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2l43qs
why does the us use fahrenheit when the rest of the world uses celsius?
Wouldn't it be more productive to just teach our children Celsius and save them the trouble of learning 2 different measurements of temperature?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2l43qs/eli5_why_does_the_us_use_fahrenheit_when_the_rest/
{ "a_id": [ "clray9y", "clrb3k2", "clrb6uk", "clrbe88", "clrboxu", "clrcp5n", "clrdyai" ], "score": [ 13, 8, 4, 7, 2, 24, 7 ], "text": [ "Because most of us are around 5 feet 7 inches and weigh around 200lbs and drive at an average speed of 50 miles ...
[]
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1meqgg
how can a country sell bonds with negative interest rate?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1meqgg/eli5how_can_a_country_sell_bonds_with_negative/
{ "a_id": [ "cc8i3qd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "They can't and don't.\n\nThe thing is that inflation happens. So if the nominal interest rate on the bonds is less than the rate of inflation, the *effective* interest rate is negative. They're still a good deal, though, because cash is also affe...
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[ [] ]
62ya8y
what's the process to get into u.s from mexico legally (immigrate)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/62ya8y/eli5_whats_the_process_to_get_into_us_from_mexico/
{ "a_id": [ "dfpz4jk" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "It depends. The US will offer x amount of work visas every year for jobs where there are a shortage of American workers (it could be working on farms or being a doctor), student visas and travel visas (you don't need a visa to visit the US if ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4wzn0d
Why do some places have two high and two low tides a day, and other places have only one?
[deleted]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4wzn0d/why_do_some_places_have_two_high_and_two_low/
{ "a_id": [ "d6bkkld" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "In short, this is because the ocean basins aren't uniform and tides don't have the same impact in all areas. Imagine sloshing water back an forth in a bucket- there will be areas that experience more extreme water level change relative to the reg...
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[ [] ]
bzjaoc
what is academic probation and how would somebody get it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bzjaoc/eli5_what_is_academic_probation_and_how_would/
{ "a_id": [ "eqstsar", "eqstsd9", "eqsu1z5" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It means your grades are shit and if you don't shape up you're out.\n\nThis is more typical in colleges or private schools since they don't want some slacker tanking their performance numbers.", "It...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2er3kp
What were the intentions of Edward, the Black Prince, preceding the battle of Poitiers (1356), was he looking to confront King John II of France?
It has been some time since I reviewed the primary sources so please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the Chronicles of both Jean Froissart and Geoffrey le Baker, as well as a couple others, describe the prince as having every intention of fighting the battle at Poitiers. Furthermore, considering the outcome...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2er3kp/what_were_the_intentions_of_edward_the_black/
{ "a_id": [ "ck2fxfk" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Are you referring to the letter Prince Edward sent to the City of London following his victory? Edward doesn't exactly say he was planning on retreating. Instead, he says he was withdrawing to link up with the Duke of Lancaster after abandoning a...
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[ [] ]
ztcu2
How common was it to be executed for being a "witch" around the time of the Salem Witch Trials?
I don't know much about this other than references to it in pop culture and would like to know more about like how many people were killed, was it really that easy to accuse someone of being a witch, what was the most common punishment, etc.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ztcu2/how_common_was_it_to_be_executed_for_being_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c67kk7h" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "By the time of the Salem trials the witch craze was already well into its decline. It was an anomalous outburst for the time. If you want to know the witch craze in general I can talk a bit about that, though I only really know about the European...
[]
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[ [ "http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/assets/0702/0000/0341/hopkins_mid.jpg" ] ]
26rwh1
Has the water released by combusting hydrocarbons had any effect on the environment?
I've always heard about the effects of additional carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels on the environment, but what about the additional water?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/26rwh1/has_the_water_released_by_combusting_hydrocarbons/
{ "a_id": [ "chuf2pl" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Absolutely! Water vapour, like CO2, is a greenhouse gas. Water Vapour released by combustion--but this isn't the sole source for water vapour, of course--helps create a sort of positive feedback loop in the atmosphere, increasing the amount of wa...
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[ [] ]
67tp73
If an electric motor is supplied power but restricted in turning (like holding back a ceiling fan) what is happening which would cause it to 'burn up'?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/67tp73/if_an_electric_motor_is_supplied_power_but/
{ "a_id": [ "dgt875m", "dgt8a5q", "dgt8afy", "dgtfhnq", "dgtodoo", "dgtp7ql", "dgtrese", "dgu3k0n", "dgucfgj", "dgue6b0" ], "score": [ 5, 39, 2250, 2, 5, 25, 15, 2, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "If it has separate windings with a commuta...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://ctms.engin.umich.edu/CTMS/index.php?example=MotorSpeed&section=SystemModeling" ], [ "http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/NNPTC/Electrical%20Eng/applied_ee_v1.pdf" ], [], [], [] ]
3ysjni
why don't stars appear red but white? It is said that only red colour sustains when light travels a long distance!
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3ysjni/why_dont_stars_appear_red_but_white_it_is_said/
{ "a_id": [ "cyg7ll8", "cyga3ne", "cyge1yl" ], "score": [ 12, 5, 8 ], "text": [ "Some stars, such as Betelgeuse (in the corner of Orion) are noticeably red. Red stars are usually either dwarves or giants, but we can only see the giants without a telescope.\n\nHowever, the process o...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3sadom
To what extent did Alexander the Great/Hellenism pave the way for Christianity?
