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nlihv
somali pirates. how is it an industry and why can't it be stopped in the gulf of aden?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/nlihv/somali_pirates_how_is_it_an_industry_and_why_cant/
{ "a_id": [ "c3a10ut", "c3a17ex", "c3a1f7k", "c3a1k5p", "c3a3ved", "c3a10ut", "c3a17ex", "c3a1f7k", "c3a1k5p", "c3a3ved" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "A combination of overfishing and dumping of toxi...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2ug9xm
When did it become an acceptable practice to be in debt?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2ug9xm/when_did_it_become_an_acceptable_practice_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "co84ktz" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "As you no doubt know, debt used to be a crime punishable by imprisonment and other measures. The first inklings of change started to happen as early industrialization took hold; to engage in industrial efforts, capital needed to be accumulated in...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2g26ti
Is Magma Radioactive?
How Radioactive?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2g26ti/is_magma_radioactive/
{ "a_id": [ "ckf55hy" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "No more so than the rock it forms. ~~Grannies~~ Granites can be quite radioactive, the basalt end of the spectrum far less so ." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
a5sc81
How did we eradicate Smallpox?
How does an entire disease get wiped out? Do all the pathogens that cause the disease go extinct? Or does everyone in the human race become immune to that disease and it no longer has any effect on us? If it's the latter case, can diseases like smallpox and polio come back through mutation?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/a5sc81/how_did_we_eradicate_smallpox/
{ "a_id": [ "ebowg3g", "ebox7mh", "ebp1cbt", "ebp7bav", "ebp8p6h", "ebpl08c" ], "score": [ 105, 33, 3, 441, 116, 7 ], "text": [ "Smallpox basically only exists in humans, and doesn't change that quickly.\n\nSo one of the largest vaccination campaigns ever wa...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82go6P7DES4" ], [], [], [], [] ]
bpp79c
how did we come to the point where we have chocolate eggs for easter?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bpp79c/eli5_how_did_we_come_to_the_point_where_we_have/
{ "a_id": [ "envz692", "enxis7l" ], "score": [ 17, 3 ], "text": [ "Because Easter is a fertility celebration -hence the eggs and bunnies (known for rampant shagging) - that was sabotaged by Christianity along with so many other 'pagan' religious events.", "[Eostre](_URL_0_) (also known...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%92ostre" ] ]
1zser2
how do deep space satellites navigate through debris like the asteroid belt or the oort cloud?
Are they smart enough to detect and maneuver around objects in their immediate trajectory? Or unexpected objects encountered in the satellites' flight plan?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zser2/eli5how_do_deep_space_satellites_navigate_through/
{ "a_id": [ "cfwiyj4", "cfwizgz", "cfwjs4c", "cfwv3t7" ], "score": [ 8, 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The chances of actually encountering an object in an asteroid field is astronomically (ha!) low. It isn't like you see in Star Wars. Objects can be separated by millions of miles. ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
4ov3as
Why do I need to delete a usb drive before removing it from my computer?
It's probably really obvious but I haven't got a clue as to why it is necessary.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4ov3as/why_do_i_need_to_delete_a_usb_drive_before/
{ "a_id": [ "d4ftk50" ], "score": [ 48 ], "text": [ "The \"eject\" function forces the operating system to finish all write operations to the device. Sometimes, the OS may delay writing data to a device and instead keeps it in memory. It will report the write operation (for example the saving of a...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2jwicq
Why is buoyancy a fluid-only property?
This is a dumb question, but I'm wondering why buoyancy is unique to fluids. If I bury a balloon underground it doesn't pop back up but this isn't the case if I push the balloon down a tank of water. How does the FBD differ for each case and what properties specific to fluids allows for buoyancy but not solids?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2jwicq/why_is_buoyancy_a_fluidonly_property/
{ "a_id": [ "clftrk3", "clfuxeb", "clfvkvw" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Interesting question, I had to stop and think about this!\n\nIn a fluid a body experiences buoyancy and is free to move upwards because the fluid can be easily deformed by the buoyant body. In a solid, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
4ciwuo
why do people love eating fast food more often than having more "natural" food?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ciwuo/eli5_why_do_people_love_eating_fast_food_more/
{ "a_id": [ "d1iluyj" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It's generally the trifecta of convenience, affordability, and taste. None of the three are particularly spectacular, but all are good. So it's an easy option for people who don't have a lot of time to cook." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
14i8dl
how did we come up with our current system of years?
I don't mean "years" as in the earth revolving around the sun one time through. I'm asking why are we currently in the 2,012th "year"? How did they keep track of years before year 0?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/14i8dl/eli5_how_did_we_come_up_with_our_current_system/
{ "a_id": [ "c7dadsm", "c7dbm08" ], "score": [ 11, 2 ], "text": [ "It varied from place to place, but was typically measure by the reign of the current king...\"in the 12th year of King Bob, such and such occurred\". During the Roman empire, this shifted to various prominent emperors.\n\n...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4eiyxf
What happens if a person in a first world country is diagnosed with rabies? Are they doomed or can it be treated?
I know there's a series of injections and drugs a person can be given to prevent the virus from getting out of control, but what happens if they never get those drugs and actually start showing symptoms? How would the condition be treated once the virus is past its incubation period?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4eiyxf/what_happens_if_a_person_in_a_first_world_country/
{ "a_id": [ "d21pkqv", "d21q2h7", "d21r52z" ], "score": [ 3, 7, 8 ], "text": [ "(Not a medical professional.) I thought basically (once symptoms had appeared and it was too late for the shots). You had to let the virus run it's course. And that fever (and delusions) were so stro...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19792992", "http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10125149&fileId=S0317167115003315", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25956434", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19545499", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.ni...
