q_id
stringlengths
5
6
title
stringlengths
3
301
selftext
stringlengths
0
39.2k
document
stringclasses
1 value
subreddit
stringclasses
3 values
url
stringlengths
4
132
answers
dict
title_urls
list
selftext_urls
list
answers_urls
list
1rz8i5
Has there ever been a child ruler with actual political power?
I know there are cases of children being crowned as emperors and such (Puyi, for example), but also that there were adults in charge of making actual political decisions, and that the children served just as figureheads (at least until they grew older). Has there ever been an example of a child ruler who actually rule...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1rz8i5/has_there_ever_been_a_child_ruler_with_actual/
{ "a_id": [ "cdsf7b7" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "How young do you mean by a child?\n \nIt's important to remember that the direct influence that a child ruler can have on politics is perhaps limited by their age, but indirect influence can be phenomenal. Edward VI is a good example, for both ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
474zcb
what's happening when my phone battery completely runs out, but i am able to turn it on with some battery left later?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/474zcb/eli5_whats_happening_when_my_phone_battery/
{ "a_id": [ "d0a9fx5" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There are chemical reactions in the battery that generate the electricity. The new compounds that form from those reactions can and will build up and either separate the chemicals that need to react, or prevent the electricity from flowing. If yo...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
o2jns
- an outline of the republican nominees
Hey guys Australian here. Could someone please give me a run down of all of the Republican nominees (or at least the main ones) with information like what they stand for and what the public (or various subsets of the public) think of them? Cheers!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/o2jns/eli5_an_outline_of_the_republican_nominees/
{ "a_id": [ "c3dvoxk", "c3dvpkv", "c3dvt88", "c3dwzil", "c3dynil", "c3e4jbd" ], "score": [ 3, 9, 3, 15, 13, 3 ], "text": [ "Found this from three days ago. Should answer your questions.\n\n_URL_0_\n\n", "I've just been using this \n_URL_0_\nJust a quick...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/nxqlf/eli5_the_key_beliefs_of_and_differences_between/" ], [ "http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2012/candidates.html" ], [ "http://ontheissues.org/default.htm" ], [], [], [] ]
g50jq
Help with coming up with an optics experiment
So I need to do an optics experiment for my first year of physics at uni, the problem is that we are limited with material and that you need to be original, which is almost an contradiction =/ Does anybody have an idea for a cool experiment? (and yea the double slit one has been done)
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/g50jq/help_with_coming_up_with_an_optics_experiment/
{ "a_id": [ "c1kybds", "c1kygoi" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "You could try and measure coherence length of a white light source using a Michelson interferometer?\n\n\nYou will need:\n\n* A white light source\n* A lens or lenses to produce a collimated beam of light\n* Two mirrors\n* A...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full/2004/39/aa0562-03/img135.gif", "http://physics.schooltool.nl/irspectroscopy/images/michelson_interferometer.gif" ], [] ]
274r0a
catch 22
I think I understand what it is but can someone give an example of a catch 22?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/274r0a/eli5_catch_22/
{ "a_id": [ "chxd73v", "chxdc5y", "chxddy1", "chxde5w", "chxkofn" ], "score": [ 8, 29, 8, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "A real life example is: You need 2 years experience to get an entry level job. There is no way of getting that experience because all entry level jobs requir...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
376lio
how can little mice run up walls? these things are driving me insane the places they can get to
How THE SHIT are they getting on top of the fridge???
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/376lio/eli5_how_can_little_mice_run_up_walls_these/
{ "a_id": [ "crk4fwq" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Rodents have very sharp claws, low body mass, and can squeeze through impossibly tiny spaces. Wood, plaster, gypsum, wallpaper, stone, brick, almost anything we make walls out of in residential homes is easy to climb for a mouse (they don't do so...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
68risd
Where did the millions of KKK members of the 1920s go?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/68risd/where_did_the_millions_of_kkk_members_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dh10g04", "dh1od52", "dh1ul3k" ], "score": [ 10, 13, 4 ], "text": [ "Could you be more specific? Do you mean like what happened to the millions of people who used to belong the Klan after the organization faded? ", "I can talk about the Klan in Colorado, drawing pr...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2uv1af
how is physical money converted to digital money ?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2uv1af/eli5_how_is_physical_money_converted_to_digital/
{ "a_id": [ "cobxdfp", "cobxh9s", "cobxhpq", "coby3m2" ], "score": [ 2, 22, 6, 4 ], "text": [ "That usually happens at a bank. For example, you have a 50 dollar bill in your pocket. You go to the bank and you tell them you want to deposit that 50 dollar on your bank account...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
17yhdj
Will fusion power allow for advances in Metallurgy?
With advances in Fusion power, will there be advances in metallurgy? Much as the industrial revolution allowed for the advances in metallurgy, such as the Bessemer process, and other advances in steel, will the fusion process allow for creation of new alloys and new metal structures?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/17yhdj/will_fusion_power_allow_for_advances_in_metallurgy/
{ "a_id": [ "c8adq1p" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It is more like the opposite situation. Will advances in metallurgy allow for fusion power? One of the major obstacles right now in fusion power is having the materials withstand the conditions of an active stable fusion source. That means it ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2lkyd3
Dis Laissez-faire capitalism lead to the Gilded Age in America?
As I understand it (and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) laissez-faire economics means that the government is almost completely hands-off with matters of business. But if that's the case, didn't the Gilded Age prove that business owners will try to squeeze every penny they can out of their workers?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2lkyd3/dis_laissezfaire_capitalism_lead_to_the_gilded/
{ "a_id": [ "clvutrx" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Your question belies a fundamental misunderstanding of American capitalism in the 19thC. There is a trope that the gov't was hands-off in terms of business regulation and taxation. This is completely false. There are numerous books out there that...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7pxw4n
what happens to smoke or other gases in a sealed container?
If I blow out a candle and immediately cover it, smoke accumulates inside but eventually fades away. The next day when I open the candle there is no smoke inside. What happens to the smoke inside?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7pxw4n/eli5_what_happens_to_smoke_or_other_gases_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dskyhjm", "dslkc53" ], "score": [ 9, 3 ], "text": [ "The smoke is made of tiny particles that either fall to the floor of the container or cling to the sides of it. \nTobacco smoke particles, for example, can be as large at 3 microns.", "Smoke is typically comprised of ve...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
5uwaar
what is the difference between a department (eg. nc department of motor vehicle) and a commission (eg. nj motor vehicle commission)
In most states I have seen, they have a Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) that runs everything related to motor vehicles while New Jersey has a Motor Vehicle Commission which seems to do the exact same thing. What is the difference between a department and commission when the DMV and the MVC seem too be the exact same ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5uwaar/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_a_department/
{ "a_id": [ "ddxcm97", "ddxvkxw" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Every state is different. They can name the department anything they want.\n\nSo essentially there's no difference except for what each individual state allows. ", "Typically a commission is a group of individuals (freq...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
60smp8
why do the symptoms of hunger become less painful/obvious after 48-72 hours
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/60smp8/eli5_why_do_the_symptoms_of_hunger_become_less/
{ "a_id": [ "df8zidh", "df93zyh" ], "score": [ 10, 3 ], "text": [ "Because your body is a survival machine.\n\nPain serves as an indicator that there is an issue; continued pain does nothing to help the issue other than to serve as a reminder. Your mind starts to ignore continued unchangin...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1se9e7
what constitutes a generation
So we say generation x and y but who is in which? 2 people born in the same year would be the same generation but what about a sibling 5 years younger would they still be the same generation?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1se9e7/eli5_what_constitutes_a_generation/
{ "a_id": [ "cdwq8z6", "cdwqfgc", "cdwqukp" ], "score": [ 15, 10, 2 ], "text": [ "Depends on context. If they have a common ancestor A, then the children of A are of the same generation, the children of those children (being siblings and first cousins) are of the next generation, t...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
9s91md
can we imagine new colors?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9s91md/eli5_can_we_imagine_new_colors/
{ "a_id": [ "e8n273t", "e8n2bs6", "e8n781v", "e8n7sho", "e8n9yiu" ], "score": [ 17, 2, 3, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "No. Our eyes have 3 cones (aka color receptors): one for red, one for blue, and one for green. That means we can only pick up those colors and the variations...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_depth#Deep_color_(30/36/48-bit)" ], [], [], [] ]
l88p9
Why can dogs and cats sleep with a blanket over their head but I can't?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/l88p9/why_can_dogs_and_cats_sleep_with_a_blanket_over/
{ "a_id": [ "c2qkgyb", "c2qkgyb" ], "score": [ 6, 6 ], "text": [ "A lot of people sleep with blankets over their heads too. It is just a personal thing. :)", "A lot of people sleep with blankets over their heads too. It is just a personal thing. :)" ] }
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
7ovnds
What determines the color of the noble gases since they’re colorless under standard conditions?