Inspired by the song "Alexander the Great" by Iron Maiden: _URL_0_ The lyrics in question come from this verse: "Hellenism he spread far and wide The Macedonian learned mind Their culture was a western way of life He paved the way for Christianity" Would Christianity have had the same succes if not for the conqu...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3sadom/to_what_extent_did_alexander_the_greathellenism/
{ "a_id": [ "cww73w8" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This is a pretty complicated question and, largely, is based on an interpretation of the histories of Alexander that is now considered unfeasible. That, however, doesn’t mean that there isn’t some truth to the claim. I don’t have the time to find...
[]
[ "http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ironmaiden/alexanderthegreat.html" ]
[ [] ]
2eyfpl
Why do some smells travel faster and propagate farther than others?
For example, there are some foods that you can only smell from up close, but others you can smell from across the house. Also, some non-spray air fresheners seem to fill a room or car faster than others.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2eyfpl/why_do_some_smells_travel_faster_and_propagate/
{ "a_id": [ "ck4cf6r" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It has to do with the diffusion rate of the molecule. Smells are composed of molecules that bind to the receptors present in the nose; if the nose has a receptor for a certain molecule in the gaseous state, then the gas will \"smell.\" The potenc...
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[ [] ]
qjegb
At what altitude does the sky cease to be blue?
Is it always blue until you leave the atmosphere?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/qjegb/at_what_altitude_does_the_sky_cease_to_be_blue/
{ "a_id": [ "c3y291h", "c3y5p0v", "c3y5q4l" ], "score": [ 20, 8, 4 ], "text": [ "I will answer your question with a question.\n\nAt what point does the red become blue in the following image?\n\n_URL_0_", "Sky gets dark at around 30 kilometers. You can see stars during the day ...
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[]
[ [ "http://d2o0t5hpnwv4c1.cloudfront.net/612_gradients/webkit.jpg" ], [], [] ]
1so2vn
Is there a lot of variance between people in how much energy they are able to extract from food they digest?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1so2vn/is_there_a_lot_of_variance_between_people_in_how/
{ "a_id": [ "cdzk5n7" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "I'm not sure I can answer the question for _all_ aspects of our physiology...however, I will say that there is some fascinating microbiological evidence to suggest that the answer to this question is \"yes.\" \n\nStudies have shown that the bacte...
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[ [] ]
1jbyki
how do we know the articles from /r/politics and anything the media shows is actually real?
Who do I believe? If I don't know the proper way to believe something?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jbyki/how_do_we_know_the_articles_from_rpolitics_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cbd5lat" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "You should treat everything you read with a healthy dose of skepticism. /r/politics is quite bad in that it commonly uses extremely biased news sources. If you read it in /r/politics, chances are it's only one part of the story. Get your news ...
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[]
[ [] ]
5ycq05
How populist was the American revolution? Was it a movent by the elites or did the lower classes support it?
Thanks
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5ycq05/how_populist_was_the_american_revolution_was_it_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dep2xw5" ], "score": [ 17 ], "text": [ "So contrary to popular belief, the \"Founders\" were not the main proponents of separation from Great Britain -- quite the contrary. Most Founders were quite hesitant to pull away. However, populist movements really started to become prevalent b...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.biography.com/people/samuel-adams-9176129#synopsis", "http://rethinkingtherevolution.com/blog/2016/teaparty", "https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-01-02-0045-0008", "https://archive.org/details/gb2ZLwslLZQnQC", "http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-adopt...
43k7v1
why would a country implement negative interest rates (ie. japan)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/43k7v1/eli5_why_would_a_country_implement_negative/
{ "a_id": [ "czisd2a" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Yes. That's exactly why they did it. They are suffering a recession right now, and this would stimulate people to take their money and spend it, giving a boost to the economy." ] }
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[ [] ]
3awpj2
How common is it for a planet to have a natural satellite like our moon?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3awpj2/how_common_is_it_for_a_planet_to_have_a_natural/
{ "a_id": [ "csgt30f", "csgtevz" ], "score": [ 3, 18 ], "text": [ "Consider the solar system as we know it. Of the 8 major planets, all but 2 (Mercury & Venus) have at least one natural satellite, most have more. Mars 2, Jupiter & Saturn 60+ each, Uranus & Neptune 27 & 14 respec...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-from-nasas-new-horizons-increasing-variety-on-plutos-close-approach-hemisphere-and-a", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exomoon" ] ]
1la3d6
What would happen when light reflects off of a mirror, if the mirror was artificially heated to have a higher net energy than the particle does?
Would the particle receive the energy during the reflection, or would the additional heat make no difference? (my "guess" is that it would be impossible to heat something to a high enough temperature for it to retain it's ability to reflect, and instead the mirror would fail.) Apologies if my question is phrased poor...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1la3d6/what_would_happen_when_light_reflects_off_of_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cbxaa3e" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "What do you mean \"higher net energy\"? The total heat energy in a given mirror is typically much higher than the energy of a given photon in the visible spectrum." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
zav98
Is it possible to for the body to stop identifying an allergen as harmful after years of no exposure?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/zav98/is_it_possible_to_for_the_body_to_stop/
{ "a_id": [ "c62z7d0" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Actually, yes! Memory B-cells are what are responsible for long term humoral immunity (the kind involved in allergic reactions, among other things). Memory B-cells are some of the longest lived cells in the body, behind maybe neurons and cardiac...