2lc846
why were there so many insane asylums 100 years ago, but you rarely hear about them today?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lc846/eli5_why_were_there_so_many_insane_asylums_100/
{ "a_id": [ "cltexxa", "cltf20n", "cltf2mf", "cltf5gf", "cltfgxk", "cltfk4g", "cltflqs", "cltfnp9", "cltgjj2", "cltgum9", "cltidnt", "cltj0ul", "cltkeyy", "cltkv13", "cltl3ai", "cltlo4o", "cltmb7k", "cltn7k6", "clto8f4", "cltq3sh", "c...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atascadero_State_Hospital" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93581736" ], [], [], [] ]
4wdyao
what exactly is the rem sleep cycle and how does it work?
I seem to wake up at about 3AM which is 3 hours after I go to sleep every night to go pee. So I was just wondering why it's so consistent
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4wdyao/eli5_what_exactly_is_the_rem_sleep_cycle_and_how/
{ "a_id": [ "d669rmv" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Your pineal gland pumps out melatonin, which makes your body relax and \"sleep.\"\n\nBasically, it pumps it out in cycles, which usually last about 3 hours (which makes PERFECT sense given your post) and it starts with light sleep, and when it fu...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2ybkxf
digestion takes hours to occur however, when i eat taco bell i immediately feel like exploding the nearest toilet.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ybkxf/eli5_digestion_takes_hours_to_occur_however_when/
{ "a_id": [ "cp808zv" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The toilet rush is to expel the food digested hours ago not the current Taco Bell" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
eo560j
Were left-handed swordsmen in the middle ages more valuable?
I read online that it was advantageous to have them on your side when invading a fortress so they were often awarded signing bonuses when recruited.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/eo560j/were_lefthanded_swordsmen_in_the_middle_ages_more/
{ "a_id": [ "fe9dbyy" ], "score": [ 16 ], "text": [ "What we know of the historical fencing sources from the early modern period is that opinions seem to differ! (If you know fencing instructors, this is the most unsurprising thing ever)\n\nLiechtenaur (one of the earlier sources c. 1400) makes p...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://spanishsword.org/files/method.of.teaching.of.masters.translation.pdf" ] ]
1wxls3
i'm from the uk; what does it mean when the papers say the us could default on their current debt?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1wxls3/eli5_im_from_the_uk_what_does_it_mean_when_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cf6a8yv", "cf6ah77", "cf6apjj" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The US government has always paid its bonds when they are due. Thus they've been a safe investment for local and foreign investors. However, if the government defaults, it means they have outstanding de...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
4tawj9
Why are cigarette filters non biodegradable?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4tawj9/why_are_cigarette_filters_non_biodegradable/
{ "a_id": [ "d5gqa8q", "d5hb6rt" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Most cigarette filters are composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic. The white fibers you see in a cigarette filter are NOT cotton, but a plastic that can persist in the environment as long as other forms of plastic....
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/cigbuttbiodegradable.htm" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_filter" ] ]
1065jl
why do we restrict immigration to the united states?
Why were restrictions put in place? I just moved from one US state to another and they welcomed me with open arms. Why can't we just let folks from other countries (with the exclusion of, say, criminals) who want to be US citizens immigrate like that?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1065jl/eli5_why_do_we_restrict_immigration_to_the_united/
{ "a_id": [ "c6aq88s", "c6aqgbt" ], "score": [ 2, 12 ], "text": [ "We would quickly be overwhelmed with all of the most undesirable people to our economy. Those with few prospects in their homeland would flood in whether there were jobs here for them or not, relying on the social system to...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
b7or48
why is it simulations of deuteranopia colour blindness, which supposedly makes a person unable to see green, appears to drain all the red from an image instead?
[Example](_URL_0_) \- It appears that the red disappears from this apple
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b7or48/eli5_why_is_it_simulations_of_deuteranopia_colour/
{ "a_id": [ "ejt7tp6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "In people with normal colour vision, there are three types of cells which respond to blue, green, and red light respectively. [This graph](_URL_0_) shows where the peak of each of these types of cells lies. As you can see, there is quite a larg...
[]
[ "https://imgur.com/a/UDoFiVh" ]
[ [ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/1416_Color_Sensitivity.jpg", "https://www.color-blindness.com/deuteranopia-red-green-color-blindness/" ] ]
2qqclb
During the age of sail, what was the procedure for a reasonably sized ship to weather a hurricane?
The main thing I was thinking about is, with the helm being open to the elements, was some poor, unfortunate soul required to remain topside to steer? Or is there some mechanism to use below decks? But I'm also looking for more general procedure that they would follow in an effort to survive.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2qqclb/during_the_age_of_sail_what_was_the_procedure_for/
{ "a_id": [ "cn8iat6", "cn8ieig", "cn8pm1t", "cn9j2rk" ], "score": [ 6, 6, 10, 3 ], "text": [ "Given that the age of sail spans human history up until say 1840 or so, that's a broad question :-) but generally, stay stern to the winds, either by setting a small headsail or a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/beaufort.html" ] ]
2bfvaz
why are students fresh out of highschool allowed to take out huge student loans without ever working or having credit?
