until after it spreads, whereas colon cancer will show symptoms early on and get treated before a spread. Stage 4 only means the cancer spread."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1ccle8 | sister cities | What is the point of so called Sister cities.. Really don't understand what the point of them are? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ccle8/eli5_sister_cities/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9f8fp4"
],
"score": [
29
],
"text": [
"Cultural exchange. \n\nMy city of Bristol UK was one of the first in the world to be twinned and now it has many twins. \n\nTake our oldest twinship with Bordeaux in France \n\nlast year 300 students visited Bordeaux as part of their French lang... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1gzk71 | venture capital firm/hedge fund/mutual fund | What are the differences and is there any crossover in terms of who they do business with?
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1gzk71/eli5venture_capital_firmhedge_fundmutual_fund/ | {
"a_id": [
"capf71n",
"capjyk1"
],
"score": [
8,
17
],
"text": [
"These are three very, very different things. Without getting into too much of the technical side:\n\nVenture Capital (VC) Firm - This is a group of managers (often themselves investors) who field cash to fund startups by in... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
bg55s6 | being a marine animal, why haven’t dugongs developed the ability to breathe underwater? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bg55s6/eli5_being_a_marine_animal_why_havent_dugongs/ | {
"a_id": [
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18,
3,
2
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"text": [
"Because they have not undergone a serious of mutations granting them the ability to breath underwater, coupled with the associated selective pressure to result in overall evolutio... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(comics)"
],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_cetaceans"
],
[],
[]
] | |
2ph2b6 | why do hackers keep attacking playstation? | What did PS do to deserve the unholy wrath of the internet army? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ph2b6/eli5_why_do_hackers_keep_attacking_playstation/ | {
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"text": [
"Gaming attracts people with a 'need to get past this puzzle' mentality, as does hacking.\n\nSo it makes sense that a lot of hackers are gamers, and since they are already aware of ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.techrepublic.com/article/sony-pictures-hack-employee-information-and-unreleased-films-leaked/",
"http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240236006/Sony-hack-exposes-poor-security-practices"
],
[]
] | |
1vrg1y | how anti-plagiarism programs work. | I just recently started college and this subject came up in all my classes. Now I'm worried that some sentence I randomly put together is going to be from some book or website and I'm going to get kicked out of school for it. How vague do the phrases have to be before it overlooks the match? Let's say I say something l... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1vrg1y/eli5_how_antiplagiarism_programs_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"cev2iyy",
"cev3347"
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"I think it works as a percentage kinda thing, say you wrote 1000 words. They might have set the limit to like 15 percent. So once the program goes through your paper it calculates the percentage and it gets flagged. I think... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1qylp4 | what is the purpose of mustaches? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qylp4/eli5_what_is_the_purpose_of_mustaches/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdhvec9"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Ladies love mustache rides. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
jh90k | what is the difference between works cited, references and bibliography? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/jh90k/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_works_cited/ | {
"a_id": [
"c2c3nv2",
"c2c3nv2"
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"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"A bibliography is any work that you looked at pertaining to your topic that you withdrew from the library, internet, wherever that you thought you might use that would be pertinent. A works cited/reference page (the terms ar... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
217xy1 | why are the file names for torrents always so cryptic | For example if I download the latest episode of "Cosmos: A Space Odyssey" it has periods instead of spaces and things like "WS.PDV.XvI.D-RiVER.[VTV]" at the end. Why can't whoever uploads torrents just name it "Cosmos A Space Time Odyssey S01E03" etc? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/217xy1/eli5_why_are_the_file_names_for_torrents_always/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgags6a",
"cgaguuv",
"cgajkdh"
],
"score": [
3,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"The letters at the end are tags about the torrent quality, source, and the group that released it. Not sure about the space though",
"It's just a standard on how to name torrents. Xvid is the codec ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://scenerules.irc.gs/n.html?id=2012_SDTVx264r.nfo"
],
[]
] | |
1rflo5 | why does israel regard the nuclear weapons deal with iran as the "worst mistake in history"? | I get that there is an ongoing beef there, and this temporary deal does not equal a total cessation of nuclear progression on the part of Iran. Still, isn't this better than what it was before? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rflo5/eli5_why_does_israel_regard_the_nuclear_weapons/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdmqn4k"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"They think Iran will not hold up their end of the agreement."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