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[ [] ]
4yq3nq
In the history of presidential elections in the United States has a major political party ever functionally conceded defeat months before the general election and ran its house/senate candidates as checks on the opposing party's candidates power once they assumed the presidency?
Recently it has been in the news that officials and house/senate candidates for the Republican party are considering writing off their general elections candidate and instead running as "checks" on the power of a presumptive Democratic president. Has this happened before in previous US presidential elections or would t...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4yq3nq/in_the_history_of_presidential_elections_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d6psrkd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Republicans ran Congressional campaigns in 1996 (Clinton/Dole) explicitly as a check against the presumed Clinton victory. (Clinton was up 8 points in October polling.) The NRCC warned against giving Clinton a blank check and pushed for voters ...
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[ [] ]
1llu2k
why do humans drink so much water when compared to cats/dogs?
I saw a video of a cat drinking water yesterday, and the cat was there for ~2 mins, just lapping up water. The structure of cats/dogs is pretty much the same compared to humans, right? What fundamental difference do cats/dogs have which allows them to survive with such little water.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1llu2k/eli5_why_do_humans_drink_so_much_water_when/
{ "a_id": [ "cc0i7cn" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Humans sweat while most other animals with fur/feathers don't. Obviously you need to replace the moisture lost by sweating. \n\nEfficency of our bodies is another issue. Some animals have more efficient kidneys that concentrate urine stronger tha...
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[ [] ]
1am2hh
Is it really possible to "utilize the natural electric currents within the earth" and convert it into "radiant electricity?"
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1am2hh/is_it_really_possible_to_utilize_the_natural/
{ "a_id": [ "c8yn3s3" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Well, first off, the disinfographic claims that there are electric currents in the ground, but in fact **the crust of the Earth doesn't have significant electric currents**, certainly nothing strong enough to extract useful power from. It's mostl...
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[ [] ]
5yuubs
why have salaries not increased on par with the cost of living.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5yuubs/eli5_why_have_salaries_not_increased_on_par_with/
{ "a_id": [ "det2acu" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Our economy is based on an everlasting perpetual growth. In other words if company i.e. Walmart doesn't post profit increase in their year over year sales report it is considered unsuccessful or not profitable and investors start pulling away. O...
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[ [] ]
eudqsl
Flairs, posters, lurkers, lend me your ears! I come to praise our NEW MOD!
She has already peered beyond the veil and trawled the deep dank underbelly of this subreddit- and I assure you, it's deep and it's dank!- and lived to [tell](_URL_0_) [the](_URL_1_) [tale](_URL_2_) (which you should definitely read, if you haven't already). Now, we're officially welcoming her to the Dark Side™ . All ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/eudqsl/flairs_posters_lurkers_lend_me_your_ears_i_come/
{ "a_id": [ "ffoddbp", "ffoef6q", "ffoesob", "ffojy23", "ffol0v5", "ffost8t", "ffovyaj", "ffp33uo" ], "score": [ 17, 26, 8, 6, 7, 17, 6, 7 ], "text": [ "Welcome to ~~best-paid~~ ~~most-respected~~ ~~most pleasant~~ ~~least stressful~~ ~~highe...
[]
[ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a3p1ig/meta_i_wrote_my_phd_dissertation_on_askhistorians/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a4yc1v/meta_i_wrote_my_phd_dissertation_on_askhistorians/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a5j123/meta_im_back_with_the_final_post_summa...
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
31a5rw
What exactly happens when cake batter turns into fluffy, moist cake?
I don't understand the process that happens, or how sweet, battery goodness turns into fluffy goodness! :) So what happens to batter when heat is applied?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/31a5rw/what_exactly_happens_when_cake_batter_turns_into/
{ "a_id": [ "cq0naa1", "cq0u5zz" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Cake batter includes two chemicals, cream of tartar (or, to give it the chemist's name, tartaric acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). When mixed together dry, we call it 'baking powder', when sold mixed in with the fl...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
3svhtz
why aren't siblings born with the same dna?
Statistically speaking, non-twin siblings from the same parents could have the same DNA, right? Why doesn't this happen? What are the statistical odds that it could?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3svhtz/eli5_why_arent_siblings_born_with_the_same_dna/
{ "a_id": [ "cx0r1ce", "cx0rb52" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You have 23 pairs of DNA in your body. One of each pair from your mom, another from your dad. This means you have about 0.5^23 chance of having the same DNA as a sibling, and that's not even factoring in recombination (bits...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
d326cy
how do computers transmit and translate video and pictures? does each picture get boiled down to a pixel level with a binary code for each pixel? what about video? it blows my mind that computers can do this.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d326cy/eli5_how_do_computers_transmit_and_translate/
{ "a_id": [ "ezy7vre", "ezyfb7w" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Every pixel has a colour represented by a binary code. Commonly a byte (8 bits) is used for each of the three primary colours of red, green, and blue, so you need three bytes (24-bits) per pixel. That gives 16 million poss...