I ask this because if I had the knowledge I do now from simply life experience I would not have taken out all that money. I am not using my education for anything over than having to pay 880 a month. Why can we not sue for this? I didn't know what I was doing but everyone wanted me to go to school. If I just saved that...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bfvaz/eli5_why_are_students_fresh_out_of_highschool/
{ "a_id": [ "cj4xf30", "cj4xjxe", "cj4ybhp", "cj4z404" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "While frankly kind of ridiculous, the current system helps to even out the playing field. Without access to some form of financial aid, intelligent but poor individuals would be un...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
e3sti0
how can snake eyes see in infrared?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e3sti0/eli5_how_can_snake_eyes_see_in_infrared/
{ "a_id": [ "f94safl", "f94t287" ], "score": [ 2, 5 ], "text": [ "Infrared is just a slightly longer wavelength of light than red. We call it infrared because it's just a bit too long a wave for human eyes to see, but there's no reason that the \"sensors\" (the cones of the retina IIRC) in...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
43wyx2
Since E=mc^2, does a photon create a gravitational field ?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/43wyx2/since_emc2_does_a_photon_create_a_gravitational/
{ "a_id": [ "czln0i5", "czlp2w5", "czlpf4g", "czlyo6z", "czlz8iy" ], "score": [ 57, 13, 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "In theory yes, but it's more complicated than just E=mc^2 .\n\nOne implication of this that was calculated, is if you have a ring of lasers reflecting off m...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.phys.uconn.edu/cgi-bin/textonly/index.cgi/0146/www.phys.uconn.edu/~mallett/Mallett2000.pdf" ], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress%E2%80%93energy_tensor" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kugelblitz_(astrophysics)" ], [] ]
cq1us1
how does a person determine how much an art work is worth?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cq1us1/eli5_how_does_a_person_determine_how_much_an_art/
{ "a_id": [ "ewtcclj", "ewtdse4" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "If you work for a city procurement department that buys art you just pull a random (ridiculously high number) out of your ass and use the taxpayers money to buy it.\nIf you are a private dealer you look at what the art is co...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4u60mj
why are people in america more fearful for their safety now when crime is at an all time low?
From _URL_0_ > In describing anxiety among Americans, Giuliani is correct: Pew research indicates that since the early 2000s, every year a majority of Americans surveyed have felt that crime has increased since the year previous. According to a 2014 Gallup poll, 70 percent of Americans think that the crime rate is in...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4u60mj/eli5_why_are_people_in_america_more_fearful_for/
{ "a_id": [ "d5n4spy", "d5n55jf", "d5n5ats", "d5n6l3m", "d5npr0s" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 9, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "People are bad with numbers and statistics. If you say there is a 99% chance of something happening people will know it's likely but they won't grasp just how...
[]
[ "http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/07/psychology-why-americans-afraid-low-crime-levels.html" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
29mtnf
i'm far sighted. are there reverse-blurred images that would appear clear to me?
When I take off my glasses I see everything blurred. Is there some sort of picture that could be blurred in the opposite direction so when I look at it it would appear to be clear? Even something as simple as a black line? intent edit: I'm aware of how optics work and realize things such as glasses bend light to send ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29mtnf/eli5_im_far_sighted_are_there_reverseblurred/
{ "a_id": [ "cimghdz", "cimgpfs", "cimhnr6", "cimjmlw", "cimjnue", "cimkl5j", "cimotn0" ], "score": [ 9, 11, 19, 10, 43, 3, 11 ], "text": [ "I hope someone answers this. It sounds incredibly interesting.", "The blurriness comes from your eyes, n...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/z5XTf5S.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/UeW4ih8.jpg" ]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsharp_masking", "http://imgur.com/6EBYMFp" ], [], [ "http://tinaculit.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/how-to-test-short-sightedness1.jpg" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reflectionprojection.jpg" ], [ "http://adsoftheworld.com/sites...
3w7onf
Why did the Warsaw Pact intervene in Czechoslovakia in 1968 but not in Poland in 1980?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3w7onf/why_did_the_warsaw_pact_intervene_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cxu1y57" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "There were several reasons for this, the Soviet Union went from initially tepidly in favor of intervention to firmly against intervening.\n\n1) Unlike in 1968, the Soviet Union at the time was already engaged in a war in Afghanistan which was es...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3tct9i
how do we know the gravity of a planet without even being able to land there?
How do we know the Gravity of say Pluto? I've been asking myself this alot and thought of some ways they might've used but it would give an inaccurate number most likely.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3tct9i/eli5_how_do_we_know_the_gravity_of_a_planet/
{ "a_id": [ "cx52bts" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "We can measure a planet's mass by watching how it interacts gravitationally with nearby objects. Pluto is an easy one because it has a system of tiny moons that are dominated by its gravity.\n\nWe can measure its radius with simple photography.\...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3glnnq
why do so many people cross the border illegally? as in, why is it so difficult for them to cross it legally?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3glnnq/eli5_why_do_so_many_people_cross_the_border/
{ "a_id": [ "ctz7l6v", "ctz8n6q" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "When entering the USA from Mexico you must show papers demonstrating that you have the right to be here. If you lack these, armed border guards will deny you entry.", "The legal immigration system for unskilled labor in ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://reason.com/assets/db/07cf533ddb1d06350cf1ddb5942ef5ad.jpg" ] ]
710my3
why do we pee in to toilet bowls of water when we can save water and simply pee down a drain?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/710my3/eli5_why_do_we_pee_in_to_toilet_bowls_of_water/
{ "a_id": [ "dn7a59j", "dn7b1cf", "dn7lrh8", "dn7spju" ], "score": [ 25, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Drains need to have a trap so that sewer gases do not enter the structure. The water in the toilet bowl is needed to cause enough pressure to force waste through that trap.", ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
3druqb
if whiskey takes at least two years to age, how does a distillery get started? do they have to wait for two years before releasing their own product?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3druqb/eli5_if_whiskey_takes_at_least_two_years_to_age/
{ "a_id": [ "ct819xd", "ct81tuj", "ct821r8", "ct82fud", "ct82ofn", "ct87zoe", "ct8ac56", "ct8ckhx", "ct8cuj3" ], "score": [ 69, 6, 8, 9, 18, 2, 5, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "A lot of distilleries are opening in my state due to recent law chan...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/07/28/your-craft-whiskey-is-probably-from-a-factory-distillery-in-indiana.html" ], [], [], [], [] ]
9mhttn
why do people with anxiety sometimes want to have something heavier on top of them. ex: weighted blankets
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9mhttn/eli5_why_do_people_with_anxiety_sometimes_want_to/
{ "a_id": [ "e7eqajz" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Because it feels like a hug, which in turn mimics our feelings inside our mothers’ womb. Babies love to be tied into warm and fuzzy blankets for that reason. It gives a sense of security. Works without anxiety, too. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4icn76
What evidence is there to support the theory that inside every black hole is another universe and our universe is inside of a black hole another universe?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4icn76/what_evidence_is_there_to_support_the_theory_that/
{ "a_id": [ "d2x24b5", "d2x5au4" ], "score": [ 56, 8 ], "text": [ "None. It's just a fun idea. it relates to the idea of wormholes which I wrote more about here, \n_URL_0_", "None whatsoever. Since we can't observe anything through the singularity, I doubt this theory is provable. " ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/32afe8/according_to_wikipedia_we_have_no_observational/cq9iyr4" ], [] ]
7nalt4
what is a "magnetic wave"?
