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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12eqqm | Can all of chemistry be explained/modeled by physics? | So since chemistry is the study of how different substances react to each other, and since a chemical reaction is just the making and breaking of chemical bonds, it seems like chemistry could ultimately be modeled by simple physical reactions. But is that true? And if it is, are we at the point where we can make phys... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/12eqqm/can_all_of_chemistry_be_explainedmodeled_by/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6uk24x",
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"score": [
3,
7
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"text": [
"sort of yes, you can solve the [Schrödinger equation](_URL_0_)\n\nbut of more relevance is the XKCD article on [purity](_URL_1_) ",
"Yes, that's true. All theoretical chemistry is based off physics, and has been since ar... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger_equation",
"http://xkcd.com/435/"
],
[]
] | |
344uqr | In Ancient Rome, did Gladiators pick on Scholars and call them a Roman equivalent of 'nerds'? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/344uqr/in_ancient_rome_did_gladiators_pick_on_scholars/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqrconm"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"No, for most of the empire the nerds held the political power.\n\nSuccess in Roman politics depended upon education and connections. You had to know the right people, and you met them while attending elite schools that trained you in the rhetori... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2bcnna | Do dogs know our faces or do they use our scent to differentiate between us? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2bcnna/do_dogs_know_our_faces_or_do_they_use_our_scent/ | {
"a_id": [
"cj4fpp1",
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25,
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],
"text": [
"They know our faces. An easy way to check this is go outside with your windows closed and when your dog goes to the windows, look to see if he notices you.\n\nIf you want a more ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20020168",
"http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0036076",
"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4041126/",
"http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130514-dogs-domestication-humans-genome-science/"
],
[],
... | ||
l6787 | the difference between a url, urn, and uri | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/l6787/eli5_the_difference_between_a_url_urn_and_uri/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The simplest explanation starts by categorizing: The first thing you should know is that an URL or a URN are **both** URIs.\n\nAn [**URI** (Uniform Resource Identifier)](_URL_3_), is a way to identify some type of resource o... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Name",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISAN",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Locator",
"http://www.w3.org/TR/uri-clarification/",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN"
],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Name",
... | ||
3ocn90 | What DID "Game of Thrones" get right? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ocn90/what_did_game_of_thrones_get_right/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvvzb1n"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Game of Thrones is a work of fiction and should be treated as such. If you have a question about the historical accuracy of *historical fiction* (e.g. 'How accurate is the Sharpe series of books?' 'How accurate is Stanley Kubrick's portrayal of 1... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
mpmh1 | credit default swaps | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mpmh1/eli5_credit_default_swaps/ | {
"a_id": [
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"c32u6v4",
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"score": [
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2,
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2
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"text": [
"So ShittyBank offers loans to people buying homes (mortgages.) The bank writes you a mortgage, buys your home for you and lets you live there as long as you make monthly payments t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1r0prc | Were there major tensions between the different Jewish groups that came to Israel? | After the state of Israel was formed, and Jews came in from the Middle East, Europe, & elsewhere, how well did these groups come together to create the nation-state?
Were there tensions between groups like Persian jews, Syrian Jews, German Jews, Russian Jews, etc.?
Did any group feel outright discriminated against,... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1r0prc/were_there_major_tensions_between_the_different/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdihfcp",
"cdj1ktb"
],
"score": [
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2
],
"text": [
"Yes, from what I gather after talking to my Hebrew teacher and my Grandfather there was a lot of tension (and there still is) between European Jews how see Israel as a European State in the Mid-east and the Jews from the Lev... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3911070,00.html"
]
] | |
5j2iot | what factors contribute to cultures advancing at different rates? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5j2iot/eli5_what_factors_contribute_to_cultures/ | {
"a_id": [
"dbcu9fe",
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3
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"text": [
"Cultures advance for two reasons, because they have to and because they can.\n\nCultures have to advance when they are facing a threat. Common threats include another nation attacking you, a new disease, or localized climat... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEYh5WACqEk",
"http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1842.Guns_Germs_and_Steel"
],
[]
] | ||
3i0rt4 | How come the Iberia in the caucuses and the Iberian peninsula share the same name in spite of being thousands of miles apart at opposite ends of the Roman empire? | I never took Latin and Google is being uncharacteristicly unhelpful. Does ibera mean something to the efect of limit or furthest point? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3i0rt4/how_come_the_iberia_in_the_caucuses_and_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cucbwi1",
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"score": [
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16,
11
],
"text": [
"I submitted [this question](_URL_1_) awhile ago and only got one reply. You can check it out while you are waiting for a better reply, as I would like one as well. \n\nAs a summary it was said it is u... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Iberian",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ob6gh/is_there_any_link_between_caucasian_iberia_and/"
],
[],
[]
] | |
dm23vn | why do scientists think hubble constant (a characteristic of the universe expansion rate) is actually a constant? | There is already a [partial answer](_URL_0_) to this question; it explains that the expansion rate can be considered a constant at this time (the time human civilization exists). But why do scientists think the acceleration is the same across the universe? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dm23vn/eli5_why_do_scientists_think_hubble_constant_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"f4vzy4v",
"f4w1aoh"
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"score": [
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5
],
"text": [
"When you look farther away you also look back in time, so when you detect light that has been travelling for 10 billion years from a distant quasar you're also detecting the results of whatever happened to it during that tim... | [] | [