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[ [], [] ]
3ras3t
why does taking (something) to the negative power give us 1/(something)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ras3t/eli5_why_does_taking_something_to_the_negative/
{ "a_id": [ "cwmf2y0", "cwmg8uj" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "If you can realise that multiplication is the inverse of division, then it is pretty easy.\n\nFor positive powers:\n\n2^1 =1x2=2\n\n2^2 =1x2x2=4\n\n2^3 =1x2x2x2=8\n\nand so on. For a positive power, you multiply the number.\...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
qyolp
the annoying sound in my ears when i get out of the shower.
Not just the feeling of water in your ears (which goes away hitting your head with your hand on the area over your ear leaned to the side) but, you know, that sound. It's like there was a little, tiny flag in your ear which would wave very strongly with every move you make with your head. And optional: How to get rid...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qyolp/eli5_the_annoying_sound_in_my_ears_when_i_get_out/
{ "a_id": [ "c41ihn2" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ " > It's like there was a little, tiny flag in your ear which would wave very strongly with every move you make with your head.\n\nIf it's a clicking sound and seems related to swallowing, yawning, or breathing, you may want to ask a doctor abou...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/o7bq6/eli5_tinnitus/", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eustachian_tube" ] ]
52b4r1
Can a collapsing star have such great mass that the black hole formed completely absorbs the supernova and the star simply "goes dark?"
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/52b4r1/can_a_collapsing_star_have_such_great_mass_that/
{ "a_id": [ "d7ixxzx" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "Yes, but it is not really due to the size of the star (given that the star is massive enough to undergo core collapse).\n\nOnce nucleosynthesis in the core of a star reaches iron-56, it begins to consume energy, rather than create it. If the cor...
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[]
[ [ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova" ] ]
ax54wr
How do white bloodcells know what to attack?
I mean do they have a tiny brain? They just attack everything? And the same goes for platelets.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ax54wr/how_do_white_bloodcells_know_what_to_attack/
{ "a_id": [ "ehth8c2" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "This is a fantastic question! Though, I will preface this answer with 1) it is extraordinarily complex and we are still learning so very much about the intricacies and signaling pathways the many different types of white blood cells use to recog...
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[ [] ]
3kh1hm
the difference between deductive and abductive reasoning.
_URL_0_ I was watching an episode of QI and they mentioned that Sherlock Holmes did not use deductive reasoning. He used abductive reasoning. I tried to learn the difference, but I go crosseyed every time I read the above article. To quote Richard B. Riddick: "Maybe you should pretend like you're talkin' to someone...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kh1hm/eli5_the_difference_between_deductive_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cuxcqqf", "cuxdcak", "cuxfbrc" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It simply means coming up with ideas to explain things we see. Those ideas then are put to the test and discarded or validated.\n\n- Deduction: Winter is cold. Winter starts next month. So it will be co...
[]
[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abductive_reasoning#Deduction.2C_induction.2C_and_abduction" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
7uhefy
How realistic is the cancer "vaccine" talked about recently?
A recent post to /r/worldnews is talking about a cancer "vaccine" talked about in this [article](_URL_0_). All sorts of claims have been made about cancer in the post. So, how realistic is this?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7uhefy/how_realistic_is_the_cancer_vaccine_talked_about/
{ "a_id": [ "dtkc4ke", "dtkcuko", "dtkfcrx", "dtkg6vo", "dtkgwyy", "dtkhcgf", "dtkhn9i", "dtkhvn1", "dtki283", "dtkk7w5", "dtkk9or", "dtkkfut", "dtkkyky", "dtklqdg", "dtklwnl", "dtknexh", "dtko9m7", "dtkpxen", "dtkqksn", "dtksp2f" ], ...
[]
[ "https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/01/cancer-vaccine-eliminates-tumors-in-mice.html" ]
[ [ "http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/10/426/eaan4488" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://fortune.com/2004/03/22/cancer-medicines-drugs-health/" ], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
34x4wg
Why do radar dishes need to spin and scan the area progressively? Can't they design a radar which scans the whole area?
We've all seen this kind of thing, _URL_1_ As it spins it progressively scans the area and creates an image like this, _URL_0_ Why do they need to spin? Can't we design a radar which doesn't need to progressively scan the area?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/34x4wg/why_do_radar_dishes_need_to_spin_and_scan_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cqywdny", "cqyyvws", "cqz0zoh" ], "score": [ 4, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "It's due to the antenna design, as directional antenna can have a bigger range and better signal than omnidirectional.", "I guess you could think of if by analogy with our eyes. We turn our heads to...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/GmNaGi8.jpg", "http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HMAS_Adelaide_FFG01_main_radar_Dish.jpg" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
1kotmw
What were some tools and technology utilized in the Golden Age of Arctic Exploration?