Everything I read about photons says they're a electric wave plus a magnetic wave, but nothing ever explains what that means. An electric wave seems clear enough, like it's a transferal of a packet of electric energy from one point to another. Fine. But what the hell is a magnetic wave?? Like, the object receiving the ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7nalt4/eli5_what_is_a_magnetic_wave/
{ "a_id": [ "ds0dabj", "ds0hj16" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "The waves in question, carried by photons, are called electromagnetic waves. They are the same thing, fluctuations in the same field. The movement of charge produces the \"magnetic field\". Attracting metal, through ferro...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-26425a6013f1ac644d7554a25fdf242f", "http://montalk.net/emavec/EMevecfull.jpg", "http://www.chemistryland.com/CHM151S/07-Atomic%20Structure/Spectra/WavePacketVsContinuous.jpg", "https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/08/summer_sketcheskey4....
1cyi2t
Why is the "Random/shuffle" function/algorithm still so bad WRT music playback?
That is to say, out of 10,000 tracks I have, be it on my computer or in my car, the shuffle function seems incredibly poor. For example, I may be listening to a song from Pearl Jam "Vitalogy" when it goes to another random track only for the next song to be another track on "Vitalogy". This happens too often to just ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1cyi2t/why_is_the_randomshuffle_functionalgorithm_still/
{ "a_id": [ "c9l6r94", "c9l7wm7", "c9llv0g" ], "score": [ 7, 14, 3 ], "text": [ "This seems more like a problem with a specific piece of software. Randomly shuffling items is not as easy as some programmers think. A while ago, [some people at Microsoft made this mistake too](_URL_0...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/22/microsoft-ballot-screen/", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday_paradox" ], [], [] ]
avhgx7
how does anxiety physically increase the chance of mortality?
I've been reading various journal articles today regarding anxiety, depression and mortality rates. It appears to have been concluded that anxiety increases the chance of mortality by about 50%. I don't understand physically how a mental disorder has this effect.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/avhgx7/eli5_how_does_anxiety_physically_increase_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ehf4ong", "ehf6dhr" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "It's not just mental, stress releases certain chemicals into the body that change how it behaves. Cortisol is probably the most important for health problems -- it suppresses the immune system, ramps up metabolism and gener...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.google.com/search?q=president+before+and+after&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwippvLm2dzgAhVmc98KHSHdA0EQsAR6BAgEEAE&biw=1307&bih=806" ] ]
15tpyo
Would fireworks look the same on mars?
Would the color be different, the way they look or would they look the same?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/15tpyo/would_fireworks_look_the_same_on_mars/
{ "a_id": [ "c7pq2w0", "c7pqbbj", "c7pwmp5" ], "score": [ 74, 19, 2 ], "text": [ "They would look the same, the colors you see are the result of a chemical reaction occurring in the materials of the firework itself. Fireworks include their own oxidant, so they would burn the same ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3amxuv
What are some Biblical figures, that can be historically confirmed?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3amxuv/what_are_some_biblical_figures_that_can_be/
{ "a_id": [ "cse7ena", "csekzw1", "csf20ib" ], "score": [ 60, 4, 5 ], "text": [ "The rulers of Babylon, mentioned in the Old Testament book of Daniel, have independent, local, primary sources that confirm they were actual historical figures. Unfortunately, the book of Exodus does n...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/50-people-in-the-bible-confirmed-archaeologically/", "http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_eng.aspx?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=4122" ], [ "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Maccabee...
ermzis
why is it when i'm having a fever, after waking up from a nights sleep my mouth feels so dry?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ermzis/eli5_why_is_it_when_im_having_a_fever_after/
{ "a_id": [ "ff4oxub" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Probably dehydration caused by the fever.\n\nThe fever means your body's temperature is increased, your body starts sweating to protect itself from overheating, you thereby lose water. As you usually don't drink while asleep you thereby lost more...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
317gnk
why are minimum wages in the usa so much lower than other places?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/317gnk/eli5_why_are_minimum_wages_in_the_usa_so_much/
{ "a_id": [ "cpz0kag", "cpz0sqj", "cpz1zh2", "cpz5a80", "cpz5xvl" ], "score": [ 11, 8, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Minimum wage in the US is a little complicated. There's the federal minimum wage, which no state can go under, and then each state can set a higher minimum w...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
21mtc5
What is the clear liquid that forms on open wounds?
I did search for this question on this sub and found nothing. We have theorised it is white blood cells? but honestly, not a clue. Google isn't helping, can't get the search right for a specific answer.. Thanks!