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2gnway/eli5_the_hubble_constant_law/"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3skm9d | how was nyc able to build and afford their entire subway system over the past 100+ years, but the 2nd ave line keeps running into budget issues and delays? | I've tried to do research on the subject, but I can't figure out the financing and the timing of it all. There have been hundreds of miles of tracks and tunnels and hundreds of stations built over the past 100+ years, but the Second Ave. line has been moving at a snail's pace. Why? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3skm9d/eli5_how_was_nyc_able_to_build_and_afford_their/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwy293l"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"I would say the construction costs have soared. Wages are high for construction workers compared to the past. An immigrant was willing to work for low wages. Now there are unions, OSHA, overtime rules, etc. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4nae14 | Fiction makes such a big deal of British, US and Soviet spies. In the end, how important were they really in ending (or surviving) the Cold War? | Were secret agents and espionage in any way the decisive margin for who won the Cold War? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4nae14/fiction_makes_such_a_big_deal_of_british_us_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"d43aif7"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"No replies yet so I'll try to offer something.\n\nThere is a lot of uncertainty when exploring what-if scenarios. You can't be sure what may have happened without the efforts of the spies involved. The best example I can give of spies potential... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
22vlna | how do marketers get so much data on me? | I recently bought a house, and not even a month later, I've been getting all this junk mail marketed toward people who are moving (I haven't moved yet). For example, yesterday I got a mailer for setting up Comcast at my new place, and I don't even currently have Comcast. How does this system work so quickly? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/22vlna/eli5_how_do_marketers_get_so_much_data_on_me/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgqsuph",
"cgrdbtr"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"They check the listings in the county tax assessors office, which lists dates of sales, as well as amounts and names. It's also more than possible that the realtor sold your data.",
"It's a result of \"big data\" analyti... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/oct/07/big-data-marketing-dream-or-dilemma"
]
] | |
3q5r5v | how do mom porcupines and hedgehogs give birth without the babies' spines causing any harm to the mother's insides? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3q5r5v/eli5how_do_mom_porcupines_and_hedgehogs_give/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwc92kx",
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"score": [
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9,
3
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"text": [
"I'm not a porcupine expert, but my guess, is they the baby's quills are still soft/not fully hardened, and the babies are probably pushed out head-first, so that the quills lay down. ",
"A porcupine... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
alqf14 | How excentric is the solar system's orbit around the gravitational center of the milky way? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/alqf14/how_excentric_is_the_solar_systems_orbit_around/ | {
"a_id": [
"efjggv8"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"The words you are looking for are apogalacticon and perigalaticon.\n\n \n\n\nThe eccentricity of the sun's orbit about Sagittarius A\\\\\\*, (the center of the Milky Way galaxy) is 1.07, which leads to a difference of about 15% between apo- and ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
z0l8l | the oil business | Why are people who are involved with oil usually so filthy rich? Often I hear about these magnates in the Middle-East who make more money in a week than in the entire life of the average Joe. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/z0l8l/eli5_the_oil_business/ | {
"a_id": [
"c60gcuu",
"c60hfha",
"c60hm5i",
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"score": [
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10,
10,
2
],
"text": [
"Let's say you have a lemonade stand. You charge a thousand dollars per lemonade, and since it's really hot, you make a million dollars a day.\n\nWell, obviously, that can't last... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
a5tamj | why is it that bands/singers can have wildly successful careers sometimes spanning decades, dozens of albums, and countless recorded tracks, yet only have those 3 or 4 songs that really get any airplay/recognition? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a5tamj/eli5_why_is_it_that_bandssingers_can_have_wildly/ | {
"a_id": [
"ebp1m19"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Short answer, program managers are lazy. It's easy to stick with the 'classics'. It's safe. \n\nAlso if a band is around long enough they may not fit the style of the station with their new/old stuff. Classic rock stations are going to play t... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4b8yzm | how does bracing yourself for an impact actually make the impact worse? | You know, like if you dont see something coming like that car about to slam into you, you'll be generally less harmed than if you see it coming and you brace yourself. Why is this?
Edit: thank you all for the replies! I think I can say this had been answered :) you guys rock | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4b8yzm/eli5_how_does_bracing_yourself_for_an_impact/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Because your muscles tense up and become rigid and have no \"give\" at that point. If you don't know it's coming, you will be loose and more flexible which would help with NOT furt... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4kg52l | Is there a speed a cell phone can go to not receive wifi or cell signal anymore? | If I am moving at near the speed of will I still get lte? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4kg52l/is_there_a_speed_a_cell_phone_can_go_to_not/ | {
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"score": [
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58,
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"text": [
"The frequency bands for both Wi-Fi and LTE are both reasonably nar... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.thespacereview.com/article/306/1"
],
[]
] | |
1jotbw | Is there any point during Operation Barbarossa that Axis victory over the USSR was obtainable? | I have read arguments that say due to vast manpower/industrial gap between Germany and Russia, their invasion was doomed to fail from the start. This seems to contradict the commonly held idea that Stalingrad was a miracle/saving grace for the Soviet Union. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1jotbw/is_there_any_point_during_operation_barbarossa/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbgtkkx",
"cbh1kx8"
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"score": [
15,
3
],
"text": [
"Not really, no. The only way the Germans could have scored a victory was to have Russia negotiate for peace after taking Moscow, which the Soviet regime had little intention of doing as it was a fight for the very survival ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3az64q | Do animals actually understand each other's calls like humans understand speech? | I know they can understand each other, but do animals interpret each other's calls as intricately as humans can with our speech using words and such? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3az64q/do_animals_actually_understand_each_others_calls/ | {
"a_id": [
"cshizzi"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Like humans? Yes, maybe. We think dolphins actually have a complex language with syntax. There is evidence that they even each have individual names that they get from their mother's name. But we haven't made much headway in learning their langua... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
tcviz | Is there any credence to the marketing claim that a better
bed provides a "better night's sleep"? | If I improve my bed, am I likely to sleep better? What is 'better'?
Obviously, forget outliers like upgrading from a bed whose springs wake me up every hour. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tcviz/is_there_any_credence_to_the_marketing_claim_that/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4lj3a2"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"I think you partly answered your own question with the \"springs\" comment. Better just means that you are able to experience enough deep sleep at night. Things that are uncomfortable, painful, noisy, etc rouse you from this deep sleep. Since the... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5m1gf6 | how does the u.s. government owe money to itself? | I can't quite grasp this based on stuff I am finding through Google. I am not savvy with economics. Thanks in advance.