I am writing a short story inspired by the disappearance of my ancestor Roald Amundsen. Kind of a "Mountains of Madness" meets "Event Horizon" kind of short horror story / novella. What kind of equipment were must haves by the explorers of this time period and what inaccuracies would be most glaring in something I wr...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1kotmw/what_were_some_tools_and_technology_utilized_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cbr4b3z", "cbr8xog", "cbr9v42" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Neat idea. Good luck!", "I only know of Amundsen's expeditions in passing (at the \"Wikipedia\" level), but I've read books by and about pre-flight-era polar explorers. \n\nIn slightly earlier days,...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.dieselpunks.org/video/roald-amundsen-lincoln-ellsworth-polar-flight-1925", "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLeLohOIsD4" ], [ "http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sennegrass" ] ]
bwwd2v
what are apertures, f-stops, how does depth of field work, and how does lens measurement factor into the equation?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bwwd2v/eli5_what_are_apertures_fstops_how_does_depth_of/
{ "a_id": [ "eq0wuxl" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "An ideal lens focuses light from a single plane (called the focal plane) onto its sensor. However, that's not super useful, as we often want to take pictures of things that are thick. As it turns out, there is a region around the focal plane wh...
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[ [] ]
34oh2g
why do i have to wait 30 seconds after i unplug my modem to plug it back in? once it's off, isn't it just...off?
When resetting a modem, why does the 30 second time limit matter?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34oh2g/eli5_why_do_i_have_to_wait_30_seconds_after_i/
{ "a_id": [ "cqwkcie", "cqwkfar", "cqwlkjd", "cqwon2y", "cqwt6by" ], "score": [ 7, 26, 7, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "there are various components that still hold a slight electric charge for a few seconds after you disconnect the power cord. leaving it unplugged for 30 seco...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
1t4uaz
What advice can askhistorians give me on becoming a professional historian.
I have loved history as long as I can remember. I would much rather watch a PBS documentary on the civil war than a sitcom. I have my Bachelors degree in American history, and in January I am starting a master of Arts teaching degree at USC with an emphasis in social studies. I'm hoping if I do well enough I can apply ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1t4uaz/what_advice_can_askhistorians_give_me_on_becoming/
{ "a_id": [ "ce4fowl" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Not to dissuade any new advice, but we've collected past posts in this topic under the FAQ section [History Careers and Education](_URL_0_)." ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/theory#wiki_history_careers_and_education" ] ]
9rproh
Why so much variation in the spelling of Irish surnames?
There seems to be a wide variety of spellings of Irish surnames in the United States, such as Monahan/Moynihan/Monaghan, and O’Neill-O’Neal. This seems surprising to me given that Ireland was hardly a pre-literate society when the Irish immigrants were coming to America. Why is this, and does this variety also exist ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9rproh/why_so_much_variation_in_the_spelling_of_irish/
{ "a_id": [ "e8j9b34" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's a byproduct of British colonialism. During their process of colonisation, the English settlers often took Irish names - of people and places - and Anglicised them. For example, the capital of the Republic is Dublin, based on the viking settl...
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[ [] ]
qkbsv
Would it be possible to create a stable, artificial ring around our planet (any celestial body, really)?
That space elevator question was very interesting and got me thinking... Assume we have all materials and technology for this, assume it is technically feasible to put everything needed into orbit. I don't see why this isn't possible, but I may be wrong. My reasoning is this: we can put satellites in geostationary orb...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/qkbsv/would_it_be_possible_to_create_a_stable/
{ "a_id": [ "c3ym7k8" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The issue is the amount of material you're talking about. Realistically you'd want to push asteroids around to form the belt. Then your main issue is what is this going to do to the gravity of the earth/moon system.\n\nLets throw some numbers a...
[]
[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringworld" ]
[ [] ]
6pkxoc
why do brass instruments only emit a sound when pursing your lips? why can't you just blow into them and make sound?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6pkxoc/eli5_why_do_brass_instruments_only_emit_a_sound/
{ "a_id": [ "dkq4gxo", "dkq4s8t" ], "score": [ 10, 3 ], "text": [ "There needs to be some kind of vibration. Your lips vibrate in the mouthpeice and the instrument basically amplifies that vibration. If you just blow all you do is move air though a bunch of tubes. A saxaphone is brass but...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2khmos
What type of wood was the medieval trebuchet made of?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2khmos/what_type_of_wood_was_the_medieval_trebuchet_made/
{ "a_id": [ "clljv3q" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "In all likelihood most siege engines would have been a melange of cut and scavenged woods, some chronicles testify to ships hulls and masts, and houses, torn apart. However, oak and beech are the most common references in chronicles from Charlema...
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[ [] ]
uufd1
Are quarks affected by magnetic fields?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/uufd1/are_quarks_affected_by_magnetic_fields/
{ "a_id": [ "c4ymwf2", "c4yn7i7" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Yes, though quarks are never found alone.\n\nAnything with electric charge can be affected by a magnetic field.\n\nA proton is made of two up quarks and a down quark; it has a charge of +1.\n\nThe up, charm, and top quark ha...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
5fut2f
how does my printer know how much ink is in the cartridge?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5fut2f/eli5how_does_my_printer_know_how_much_ink_is_in/
{ "a_id": [ "dan8axt" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "the inkjet cartridge has a electronic chip inside that counts how many times its asked to jet ink of each color. reach the upper end of that count and you have a good idea when it's going to run out. \n\n" ] }
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[ [] ]
jvhga
I have a question for you /r/askscience. Is this some kind of hoax, or can this really work? I'm looking forward to your downvote if it is a duplicate. Reposted from /r/physics
Hi! I found some intresting, inexplicable (maybe just for me) experiment: _URL_0_ . Can someone explain me how it works? That is particulary intresting because it dosent work in both directions. I'm sorry if I did something wrong, I'm new here.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jvhga/i_have_a_question_for_you_raskscience_is_this/
{ "a_id": [ "c2ffrln", "c2fft3m", "c2ffxsm", "c2fiax9", "c2ffrln", "c2fft3m", "c2ffxsm", "c2fiax9" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 2, 2, 2, 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Can you summarize the video for those of us at work?", "A simple search in askscience fo...