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/21mtc5/what_is_the_clear_liquid_that_forms_on_open_wounds/
{ "a_id": [ "cgenayn" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The clear fluid that oozes from wounds in most cases is just serum, often referred to as serosanguineous exudate. Serum is the liquid part of the blood that contains no blood cells or clotting factors. It will accumulate atop a wound when underly...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
5zt5uf
Why are the surfaces of atolls so close to the current sea level?
What causes the formation of thousands of islands rising kilometers from the seafloor to surface within a meter of Earth's current sea level?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5zt5uf/why_are_the_surfaces_of_atolls_so_close_to_the/
{ "a_id": [ "df1ztzp" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "There are two parts to an [atoll](_URL_0_). The majority of the bathymetry (i.e. the mass that rises above what would otherwise be the average depth of the surrounding ocean floor) is built by volcanic activity, in other words, it is an undersea...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoll", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subsidence", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral" ] ]
5kzikc
when dealing with high speed cameras, why does resolution diminish as the framerate goes up?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5kzikc/eli5_when_dealing_with_high_speed_cameras_why/
{ "a_id": [ "dbrsegc", "dbrsg56", "dbrt761" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Data rate. Each frame is just a still picture and takes up a certain amount of data. As the frame rate goes up you have to be able to transmit those frames, the higher the resolution the more data it ta...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
dzqgv6
Is light reflected off matter or is light absorbed and then released?
Are my curtains red because all other light is absorbed and (mostly) the red wavelengths are reflected, or does the fabric absorb the phiton and then release light of a red wavelength?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/dzqgv6/is_light_reflected_off_matter_or_is_light/
{ "a_id": [ "f8a7zac" ], "score": [ 18 ], "text": [ "It’s reflecting the red light and absorbing the other colors, this is how pigments work which are how most everyday objects get their color. If a material absorbs and then emits light it’s either fluorescent (emission is almost instantaneous) or...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2jsvty
Is there any relation between indigenous languages and native wildlife?
Hey all. Out of curiosity. Is there any correlations (not sure if right world) between indigenous languages and the surrounding, native wildlife? Specifically with certain noises and sounds. Tried google but really have no idea how to use either. If you understand this and could give a simple answer would be great. ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2jsvty/is_there_any_relation_between_indigenous/
{ "a_id": [ "clet6r6" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It's hard to understand what you mean. Are you asking if certain languages share speech sounds with the non-speech sounds of wildlife in their area at a greater than chance rate?" ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
fhsoar
Did Ancient Peoples observe Galaxies?
I wonder if the Swastika could be a representation of Andromeda or even the Whirlpool Galaxy.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fhsoar/did_ancient_peoples_observe_galaxies/
{ "a_id": [ "fkddyer" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "There are few naked-eye visible galaxies. Other than the Milky Way, the only galaxies brighter than 6th magnitude are the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Small Magellenic Cloud, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Triangulum Galaxy. Of these, the LMC an...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3r0v88
Why don't spacesuit visors get foggy inside and prevent visibility?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3r0v88/why_dont_spacesuit_visors_get_foggy_inside_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cwk9p3a", "cwkwg89" ], "score": [ 5, 7 ], "text": [ "A car's windshield gets foggy when it's very cold outside and warm inside. The glass cools down causing water to condense easily.\n\nIn an EVA suit this doesn't happen because there isn't such temperature difference. (You ma...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://quest.nasa.gov/space/teachers/suited/5emu4.html", "http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20150003483.pdf" ], [] ]
l1vp9
If you took a new-born baby from a primitive amazon tribe and raised it in a modern society, could it be intellectually "normal"?
I guess the underlying question is, have a few hundred years of higher learning or selection affected our natural intelligence, or would a baby from a primitive society be just as functional?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/l1vp9/if_you_took_a_newborn_baby_from_a_primitive/
{ "a_id": [ "c2p3j83", "c2p3jbo", "c2p3orx", "c2p462r", "c2p3j83", "c2p3jbo", "c2p3orx", "c2p462r" ], "score": [ 13, 2, 5, 4, 13, 2, 5, 4 ], "text": [ "First off, higher learning doesn't really impart any genetic intelligence. Evolution is st...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect" ], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect" ], [], [], [] ]
3zlmjo
why does time behaves differently near black hole or at the edge of event horizon?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zlmjo/eli5why_does_time_behaves_differently_near_black/
{ "a_id": [ "cyn34s2" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Time and space are not separate, they are a single thing called \"Spacetime\". Gravity doesn't suck stuff up, it actually creates a divot in spacetime that stuff falls into. So the bending of space caused by the gravity is actually bending time...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
8j7hfm
Do other languages have a preferred way to order adjectives?
I learned recently that in English [we typically order adjectives](_URL_0_) opinion-size-physical quality-shape-age-colour-origin-material-type-purpose, and would like to learn more about it. Has it always been like this? Is it like this in other cultures? Are there theories as to why this developed?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8j7hfm/do_other_languages_have_a_preferred_way_to_order/
{ "a_id": [ "dyyctvb" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "French is fun, because adjectives have both an order as well as a location (before *and* after the noun). \n \nIf a word is short or has one of the qualities beauty-age-goodness-size, it goes in front of the noun, otherwise it goes after the noun...