ou1pl | if the riaa, mpaa et al are responsible for paying lobbyists to push through horrible bills (sopa, pipa) why does the tech industry - who have more money not just buy their own lobbyists to pass "good" bills through? | ie- just outspend the other guy. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ou1pl/if_the_riaa_mpaa_et_al_are_responsible_for_paying/ | {
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2
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"text": [
"No money in it. The ba... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57364115/google-spending-freely-to-gain-d.c-clout/"
]
] | |
6pq6cm | can somebody explain the concept of global consciousness? | So several observances from the global consciousness project indicate that consciousness might be an omnipresent phenomenon, occuring universally like gravitation, and not just in everybody's heads. But how in the world should this be possible? Please note that I know that this is just a hypothesis and that the obserca... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6pq6cm/eli5_can_somebody_explain_the_concept_of_global/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkrjb25",
"dkrto4q"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"I studied brain science in university.\n\nThere is no known principle by which this would work. The evidence of its existence is so poor in quality that experts suspect it is experimental error, rather than a real thing.",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~eschwitz/SchwitzPapers/USAconscious-140721.pdf"
]
] | |
3yea5r | how are movies filmed in multiple formats simultaneously (2d, 3d, imax, etc) while still being able to maintain their cinematic integrity? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3yea5r/eli5_how_are_movies_filmed_in_multiple_formats/ | {
"a_id": [
"cycpgqs"
],
"score": [
77
],
"text": [
"You start with the best quality and prune out stuff to get to the lower ones. \n\n3d is captured by taking two 2d camera images and using polarized light or alternate frame rates or some other vehicle to make them 3d to the viewer. So when you f... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
abi2cg | why do people with massive tumors wait so long to have them removed? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/abi2cg/eli5_why_do_people_with_massive_tumors_wait_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"ed0eczy",
"ed0ee19"
],
"score": [
14,
4
],
"text": [
"Money and/or denial. Some people can't afford the surgery since unless it is an actual hazzard to the persons life insurance can be iffy. And some people just spend too long hoping/thinking \"Oh, it'll get better on its o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1bxgry | what exactly am i smelling when i smell a dumpster? | Is it something specific and identifiable or is it just a hodge-podge of smells? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1bxgry/eli5_what_exactly_am_i_smelling_when_i_smell_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9azwk5",
"c9b2uhs"
],
"score": [
5,
4
],
"text": [
"Bacteria waste, usually. All living things produce excrement, and it usually stinks.",
"It's a bunch of things, but the most foul smelling stuff tends to be rotting organic matter. Evolution has given our nose some relat... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1xfocr | why do airplanes always feel level even when at steep turn angles? | I travel a lot and it baffles me that I feel perfectly level even when the plane is at 45° angles during tge landing approach. I assume its centripetal force but I never feel like im being forced downward into my seat. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xfocr/why_do_airplanes_always_feel_level_even_when_at/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfb09fc"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"A commercial airliner in normal flight will never get anywhere close to 45 degrees in any attitude. The reason you feel level is that you very seldomly will experience much more than 1G in any maneuver. You probably feel pushed into your seat o... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
76rgzr | theresa may, british parliament, the royal family and their relationship to each other/rolls in british government | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/76rgzr/eli5_theresa_may_british_parliament_the_royal/ | {
"a_id": [
"dog4sgx"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"The UK parliament is composed of two houses, a lower house called the House of Commons, and an upper house called the House of Lords.\n\nMembers of the upper house are appointed; the 650 members of the lower house (known as MPs) are voted for by ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
330t2q | what would happen if china and the usa went to war and then china called for the usa to pay its debt? | How would that work legally? What effect would it have on the economy? And wood it change the war? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/330t2q/eli5_what_would_happen_if_china_and_the_usa_went/ | {
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"cqgiuh4",
"cqgulbc"
],
"score": [
3,
50,
2,
7,
24,
5,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"War is diplomacy by other means. We will not go to war.\n\nOur debt is a promise to pay ac... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://chinadailymail.com/2012/05/29/china-could-owe-america-one-trillion-dollars/"
],
[
"http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/02/opinion/krugman-nobody-understands-debt.html"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
52gxe7 | why do taiwan and the philippines get walloped by so many huge typhoons? | Typhoon Meranti is currently forecasted (as of 5:49 PM EST) to impact southern Taiwan as a category 4 typhoon with sustained winds around 145 mph. I remember hearing of many similar forecasts regarding "super typhoons" impacting both Taiwan and the Phillipines over the last 12 months....