So I’m doing a Chemistry project on the noble gases and I’m confused about something Every gas of the noble gas group is colorless under standard conditions right? But when electricity is applied (a couple thousand volts or so) the gases will emit a colorful light.. is that right? My question is what determines this...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7ovnds/what_determines_the_color_of_the_noble_gases/
{ "a_id": [ "dsdg639" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "A lot of matter can emit light if you give it energy. Metals will glow if you heat them enough for example. \n\nLight emission in single atom chemicals is directly related to the amount of energy it takes to bump an electron up to the next orbit...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5gvftx
what is the point of the adjustable piece on the bottom of a stapler?
You know the thing that you can flip around on the base of the stapler that makes the staples point out instead of in? In what situation would you ever need to use that?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5gvftx/eli5_what_is_the_point_of_the_adjustable_piece_on/
{ "a_id": [ "davctxq", "davd3li" ], "score": [ 8, 7 ], "text": [ "When the staples face out instead of in they are much, much easier to remove. So you use it when you want a bunch of pages together for a short while, sort of like a paperclip, but less likely for the pages to fall out the b...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://lifehacker.com/301470/temporarily-pin-documents-with-your-stapler" ] ]
8975wx
why are there so many relationships that are proportional to inverse squares?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8975wx/eli5_why_are_there_so_many_relationships_that_are/
{ "a_id": [ "dwpizge" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The surface area of a sphere goes up as the [square](_URL_0_) of the distance from the center.\n\nSo things that diffuse into space, like waves, tend to get reduced by the square, resulting in an inverse square law." ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere#Surface_area" ] ]
1bprav
Why do some Countries that used to be Colonies of England such as Canada and Australia still have English Monarchy ties? Historically are they fully independent or are they still under the influence of the Crown and why/why not?
Basically I have been wondering for a while and have not been able to get a good answer through google on why Canada/Australia and some other countries still seem to have connections to the Monarcy of England. Examples would be people on their money, titles, etc. Sorry if the question is worded weird I couldn't really ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1bprav/why_do_some_countries_that_used_to_be_colonies_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c98wr7u", "c98z1ec", "c98zmqv" ], "score": [ 9, 7, 13 ], "text": [ "There are 16 nations categorized as being a member of the Commonwealth Realm, though this term is informal. These countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Jamaica, and others are linked by ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/referendums/1999_Referendum_Reports_Statistics/index.htm", "http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const/page-1.html#h-3" ], [], [] ]
5c3j04
if america engaged in nuclear war where would the nukes land and what plans are in place?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5c3j04/eli5if_america_engaged_in_nuclear_war_where_would/
{ "a_id": [ "d9tc9mk" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ " > What are the big targets (Both in america and in the countries we would be nuking)\n\nClassified! We don't really spread our secret nuclear strike plans around so the chances you will get particulars over the internet are slim to none.\n\n > ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1d5tur
raspberry pi and examples of its various uses
I have done some googling, but I figure someone here can help give me a better breakdown and some examples using raspberry PI. Thanks in advance
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1d5tur/eli5_raspberry_pi_and_examples_of_its_various_uses/
{ "a_id": [ "c9n6v4s", "c9n71dg", "c9n74as", "c9n9gk8", "c9nn4dl" ], "score": [ 22, 63, 36, 23, 2 ], "text": [ "There is FAR more to it than what I am saying here.\n\nIt is a tiny computer. It isn't very powerful, but it can do enough to make it worth it for a lot o...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://xbmc.org/", "http://sickbeard.com/", "http://nzbget.sourceforge.net/Main_Page" ], [ "http://xbmc.org/" ], [], [] ]
1lhq9r
Was there ever a nation-state of Kurdistan? How close have the Kurds ever been to true sovereignty and self-government?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1lhq9r/was_there_ever_a_nationstate_of_kurdistan_how/
{ "a_id": [ "cbzeb7l", "cbzf0np" ], "score": [ 29, 4 ], "text": [ "There has never been a true nation-state of the Kurds. Under the Ottoman empire, the Kurds lived in primarily autonomous emirates that were designed as a sort of \"buffer zone\" between Ottoman and Persian territory. (Kurds...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/1993/iraqanfal/", "http://www.minorityrights.org/10116/reports/the-kurds.html" ], [] ]
xoyx2
as someone who hasn't been watching the olympics, why is everyone pissed at nbc?
I haven't been keeping up on team USA (other than hearing about Phelps and that our female gymnastics team are in the spotlight), so I have no clue why everyone is so upset. I recently read [this](_URL_0_) story, so I can see why the dissent based on that. What else has happened, though?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/xoyx2/eli5_as_someone_who_hasnt_been_watching_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c5ob50y", "c5obp23", "c5oclxz" ], "score": [ 3, 11, 3 ], "text": [ "From what I hear in the UK, NBC are being pretty lame about what they cover. They cut out the very moving war victims memorial from the opening ceremony and replaced it with an old interview with Phelp...
[]
[ "http://1045theteam.com/american-tv-neglected-the-saddest-story-in-the-olympics/" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
a21c4o
Is there a unit for pain?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/a21c4o/is_there_a_unit_for_pain/
{ "a_id": [ "eauwcp3", "eauwle5" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "No. The \"del\" has been proposed, but never seriously. \n\nThere's no objective way to quantify the experience of pain. As such, it will be subjective from individual to individual.\n\nHowever, there are systems that attemp...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_sting_pain_index" ], [] ]
vt5f6
What is the stuff in the pink ring around bathtubs, sinks, etc.?
What makes up the pink rings you see when it's been a while since you last cleaned the bathtub or toilet or sink? Just hit me and I was curious!