[]
[ "https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/about-adjectives-and-adverbs/adjectives-order" ]
[ [] ]
728eh9
how is linux more customizable than other operating systems?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/728eh9/eli5_how_is_linux_more_customizable_than_other/
{ "a_id": [ "dngks1x", "dngkszz", "dngl4ep", "dngms1e", "dngtusy", "dngu0c4", "dnguo81", "dngurm2", "dngvmsx", "dngwxh3", "dngyke8", "dngyt1o", "dngyvp3", "dngz9qt", "dngzk4d", "dnh0q9x", "dnh0z1g", "dnh0zfl", "dnh1kzv", "dnh1ph3", "d...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://rg3.github.io/youtube-dl/", "http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/create-neural-paintings-deepstyle-ubuntu/", "https://mrs0m30n3.github.io/youtube-dl-gui/" ], [], [], [], [], [], ...
pwcie
Do orgasms feel the same for men and women?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/pwcie/do_orgasms_feel_the_same_for_men_and_women/
{ "a_id": [ "c3srft6", "c3srgq9", "c3srgtw", "c3srj4k", "c3srj9p", "c3srqzq", "c3srzbn", "c3ssdnp", "c3ssuow", "c3suej1", "c3swbqv" ], "score": [ 32, 25, 811, 25, 246, 6, 12, 50, 20, 4, 4 ], "text": [ "interesting ques...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualia" ], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/nov/14/female-orgasm-recorded-brain-scans", "http://www.jneurosci.org/content/23/27/9185.full", "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd8qeaKIacA" ], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.go...
1dwf4j
How did the beginnings of body parts come to be naturally selected for?
At the request of a Christian friend, I was reading through [The Edge of Evolution](_URL_0_), a book that argues for intelligent design. While I don't agree with most of the novel (for logical flaws debunked by other scientists online), there was one argument that intrigued me: How exactly were the beginnings of arms ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1dwf4j/how_did_the_beginnings_of_body_parts_come_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "c9uinyk", "c9ukax7" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "The beginnings of limbs weren't stumps, they were likely fins. Information on [Tiktaalik](_URL_0_) would be relevant here. Keep in mind this is still an active area of research.", "We weren't there, so a degree of spec...
[]
[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Edge_of_Evolution" ]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiktaalik" ], [] ]
329vu0
"Of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them" Is this true? If so, what years where those? If false, when was the last year without war?
This is a commonly repeated factoid that seems to come from the 2003 book [What Every Person Should Know About War](_URL_0_) by Chris Hedges. Is it true? When, exactly, was the last year in human history where two governments were not fighting each other?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/329vu0/of_the_past_3400_years_humans_have_been_entirely/
{ "a_id": [ "cq983hp", "cq9umo8" ], "score": [ 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Hopefully someone will drop by to address that specific claim, but meanwhile, you may be interested in this post from the FAQ \n\n_URL_0_", "Isn't this an unanswerable question? For much of that time we don't have any so...
[]
[ "http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/books/chapters/0713-1st-hedges.html" ]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1j0etg/what_is_the_longest_span_of_time_the_world_has/" ], [] ]
z3wi6
Questions Related to Pyramids (Egypt, Mexico)
I just saw the [The Revelation of the Pyramids](_URL_0_). It blew my mind when they started to talk about Pi/Golden Number and Astrology. But then i read some comments on this video and I got confuse. My questions are 1. How authentic this documentary is ? 2. Are there any possible links of Pyramids of Egypt with May...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/z3wi6/questions_related_to_pyramids_egypt_mexico/
{ "a_id": [ "c61xh5y", "c61bxno", "c61e68a" ], "score": [ 3, 8, 3 ], "text": [ "An interesting fact about the Egyptian pyramids is that the first pyramids weren't perfect, they were step pyramids. For example, [Sneferu's pyramid](_URL_1_) at Meidum was the first attempt at a pyrami...
[]
[ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooy2LTJoMVM&feature=player_embedded" ]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Castillo,_Chichen_Itza", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pyramid_of_sneferu_Meidum_01.jpg", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saqqara_pyramid.jpg" ], [ "http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/gobekli-tepe/mann-text", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C...
49yyjg
What did the Mughals call their empire?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/49yyjg/what_did_the_mughals_call_their_empire/
{ "a_id": [ "d0w44gl" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "\"Gurkani\" or \"Gurkaniyan\", which means \"son-in-law\". A reference to the fact that Timur married a Chinggisid, which meant he was a \"son-in-law\" of sorts of Genghis Khan; legitimacy from the Chinggisid line was important in Central Asia w...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2dj992
why wi-fi uses 2.4ghz and 5ghz radio band, why not by ex. 1ghz or some very low like am radio?
I'm more confused with technical reasons, pros and cons of making choice of this two bands, rather than law and standards.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dj992/eli5_why_wifi_uses_24ghz_and_5ghz_radio_band_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cjpzo39", "cjq0py8" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Better penetration of structures, lower power requirements, smaller antennae, and higher data rates.\n\nIn addition, the electromagnetic spectrum is extremely crowded and frequencies are assigned to specific services. Check ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_management" ], [] ]
dln5i0
where does the thermal energy go after dark/during winter? like, why does it get colder, shouldn't it just stay the same temperature?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dln5i0/eli5_where_does_the_thermal_energy_go_after/
{ "a_id": [ "f4rzrar", "f4s1f85", "f4s26oq" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Energy leaves our planet in the form of infrared light that radiates out, through the atmosphere, into space.", "The Earth is not an isolated or closed system, it's part of the larger system that is...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
axrz14
why does it take so long to download and interpret black box info after a plane crash?
I realize it can take time to find the black box. But why isn’t there a computer program that hooks up to the BB and acts like a simulator? All the data is there. Why can’t they plug it in and watch a recreation of what happened immediately?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/axrz14/eli5_why_does_it_take_so_long_to_download_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ehvoi1q", "ehw6l28", "ehwbaha" ], "score": [ 24, 7, 3 ], "text": [ "The “black box” isnt a single system, its made up of separate recording devices through the aircraft.\n\nIt doesnt record EVERYTHING, only the Time, Engine specifics and altitude, the other records coc...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
fncl75
Could Chile having the best economy in latin america be attributed to Augusto Pinochet's reign?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/fncl75/could_chile_having_the_best_economy_in_latin/
{ "a_id": [ "fm3kof9" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "This is a difficult topic because there hasn't been enough time passed to decide a definitive answer. Where one stands on the issue is likely attributed to one's political views. As I'm sure you know, Pinochet solicited the help of economist Milt...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1bonj1
How exactly was the famine in Ukraine ended?