Edit: Thanks to everyone for your responses. I need to study up on bond markets apparently. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5m1gf6/eli5_how_does_the_us_government_owe_money_to/ | {
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"dc01do2",
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"score": [
2,
4,
3,
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"text": [
"Governments borrow money by issuing bonds, which are simply agreements to pay back the money, along with a modest amount of interest, by a particular date (the bond's maturity date... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
u8abm | the sufi sect of islam. | I understand they're sort of similar to Christian/Catholic monks, and have a history of nomadism, but that's about it. What caused the Nomadism? What key points do they differ on from the Sunni and Shiite? Have they ever been on the wrong end of a religious purge, similar to the other branches? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/u8abm/eli5_the_sufi_sect_of_islam/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4t6rms"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"I won't be able to go into much detail on account of illiteracy, but just for starters:\n\nSufiism is not as much a 'sect' of Islam as a way of thinking. It is kind of an 'approach' to how to treat the philosophies of your sect (be it sunni or sh... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1s0kal | Is the common cold or flu transmissible through contact with the infected person's blood? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1s0kal/is_the_common_cold_or_flu_transmissible_through/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdswgcv"
],
"score": [
2
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"text": [
"Think this came up in one of my lectures the other week; I believe it would be *possible* but unlikely since the virus only replicates in certain cells (in the case of influenza in the cells of the upper respiratory tract, particularly the nose),... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
6zdvpc | how/why does our brain mishear lyrics? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6zdvpc/eli5_howwhy_does_our_brain_mishear_lyrics/ | {
"a_id": [
"dmukdfv",
"dmul7m5"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"Because rappers need to demonstrate better diction!\n\nDammnit, i love hip hop but if i hear another rapper garble nonsense into my headphones im gonna lose it.",
"Being a plastic organ, the brain is adaptative and predi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.ru.nl/english/news-agenda/news/vm/donders/cognitive-neuroscience/2017/visual-brain-predicts-future-events/"
]
] | ||
a2c6dx | what is *first run syndication*, how does it work, and how is it different from standard *broadcast syndication* | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a2c6dx/eli5_what_is_first_run_syndication_how_does_it/ | {
"a_id": [
"eazfalm"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"A first-run syndication show is one that is sold to individual local TV stations instead of to a national network. The show won't be available in all regions and will play at different times in different cities.\n\nA TV station has certain hours ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2dpex6 | how those little baby doll toy bottles work where you hold it upside down and the liquid seems to appear like he drank it, but when you hold it right side up, it refills...? | I've always wondered how those work lol | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dpex6/eli5_how_those_little_baby_doll_toy_bottles_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjrr5gb"
],
"score": [
13
],
"text": [
"The bottle is actually two containers (one inside the other). There is a thin gap between the two which is filled with liquid.\n\nThis allows a very small amount of liquid to appear to fill the entire bottle. When you tip it, the liquid flows th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
29rwd6 | why is it considered immoral to outsource labor to workers in countries willing to work for very little money? | A common criticism I hear of Nike and other corporations is that they outsource their labor to certain factories in the developing world where the poverty rates are so high that people there are willing to work for very low wages, relative to the minimum wages in North America. In my view if these companies didn't hir... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29rwd6/eli5_why_is_it_considered_immoral_to_outsource/ | {
"a_id": [
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"cinw779",
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"cinyjg4"
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"score": [
2,
3,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"The problem is many of these companies fired people just to have the work done elsewhere for people. The companies took away the ability for people to provide... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
fhk1uc | how does standard bar soap clean your hands if it does not have any antibacterial additives? especially when the soap uses animal fat as a base component. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fhk1uc/eli5_how_does_standard_bar_soap_clean_your_hands/ | {
"a_id": [
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"fkbrw4p",
"fkbuhom"
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31,
84,
17,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"It emulsifies the dirt and oil on your skin letting it be washed away.\n\nTo be fair all the antibacterial this and that really only makes us feel safer as... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://twitter.com/PalliThordarson/status/1236549305189597189"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
1vfrow | why is the vatican and the pope in italy? wouldn't it be more logical for the head of the church to be in the country jesus was active in? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1vfrow/why_is_the_vatican_and_the_pope_in_italy_wouldnt/ | {
"a_id": [
"cert5l4",
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"score": [
4,
4
],
"text": [
"Christianity wasnt popular in Israel, never rising above the status of a sect or cult - it was only its adoption by the roman emporer constantine which raised it's status and propelled it to becoming a world religion",
"... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A17-18&version=NIV"
]
] | ||
mj4u0 | A solid argument against the earth being billions of years old? | Hello everyone.
I've been in and out of discussions concerning religion and evolution vs creationism with my brother for quite some time, and earlier today he linked me this site: _URL_0_
Now, I am just curious about what the rest of you thought about those points being made. Are those points a valid argument against... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/mj4u0/a_solid_argument_against_the_earth_being_billions/ | {
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"c31cf1a",
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"c31c2kw",
"c31c2uy",
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"c31c45j",
"c31c69x",
"c31cc2e",
"c31cd7r",
"c31cdor",
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... | [] | [
"http://creation.com/age-of-the-earth"
] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-14#In_fossil_fuels",
"http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1985Metic..20..676J"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_the_Earth",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Hills"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wi... | |
zb2pn | So I was told today by a professor (not a science professor) that the Theory of Gravity is not actually proven and that we don't actually know how it works. Is this true? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/zb2pn/so_i_was_told_today_by_a_professor_not_a_science/ | {
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"c630tjy",
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"score": [
2,
5,
5,
11
],
"text": [
"Nothing is proven. If he was trying to enlighten you with regard to empiricism, then great. If he was trying to sow seeds of doubt with regard to scientific endeavour, then hey!... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tests_of_general_relativity",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Logic_of_Scientific_Discovery"
]
] | ||
n5l33 | Do Brita filters need to be replaced as often as suggested? Or is Brita just capitalizing on replacement filters? | In other words, do the filters really lose effectiveness as quickly as Brita suggests? Why do they lose effectiveness? Why don't permanent filters on sinks lose effectiveness so quickly? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/n5l33/do_brita_filters_need_to_be_replaced_as_often_as/ | {
"a_id": [
"c36fh5h",
"c36fh5h"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"The activated carbon does get saturated at some point, but don't buy a whole new filter: _URL_0_",
"The activated carbon does get saturated at some point, but don't buy a whole new filter: _URL_0_"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-refill-a-disposable-Brita-brand-water-pit/"
],
[
"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-refill-a-disposable-Brita-brand-water-pit/"
]
] | |
8wf7sj | why do raised areas of the body (collarbone/cheekbone etc) get more severely affected by sunburn than the surrounding area? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8wf7sj/eli5_why_do_raised_areas_of_the_body/ | {
"a_id": [
"e1v0xvt"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Because natural shadows occurs when these raised areas “intercept” sun rays thereby blocking the lower lying areas from absorbing light. Inversely there is nothing shadowing your most protruding body bits hence why they are likelier to burn. But ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3wy97g | Why did bread never become a big part of the Chinese diet? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3wy97g/why_did_bread_never_become_a_big_part_of_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxzu99p",
"cy00khp",
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"score": [
2076,
119,
21
],
"text": [
"It did! It's just more traditionally confined to the North.\n\nThere's not just one Chinese cuisine. Rice cultivation wasn't actually a part of the early Chinese diet at all. There's no word in Si... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/WheatYield.png",
"http://www.meishij.net/zuofa/baibianzaocanxianglajidanjuanbing.html"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
4afhe3 | What is the importance of irrational numbers? | While I know that irrational numbers such as pi or e are important, is there anything particularly important about them being irrational? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4afhe3/what_is_the_importance_of_irrational_numbers/ | {
"a_id": [
"d10fx2z"
],
"score": [
3
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"text": [