Is there something about the P... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/52gxe7/eli5_why_do_taiwan_and_the_philippines_get/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7kipdi"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Typhoon put simply are storms that grow over water and shrink over land. The Philippines and Taiwan just happen to the at the gate of the Pacific Ocean. \n\n\nClimate winds also tend to go towards these countries so its more of it so happens they... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4u1yhr | what's going on physiologically when your "blood runs cold"? | I thought it was just a turn of phrase, but then it happened to me. I got some shocking news, and it was exactly like the blood in my veins turned cold. What's going on in the body when that happens? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4u1yhr/eli5_whats_going_on_physiologically_when_your/ | {
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"text": [
"In times of stress, the body restricts blood flow to the extremities (your arms and legs) in order to keep the majority of the blood near your vital organs, which are more importan... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1s0gwr | 24 hour stomach "flu/bug" | What is it?
What causes it?
Why does it exist?
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1s0gwr/eli524_hour_stomach_flubug/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdsp2j7",
"cdsp96q"
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"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"It's not the flu, it's a mild food-borne illness.",
"The actual term is [gastroenteritis](_URL_0_). It is irritatingly often called a \"stomach flu\", which is bad because it makes the ignorant think it has *anything to ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastroenteritis"
]
] | |
8nkftc | why doesn’t blood rush to our feet? | I’ve been really curious to the question on why our blood doesn’t rush to our feet. Like everyone’s been told before, don’t hang upside down too long or the blood goes to your head. So why isn’t that the same for our feet when standing upright? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8nkftc/eli5_why_doesnt_blood_rush_to_our_feet/ | {
"a_id": [
"dzw4hhf",
"dzw4krc"
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"score": [
7,
2
],
"text": [
"Because you evolved to stand upright. Your body has one way valves in the legs, and utilizes the muscular activity of your legs, to push blood back upwards and prevent it from flowing against the normal direction. We didn't ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
56h4y5 | why are some plugs ungrounded? | I know that grounding a circuit is a way to ensure that people won't electrocute themselves every time they plug or unplug a wire from the wall. However, some plugs in my house are ungrounded, such as my toaster wire or laptop charger. Why is this allowed? Isn't an ungrounded plug dangerous? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/56h4y5/eli5_why_are_some_plugs_ungrounded/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8j7sx4",
"d8jwuie"
],
"score": [
44,
2
],
"text": [
"The ground exists to prevent a short circuit in a device from electrifying the case, which would shock you if you just touched the device. Basically, the ground is attached to the case in such a way that it if the case som... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
6j7owp | why are you slightly taller in the morning after you wake up? can you also get slightly taller from a short nap? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6j7owp/eli5why_are_you_slightly_taller_in_the_morning/ | {
"a_id": [
"djc5wq1"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"All the time you stand up gravity compresses your spinal column, so you slowly shrink during the day, when you lie down the compression is eased and you become taller again."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
89qbow | why have illnesses adapted to be harmful ? | How would natural selection cause bacteria/viruses to harm us if those would be cured faster or kill their hosts ? Wouldn't passive and fast spreading be more likely to survive ? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/89qbow/eli5_why_have_illnesses_adapted_to_be_harmful/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwt1837",
"dwt21gd"
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"score": [
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3
],
"text": [
"They haven't. They're just trying to be fruitful and multiply. Any illness brought to man or beast is simply happenstance, an unintended consequence of infection and proliferation. Besides that, most bacteria are generally h... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1q5d9p | why does oil make such "great" fuel? | How did humans discover it? When did we start using it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q5d9p/why_does_oil_make_such_great_fuel/ | {
"a_id": [