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/vt5f6/what_is_the_stuff_in_the_pink_ring_around/
{ "a_id": [ "c57e5fq" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Its a mold/mildew.\n\nI'm not an expert on fungi by any means, but as I understand it, fungus grows in moist environments and it's probably feeding on your stink of the day. Haha" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4kgz5r
why do nascar tires have to be changed so many times in one race?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4kgz5r/eli5why_do_nascar_tires_have_to_be_changed_so/
{ "a_id": [ "d3eumak", "d3euoct", "d3f1cbh" ], "score": [ 7, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "NASCAR tires are what are called \"slicks\" which means that they have no tread at all making them very good for gripping smooth surfaces like race tracks. They are also made of very soft rubber which i...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
15tn3f
Is there a way to prevent tooth decay without brushing?
A way to delay decay when brushing is not an option.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/15tn3f/is_there_a_way_to_prevent_tooth_decay_without/
{ "a_id": [ "c7pqswe", "c7prfpx" ], "score": [ 25, 3 ], "text": [ "The historically correct way to avoid tooth decay would be to have a diet with very little sugar and die young.", "Chewing sugar free gum after eating will remove surface plaque and loosen food particles, as well as inc...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
j7uwf
please eli5 what happens in a microwave when there isn't anything in it.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/j7uwf/please_eli5_what_happens_in_a_microwave_when/
{ "a_id": [ "c29v1tx", "c29w93g", "c29v1tx", "c29w93g" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The microwaves bounce off all inner surfaces, nothing happens.", "Nothing at all.\n\n_URL_0_\n\n > A microwave oven works by passing non-ionizing microwave radiation, usually ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven" ] ]
3rhwq9
in the music industry, what does an audio engineer do and how is this different than what a producer does?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3rhwq9/eli5_in_the_music_industry_what_does_an_audio/
{ "a_id": [ "cwo6fkf" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "A producer is the logistical and managerial head of the production. He likely works for the record company that is funding the recording and is there to make sure everything goes smoothly. He hires the audio engineer and any other players (othe...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
216989
Is caffeine in coffee different to the caffeine in tea?
I can seemingly drink an unlimited amount of tea and never really notice any effect on my body, but any more than 2 cups of coffee I seem to notice my hands shaking slightly and my heart rate increases sometimes. It could just be psychological I guess but I'm curious and hopefully some of you have some insight into it....
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/216989/is_caffeine_in_coffee_different_to_the_caffeine/
{ "a_id": [ "cga0g5l", "cga3c7x" ], "score": [ 12, 2 ], "text": [ "The caffeine in tea and coffee (and cola, etc) is the same substance. There are different amounts of caffeine in different types of teas (and different types of coffee drinks, too), however. Some drinks that we call tea are...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3k1xkm
why do phones practically stop working when your at a large event? (i.e. sporting events or concerts)
If it is just because of the mass amount phones in the area, why hasn't that been fixed by now?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3k1xkm/eli5_why_do_phones_practically_stop_working_when/
{ "a_id": [ "cuu479z", "cuu6lzy" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "yes it's because of the mass amount of phones trying to access the same data network at the same time. Basically, it's clogging the data lines up. Too much traffic = traffic stops. \n\nIt's not fixed because there's no reaso...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1dednk
Why doesn't water become more viscous as it approaches freezing?
As I study for a biochem midterm coming up, the properties of water have totally piqued my interest. I understand that in ice, water forms four hydrogen bonds creating its crystalline structure, and as the temperature exceeds the freezing point some of the bonds sort of fall apart. But then my book says that a "majorit...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1dednk/why_doesnt_water_become_more_viscous_as_it/
{ "a_id": [ "c9phwud", "c9pi5az", "c9pi93o", "c9piy0z" ], "score": [ 4, 12, 126, 15 ], "text": [ "The viscosity [does change](_URL_0_), but it's already so small that it's difficult to notice.", " > Hell vodka gets thick as it passes below freezing! im scratching my hea...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/water-dynamic-kinematic-viscosity-d_596.html" ], [], [], [ "http://docs.engineeringtoolbox.com/documents/596/water_dynamic_viscosity.png", "http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0260877409003495-gr4.jpg" ] ]
1c7dov
why is n. korea considered a communist state and not a totalitarian state?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1c7dov/eli5_why_is_n_korea_considered_a_communist_state/
{ "a_id": [ "c9dqkt2", "c9dw0f1", "c9dxcwz", "c9e60ik" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "North Korea is a democracy...but there is only ever one name on the ballot. \n\nNorth Korea is totalitarian no one really denies that. Its an absolute, hereditary, military dictato...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juche" ], [], [] ]
bxuha9
Are there any known instances in history of the "big guns" on a battleship actually hitting an airplane? What about the main gun on a tank?
I do not know what the technical term for them would be, but the especially big guns on a battleship, primary guns? The really big ones. I am sure that many battleships had anti aircraft guns on them, I do not mean those. The big guns on a battleship are/were ludicrously powerful and also potentially very accurate on ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bxuha9/are_there_any_known_instances_in_history_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "eqb5tch" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "German tank ace Otto Carius claims his tank shot down a Soviet airplane during WW2 in his memoir *Tigers in the Mud*.\n\n > ... we had a lot of trouble with the Russian fighters. They \"lurched\" past us, almost without a break. That's really th...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4dsv3q
why do they say that There are more possible positions in Go than there are atoms in the universe when the universe is axpanding so we can't know for sure how many atoms there are ?
why do they say that There are more possible positions in Go than there are atoms in the universe when the universe is expanding, so we can't know for sure how many atoms there are ?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4dsv3q/why_do_they_say_that_there_are_more_possible/
{ "a_id": [ "d1u3cl1", "d1uou5x" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "They mean *the observable universe.* We have no idea how large the universe is beyond the furthest distances we can see. Also, the fact that the universe is expanding doesn't necessarily mean that there are more atoms being ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
cwtqtt
why does your hearing sometimes get softer and you begin to hear a slight high-pitched tone, then go back to normal?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cwtqtt/eli5_why_does_your_hearing_sometimes_get_softer/
{ "a_id": [ "eyf14np", "eyf2n9r", "eyfbzoi", "eyfsytz", "eyg2j96", "eygewat", "eygpodf", "eyh16bh", "eyh2io4", "eyhbcgl" ], "score": [ 2, 74, 9888, 12, 177, 3, 2, 2, 13, 2 ], "text": [ "_URL_0_\n\nIs this what you mean?", ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ixn1n/eli5_what_is_the_ringing_noise_we_hear_when/" ], [], [], [], [], [ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otoacoustic_emission" ], [], [ "https://www.audiologyonline.com/ask-the-experts/determining-etiology-occasional-brief-tinnit...
1ewjxf
how is uk local government financed?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ewjxf/eli5_how_is_uk_local_government_financed/
{ "a_id": [ "ca4j2m5", "ca4j2m8" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "This is going to be a dull answer because it's a dull subject.\n\nIn the UK, we pay a range of taxes on a range of services, and fines for non-compliance with some aspect of the law. Some of this money goes to local governme...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3zkbe1
why are we told for example it is -2 degrees celsius but feels like -10 degrees celsius?
If it is x degrees then it feels like x degrees. And I would imagine that feeling something would be different from person to person.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zkbe1/eli5_why_are_we_told_for_example_it_is_2_degrees/
{ "a_id": [ "cymrhdc", "cymri79", "cymrkw3", "cynbvx5" ], "score": [ 6, 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "This has been asked before, but it helps to know the right buzzwords for search, \"wind chill\": _URL_0_", " > If it is x degrees then it feels like x degrees.\n\nYou can easil...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/search?q=wind+chill&restrict_sr=on" ], [], [], [] ]
8geimn
How do hydrocarbons form on other planets, etc.?