"even the square roots of certain numbers (like 2) are irrational. pi and e are in a sense even more.. let's say you need to put in more work to describe them. \nthe roots are zeros of polynomials with rational coefficients. pi and e aren't. \n\n... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
spu4w | how do forex brokers work? | What do they actually do and how do they get their money? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/spu4w/eli5_how_do_forex_brokers_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4fz9ai"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Brokers in general provide access to markets, and clearing and settlement facilities. So when you buy some euros, they handle all the details of actually getting those euros into your account (including routing your order to the proper market and... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2pnsgj | Was Shay's Rebellion Really a Result of a Weak Central Government? | Shay's Rebellion was a local government issue that did not involve the national government and it was easily crushed not by federal troops, but the local government. The effect that it has on the nation is the concerns about "mobocracy" not central government. This is what my A.P. US History teacher says and I somewhat... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2pnsgj/was_shays_rebellion_really_a_result_of_a_weak/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmyf1pv"
],
"score": [
9
],
"text": [
"A Shays' Rebellion question! My favorite!\n\nThe primary weakness of the existing governmental structure that the rebellion exposed was the inability for the Massachusetts Governor to quickly raise the troops necessary to fight off the rebels.\n\... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://amzn.com/0870234196",
"http://amzn.com/0812218701"
]
] | |
bpm77q | how do car horns project so well? | I don’t see any speakers on the car, so how does it work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bpm77q/eli5_how_do_car_horns_project_so_well/ | {
"a_id": [
"env4qg0"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"So usually cars have two horns in the front of the car, a high pitch and a low pitch. So a standard electric car horn does have a diaphragm just like a speaker. Inside there’s basically a plunger connected to the center of the diaphragm and on th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1mpkbe | How did Fascists deal with healthcare? | do fascists (not just nazi Germany) provide healthcare? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1mpkbe/how_did_fascists_deal_with_healthcare/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccbhmof"
],
"score": [
52
],
"text": [
"Both Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy were concerned with healthcare and promoting health in general, for a couple reasons. Firstly, for reasons of natalism. Militarist-expansionist states need a growing population to make up for deaths in war and... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://books.google.com/books?id=UB3S7g1p6UYC&pg=PA79&lpg=PA79&dq=health#v=onepage&q=health&f=false"
]
] | |
1y79ad | What types of plants played the role grasses before grass evolved? | What kind of ground cover were parties and fields filled with before grass evolved. I assume it wasn't just huge stretches of unused soil. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1y79ad/what_types_of_plants_played_the_role_grasses/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfi5dwf"
],
"score": [
15
],
"text": [
"The short answer is [pretty weird](_URL_0_) with a lot of [seriously alien-looking wtf plants](_URL_1_).\n\nMost plants you see today are vascular plants; they have xylem and phloem (picture little pipes running from roots to leaves) to carry wa... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Equisetopsida.jpg",
"https://www.nescent.org/wg/evoviz/images/4/47/Singapore_Evolution_Garden_cooksonia.jpg",
"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Lycopodiella_inundata_001.jpg",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidodendron"
]
] | |
1e40ib | how the gunslingers in western films shoot so perfectly from the hip? | I thought of this while watching The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - but then it occurred to me that people do this in real life, too, shooting from the hip with perfect accuracy, and not just with revolvers. How on earth do they do it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1e40ib/eli5_how_the_gunslingers_in_western_films_shoot/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9wkr03"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"Because it's fiction. \n\nIn real life, no one actually fought like that. Gun slinger fights in the wild west were messy, and usually involved many combatants, not 2 doing a stand off. It was no different than modern gang shoot outs, except thei... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
ckttjw | what exactly makes the popping sounds when popping/cracking your muscles? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ckttjw/eli5_what_exactly_makes_the_popping_sounds_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"evqeiyd",
"evqeyim"
],
"score": [
3,
4
],
"text": [
"Air pockets between your joints. When your joints are moving, it can occasionally cause a gas bubble of CO2 between the joints. When you \"crack\" said joints, the sound is the air bubble collapsing. This is my most knuckle ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2dosl6 | does the earth travel the exact same orbit every year or does it change slightly? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2dosl6/does_the_earth_travel_the_exact_same_orbit_every/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjrnwl1",
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"cjrprh8",
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"score": [
12,
5,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"The orbit definitely changes, but by how much? With Newton's law of universal gravitation (F=GmM/d^2 ), the force of gravity is dependent on the square of the distance between two... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankovitch_cycles"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
60pdvr | how many days of fasting does it take for your metabolism to slow down? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/60pdvr/eli5_how_many_days_of_fasting_does_it_take_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"df8a6og"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"This isn't as simple as how many days. A person's metabolism is based on multiple factors, such as age, gender, genetics, etc. As far as fasting if you mean eating smaller meals then it won't have much of an effect. If you mean more a person that... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html"
]
] | ||
4iillq | why does rubbing a coin on a metal surface make a vending machine accept it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4iillq/eli5_why_does_rubbing_a_coin_on_a_metal_surface/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2ydw1q",
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"d2ygxfr"
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"score": [
3,
4,
3,
6
],
"text": [
"I wasent aware this was a thing, Have you tried it? Because this sounds ridiculous considering how vending machines work",
"Vending machines indentify coins by several criteria... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/23151/does-rubbing-a-rejected-coin-against-the-ticket-machine-make-it-likelier-to-be-a"
]
] | ||
3z32y4 | just watched "the big short" someone please explain exactly how the main characters made money. | Hey guys, so I have basic understanding of the concepts of a CDS and CDO as well as what shorting is. My confusion comes from how these concepts apply to the actual movie. When Bale first proposes his idea to the banks, my understanding is that since there was no real way to bet against the housing market, he basically... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3z32y4/eli5_just_watched_the_big_short_someone_please/ | {
"a_id": [
"cyixsjz"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"To address your questions;\n\nBonds (groups of mortgages, with bad mortgages mixed in) were bought and sold. They had variable rates and terms that made it very easy to obtain a mortgage regardless if someone was qualified or not. \n\nTheir \"be... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1x2gcr | how does electrical grounding work for ships? why is it so complicated? | I have heard that electrical grounding on ships can get very complicated. Is this true? If so, why? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1x2gcr/eli5_how_does_electrical_grounding_work_for_ships/ | {
"a_id": [
"cf7kubx",
"cf7mhay"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"It's not about electrical safety directly. If you use a metal hull as ground, especially in salt water, electrolysis can cause corrosion.",
"I'm not sure about civilian ships, but in the Navy we used an ungrounded 3 pha... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
8g8106 | why after months of making no noise does my fan catch something in it to start making a rattling noise. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8g8106/eli5_why_after_months_of_making_no_noise_does_my/ | {
"a_id": [
"dy9i4w6",
"dy9kgl1"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Spinning and vibrations can loosen screws. Loose screws cause pieces to knock against eachother. It should be an easy fix unless something is actually broken.",
"Fans are balanced to eliminate as much vibration while the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1hktc0 | how nyc is able to implement "stop and frisk". | I know that *technically* they're only supposed to question someone whom they have reasonable suspicion of committing or about to commit a crime. Then if they still believe that to be true, they're supposed to frisk them. However I've seen few videos posted of NYPD just walking up and searching people. Why isn't the... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1hktc0/eli5_how_nyc_is_able_to_implement_stop_and_frisk/ | {
"a_id": [
"cavadi4",
"cavafr1"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Bloomberg prefers asking forgiveness rather than permission. The city will be sued at some point, but by that time Bloomberg hopes to have something to show for this very questionable policy. He did it with the park smokin... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1ahfm0 | What are some causes of the tank in WWI? | Besides the stalemate of the war and the invention of the internal combustion engine, what factors made the tank necessary and practical? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ahfm0/what_are_some_causes_of_the_tank_in_wwi/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8xfo29",
"c8xhoiz"
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"score": [
2,
5
],
"text": [
"You pretty much hit it on the head already. The tank was developed to overcome the stalemate of trench warfare, nothing morehere and t was certainly no desire to replace cavalry. In fact, on the Western Front, offensives wer... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
34f9q8 | statutory rape? | Why are laws like this in place? Are there historical reasons for it?