"cd9cfxs"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"It makes a great fuel because it's easily portable and has a very high [energy density](_URL_0_) - you can get more energy out of a kilogram/liter of gasoline than you can almost any other fuel in the world (other than uranium). The lower the ene... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density"
]
] | |
e73d48 | how does a configurable nuclear weapon work? | I've read that e.g. the B61-12 can be configured to have a blast of between 1/3rd kT and 150kT - how does this work? do they open the bomb and change the interior? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e73d48/eli5_how_does_a_configurable_nuclear_weapon_work/ | {
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"f9v42so",
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"score": [
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10,
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"text": [
"Nuclear bombs don't like going off, and require precise timings and such. These timings can be shifted slightly to waste more fuel. Fusion bombs also use a gas as a booster for the explosion, which can... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
ry5ls | "rights" | It seems to me that "rights" language is used so frequently today, particularly in the U.S., that it has lost all meaning. Spend enough time on Reddit, and someone will posit that owning a cell phone is a basic human "right."
It seems to me that "rights" are just communally decided upon goods that we're going to enfor... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ry5ls/eli5_rights/ | {
"a_id": [
"c49kvyl",
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],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"There isn't really a singular answer. Different people have different views on the issue. \n\n\nMore conservative or religious people would argue that rights come from god. \n\nThe US was founded largely on the beliefs of so... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
7h2yry | why over the counter pain medication helps with minor pain but not major pain | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7h2yry/eli5_why_over_the_counter_pain_medication_helps/ | {
"a_id": [
"dqnohzg",
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21,
6,
2
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"text": [
"Over the counter pain medication works by raising the threshold for a stimulus to be felt as pain. Stimuli that are more intense can surpass this higher threshold, being felt as pain anyway. These kind... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3sz1jn | what is holding back the 2 million syrian refugees in turkey from crossing the border into europe? | I often read about the bad conditions in Turkish refugee camps and about the overcrowding taking place. What is holding these people back from crossing the border and go into Europe? Surely not every mile of the Turkish border is guarded? What are the sort of legal limitations at play here? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sz1jn/eli5_what_is_holding_back_the_2_million_syrian/ | {
"a_id": [
"cx1nd7a",
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"Almost all of the refugees are in Anatolia, the larger part of Turkey that is in Asia. To get to Greece, refugees have to cross the Bosporus, which while relatively narrow is still an obstacle. It takes time to find a traffi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3o2hjc | what's the difference between a night vision camera detecting ir light and an ir camera like flir? | I understand that a camera in NV mode is recording images reflecting IR Light, but I've always wondered how an IR camera works and looks so much different. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3o2hjc/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_a_night_vision/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvtpp9u",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"IR cameras are detecting light that human eyes can't see (or can just barely see) \n\nSometime when you go into a store, look at the security camera you may see a dull red glow… That is infrared light that your eyes can jus... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
pkg2h | plato's perfect government | As stated in Plato's Republic, but really like I'm five. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/pkg2h/eli5_platos_perfect_government/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3q3f51",
"c3q3pb2"
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"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"I might have a poor understanding of it, but until someone else has a better explanation, I'll leave mine (otherwise, Google is your friend):\n\nPlato seemed to support the idea of raising children specifically to rule in go... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
6oncyk | why do most boxes have incisions in the flaps that make it so hard to open? | Lots of boxes have incisions on the side of tabs, which cause them to get caught and ripped often when I try to open them.