Organic chemistry is very much not my strong suit, but I was wondering what the chemical processes involved in hydrocarbons forming without some type of biomass looks like, as on bodies such at Titan. And to add to that, are similar processes found on earth in a notable amount, or do all of our hydrocarbons form from b...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8geimn/how_do_hydrocarbons_form_on_other_planets_etc/
{ "a_id": [ "dybh71f", "dyc17m2" ], "score": [ 7, 3 ], "text": [ "I'll give a partial answer.\n\nMost extraterrestrial hydrocarbons we know of consist of methane (1C). Methane is the shortest hydrocarbon, and it can be released as a byproduct of the chemical reaction which occurs when wate...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.eila.univ-paris-diderot.fr/_media/enseignement/lea/cours/linguistique/corpus-trad/14_wray_2011.pdf", "http://www.whoi.edu/science/MCG/dept/education/MOG_course_djr_tie/MORG%202005%20stable%20carbon%20isotopes%203-01-05.pdf" ], [ "https://briankoberlein.com/2015/09/21/what-are-tholins/"...
2utotg
why is the fcc suddenly supporting net neutrality?
Everything I've heard up to this point about the FCC and its attitude towards net neutrality has led me to believe they have been staunchly supportive of corporate efforts to move towards a tiered internet. Why are they suddenly pushing for the classification of the internet as a utility?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2utotg/eli5why_is_the_fcc_suddenly_supporting_net/
{ "a_id": [ "cobl5lr" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Are they pushing for it? From what I've heard lately they seem to be portraying themselves as on the fence.\n\nIf they *are* suddenly pushing for the Internet as a utility, it may be another SOPA moment. SOPA was ready to pass in Congress with a ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1mdlzh
Why are we unable to prove Collatz Conjecture?
The wikipedia article doesn't explain much about it. Is the proof perhaps related to the Prime number theorem? To me it seems like common sense that the total stopping time will always be less than infinity for any natural number.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1mdlzh/why_are_we_unable_to_prove_collatz_conjecture/
{ "a_id": [ "cc87ybe", "cc87yqh", "cc896ft", "cc8a0ls", "cc8c1sq" ], "score": [ 4, 55, 267, 27, 19 ], "text": [ "The conjecture relates the operation of addition to primes, which you can think of as 'atoms' of number theory. So far the relationship between prime fac...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collatz_conjecture", "http://i.imgur.com/fiBJz2c.png" ], [], [] ]
607xrl
why is financially supporting oneself and saving so difficult for people in the 20-30 year old range?
I am asking this as a relatively sheltered teen, so excuse my ignorance. Feel free to include some numbers.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/607xrl/eli5_why_is_financially_supporting_oneself_and/
{ "a_id": [ "df46fg6", "df46ihh", "df49aub" ], "score": [ 13, 10, 2 ], "text": [ "Once upon a time, people retired at a certain age. They got a watch and a party at the office, and went home to collect their pension. That freed up space in the company to promote people up the chain...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2n03gh
what's the difference between androids and robots?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2n03gh/eli5whats_the_difference_between_androids_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cm940pl", "cm95evh" ], "score": [ 6, 4 ], "text": [ "A robot is at it's simplest: an automated mechanical/electrical device that is made to operate with minimal or no human control and preform specific tasks. \n\nAn Android is a robot, a robot made to be specifically human loo...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6xn462
why do photography cameras take a maximum 24.2 megapixels whereas video cameras can shoot up to 8k resolution.
There is an obvious price difference between something like a sony A9 and a Red Weapon. But I have yet to see a photography camera that has more than a 24.2 megapixel sensor. Why is this?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6xn462/eli5_why_do_photography_cameras_take_a_maximum/
{ "a_id": [ "dmh1k41", "dmh3it9" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I just found a camera with a 50 Megapixel sensor here: _URL_0_ and it is still much cheaper than the Red Weapon, but that's not surprising at all.", "You have to consider the shear amount of data pushed per second from a...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.samys.com/p/Digital-SLRs/0581C002/EOS-5DS-Digital-SLR-Camera-Body/163047.html" ], [] ]
f6wmsd
what is fxaa antialiasing and what does it do for pc gaming?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f6wmsd/eli5_what_is_fxaa_antialiasing_and_what_does_it/
{ "a_id": [ "fi7gegz" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "**F**ast Appro**x**imate **A**nti-**A**liasing.\n\nIt smooths out jagged edges in rendered animation/screens. It's also faster than some other methods and uses less CPU because it only smooths out edges as they appear on screen, not how they are ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1os8xx
Did any East Asian explorers sail the Pacific and "discover" America before the Europeans did?
Or around the same time perhaps?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1os8xx/did_any_east_asian_explorers_sail_the_pacific_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ccv3pg0" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The short answer is no. The Pacific Ocean is huge and there isn't a whole lot out there. Ships capable of making the trip would have been expensive and the people who built them wanted to make sure they got their money back. Sending them blinding...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
21ym5s
how are above poverty wages bad for anyone?
The idea of above poverty wages has been stated as "wealth redistribution" and "socialism". Why? Why do a few people need to have all the money? How is this good economics, or even capitalism?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/21ym5s/eli5_how_are_above_poverty_wages_bad_for_anyone/
{ "a_id": [ "cghoy0q" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Basically the idea traces back to a primitive time when economies most limiting factor was labor. The physiocratic school of economic thought realized that people will work very hard up until they are paid the minimum wages to get by on. Once the...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
gv5zq
Why don't rod cells in the human eye add color information?
My understanding of how cone cells see color is that they are sensitive to certain wavelengths, and not others. But rod cells seem to do the same thing, after all, we cannot see UV even at night, when rod cells work but not cone cells.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/gv5zq/why_dont_rod_cells_in_the_human_eye_add_color/
{ "a_id": [ "c1qj2zt", "c1qj4mg", "c1qj7cr", "c1qk0jh" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Rods are responsible for detecting light in low light conditions, like helping you see at night when there aren't many light sources around. You have 3 different types of cones wh...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone_cell" ], [ "http://www.webexhibits.org/colorart/i/cone-spectral-sensitivitie.jpg" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrachromacy#Possibility_of_human_tetrachromats" ] ]
bsprym
How come all items that go through a charcoal process turn black?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/bsprym/how_come_all_items_that_go_through_a_charcoal/
{ "a_id": [ "eos92mt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Very few elements remain solid at the temperatures involved. Carbon is very common in most of the materials that undergo pyrolysis, and is solid at even extreme temperatures. It is also black. Charcoal is black because it is mostly elemental carb...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
6utgkp
how do your teeth detect cold and hot foods when it's just a bone?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6utgkp/eli5_how_do_your_teeth_detect_cold_and_hot_foods/
{ "a_id": [ "dlv9ki4", "dlv9mud" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Because there are living nerves inside.\n\nYer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained:\n\n1. [ELI5: Do you feel your teeth? or is it an illusion? ](_URL_0_)\n1. [ELI5: what's the point of having nerve endings...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5gopqn/eli5_do_you_feel_your_teeth_or_is_it_an_illusion/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36qhnw/eli5_whats_the_point_of_having_nerve_endings_in/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2wh8wn/eli5why_are_our_tee...
1j0zrl
Why did the US evolve into a country with huge corporate subsidies and little individual welfare, compared to Europe, where it's arguably the other way around?