I understand that in places like Saudi Arabia, the age of consent comes from when a woman gets married. But how did that age get defined in places like the U.S.? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34f9q8/eli5_statutory_rape/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqu276l"
],
"score": [
11
],
"text": [
"The idea behind statutory rape laws is that young people are much easier to manipulate, are frequently placed in situations where adults have considerable power over them, and haven't developed enough judgement to make potentially large decision... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
objra | Seriously: What came first, the egg or the chicken? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/objra/seriously_what_came_first_the_egg_or_the_chicken/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3fxhu7"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"In terms of timeline, the dinosaurs were laying eggs before birds had even become a separate biological class, so the very first animal that could even possibly have been designated as a type of fowl would have come *long* after the first egg."
... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2hw3s7 | why is push-back from power utilities against solar power such a big deal? | It seems to me that most of the strategies that utility companies are using to "push back" against the rise of solar energy is in the form of changing the way that they "buy" excess production from the solar panel owners.
Why do we have to sell it back to the utilities in the first place? Why not just use solar when ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hw3s7/eli5_why_is_pushback_from_power_utilities_against/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
2,
4,
42,
6,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"There are some laws in place which require utilities to purchase excess generation. These laws didn't really hav... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feed-in_tariff"
]
] | |
1r8gcg | why in the usa do black people typically vote for the democratic party when the gop is the party of emancipation and used to have the so-called "black" vote? when did it change? | The title says it all. I've looked around the internet and Googled it plenty, but I could not get a clear answer. I'm not form America and was wondering about this. Thank you. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1r8gcg/eli5_why_in_the_usa_do_black_people_typically/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdkmmzb",
"cdkn24b",
"cdkou8p"
],
"score": [
9,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"The New Deal (1930s) started the change in voting patterns, and Truman's desegregation of the military (1948) also shifted the partisan identification of blacks in the US towards Democrats, but the ove... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1nh7uf | why do we like listening to sad music and watching scary movies when sadness and fear are negative emotions? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1nh7uf/why_do_we_like_listening_to_sad_music_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccik8vw"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"It's not the feelings of being sad and scared that are so enjoyable, its the psychological notion that you are in control of those experiences and that you are actually safe and sound. There is also the release of adrenaline with the fear respons... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4dntl3 | facebook bought whatsapp for $22 billion a while back. they just updated their app and claim that nobody, not even themselves can read the messages and calls now. whatsapp has close to zero revenue. what's in it for facebook? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4dntl3/eli5_facebook_bought_whatsapp_for_22_billion_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1sszw9",
"d1t0azk",
"d1t4c5q"
],
"score": [
4,
6,
27
],
"text": [
"The user base. Facebook cares about time spent on Facebook. Whatsapp has 1 billion users. Suppose whatsapp adds a feature that causes people to spend more time on whatsapp, eg a newsfeed. Now 1 billion... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
aa0spm | why does toothpaste with the colours of red white and blue never mix up | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aa0spm/eli5_why_does_toothpaste_with_the_colours_of_red/ | {
"a_id": [
"eco4rzi"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"The gel compartments are near the nozzle of the toothpaste tube. Most of the tube has white toothpaste. As the toothpaste is squeezed through the nozzle, it passes the gel compartments and gains the characteristic stripes. They are not mixed unti... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt69VHgtT_U"
]
] | ||
761i4b | if i'm driving at a constant speed of 60mph and get rear-ended by a vehicle which is moving at a constant 80mph, would the force of impact be the same as if i were sitting at 0mph and got rear ended by someone driving 20mph? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/761i4b/eli5_if_im_driving_at_a_constant_speed_of_60mph/ | {
"a_id": [
"doakbyi",
"dob33ln"
],
"score": [
80,
5
],
"text": [
"yes, the impact would have the same amount of force. \n\nThe big difference would be the whole spinning out of control at 60 mph would be much more dangerous than at 0 mph.",
"Yes, you would experience the same force, b... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
d9hnt7 | In Medievel Europe, Were Jewish People More Literate than Average? | Obviously there weren't any kinds of census on reading ability, but Jewish religion and culture places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of the written word and the exact transmission and interpretation of the text as received. Is there evidence that this was reflected in a greater-than-average level of litera... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/d9hnt7/in_medievel_europe_were_jewish_people_more/ | {
"a_id": [
"f1izhvs",
"f1jsjif"
],
"score": [
133,
21
],
"text": [
"It is pretty much impossible to know for sure, because, like you said, they didn't have comprehensive population surveys, and we have no records about most people's lives. In particular, we have almost no records of peopl... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
79378n | What were the difference in the military physical qualifications during WW2 between the various powers? | I was considering the desperate need for manpower that many nations in WW2 ran into, and it made me wonder, what were the differences between physical standards in the different nation's armed forces? For instance, did the Soviet have lower standards for weight because their population might not have been as well fed? ... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/79378n/what_were_the_difference_in_the_military_physical/ | {
"a_id": [
"doywyeg"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"As a follow up, were there differences in mental or educational qualifications as well? \n\nI know from [this excellent answer](_URL_0_) by /u/the_howling_cow that the US military often rejected recruits for not meeting literacy qualifications. ... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/78motc/its_1944_im_a_young_american_man_i_just_found_out/dov2dk6/"
]
] | |
88z2be | How does being born blind or deaf influence the way you think? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/88z2be/how_does_being_born_blind_or_deaf_influence_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwofbmk",
"dwp52ij"
],
"score": [
5,
3
],
"text": [
"DeafBlind people learn tactile sign language. So they think in that language. \n\nIf you're interested in something more deeper, there have been studies that show hearing people are able to memorize 7 short bits of informa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
bmhvg3 | Did WW1 really have a reason? | I’m guessing this is more of a philosophical question and I’m more interested in your personal opinion. Factually, one could argue that it was the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, or that it was about colonies, stopping German mainland dominance, etc.