Rarely, there are glorious boxes that don't have the flaps, and it is so much easier to open the box without removing it. Why do the incisions exist, and why is it an industry standard? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6oncyk/eli5_why_do_most_boxes_have_incisions_in_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkin6ig"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It is to make it harder for the box to open during shipping. It also acts as an indication for if the packet have been attempted opened. The reason they have them is because taping the packet at the scale they are producing them is more resource ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3sdo9d | 7 or 14 day weather predictions | How do they predict the weather so far in advance? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sdo9d/eli5_7_or_14_day_weather_predictions/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwwalfh"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Short answer: badly\n\nSlightly longer answer: the look at what the weather is doing right now, and put that into a computer model. The computer has been programmed to know how the various geographical features in that area affect the weather, so... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3eup5g | why do these kinds of pens look like they "leak" ink? | Why do these pens look like they leak ink on the inside along the ridges? What is the purpose of this?
_URL_0_
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3eup5g/eli5_why_do_these_kinds_of_pens_look_like_they/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctilk2a"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Capillary action. The feed is drawing ink from the cartridge, convertor, or tank and... well... feeding it to the tip or nib. It keeps saturated because that's what it the do with liquids, and some spills out along the walls."
]
} | [] | [
"https://imgur.com/QA8JQFm"
] | [
[]
] | |
fndnyt | why does some detergent say it works for cold water and some doesn't? does the cold water kind not work with hot or warm water and vice versa? what is the difference in chemistry/ingredients? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fndnyt/eli5_why_does_some_detergent_say_it_works_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"fl920p3"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Enzymes are proteins which digest stuff. They are very effective at removing stains from oils and other proteins. Many detergents include enzymes for this purpose.\n\nAs a protein, enzymes will denature (change shape) when the temperature is too ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
9hn0j8 | why can cars get towed so easily? don't parking brakes and steering wheel locks stop that kind of thing? | I always see video of cars just getting towed away, but doesn't that cause some sort of damage to the car? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9hn0j8/eli5_why_can_cars_get_towed_so_easily_dont/ | {
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"text": [
"When towing, they either lift the car, which will, ofr course, negate any parking brake, or they unlock it and disengage the parking brake.",
"For the last half, there’s ways a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.amazon.com/Go-Jak-SuperSlick-Vehicles-500lbs-Individually/dp/B00P00YLUA",
"https://www.truckntow.com/original-in-the-ditch-self-loading-speed-dollies-with-steel-wheels-1.html?prod_id=7631&utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=7631&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrZLdBRC... | |
2teu96 | i can buy egg whites in a milk carton, but where do the yolks go? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2teu96/eli5_i_can_buy_egg_whites_in_a_milk_carton_but/ | {
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"text": [
"Generally to companies that need egg yolks - makers of custard, for example.\n\nthe same way that when you buy chicken wings, they don't bin the rest of the chicken.",
"Egg yo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3c8fqb | why does our brain think some optical illusion patterns are moving when they are not? | Example _URL_0_
How does it work? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3c8fqb/eli5_why_does_our_brain_think_some_optical/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"ELI5: There's no solid explanation on what's called illusory movement, but researchers suspect it is simply a misunderstanding between our eyes and our brain, Due to the confusing combination of colors, brightness and pattern.\n\n & nbsp;\n\nELI1... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/BxU1eQz.png"
] | [
[
"http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucbpmor/docs/case_study3_mor_web.pdf"
]
] | |
6aw5bi | why do so many basketball games seemingly come down to the final seconds? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6aw5bi/eli5_why_do_so_many_basketball_games_seemingly/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"When you're playing at a professional level, literally recruiting the best players from around the world, your teams will naturally tend to be fairly close. Even with that, there's *plenty* of games that aren't at all close... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
48dbbl | why cats do not fight each other for food like dogs? | Dogs get mad when someone took his food but cats they dont give a shit if other cat is eating his food, reasons?