This is obviously a fairly loaded question, and you might want to argue with the premise, but I truly am curious and this is the best I can articulate it right now. Mostly I am interested in the political arguments, which drove these decisions (both in US and Europe) and why they succeeded. The reason I am asking is ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1j0zrl/why_did_the_us_evolve_into_a_country_with_huge/
{ "a_id": [ "cba0ivd", "cba67hw" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "This isn't a place for soapboxing, and ~~your 'question' has a very polarized and concluded view of current trends - - are you really looking for history of policy?~~ disregard that last, I'm defensive.\n\n\n\n", "One of...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Hotel_Co._v._Parrish", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lochner_v._New_York", "http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-09-07/opinions/35274849_1_individual-rights-ninth-amendment-bakeries", "http://www.volokh.com/2012/09/12/de-habilitating-lochner-a-resp...
pjutz
Books on Soviet Tactics in the Second World War
I'd like to learn about the tactics employed by the Red Army on the Eastern front in the Second World War. I've been reading Guy Sajer's *The Forgotten Soldier* (historically shaky, apparently, but emotionally truthful), and it has really sparked my interest in how the Soviets fought. As I read Sajer describe German ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/pjutz/books_on_soviet_tactics_in_the_second_world_war/
{ "a_id": [ "c3py8nl", "c3v57ht" ], "score": [ 12, 2 ], "text": [ "Luckily this article is available as a free download:\n\n\"Stalingrad and the Evolution of Soviet Urban Warfare\" by David R. Stone\n\n_URL_3_\n\nAlso, try the following:\n_URL_9_\n\n_URL_4_\n\n_URL_2_\n\n_URL_5_\n\n_URL_0_...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.amazon.com/PANZER-DESTROYER-Memoirs-Army-Commander/dp/1844159515/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328910546&sr=8-1", "http://www.amazon.com/Colossus-Reborn-1941-1943-Modern-Studies/dp/0700613536", "http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Shores-Viktor-Leonov/dp/0804107327/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=132...
6lbssy
When was the speed of sound generally understood by scholars and how did they rationalize the slowness of sound when observed at a distance?
We take for granted these fundamental understandings of how the universe works, and it leads me to my curiosity toward civilizations that existed before understanding these basic scientific principles. Specifically the nature of sound waves (and maybe Doppler effect if anything existed to display the phenomenon)
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6lbssy/when_was_the_speed_of_sound_generally_understood/
{ "a_id": [ "djsqorq" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "As early as Aristotle's *On Things Heard*, we find the idea that sound is vibrations pushed through the air on a wave. Aristotle also argued that higher pitched sounds travelled through the air faster than lower pitched sounds. This idea was inc...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
cn5yxu
how do we instinctively know whether music 'sounds' right or wrong?
For example if someone is singing off tune, or a piano player hits the wrong note, we seem to know that this is wrong. But how do we know that even without music training? Is it innate or learned?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cn5yxu/eli5_how_do_we_instinctively_know_whether_music/
{ "a_id": [ "ew75hxi", "ew76a79", "ew79c8g", "ew7z2vi", "ew824hg", "ew844lh", "ew8k6y8" ], "score": [ 17, 30, 6, 3, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It's actually math.\n\nSounds correspond to specific frequencies of vibration in the air. Low notes have longer...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consonance_and_dissonance", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interval_(music)", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmony" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Your_Brain_on_Music" ], [], []...
7sqwcf
Given that Elizabeth I did not officially name a successor, how did James manage to take the throne without significant opposition?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7sqwcf/given_that_elizabeth_i_did_not_officially_name_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dt6w33v" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Mentioning previous AskHistorians answers is not intended to discourage questions, especially because archived posts can't be replied to (and new comments would tend to get ignored anyway), and some of these comments didn't address the \"without ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7c4uqj/succession_of_queen_elizabeth_i_and_possible/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/396zdf/was_there_notable_opposition_to_allowing_james_vi/cs19bi1/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/67dc6n/how_did_queen_elizabeth_i...
1x9ez7
why are the world's deserts where they are/not at the equator?
I've always assumed it's hottest at the equator, and therefore the world's large deserts would be there. But when I was indulging in exploration via Google Maps, I saw that jungles seem to make up the equatorial area. I feel like I should know this from some middle school science class explanation, but I can't rememb...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1x9ez7/eli5_why_are_the_worlds_deserts_where_they_arenot/
{ "a_id": [ "cf9advv", "cf9qm3g" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Deserts are less about sheer temperature as they are about aridity. Rainfall patterns are influenced mostly by air currents. The way air circulates around the planet causes particularly dry air in bands 30 degree off the equ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
iw6lv
Why do flashlights/lasers leave "trails" when shining on an object and moving back and forth?
Hope that made sense. Is it actually happening, or does our brain think it is. Or do I just move faster than the speed of light.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/iw6lv/why_do_flashlightslasers_leave_trails_when/
{ "a_id": [ "c2742si", "c2746gi" ], "score": [ 13, 5 ], "text": [ "Your brain (or your eyes, really) thinks there are trails. \n\nIt takes time for the light receptors in your eye to return from the 'on' state back to 'off' state after the illumination has gone and during this time the re...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistence_of_vision" ] ]
9xpeop
tasks dentists do that we never do at home
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9xpeop/eli5_tasks_dentists_do_that_we_never_do_at_home/
{ "a_id": [ "e9u2eh7" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Not much of anything. Dental health is one part genetics one part diet one part hygiene. If a dentist is trying really hard to take care of their teeth, they'd likely avoid acidic drinks (especially soda) and when possible use a straw, avoid exce...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
d371z8
how does sound's volume or intensity (not pitch) behaves physically? like frequency is the length between waves?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d371z8/eli5_how_does_sounds_volume_or_intensity_not/
{ "a_id": [ "ezzpbhs" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It's the height of the wave, i.e. its amplitude.\n\nThe pitch/frequency is how often the air molecules vibrate back and forth in a second, the intensity is how **far** they vibrate back and forth with each swing." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
29ibxf
What would cause ice to form in a million paper thin sheets like this? Does this have a name? (imgur link)
[Here are photos of both the ice and where it came from.](_URL_0_) It was difficult to get more than just the outer layer to show up in the photograph, but I hope the intricacy is visible as it was quite beautiful, really.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/29ibxf/what_would_cause_ice_to_form_in_a_million_paper/
{ "a_id": [ "cilq5ki" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Ice crystal formation is sensitive to environemental conditions. What happened there is that the surface of the pond must have frozen first, and the water level must have then dropped. This sealed a pocket of water-saturated air between the ice c...
[]
[ "https://imgur.com/a/WCU9w" ]
[ [ "http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118667934.app4/pdf" ] ]
6ld7ny
could a human genetic mutation produce a superhero power?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ld7ny/eli5_could_a_human_genetic_mutation_produce_a/
{ "a_id": [ "djswqh8", "djsx777", "djszf1f", "djt346e" ], "score": [ 7, 5, 107, 3 ], "text": [ "It depends on what kind of superhero powers you mean. Most of them - super speed, healing factor, near-invulnerability and others - violate the laws of physics and are simply imp...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
67leto
what makes a cancerous cell a good candidate for an immortal cell line?