Through my research I have come to understand that the famine was kept hidden from the public and media, people were writing fake articles to essentially satisfy the public and keep Stalin safe. Then I read about a guy named Gareth Jones, who went into Ukraine illegally and wrote articles about what he saw and what was...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1bonj1/how_exactly_was_the_famine_in_ukraine_ended/
{ "a_id": [ "c98t150" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "How the Holodomor ended is easy. The Soviet Union stopped exporting so much grain. The Soviet Union exported 1,730,000 tons of grain in 1933, and it exported smaller and smaller amounts of grain until 1940, when...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
b38ekv
if i understand this correctly, freckles and a tan are both the result of the sun triggering the release of melanin. what determines which one it will be? also, in that case why can we get freckles on skin not exposed to sunlight, but can’t get a tan on unexposed skin?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b38ekv/eli5_if_i_understand_this_correctly_freckles_and/
{ "a_id": [ "eixvkoq", "eiz3kdl" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Freckles are actually over active melanocytes (cells responsible for melanin production.) when you tan you are also increasing the amount of melanin you have as a whole , while freckles do not do that. The reason freckles ca...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
7nvqfe
What do we know about author of Epic of Gilgamesh?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7nvqfe/what_do_we_know_about_author_of_epic_of_gilgamesh/
{ "a_id": [ "ds51m5f" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Hey there!\n\nThere is actually a great thread on the Epic of Gilgamesh over at /r/history.\n\n[Follow this link!](_URL_0_)" ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/history/comments/7njejb/is_the_epic_of_gilgamesh_the_oldest_story_out/" ] ]
qgxnq
mao zedong's cultural revolution
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qgxnq/elifmao_zedongs_cultural_revolution/
{ "a_id": [ "c3xk1mo" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It was essentially to secure more power for himself and destroy anti-Mao sentiments. It was also an attempt to unify the country after a couple of failed nation building campaigns (Great Leap Forward being one of the bigger failures). He stated t...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
b859w6
what is the difference between "frames per second" (fps) and "refresh rate" (hz)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b859w6/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_frames_per/
{ "a_id": [ "ejvx8bx", "ejvxezg", "ejvxo8t", "ejvxrna", "ejvxxfk", "ejwedie" ], "score": [ 7, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Refresh rate - how often the screen itself is refreshed. It is completely independent of frames per second since you still have refresh...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Tearing_%28simulated%29.jpg/1280px-Tearing_%28simulated%29.jpg" ], [] ]
2xm2gz
how does facebook find people that i haven't had contact with in years or minimal contact ever and suggest them as friends?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xm2gz/eli5_how_does_facebook_find_people_that_i_havent/
{ "a_id": [ "cp1alfc" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Facebook gives you the option to use your email address book to look for people you know. If someone who has your email used this option, Facebook now knows there used to be a connection between you two. This other person might not have sent you...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1nt0q7
why does our belly get "fat" but our backs don't?
I know that there is a layer of fat under my back-skin too, but somehow it seems to amass on the frontside of my body... Why?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1nt0q7/eli5_why_does_our_belly_get_fat_but_our_backs_dont/
{ "a_id": [ "cclqhbc", "cclu2wj", "cclyva6", "ccm5kpz" ], "score": [ 68, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I believe that a lot of it is not actually fat under your skin, but fat around your guts that causes them to stick out. This is actually a different kind of fat. The stuff under...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/" ], [], [ "http://myskinnybuns.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/back-fat.jpg" ] ]
4i3vsj
how are specific shapes in cereal mass produced?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4i3vsj/eli5_how_are_specific_shapes_in_cereal_mass/
{ "a_id": [ "d2uud2x" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Squeezed out of a shaped hole, like toothpaste is squeezed out of a round hole. Then sliced off in bits and cooked. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
19e2sk
Is a single neuron like a sophisticated computer or more like a simple logical gateway?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/19e2sk/is_a_single_neuron_like_a_sophisticated_computer/
{ "a_id": [ "c8n76hd", "c8n7jkv", "c8ngdoj" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It's tricky answering these type of questions because the brain is a highly complex oscillating (it's actually called *spiking* in this case) dynamic system very much unlike a digital computer.\n\nIf an...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.sfu.ca/biology/faculty/hutter/hutterlab/research/Ce_nervous_system.html", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectionism", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCulloch%E2%80%93Pitts_neuron", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synapse", "https://www.google.com/search?q=McCulloch%E2%80%93Pitts&am...
nzit3
Since our oxygen comes from plants photosynthesizing the CO2, would it be possible to make a device that synthetically converts CO2 into oxygen so we can keep recycling the same air instead of carrying bulky oxygen bottles into space and underwater?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/nzit3/since_our_oxygen_comes_from_plants/
{ "a_id": [ "c3d6ok1", "c3d9g0y" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes, absolutely. however this would require a lot of energy to split the two carbon=oxygen bonds and form one oxygen=oxygen bond. So instead of carrying oxygen, you would need to carry an even larger battery supply. ", "...
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7osbgx
how do countries simulate full-scale wars?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7osbgx/eli5_how_do_countries_simulate_fullscale_wars/
{ "a_id": [ "dsbvrmy", "dsbx8dz", "dsc2e9n" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "They pretend to be at war for a day or two. Use fake bullets and rockets. Sometimes bigger countries also use fewer troops / guns to train for more complicated situations ", "This is a very vague qu...