Edit: Thanks for the comments guys! that was fast lol | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/48dbbl/eli5_why_cats_do_not_fight_each_other_for_food/ | {
"a_id": [
"d0ipcwb",
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"score": [
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3
],
"text": [
"Dogs are social animals. Their instinct is to fight for their meal and be the alpha of the pack that gets to eat first.\n\nCats are solitary animals. Their instinct is to catch a meal and hide while they eat it. There is no ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
25rqtk | how to use urinal properly? | It's like I go in the bathroom, and the damn thing half the time doesn't seem to have enough privacy for me to just "do mah thing"
Like do you just pull all ur junk out or what... Maybe ill never understand | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/25rqtk/eli5how_to_use_urinal_properly/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Yes. Do you not have a penis?",
"First you have to unbutton and ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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[],
[],
[],
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] | |
1uhhuq | why do architects still not design apartment buildings to be soundproof? | Is this some impossible task? Do architects just not think about that problem? If not, why not? Are they not aware that listening to people screw, argue, have inane phone conversations, watch TV shows with deafening laugh tracks, play video games with exploding noises at all hours, play the same song a million times on... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1uhhuq/eli5_why_do_architects_still_not_design_apartment/ | {
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"score": [
12,
49,
12,
3,
2,
8,
2,
2,
2,
2
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"text": [
"It would to expensive. \n\nWould you like a h... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.gebhartproperties.com/Residential/Briarcliff_East/Overview.php"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr5UoestpNw"
]
] | |
38mfs1 | why does my dog still need me to take him for a walk? | We've walked the same lap around my yard hundreds of times, so he knows it. Yet when my dog wants exercise, I have to physically go with him or else he will just stand around outside.
Why can't I just let my dog outside and have him walk until he is content? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38mfs1/eli5_why_does_my_dog_still_need_me_to_take_him/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"How would you feel if all people disappeared, but everything else in life stayed the same (e.g. the grocery store was still always stocked, there are other cars driving on the roads without people, you still have to pay bills, etc)? You've develo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4bulvq | the utility of grammatical gender | Some languages have gendered nouns. For example, in Russian дом (house) is masculine while a вода (water) is feminine. What does this concept add to the language? Naively, it seems that the only thing grammatical gender adds to a language is a lot of grammatical complexity in the way that verbs are constructed and so o... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4bulvq/eli5_the_utility_of_grammatical_gender/ | {
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"d1cuvwz",
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"score": [
11,
2,
2,
56,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Hmm. Speaking as a someone who's been equally bilingual in English (nongendered) and Spanish (gendered), I've found thinking and speak... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_gender#Useful_roles_of_grammatical_gender"
],
[
"http://web.mit.edu/futrell/www/posters/genderPoster.pdf"
],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
29wrf1 | how did the term "chinese fire drill" come to mean getting out of your car, running around it, then getting back in? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29wrf1/eli5_how_did_the_term_chinese_fire_drill_come_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cip8h5o",
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"score": [
2,
7
],
"text": [
"I bet it is racism",
"It took you longer to make this post than it would have to just google it.\n\n_URL_0_"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_fire_drill"
]
] | ||
81vpym | why are some organisms able to produce essential amino acids while others cannot? | Hello,
I'm curious about how essential amino acids are formed within a cell. Are specialized systems required to produce the amino acids, or are they just not coded for in the DNA? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/81vpym/eli5_why_are_some_organisms_able_to_produce/ | {
"a_id": [
"dv5kg69"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"By definition, the \"essential\" amino acids are the ones the organism can't synthesize itself and has to obtain through its diet. Which are essential differs by organism. The reason an organism may not be able to synthesize it depends on the ami... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1c8r51 | eili5: what is an api? | Ie: the tumblr API or windows API, what is it? i have a basic knowledge of C# and C++ *how does it integrate with those or Java programs?* | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1c8r51/eili5_what_is_an_api/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9e4qwh"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"An API, or Application Programming Interface, allows you to write a program that can interact with somebody else's service.\n\nIn the case of Tumblr or Reddit (which has its own API at _URL_0_) or a bunch of other popular websites, this means you... | [] | [] | [
[
"www.reddit.com/api"
]
] | |
j46pn | [li5] can someone explain software patents (and the controversy surrounding them) please? | Inspired by [this](_URL_0_).