But for me it’s quite hard to grasp why WW1 had to happen. It’s ha... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bmhvg3/did_ww1_really_have_a_reason/ | {
"a_id": [
"emx42o6"
],
"score": [
29
],
"text": [
"You can point to some widespread elements that contributed to the war. Social Darwinism, nationalism, militarism may have, to debatable degrees, made the leadership and population of Europe more accepting of the idea of a general conflict. The... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1l2tsg | why do 2 minute offenses in the nfl seem to be more efficient than the normal offense? | I'm no American football expert, but I have watched enough games. It always seems like the 2 minute drill offenses seem to be fast paced, pass-oriented, and achieve enough yards to result in a TD, field goal, or good field position for a good punt. It's not like the defense is confused about the strategy to push down t... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1l2tsg/eli5_why_do_2_minute_offenses_in_the_nfl_seem_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbv89sk",
"cbvam3e",
"cbvbhit"
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"score": [
3,
2,
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"text": [
"the 2-minute offense, also known as the \"hurry up\", seeks to play as many downs as possible in the quickest time. A defense usually puts new guys in during the game (i.e. bigger dudes on 3rd and shor... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3gk84n | how do these websites that buy gift cards from consumers work? | There are a handful of websites that will buy your gift card at a discounted price. Say I have a $100 gift card to Best Buy and one of the websites will buy it from me for $88. What are they doing with the purchased gift card and how are they making money? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3gk84n/eli5how_do_these_websites_that_buy_gift_cards/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctyw80a",
"ctyw88j"
],
"score": [
3,
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],
"text": [
"They re-sell your gift card. If you browse around the site you'll usually also find gift cards for sale, those are the cards they bought. They make money by selling them for a few bucks more than they bought them, they aren... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
469v91 | Did the Confederate troops that accidentally shot Stonewall Jackson suffer any repercussions for their actions? | Hello all! I just finished the book Rebel Yell about Confederate general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, and was fascinated by the friendly fire incident that ultimately contributed to his death. Did the troops that opened fire upon he and his fellow officers and staff members suffer any punishment or social backlash for t... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/469v91/did_the_confederate_troops_that_accidentally_shot/ | {
"a_id": [
"d03fhk9"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"The commander of the 18th NC, Major then Col John Barry retained hi s command till the end of the war and was both wounded and served as acting Brigadier General in the Overland Campaign. He died soon after the war and supposedly continuously exp... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
33s5hn | gearing/leverage (finance) | What does the term gearing/leverage mean when it comes to finance and how is it applied? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/33s5hn/eli5_gearingleverage_finance/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqo0625"
],
"score": [
2
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"text": [
"Gearing and leverage refer to the level of debt a company or financial venture has taken on. To see why it's called leverage, let's look at a simple example.\n\nLet's say I have a business venture that can always earn a 10% return on capital inve... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
zuqwb | if the fec restricts individual contributions to a federal election to $2500, how can celebrities and the super wealthy hold $40,000 a plate fundraisers? | Jay-Z and Beyonce are holding a [$40,000 a ticket fundraiser](_URL_0_) for Obama soon, and plenty of other celebrities and wealthy people hold similar fundraisers. What makes these fundraisers which exceed federal election contributions different than regular political donations? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zuqwb/eli5_if_the_fec_restricts_individual/ | {
"a_id": [
"c67w1j4"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"$2500 is the limit for individual candidates, you can also give $30k to the national parties, and $5000 to PACs. So that $40k will get split up in some legal way, but in general the candidates will have direct or indirect access to those funds."... | [] | [
"http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/beyonce-jay-z-to-host-fundraiser-for-obama-at-swanky-new-york-nightclub/2012/09/13/3b982bf4-fde4-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html"
] | [
[]
] | |
ptj22 | How long is the delay between the stimulus and response for any sensory organ in the body? | I know nerve impulses can travel pretty darn fast, but we don't feel exactly when someone touches us. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ptj22/how_long_is_the_delay_between_the_stimulus_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3s8urm"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"You are aware of a delay when someone touches you? Most people are not normally aware of anything coming between ourselves and what we see/hear/touch (we aren't aware of the various pathways the signal travels in our body or our brain interpretin... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/consciousness-temporal/empirical-findings.html#2"
]
] | |
e87jte | What qualities did furs from North America have that made them so desirable to Europeans? Were commonly worn clothes prior to the Fur Trade really much worse, or was it primarily an aesthetic/fashion/status thing? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/e87jte/what_qualities_did_furs_from_north_america_have/ | {
"a_id": [
"fa9yg40",
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"score": [
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5
],
"text": [
" One of the biggest qualities North American furs had was a simple one: they were there to use in the first place. One of the largest sources of supply for European furs before 1492 was in northern Russia, flowing into Wes... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
dcb6in | Is it possible to have a non-gaseous planet with permanent storms like Jupiter? And what would the conditions have to be for that to happen? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/dcb6in/is_it_possible_to_have_a_nongaseous_planet_with/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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2
],
"text": [
"It would have to be covered in some sort of fluid atmosphere in order for the storms to have a media to propogate in. For example a liquid covered planet with oceans over the entire surface several kilometres deep at a mini... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5ozrvm | why do so many asian demonyms end with "ese"? (chinese, vietnamese, japanese, burmese) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ozrvm/eli5why_do_so_many_asian_demonyms_end_with_ese/ | {
"a_id": [
"dcnasg5",
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"score": [
4,
12,
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],
"text": [
"This is a good question, specifically why we say \"Chinese\" instead of \"Chinan\" (or why we say \"Korean\" instead of \"Korese\")",
"From [this source](_URL_0_):\n\n > The -an, -ian, and -ese suf... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t456.htm"
],
[]
] | ||
30d740 | why are saudi arabia and iran are having a war in yemen? | It seems to be that the Americans are financially supporting the Saudi Arabia country while Iran are supporting the rebels in this fight. Why are they fighting in a different country (proxy war?) as opposed to each others country? What are their motives (religion, political, resources?)? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30d740/eli5_why_are_saudi_arabia_and_iran_are_having_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpraskm",
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],
"score": [
2,
5
],
"text": [
"Same reason most wars were fought in the 20th century. It's about ensuring a sphere of influence.\n\nIf the Sunni side wins, it's another ally for the Saudis. If the Shia side wins, it's an ally for Iran.\n\nBoth countries h... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4tpzmu | the "planet x" conspiracy | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4tpzmu/eli5_the_planet_x_conspiracy/ | {
"a_id": [
"d5jb4rd"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"This might be a bit long winded as there's a bit of background to get through.\n\nOk, before we really could see well to Pluto and beyond, we knew that funny things were influencing Neptune and Pluto's orbits. A lot of explanations were put fort... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
ewrlw | Why do vaccines cause fever and flu-like symptoms in some people? | I've been searching all over, but I simply can't find something that says why -- only that they do. I believe it's because of the immune system response to a foreign body, but I can't find any documents supporting that.