Given the number of cancer patients we have had in the past, we should have thousands of immortal cell lines if not more. Is there anything special about the commercialized cell lines or would any patient qualify for "donating" (I don't really know how this works, please bear with me), as long as the mutation is novel?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/67leto/eli5_what_makes_a_cancerous_cell_a_good_candidate/
{ "a_id": [ "dgrd0hc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The NCI 60-panel cell line (which is what you're talking about with chosen immortal cell lines) is composed of various agreed upon immortal cell lines that are chosen to predict (or chosen because they predict) the behavior of distinct phenotypes...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5gpyfj
How did the United States justify having an entire government office for censoring the media during World War Two?
I understand why they needed the Office of Censorship, to protect classified info, etc., but in a country where freedom of press is so heavily valued how did FDR justify it to the public? And what would've happened if someone challenged it all the way to the Supreme Court? Was it constitutional?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5gpyfj/how_did_the_united_states_justify_having_an/
{ "a_id": [ "daus0dt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The Office of Censorship was a _voluntary_ press code. Obviously \"voluntary\" in wartime can be less than \"voluntary\" in peacetime — threatening to denounce as unpatriotic, etc., even occasionally invocations of the Espionage Act as a threat —...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2013/09/20/worst-manhattan-project-leaks/" ] ]
1qwjbd
when i transfer money from paypal, where does it go for 3-7 business day until it appears in my bank account?
I use Paypal to process credit cards and for Paypal transactions. I refunded a customer on Friday, and they called this morning - angry - that they haven't received their money. I called Paypal to complain, but they said that the money is gone from their accounts, and could take 3-7 business days before the customer re...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qwjbd/eli5_when_i_transfer_money_from_paypal_where_does/
{ "a_id": [ "cdh7e4m" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There are various clearing houses ([FedWire](_URL_2_), [CHIPS](_URL_0_), [ACH](_URL_3_)) where the money sits for a bit as it makes its way to the other bank. This is something I'm not too knowledgeable about so I can't go any further without ris...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.investopedia.com/terms/clearing-house-interbank-payments-system-chips.asp", "https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/Account-balance-Archive/Why-does-it-take-3-4-business-days-to-withdraw-funds-from-paypal/td-p/363796", "http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fedwire.asp", "http://www.investo...
37g3a7
how do insurance companies afford to pay out such large sums of money when individuals buyers of plans do not pay as much as they receive? where does this money all come from?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37g3a7/eli5_how_do_insurance_companies_afford_to_pay_out/
{ "a_id": [ "crmdahn", "crmdcjn", "crmdfod", "crme814", "crmg5qo", "crmjqao" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 4, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because there will be people who never have a pay out. So in a sense, those people who do not get a pay out, pay for someone elses pay o...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
34tqs4
what are the little nubs that are under the "f" and "j" keys on a keyboard supposed to do?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34tqs4/eli5_what_are_the_little_nubs_that_are_under_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cqxyjrw", "cqxyk2p", "cqxymbw" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "When you type without looking at the keyboard those two nubs let you know where to place your fingers: They represent the start of \"home row.\"\n\n_URL_0_", "Center your hands for proper typing for...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_typing#/media/File:QWERTY-home-keys-position.svg" ], [], [] ]
bw624c
why do sharks have to continuously move to breathe but fish can breathe just fine while sitting still?
What else separates sharks from the normal fish? I know they aren’t in the same genus(?) / phylogeny (?)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bw624c/eli5_why_do_sharks_have_to_continuously_move_to/
{ "a_id": [ "epvfngh", "epvi8x4", "epvvj9z" ], "score": [ 8, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "It depends on the fish.\n\n & #x200B;\n\nSome fish(and sharks by proxy) have to keep moving to keep water over their gills.\n\n & #x200B;\n\nSome have the ability to use their mouths to push water over ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/sharks/shark-drown1.htm" ], [] ]
r0j2l
How do viruses infect bacteria or other living cells?
Is it true that inside a virus is a place where some kind of genetic material is stored, and somehow this is injected into a cell? How does the virus open up the cell and put genetic material into it? And why would this foreign matter get incorporated into plasmids and such?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/r0j2l/how_do_viruses_infect_bacteria_or_other_living/
{ "a_id": [ "c41yhx7", "c41yi8e" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "I'll explain using an example: influenza A\n\nInfluenza A is an enveloped virus that has a negative-sense, segmented RNA genome. This means that the structure of the virus is basically a protein shell made up of matrix prote...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-08-virus-swiss-army-knife-protein.html" ] ]
26lmci
What did pre-Columbian North Americans make their clothing out of?
I live in New Mexico and a lot of the traditional stuff that the Native Americans here wear for their ceremonies and stuff is (as far as I can tell) wool, but they couldn't have had that before the Spanish brought sheep here. So what did people wear before that? Surely they didn't wear hides all the time? Especially he...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/26lmci/what_did_precolumbian_north_americans_make_their/
{ "a_id": [ "chs7j7y", "chsbial" ], "score": [ 6, 10 ], "text": [ "For Mexico, at least, clothing was made from spun cotton or maguey fibers. There were still people who made clothing made out of hides and in the Florentine Codex the person Sahagun was interviewing for this information cal...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
e32tuv
why are saxophones so much louder than guitars?
More generally: Why are instruments you blow into so much louder than guitars, violins, pianos...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e32tuv/eli5_why_are_saxophones_so_much_louder_than/
{ "a_id": [ "f90dz7u", "f90fads" ], "score": [ 3, 15 ], "text": [ "Brass instruments are designed to make the air you blow vibrate stronger throughout the pathway of the instrument which makes it stronger; the keys change this pathway to produce different sounds. String instruments are des...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
88w7qp
what is the relationship between laissez-faire and trickle down economics?
I understand the individual terms. But many articles i read use the term slightly interchangeably.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/88w7qp/eli5_what_is_the_relationship_between/
{ "a_id": [ "dwnoxph", "dwnpjl4" ], "score": [ 4, 8 ], "text": [ "Let's say I have a billion dollars, I can do three things: I can spend some of it, I can save some of it and I can invest some of it.\n\nIf I buy something, I increase demand for that thing. If demand increases, producers wi...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2iadl9
Do spider webs decay or degrade over time?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2iadl9/do_spider_webs_decay_or_degrade_over_time/
{ "a_id": [ "cl0ebf2", "cl0qk9f", "cl0snv1" ], "score": [ 135, 13, 12 ], "text": [ "In contrast to the other two answers, I'd like to suggest that, while spider webs degrade over time, it isn't a super rapid process (i.e., I don't think they 'rot' easily).\n\nSpider silk, which mak...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jez.480/abstract;jsessionid=0D3F4B4053CE0D57577F3AE4D9731FDE.f02t03", "http://jpkc.dhu.edu.cn/xwhxwl/ziliao/tzcl/Spider%20silks%20and%20their%20applications.pdf" ], [], [] ]
5mqeqt
how did banks keep track of legitimate withdrawals before the electronic age?