[]
[ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TMKMoGLVcw" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jsdfz/what_is_going_on_here_strange_magnetic_propulsion/" ], [], [], [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jsdfz/what_is_going_on_here_strange_magnetic_propulsion/" ], [], [] ]
2z5s23
Was former L.A. Mayor John Porter a member of the Ku Klux Klan?
I am in the process of writing a research paper about how the KKK influenced California during 1920-1930s. In my research I came across a claim that Porter was current member/former member of the Klan, but nothing really concrete. I've searched my school's databases rigorously, but haven't found much more about him. Do...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2z5s23/was_former_la_mayor_john_porter_a_member_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cpfy6lj" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Not a historian, but you might look at the [San Diego History Center](_URL_3_) for answers on this. They appear to have some primary sources in their collection, but specifically on this they site Kevin Starr's Material Dreams: Southern Californi...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.worldcat.org/title/chronological-record-of-los-angeles-city-officials-1850-1938-supplement-july-1-1937-june-30-1965/oclc/10140559", "https://books.google.com/books?id=NT0xBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq=los+angeles+mayor+john+porter+KKK&source=bl&ots=U3v7LzZ2Jr&sig=pezmw7x...
wgfqv
How come we can see distant galaxies but just recently discovered Pluto's fifth moon?
The Hubble telescope and others have shown us pretty clear pictures of galaxies that are thousands of light-years away. That being said, how come just within the last day or so we discovered that Pluto has a fifth moon, P5? I understand that the moon is incredibly small, but how come we can see objects so far away but ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/wgfqv/how_come_we_can_see_distant_galaxies_but_just/
{ "a_id": [ "c5d3irb", "c5d3kyz", "c5d48nc" ], "score": [ 27, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Galaxies and stars are very bright, so you can see them from farther away. Pluto and its moon do not emit light and all we see from them is reflected sunlight off their surface. \n\nIt's kindof like ho...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6230985836_6007b65532.jpg" ] ]
1q2vdg
how much money (usd) would need to be "destroyed" in order to see a significant rise in the value of the dollar?
If the value of money goes down as more money is put in circulation, taking some out would make the value go up, right? So how much cash would need to be burned to actually see a real change in the power of the U.S. dollar?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q2vdg/eli5how_much_money_usd_would_need_to_be_destroyed/
{ "a_id": [ "cd8n0la" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "_URL_0_\n\nThe monetary base went from ~800 billion USD in 2008 to 3.6 trillion 2013 and you had ~10% cumulative inflation over 5 years.\n\nSo if you want to roll back that inflation you'd need to eliminate at least 80% of the monetary base (note...
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[]
[ [ "http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/BASE/" ] ]
bgn603
what is the purpose of that transparent blue strip on the top of the windshield glass of almost every car?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bgn603/eli5_what_is_the_purpose_of_that_transparent_blue/
{ "a_id": [ "elm7288" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "As the sun starts to set it can be shining directly into the drivers eyes. The shade strip lets you block some of that without having to tint the whole window which would make it harder to see out at night." ] }
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[ [] ]
5uldrh
why primary education is disproportionately a female institution?
Surely both male and female children need equality in their role models?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5uldrh/eli5_why_primary_education_is_disproportionately/
{ "a_id": [ "dduw6sp", "dduxfbe", "ddv3i2t" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "That's a pretty tough question to answer, and I think it also depends on the country you live in. \n\nA lot of people think that the reason there are a majority of female teachers is because society put...
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[ [], [], [] ]
11j430
When you lose your memory, or if you have a hard time remembering things, is that because your brain can't "store" the memories properly or because it can't "retrieve" them properly?
I don't have much more to add to it than that... It was just a random question that popped into my mind when I was trying to remember something. And I remembered reading somewhere that you can't "make characters" for your dreams, they're all people that you've seen some where at some point in time. So I started to wo...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/11j430/when_you_lose_your_memory_or_if_you_have_a_hard/
{ "a_id": [ "c6mxunk" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The answer really is \"it depends.\" Disruption in both storage (called encoding) and retrieval can both disrupt your ability to recall memories. There is quite a bit of debate about exactly what goes on when you forget something, with some peopl...
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[ [] ]
3okz11
How often do neutrinos interact with us? What happens when they do?