EDIT: I'm not asking how vaccines work. Vaccines use weakened or dead viruses that pose no ris... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ewrlw/why_do_vaccines_cause_fever_and_flulike_symptoms/ | {
"a_id": [
"c1bjhf7",
"c1bk6xu",
"c1bkanu"
],
"score": [
2,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"vaccines are made with small amounts of what they are meant to treat.",
"Would it make things clearer if I pointed out that fevers are (in many cases) *not* caused by the flu? Your own body is what... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4m3x74 | the difference between existentialism, nihilism and absurdism | Thanks :) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4m3x74/eli5_the_difference_between_existentialism/ | {
"a_id": [
"d3sc9r1",
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"score": [
17,
18,
2
],
"text": [
"Existentialism - individual people are free and responsible to determine their own purpose and development through their actions.\n\nNihilism - extreme skepticism, belief that life is meaningless.\n\n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
69frsd | how do car key-fobs work and why do we not see machines that can mass-spoof unlock signals like computer passwords? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/69frsd/eli5_how_do_car_keyfobs_work_and_why_do_we_not/ | {
"a_id": [
"dh67pv6",
"dh67swb",
"dh68099"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
4
],
"text": [
"What you're thinking of is called brute force algorithm. Where you just try everything. Now it's been done before where people try to get the key fobs signal and replicate them to steal a car, which mak... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
cpicdw | how did all(or most) countries in the world decided to bring in same laws/rules to living, eg; lights on street red+amber+green or sirens on police being red and blue and many others? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cpicdw/eli5_how_did_allor_most_countries_in_the_world/ | {
"a_id": [
"ewpmt1l"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Unofficial conventions to begin with, international agreements and the UN later.\n\nThis [Wikipedia article](_URL_0_) is a good start, but there is a myriad of different local, regional and national agreements and standards bodies that regulate t... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Convention_on_Road_Traffic"
]
] | ||
f8j0ld | If fusion power was as widespread as fission today, what would the worst case "meltdown" scenario be and how bad would it be compared to fission meltdowns? | If fusion power was as widespread as fission today, what would the worst case "meltdown" scenario be and how bad would it be compared to fission meltdowns? Why? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/f8j0ld/if_fusion_power_was_as_widespread_as_fission/ | {
"a_id": [
"fimj9tn",
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"score": [
123,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"Since fusion reactions take place only under very specific conditions (very high temperature and pressure), any disruption in the operation of the reactor would cause the necessary conditions for fusi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
nozak | what would happen if hackers stole all the digital money from all the countries and corporations? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/nozak/eli5_what_would_happen_if_hackers_stole_all_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3asy07",
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],
"score": [
6,
6
],
"text": [
"Digital money doesn't actually exist, it is just a system that you gave the bank money, now they owe you that money and you can ask for it when you wish. You cannot steal what does exist.",
"Digital money doesn't actuall... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
argabs | how does a car shutting down automatically at a stop light/sign help with gas consumption? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/argabs/eli5_how_does_a_car_shutting_down_automatically/ | {
"a_id": [
"egmzsf4",
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"score": [
9,
2
],
"text": [
"The amount of fuel spent idling at an intersection, keeping the engine rotating are a slow speed with a light load, far exceeds the amount needed to restart the engine.\n\nModern car engines start up very quickly.",
"An ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3klxbi | Did the Andean countries ever get into conflict with the mayans or the aztecs? | I know they were very similar technology wise. | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3klxbi/did_the_andean_countries_ever_get_into_conflict/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuyneim"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"No, they have absolutely no known direct contact. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
duby1z | Which of the basic forces of nature is the strongest? | A few years ago my physics-chemistry teacher asked my class which of the 4 basic forces of nature was the strongest. I answered Gravity because of black holes. They are gravity at its maximum, and them being the most powerful things in the universe, it made sense to me that gravity would also be the strongest. However ... | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/duby1z/which_of_the_basic_forces_of_nature_is_the/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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396,
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"text": [
"Yes, your teacher is correct.\n\nThe reason why gravity seem... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1skyg0 | what exactly does it mean to "hedge" against something? | For example, when banks hedge against risk, currency hedging, etc. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1skyg0/eli5what_exactly_does_it_mean_to_hedge_against/ | {
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"score": [
3,
3,
3,
3
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"text": [
"In essence, a \"hedge\" is an investment designed to offset substantial losses (or gains) made by an individual or organization.",
"Hedge means to fence in. \n\nIn these cases ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1rzhv7 | Are there organisms with more than two functional sexes? | By functional, I mean in the reproductive sense. While many different male fish fertilize multiple female fish's eggs, and flowers pollinate chaotically at one another, are there any species that require three or more sexes to successfully breed? For example, say one bird fertilized another bird's egg but needed a thir... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1rzhv7/are_there_organisms_with_more_than_two_functional/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
8,
23,
96,
6,
6
],
"text": [
"Some species have multiple morphs which have different behaviors depending on which \"gender\" they are. Where they may be multiple male genders each having... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8672296"
],
[
"http://www.themulch.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=800",
"http://ww2.biol.sc.edu/~awaldman/wildersideofsex.cfm.html"
],
[],
[
"http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18834-zoologger-the-most-bizarre-life-story... | |
2eqv5d | Transgenic engineering: when a gene from an original organism is completely foreign to the new host organism, how do we know where to insert it in the host genotype? | Prompted by this article about inserting a gene from a hagfish into e. coli so they start producing hagfish slime (the filaments are super strong): _URL_0_ . It says the gene is so simple that if they copy it into e. coli's genome hundreds of times, the bacteria will make hundreds of times more slime. I can kind of see... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2eqv5d/transgenic_engineering_when_a_gene_from_an/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck243l6"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Foreign genes inserted into a host genome need to have some type of regulatory DNA (called a \"promoter\") in order to be transcribed and translated (\"made into protein\"). There are two ways to do this, generally: 1) include a promoter region j... | [] | [
"http://motherboard.vice.com/read/dna-from-this-ugly-fish-is-being-used-to-synthesize-bulletproof-slime"
] | [
[]
] | |
126h20 | Why does language become more difficult to read as it gets tilted sideways and then upside-down? Can't our brains compensate? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/126h20/why_does_language_become_more_difficult_to_read/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6smahk",
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"They can, that's why it just gets more difficult but not completely impossible.\n\nMost people learn to read(and practice reading) on things that aren't tilted or upside down. As you learn to read, your brain physically rec... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_rotation"
]
] | ||
e73gck | the difference between being asleep, being unconscious and being put asleep with anestesia. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e73gck/eli5_the_difference_between_being_asleep_being/ | {
"a_id": [
"f9v1u6x",
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"f9vg9a5",
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"score": [
22,
66,
27,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Unconsciousness is a broad term. Being conscious means reacting to outside stimuli. A sleeping person is technically conscious because they still react to ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1nu8jp | How Nazis Evaluated The French Revolution? | What was "official interpretation" of the French Revolution during the III. Reich? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1nu8jp/how_nazis_evaluated_the_french_revolution/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccm3tsb",
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"score": [
8,
10,
5,
11
],
"text": [
"Add on question: I'm currently reading a book about the history of Communism, and the author talks about how Karl Marx and many other socialists drew inspiration from the Jacobin... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1zdc74 | space coordinates? | How do coordinates in space work? If planets are orbiting in a solar system, solar system moving in a galaxy, galaxy moving, etc. Everything is moving, how can space coordinates work?