It seems that the old paper savings booklet banks used in the past would have made bank withdrawal fraud extremely easy. How did banks protect themselves against exploits back in the era before electronic banking? And how did your savings information get propagated between various branches of the same bank or even wo...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5mqeqt/eli5_how_did_banks_keep_track_of_legitimate/
{ "a_id": [ "dc5k215", "dc5ka88", "dc5vfs9", "dc69ddn" ], "score": [ 34, 11, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The savings booklet was just your personal record. The bank's record was the final say in the matter.\n\nKeeping track of deposits and withdrawals before electronics was easier b...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Abagnale" ] ]
r1r26
what is the difference between eating 2000 calories per day versus eating 2300 but burning 300 of them by running per day?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/r1r26/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_eating_2000/
{ "a_id": [ "c427ly0", "c42atqz", "c42bdpq" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 6 ], "text": [ "Here you go, buddy, plugged from /r/fitness:\n_URL_0_", "If you eat more you have lots of energy to run about. If you run about, you get to eat more or yummier foods (yay!) and be more fit and heal...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/hfeuy/what_is_the_difference_between_eating_1000/" ], [], [] ]
67bbx0
what is the dangly thing in the back of the throat/what does it do/ what is it called?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/67bbx0/eli5_what_is_the_dangly_thing_in_the_back_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dgp35m9" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It is called your uvula. It helps guide food down your throat by covering the opening to your nose when you swallow. It also secretes saliva to lubricate your throat so the food that you swallow can slide down easily." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3mil38
why does the power company want me to use less electricity?
I got my bill with the little bar graph shaming me for my (large) household using more electricity than my neighbors. They also send me emails suggesting energy-saving strategies etc. Isn't electricity how they make their money? In fact, the more I use the more the price goes up. I understand that we should all be tr...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mil38/eli5_why_does_the_power_company_want_me_to_use/
{ "a_id": [ "cvf8uxf", "cvfc3hx" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Two reasons:\n\n1) The cost of building new electricity generation capacity is expensive. In particular, the cost of installing and operating peak power plants (plants that are usually idle, but ramp up production when peak...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6cxvpu
why isn't there an industrial process for manufacturing petrol/gasoline?
We know the exact structure of the relevant chemicals, we know the exact composition of the petrol our cars require, and we know how to vary composition for performance and climate. Why can't we just make it instead of having to drill for and refine it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6cxvpu/eli5_why_isnt_there_an_industrial_process_for/
{ "a_id": [ "dhy7lz6", "dhy7tfa", "dhyafri" ], "score": [ 9, 5, 2 ], "text": [ " > Why can't we just make it instead of having to drill for and refine it?\n\nWe can, it's just that making it requires more energy than burning it releases so you end up with a net loss of energy. Dril...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
8eiyws
how is dna affected (if at all) by transplants? the first penis and scrotum transplant seems successful- will his ejaculate be his dna, the donors, or a mixture of both?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8eiyws/eli5_how_is_dna_affected_if_at_all_by_transplants/
{ "a_id": [ "dxvk0dg", "dxvk7r2" ], "score": [ 2, 26 ], "text": [ "Sperm are made in the testes. I don't know a lot about this case though. If by 'scrotum transplant' they mean the scrotum (skin) only, DNA would be the patients original. If they mean scrotum+contents (including testes) th...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
7rtsdc
what happens to our muscles when we 'pull' our neck?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7rtsdc/eli5_what_happens_to_our_muscles_when_we_pull_our/
{ "a_id": [ "dszo4oo" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "What do you mean by \"pulling\" your neck? are you talking about a neck strain or neck cracking?" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
edum69
why do some small electronics such as a router have a bulky adapter plug, but a large appliance such as a vacuum cleaner have a regular plug?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/edum69/eli5why_do_some_small_electronics_such_as_a/
{ "a_id": [ "fbl662i", "fbl6hn7", "fbl6mgs", "fbl6odi", "fbl75r1", "fbl87hn", "fblhaka", "fbmd1f2" ], "score": [ 5, 16, 2, 38, 4, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because small appliances run on low voltage DC power which requires a converter that's nor...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
jzst6
I keep hearing about invasive species flourishing in the United States coming from Asia, I was wondering....
Have there been any invasive species in Asia that came from the United States? My examples are: stinkbugs, Sneakhead fish, and the Asian Tiger Mosquito (I'm sure there are more).
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jzst6/i_keep_hearing_about_invasive_species_flourishing/
{ "a_id": [ "c2gfn6p", "c2gfs6n", "c2gfn6p", "c2gfs6n" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Here you go:\n\n_URL_0_\n\n", "I read the title of your post and didn't have to read the comment that followed (i finished it in my head). great question and well worded!", ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_invasive_species_in_Asia" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_invasive_species_in_Asia" ], [] ]
5ci2uc
why do we sometimes notice certain words in a large amount of text when only quickly glancing at it?
I've noticed that whenever I'm quickly looking through text (not even looking really, just turning pages/scrolling) I somehow manage to notice/read specific words from within the text that usually relate to something I recently thought about/am thinking about. How does this happen? If I'm not reading text, but just lo...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ci2uc/eli5_why_do_we_sometimes_notice_certain_words_in/
{ "a_id": [ "d9wxv1c" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This doesn't exactly answer your question, but this study may help: _URL_0_\n\nIt's about how people only read the first and last letters of words, and can still understand it, so while people skim text, they are actually understanding a lot more...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/people/matt.davis/cmabridge/" ] ]
fif9g
Why do physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass?
I always thought that nobody knows for sure why physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass. However, they know a vast amount about these observable proportions. Am I wrong?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fif9g/why_do_physical_bodies_attract_with_a_force/
{ "a_id": [ "c1g68do" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Because we live in a universe with gravity." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
e459zj
Assuming you were a random nazi foot soldier who survived the war, what kind of trial and punishment would you be expecting to receive after Germany surrenders?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/e459zj/assuming_you_were_a_random_nazi_foot_soldier_who/
{ "a_id": [ "f97r7q2" ], "score": [ 70 ], "text": [ "More of course can be said, but denazification is a topic that has been asked about before, and /u/kieslowskifan has a number of excellent answers on the topic, which do speak to parts of your question here, and also would be of larger, general ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/b6w6ym/nazism_in_postwar_germany/ejouod0/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/902aab/given_adolf_heusingers_prominent_role_in_the_nazi/e2ozei8/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/aw8j8f/how_arewere_ww2_veterans_treated_in_...
9e0rj0
Do our ears react to quiet and loud in a similar way to how our eyes react to bright and dark?
To expand. I know that when it is bright your pupils constrict to allow less light in and therefore prevent damage from being caused by overexposure, and that when it is dark your pupils dilate to allow more light in so you are able to see better. So, do our ears respond in a similar way, with something changing when ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/9e0rj0/do_our_ears_react_to_quiet_and_loud_in_a_similar/
{ "a_id": [ "e5ml5om" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "There are muscles in your ear which respond to loud noises by tightening your eardrum which reduces the amount of sound which gets transmitted through to the inner ear. You can feel this action, particularly when there's a loud, pulsing sound tri...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
vxwan
there's been a few posts about what the higgs boson is, but i want to know what the effects of its discovery are? basically, why should i be excited?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/vxwan/eli5_theres_been_a_few_posts_about_what_the_higgs/
{ "a_id": [ "c58mc10" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "You should be excited because it's a terrific confirmation of the [Standard Model](_URL_0_) of how the Universe works. The Higgs Boson was predicted to make certain aspects of the Standard Model work right. If there were *no* Higgs boson, then ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Model", "http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clerk_Maxwell", "http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amp%C3%A8re%27s_circuital_law#Displacement_current" ] ]
4fb092
how can google maps calculate a 35h long route in less than a second, yet it takes my garmin half a minute to do that
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fb092/eli5_how_can_google_maps_calculate_a_35h_long/
{ "a_id": [ "d27bp0i", "d27br9h", "d27bt2d" ], "score": [ 11, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Google has an array of servers that are thousands of not millions of times faster than a single Garmin.", "Your Garmin has all the maps stored locally and does the processing locally too.\n\nGoogle...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5qzpt8
how online stores can afford to offer free shipping on heavy items
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5qzpt8/eli5_how_online_stores_can_afford_to_offer_free/
{ "a_id": [ "dd3cwsc" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "In short the answer is volume. They do so much business with the shipper that they are given steep discounts for doing all of their shopping through their company. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
6nouhk
the afterburn effect of high intensity interval training. what happens in your body during the period after your workout?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6nouhk/eli5_the_afterburn_effect_of_high_intensity/
{ "a_id": [ "dkb72j8" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Specifically in a way that doesnt go to much in depth, is activating many..many..many.. different hormonal systems in place to prepare your body to condition the physical exertion you used.\n\nA large part of this is the mitochondrial build up in...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
65uk6v
Why, in String Theory, would other dimensions be curled up for us not to perceive them ?