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[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Archer_83", "https://usnwc2.usnwc.edu/Research---Gaming/War-Gaming/Documents/RAGE/Gaming/-Global-Title-X-Series.aspx" ] ]
3hxcbe
How did the tribes allied with Cortez react to his sacking of Teotihaucan?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3hxcbe/how_did_the_tribes_allied_with_cortez_react_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cubeta5" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Do you perhaps mean Tenochtitlan?" ] }
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ee033w
How instrumental was the ‘ever victorious army’ in putting down the Taiping Rebellion?
For those who are curious, the Ever Victorious Army was an army that participated in fighting the Taiping Rebellion between 1860-1864. It was a Chinese force that was led by European/American officers. I have no idea if it was formed by the Qing government or grew organically from the foreign districts in Shanghai. Fr...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ee033w/how_instrumental_was_the_ever_victorious_army_in/
{ "a_id": [ "fbo81ij" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "For important context, the basics of the Ever-Victorious Army are as follows. In June 1860, in response to a recent Taiping campaign on the Lower Yangtze that would reach Shanghai in mid-August, an American mercenary named Frederick Townsend War...
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[ [ "https://web.archive.org/web/20190522092800/http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/gems/general-gordon-the-hero-of-khartoum" ] ]
c3uq2e
bpa in food containers
When does it become dangerous? Do we inhale it or do we ingest it? what happens to food containers with bpa that get microwaved?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c3uq2e/eli5_bpa_in_food_containers/
{ "a_id": [ "ertdkik", "ertyild", "eru4gta" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 7 ], "text": [ "There isn't good evidence that it is dangerous at levels coming from plastics containing food/drink. It affects the endocrine system, but it's fairly weak in that action. The EPA and the European Food S...
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b25evn
Why and when did we associate green with "go" and red with "stop"?
Was there some delegation that decided or was it more intuitive than that?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/b25evn/why_and_when_did_we_associate_green_with_go_and/
{ "a_id": [ "eirbasz" ], "score": [ 137 ], "text": [ "This was [also asked recently on the Short Answers thread](_URL_0_). I provided an answer to it [here](_URL_0_) from a linguistic perspective." ] }
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/aq6wna/short_answers_to_simple_questions_february_13_2019/egknq21/" ] ]
2dfruk
Should the Northeastern US expect a higher frequency of snowstorms due to global climate change?
Yesterday's weather system produced over 6" of rain in MD and over 12" of rain in some parts of NY, breaking records in both regions. Will increased frequency of high-intensity rainfall also apply in the winter months when it would be snow?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2dfruk/should_the_northeastern_us_expect_a_higher/
{ "a_id": [ "cjp6kog", "cjp7gun" ], "score": [ 4, 10 ], "text": [ "There are typically two schools of thought when it comes to climate impacts on severe weather, either:\n\n1) all weather events become more frequent (including more frequent storms with rain +6\" or snowfall totals +12\" fo...
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4y5tlw
how far does the light from a laser pointer travel?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4y5tlw/eli5_how_far_does_the_light_from_a_laser_pointer/
{ "a_id": [ "d6l5jto", "d6l5mq6", "d6l5pn7", "d6l8hxt", "d6lcz3z", "d6ldiwb", "d6ldrmx", "d6li6k6", "d6licp5", "d6liv3d", "d6ljxcz", "d6lkwy8", "d6lkxrm", "d6lldtm", "d6llo0t", "d6lq4kk", "d6lroj8", "d6lse4w", "d6lsmyr", "d6lstlq", "d...
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[ [], [], [ "https://what-if.xkcd.com/13/" ], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collimated_light", "http://www.pseudonomen.com/lasers/calculators/" ], [], [], [], [ "http://www.thegreenwichmeridian.org/tgm/articles.php?article=14" ], [], [ "https://what-if.xkcd.c...
318uvk
Prior to contact with Europeans during the Age of Discovery, were firearms known in India and Africa?
Supposedly knowledge of firearms and gunpowder were transmitted along the Silk Road from China to Europe. Did it spread along the trade routes to India and Africa as well?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/318uvk/prior_to_contact_with_europeans_during_the_age_of/
{ "a_id": [ "cpzrd91" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ " Yes they were. Gunpowder was adopted by the Arabs early on and since they had conquered North Africa it spread throughout that region.\n\nIndia was much closer to the Chinese who most likely came up with gunpowder in the first place, and either ...
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4mn98t
What were the major influences of Danish on the Norwegian language?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4mn98t/what_were_the_major_influences_of_danish_on_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d3x3ier" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The different German languages and dialects. Germany(back then only as a cultural enitity) being a large power and a neighbour to Denmark naturally influenced the Danish languages up until the 20th century when English became more dominant. Germa...
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2eshwk
why can't i buy gas and sell it later?
This was in an episode of its always sunny, and they do it horribly wrong. But lets say you can buy it straight from a distributor, hold on to it for a year or two, and then sell it to a gas station. What's stopping you from making a profit? (Gas prices increase faster than inflation.)
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2eshwk/eli5_why_cant_i_buy_gas_and_sell_it_later/
{ "a_id": [ "ck2i7fv", "ck2i8xn", "ck2i9we" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Gasoline doesn't last that long, for one. \n\nYou can buy gasoline *futures* (paying now for gas later) but it's a poor way to invest money. There are better ways to invest. ", "Considering the amou...
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2gg0p1
why is the scottish independence referendum positioned as neck and neck in the polls, whereas the bookmakers odds suggest the opposite?
Bookmakers (here in England at least) currently have 3/1 for YES, and 1/4 for NO.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2gg0p1/eli5_why_is_the_scottish_independence_referendum/
{ "a_id": [ "ckir983", "ckirec3" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Sorry to ELI5 your ELI5, but just for those who have never stepped into a bookies... \n\nIf I bet £10 each on yes and no, do I understand right that a \"no\" result would get me £2.50, and a \"yes\" would get me £30?\n\nIf s...
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