I'm specifically looking for information about why they are so controversial, and what they mean for software developers looking to market their own prouduct (e.g. if someone makes a spreadsheet application can Microsoft sue them for copying Excel)?
**Edit:** Thanks all. Great explanation... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j46pn/li5_can_someone_explain_software_patents_and_the/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Software patents try to patent \"ways of doing things\". Imagine someone patenting the way you tie your shoelac... | [] | [
"http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/j44gp/software_patents_in_the_real_world/"
] | [
[],
[],
[
"Amazon.com",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon.com_controversies#One-click_Patent"
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[
"http://www.google.com/patents?id=T2QKAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false"
],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claim_(pate... | |
6dy9fj | why were citizens arrests usedfor/ created for in the first place? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6dy9fj/eli5_why_were_citizens_arrests_usedfor_created/ | {
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7,
9,
2
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"text": [
"Citizen arrest was the default way of dealing with wrongdoing before formal laws, law enforcement, and courts were established. When someone did something wrong you grabbed them, told everyone else in t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
45gc34 | why are synthetic diamonds considered less valuable, are they molecularly different then real diamonds? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/45gc34/eli5_why_are_synthetic_diamonds_considered_less/ | {
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"score": [
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15,
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21,
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"text": [
"They are indeed exactly the same, molecules and all. \n\nHowever, a non synthetic diamon... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2itoo8 | why swearing under oath would make you tell the truth.. | I understand telling the truth is important, but why do you hear in crime shows lawyers saying "need I remind you, you're under oath", and the defendant's like "oh shit, they got me!". What's involved in swearing an oath that would make you tell the truth? Is it swearing on a bible? So is it just Christains then? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2itoo8/eli5_why_swearing_under_oath_would_make_you_tell/ | {
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"text": [
"It doesn't make you tell the truth. However, the act of being sworn in is a formal acknowledgement by you that you are now under legal obligation to tell the truth. That is, if you are caught lying, you can be legally pun... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
354zw7 | what causes the whole "check the fridge, find nothing, check it again" experience? | I tend to do this with my phone, especially with Reddit only to find that I've look at everything on the front page.
*Edit: I get that boredom could be an easy answer, but I'm more interested in the psychology of it. What makes us think something is going to magically appear there 5 seconds later? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/354zw7/eli5_what_causes_the_whole_check_the_fridge_find/ | {
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"Like any behavior, there are many possible explanations, some of which may be right or wrong at different times for different people. But here's the one that I think is closest for what you are talking about. I think it's ELI5, but it's a bit lon... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_%28psychology%29"
]
] | |
2uad97 | what's the obsession with americans suing whenever the opportunity arises? or is it all a myth? | Edit: For example my sister went to the US and on her way into a restaurant she slipped on a sheet of ice. All the staff took really good care of her so she wouldn't sue | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2uad97/eli5_whats_the_obsession_with_americans_suing/ | {
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"text": [
"It's Tort reform propaganda pushed by corporations. One prominent example that always come up was the McDonalds lawsuit for the spilled coffee. People ridicu... | [] | [] | [
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] |
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