String Theory suggests that there are more than 3 spatial dimensions. The proposed reason we don't see those dimensions are that they are "curled up" (Brian Greene uses the example of a hose or a cable that, viewed from afar, is a straight line, but to an ant it's something that can be walked over and around). However,...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/65uk6v/why_in_string_theory_would_other_dimensions_be/
{ "a_id": [ "dgdjljd", "dgdx3nd" ], "score": [ 7, 2 ], "text": [ "Either the extra dimensions are curled up (compact), or you are prevented from moving in them because you are confined to a lower-dimensional D-brane (braneworld models). In this case the particles of the standard model are ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1fohn2
If I took a fish out of water in zero gravity conditions how effectively will its gills be able to extract oxygen from the air?
I know that a big problem with fish gills is that they aren't sturdy enough to keep from collapsing or drying out when outside of the water, but if I were to take a fish into space with me and I kept it in a humid environment how effectively will it be able to extract O2 from the air?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1fohn2/if_i_took_a_fish_out_of_water_in_zero_gravity/
{ "a_id": [ "cac88h4" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "When fish are removed from water, air surrounds the gills, the gills collapse against one another, and oxygen from either water or air can't reach most of the gill membranes. The fish suffocate. As long as the air pressure is ~1atm, they'll still...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5i7asv
why do gas stations constantly adjust their prices up and down with the market, but retailers of other commodity-driven products (coffee shops, jewelers, etc.) don't?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5i7asv/eli5_why_do_gas_stations_constantly_adjust_their/
{ "a_id": [ "db5xurb", "db5zz8o", "db63gyc", "db6drys" ], "score": [ 20, 3, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Because they can.\n\nFor a gas station with electronic signage, there is almost no upfront cost in changing the price that gas is being sold at. Unlike many commodities where p...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
2wlp1d
If neutrons are electrically neutral why isn't the universe filled with free neutrons?
My assumption is that free electrons have a tendency to bind with protons as atoms so that is why we don't see free protons as much.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2wlp1d/if_neutrons_are_electrically_neutral_why_isnt_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cos1k1y", "cosgvc7" ], "score": [ 27, 2 ], "text": [ "Free neutrons are unstable. A free neutron decays with a half-life of about 10 minutes, generally into a proton, an electron, and an electron antineutrino.", "Nucleons in an atom constantly change from proton to neutro...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4mw7h3
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia was voluntarily deemed the sole successor state to the USSR. Is there any historical consensus as to whether this was good for the modern nation of Russia, or did the obligations outweigh the benefits?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4mw7h3/after_the_dissolution_of_the_soviet_union_russia/
{ "a_id": [ "d3z1fqt" ], "score": [ 15 ], "text": [ "Well, it's not so much that it was *deemed* the successor nation of the USSR, but that it *was* the successor nation of the USSR. The USSR was formed out of the collapsed Russian empire, when the Bolsheviks took over Moscow and St.Petersburg and...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3oby2f
How did the Soviets falsify photographs
I would often see photographs in history textbooks such as this _URL_0_ and it baffled me that the Soviets could do such a brilliant job in doctoring photos even before the existence of Photoshop or computers for that matter. Heck, their 'photoshop' skills are even better than some people's attempt at photoshop today. ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3oby2f/how_did_the_soviets_falsify_photographs/
{ "a_id": [ "cvvusmo", "cvw1t95" ], "score": [ 10, 3 ], "text": [ "Doctoring a photo is pretty simple if you know how printing photos works. You have a negative and a piece of photo sensitive paper. You shine a light through the negative and onto the photo paper and you have a picture. If ...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/uLDXcuB" ]
[ [ "http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1924226_1949526,00.html" ], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3j6xci/how_did_they_edit_this_picture_of_stalin/" ] ]
2srbzu
why do little kids seem so much more creative than adults?
I have a daughter who is a little over two years old. As she has grown and gained more language ability, I am more aware of her creative play. She seems like she is in a constant state of play that frequently involves making up things, and generally imaginative play with dolls (the dolls are going to bed, eating bre...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2srbzu/eli5_why_do_little_kids_seem_so_much_more/
{ "a_id": [ "cns59n4", "cns6rni" ], "score": [ 9, 3 ], "text": [ "Kids don't understand physical limitations or impossibilities. They're more creative because they don't consider what they can't do, just what they want. ", "It's a type of learning mechanism.\n\nPeek-a-boo is about obje...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/user/itsokaytobesmart/videos" ] ]
1oq325
To what extent did Western popular culture penetrate the Soviet Union during the Cold War?
I'm looking to do a presentation on this topic for my 4th year Soviet History class next month. Depending on how it goes, I may also base my term paper around this topic as well. I'm basically looking for any information to help me along, especially any recommendations for academic or literary sources. I find this top...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1oq325/to_what_extent_did_western_popular_culture/
{ "a_id": [ "ccuh9t6", "ccujtpa" ], "score": [ 4, 20 ], "text": [ "Im typing this from my phone so excuse the brevity. Look into the stilyagi. Alexei Yurchak has a book called Everything was forever until it was no more that might also get you going.", "In three words: to A great ext...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stilyagi", "http://alloflyrics.com/lyrics/Alisa-Konstantin-Kinchev/Meloman-10902.html", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alisa" ] ]
4yu3c2
how light travels in a particle and a wave. if one photon is a wave, does that mean many photons propogate outwards in a expanding wave till it hits something? does human eye see a particle or a wave when it hits retina?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4yu3c2/eli5_how_light_travels_in_a_particle_and_a_wave/
{ "a_id": [ "d6qfx62" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ " > ELI5: how light travels in a particle and a wave.\n\nThat's one of the really great unexplained questions in physics. It's quite possible that we'll never truly be able to fully understand what a photon \"is\" because it's so far beyond anyth...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
28956i
Since different people have different sized eardrums, do they interpret pitches different than everyone else?
If I play a C on my piano, will my huge friend hear a different C than I do? I understand that all the pitches are relative so no matter what it sounds like to them, a song will sound like it was put together well. Just not sure about the definite pitches.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/28956i/since_different_people_have_different_sized/
{ "a_id": [ "ci8psze" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Eardrums simply separate the inner ear from the outside world, and controls the amount of sound transmission through tensing or relaxig.\n\nDetection of frequency on the other hand is done by the stereocilia in the [cochlear](_URL_0_).\n\nI guess...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlea", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concert_pitch" ] ]