Are they real or just something in SciFi? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zdc74/space_coordinates/ | {
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"score": [
9,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"There are several astronomical coordinate systems: Horizontal (AltAzimuth), Equatorial, Ecliptic, and Galactic are four commonly used, and each has it's own purpose. The choice of ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
33vmsq | Is there any single cell in my body that would have any effect if it suddenly ceased to be? | So we aren't talking about getting in and ripping it out.
Could I lose some memory through losing a single cell of my brain? Or feeling if lost a single cell from a nerve or anything?
Any effect, permanent or not. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/33vmsq/is_there_any_single_cell_in_my_body_that_would/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqougm5",
"cqouijk"
],
"score": [
15,
28
],
"text": [
"The human body has a lot of redundancy as a protective mechanism...at least off the top of my head I can't think of a situation where functional loss would occur from the loss of a single cell.\n\nAwesome question though."... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.wired.com/2009/10/controlling-single-neurons/",
"http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v435/n7045/abs/nature03687.html"
]
] | |
2jaba7 | Were Oktoberfest celebrations held in the German Democratic Republic? | Sorry if this has been asked before. I looked and could not find the question.
Aside from kitsch nut-crackers apparently made in the GDR sold on Ebay, I have not been able to find any information on whether or not Oktoberfest celebrations were held in East Germany during Communist rule. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2jaba7/were_oktoberfest_celebrations_held_in_the_german/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl9zwda"
],
"score": [
23
],
"text": [
"The short answer is no, but that would be a bit untruthful since I think what you mean is something else (if not, I apologize):\n\nOktoberfest is not a pan-German phenomenon, it isn't even a pan-Bavarian (whose culture seems to be often associat... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.welt.de/english-news/article2881232/Folk-Festivals-are-as-German-as-Goethe.html",
"http://images.zeit.de/lebensart/2010-09/d-karte-37/d-karte-37-thickbox.jpg",
"http://walzerbahn.de/volksfest-ddr.html"
]
] | |
19lgwd | How did Spanish theologians try to legitimise Spanish overseas expansion in the 16th century, and the treatment of the native people that they 'acquired?' | So, I decided to stretch myself, and take a university module that was out of my comfort zone, and boy, now I'm regretting it. I'm doing a paper on the above topic, and am finding myself at a loss.
I'm really struggling to digest the reading, it's in a completely different style to what I'm used to, and nowhere can I ... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/19lgwd/how_did_spanish_theologians_try_to_legitimise/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
13,
2,
5,
14,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Who is this Vitaria of which you speak? I studied a bit about the period you're talking about but I can't recall the name and Google s... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Paul03/p3subli.htm"
],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tordesillas"
],
[
"http://www.amazon.com/The-Age-Reconnaissance-Exploration-Settlement/dp/0520042352/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362359683&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=the+age+of+r... | |
1xtik1 | what exactly does oil have to do with the wars in afghanistan and iraq? | I always hear talk about oil having something to do with these conflicts, but no one ever seems to elaborate on it. Didn't the US invade Afghanistan because of the cooperation between Al-Qaeda and the Taliban? And Iraq because they believed Saddam Hussein was creating weapons of mass destruction?
What does oil have t... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1xtik1/eli5_what_exactly_does_oil_have_to_do_with_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfeh6o2",
"cfeiq27",
"cfetx3m"
],
"score": [
8,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"oil doesnt have really anything to do with either conflict. iraq does have the worlds 4 largest reserves, but the us doesnt even have access to them. they let the iraqi's bid them out and now china's ga... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2cz4ce | why don't device manufacturers provide higher rate chargers with the device? | I own a nexus 5 which comes with a 1.2A wall charger. It takes say about 1hour for the battery to get fully charged. Now if I use an external battery charger available in the market, like the Anker6000, it has a max output of 2A and the phone charges up quickly in 30mins. Does it have anything to do with the max. outpu... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cz4ce/eli5_why_dont_device_manufacturers_provide_higher/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjkgfm1",
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"score": [
2,
2,
5
],
"text": [
"I think it can shorten the battery life.",
"My understanding was always that it could shorten the life of the battery as well as cause the charging circuit to think the battery is fully charged and ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
644sw5 | Why are energy levels of electrons quantized? | So I've been wondering about the question posed above for a bit. I don't want a trivial answer "because it's quantum mechanics," but more a physical answer. That is, what is naturally occurring that requires the electrons of an atom to lead this conformation. It makes more sense for me, since these energy levels are fr... | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/644sw5/why_are_energy_levels_of_electrons_quantized/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfzgo9b",
"dfziecq"
],
"score": [
6,
4
],
"text": [
" > I've read on Yahoo answers that these quantized energy levels are harmonic solutions to Schrödinger's equation and that just like there are some harmonic frequencies that a bell rings at, there are certain harmonic soluti... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
dj5pqs | custom feeds. how are they, how do they work, how do you edit them? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dj5pqs/elif_custom_feeds_how_are_they_how_do_they_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"f4182av"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"A multireddit, now renamed to “custom feed”, is a group of two or more subreddits. Think of it as a folder in your bookmarks. Instead of seeing everything in your home feed, you will see just the ones in that folder. This is the main way I use Re... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
60ljgk | if our field of vision is limited, why can we not see or imagine "nothing" on the outer edges of our vision, or "black" like the top/bottom edges of movies | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/60ljgk/eli5_if_our_field_of_vision_is_limited_why_can_we/ | {
"a_id": [
"df7dpid"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Your brain already \"erases\" information you see but you don't need, as well as \"fills in the blanks\" for information that's missing or assumed.\n\nyou have a blindspot in each eye but if you look at a wall, you don't see two black circles, yo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1vselb | why does yellow highlighter not show up when you copy it? and why can't you copy red pages? | I work in the production office of a TV show, and so I am intimately familiar with the functions of a copy machine. But there's some things that have always confused me--
If you write in yellow hilighter on white paper, it won't be visible when you copy it.
Conversely, for security, we sometimes print scripts on red ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1vselb/eli5_why_does_yellow_highlighter_not_show_up_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"cevd991"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It's just a matter of contrast. Most copy machines only print black and white; they can't even produce gray except with [dithering](_URL_0_). So every color on the page has to be converted to either black or white. Yellow is very close to whit... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dithering",
"Paint.NET"
]
] |
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