And, lastly, is the Sun the only source from which the Earth gets neutrinos?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3okz11/how_often_do_neutrinos_interact_with_us_what/
{ "a_id": [ "cvy4jgs", "cvyb3ym", "cvyr723", "cw085ay" ], "score": [ 2053, 63, 30, 3 ], "text": [ " > How often do neutrinos interact with us? \n\nA quick *literal* rule of thumb for neutrinos: 10^11 neutrinos pass through your thumbnail *every second*. It doesn't matter i...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/breaking/2010/02/15/just-how-often-are-you-hit-by-a-neutrino", "https://icecube.wisc.edu/icecube/masterclass/media/20", "http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/particles/imgpar/sud.gif", "https://newhumanist.org.uk/images/CCWEB-Sun-at-Night1.jpg" ], [], [...
3694vk
Was Joseph Smith sincere?
A lot of people speak of Joseph Smith as a fraud or conman. They state so unequivocally, as if the falsity of a believe is evidence of someone lying. Yet while I don't believe in Mormonism (or any religion), I recognise the difference between something not being true and something being a fraud. I don't assume the fo...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3694vk/was_joseph_smith_sincere/
{ "a_id": [ "crh5oib" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "In short, we can show that Joseph and/or his compatriots were involved in intentional deception, explicit plagiarism, and attempts to bury evidence of misdeeds. I don't think we can ever completely rule out psychosis or an epic level of self-dil...
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[]
[ [ "https://web.archive.org/web/20150319092257/http://bycommonconsent.com/2013/09/11/the-council-of-fifty/", "http://www.utlm.org/images/newsletters/no68highlightedbillwholep1.gif", "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarah_Marinda_Bates_Pratt&oldid=661028840#Allegation_of_abortions", "htt...
q9sdb
Why do cochlear implants not produce normal hearing, and what would they need to do so?
Also, everyone talks about how cochlear implants have 24 or so channels and they seem to be the main limiting factor. What are these channels?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/q9sdb/why_do_cochlear_implants_not_produce_normal/
{ "a_id": [ "c3vvz62", "c3vw7u7", "c3vw9o2", "c3vzzcw" ], "score": [ 10, 3, 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Your [cochlea](_URL_3_) is shaped like a snail shell. Throughout this shell, there are hairs that are triggered by different frequencies of sound. Hairs near the base fire in resp...
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[]
[ [ "http://entcentre.com/images/EndoAtlasPics/arrayincochlea.jpg", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlear_implant", "http://www.utdallas.edu/~loizou/cimplants/tutorial/tutorial.htm", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cochlea.svg" ], [], [], [] ]
fte4e
If time stops completely at the event horizon, how can black holes grow?
It is my understanding, that the supermassive black holes in the center of galaxies became so massive because they were swallowing up surrounding matter for billions of years, not because they were so massive from the beginning. On the other hand, if time stops at the event horizon, it shouldn't be possible for matter ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fte4e/if_time_stops_completely_at_the_event_horizon_how/
{ "a_id": [ "c1ih3no", "c1iha7h", "c1ihel2" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 31 ], "text": [ "What matters is the mass of the black hole from the black hole's perspective. And from its perspective, matter falls in just fine.", "The answer is that it is really complicated. You are correct th...
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[ [], [], [] ]
28fqva
in philosophy, what are epistemology and metaphysics?
I hear these terms thrown around often when reading about philosophy, but I've never been able to find a sensible answer to what they actually are. Can someone help me out? Edit: Thanks, guys!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28fqva/eli5_in_philosophy_what_are_epistemology_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ciainu2" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "True ELI5: \n\nEpistemology = \"How do I know shit? What does it mean to know shit?\"\n\nMetaphysics = \"What is this shit? What is shit? What is?\"" ] }
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[ [] ]
2zhbk5
how can we smell spring?
You can just feel it in the air... I am pretty sure it is something to do with pollen...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zhbk5/eli5_how_can_we_smell_spring/
{ "a_id": [ "cpixi85", "cpiz5yu" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "I'd like to think it's more a mass thawing of hundreds of petrified dog turds.", "Pollen is just plant spunk. Walking outside in spring is like walking into a huge tree orgy. There really is something in the air, and on ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
6ek466
what's happening inside of a plasma ball?
I was have one and was wondering what the plasma and light was and why it's attracted to objects outside of the glass.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ek466/eli5_whats_happening_inside_of_a_plasma_ball/
{ "a_id": [ "diayacu" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "Inside a plasma ball high voltage is used to strip electrons away from atoms of a noble gas (usually neon or argon). Plasma is a state of matter comprising these free electrons. Light (release of photons) happens whenever electrons change orbit...
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[ [] ]
28zam8
how could pixar produce toy story back in 1995?
Since it was rendered by computer, did they have a team of 500 PC's or something like that?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28zam8/eli5how_could_pixar_produce_toy_story_back_in_1995/
{ "a_id": [ "cifw0dn", "cifw45q", "cifx74x", "cifz4cm", "cig9o41" ], "score": [ 21, 4, 2, 35, 2 ], "text": [ "They had 117 computers running 24 hours a day, which could produce three minutes of the movie a week. It was slow.", "Rendering 3d video is done through...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1059955/" ] ]
5yvh3n
how do download and upload speeds actually work,(i.e how do they limit the speed of download through your cables)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5yvh3n/eli5_how_do_download_and_upload_speeds_actually/
{ "a_id": [ "det7kif", "detl6jv" ], "score": [ 9, 3 ], "text": [ "They limit the speed of the download by limiting how many bits per second are allowed to transfer through the wire to you. Someone, somewhere tracks all the bits that go into your house, and counts those bits. Every second, ...
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[ [], [] ]
1djsdv
how come the zimbabwe dollar inflated so fast? how do people survive in a country with such hyperinflation?
Basically those two questions. I'd also like to know what's going on there right now - if your 100 trillion dollars is only worth 10 trillion tomorrow (lol) how can people even work and expect to survive? Is the situation resolved? If so, how? If not, why not?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1djsdv/eli5_how_come_the_zimbabwe_dollar_inflated_so/
{ "a_id": [ "c9qzakp", "c9r0hjz", "c9r1mqi", "c9r3tqu", "c9r7gnc", "c9r84ou", "c9raz04" ], "score": [ 33, 6, 6, 69, 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "People stop using the currency and move to a barter system (or different currency). That is the resolution as we...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
5llgje
in ww2 movies and rl videos some soldiers salute and some use nazi salute. why is that?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5llgje/eli5_in_ww2_movies_and_rl_videos_some_soldiers/
{ "a_id": [ "dbwjf3k" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Nazi salute (with straight right hand) was mandatory for civilians but optional for military. Soldiers mostly used traditional salute. " ] }
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[ [] ]
2avydb
What happens when I take a USB drive out without ejecting?
Or a camera? I've been doing this most of my life and nothing has ever happened. Edit: Wow!! Thanks for the replies guys Edit 2: what I've learned from this thread: when in doubt; don't pull out!
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2avydb/what_happens_when_i_take_a_usb_drive_out_without/
{ "a_id": [ "cizbu0n", "cizc26j", "cizj85c", "cizjiq1", "cizn21j", "ciznjbj", "cizoxiw", "cizpbz0", "cizpwnh", "cizqu87", "cizqwod", "cizrvt3", "cizspe2", "cizt29c", "cizuuap", "cizuuqg", "cizuxaq", "cj00qg3" ], "score": [ 1200, 805, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive_failure#Landing_zones_and_load.2Funload_technology", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_buffer" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2006.07.windowsconfidential.aspx" ], [], [], [], ...
2iv3v6
Panzer tanks: "first-class visual and command facilities"?
I'm currently read Panzer Leader after /u/saelyre's recommendation. Guderian makes the following statement: "*I have never regretted my insistence at that time on our tanks being equipped with first- class visual and command facilities. So far as the latter is concerned, we were at all times superior to our enemies an...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2iv3v6/panzer_tanks_firstclass_visual_and_command/
{ "a_id": [ "cl5sl10" ], "score": [ 11 ], "text": [ "On a purely technical level, \"visual and command\" references both German radios and optics. Although German tank design was relatively conservative, especially at the start of the war, their tanks incorporated good optical equipment and effect...
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[]
[ [ "http://panzerfaust.ca/AFV%20interiors/pz4d_files/pz4h-01.jpg", "http://beutepanzer.ru/Beutepanzer/su/t-34/t-34early/t-34_camo_01.jpg", "http://www.asisbiz.com/Battles/Barbarossa/images/Soviet-T-34-tanks-abandoned-after-a-battle-with-German-forces-01.jpg" ] ]
5or7wg
why do competitions require you to answer a ridiculous question when you enter?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5or7wg/eli5_why_do_competitions_require_you_to_answer_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dclei1t", "dclem6i" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, in the UK a competition with a question is regarded legally as a game of skill, even if the question is stupidly simple. Without a question it would be regarded as a lottery, which has very much tougher rules and regul...
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[ [], [] ]
9mzp5a
what is treasury yields and why does it cause the market to slide?
What does it mean when the news reports that US Treasury yields? What's the Treasury's relationship with the market that causes it to slide over the week? I've tried to read up about it, but it just gets more confusing. I was surprise to find that there are 3-month US treasury, 1-year US treasury, 2-year treasury, an...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9mzp5a/eli5_what_is_treasury_yields_and_why_does_it/
{ "a_id": [ "e7ij5ms", "e7ijhkh", "e7jes35" ], "score": [ 11, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "First all the quick answers:\n\nTreasuries are US government debt. Yields are how much interest the US government will pay lenders to loan money to them for a certain period of time. 10-year treasuri...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
48e5e1
why does urinating feel different when you are sick?
Can tell I'm a sleep out from a full blown flu and possibly. Today had some minor symptoms such as stuffy nose and sore throat with the general body ache that comes with a flu When urinating it feels almost more sensitive/different, don't really know how to describe
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/48e5e1/eli5why_does_urinating_feel_different_when_you/
{ "a_id": [ "d0izg7c" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "For a multitude of reasons, among them:\n\n+ When sick your system is generating different chemicals from the immunologic system fight, which generate different contents, pH and even smell for your pee, the different contents and pH can irritate ...
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[ [] ]
3wuokw
why did sega drop out of the video game console business?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3wuokw/eli5_why_did_sega_drop_out_of_the_video_game/
{ "a_id": [ "cxz7tuo", "cxz8et1", "cxz9v8q", "cxza0fx", "cxzbzr9", "cxzc1xu", "cxzc4af", "cxzeak8", "cxzf4aw", "cxzforx", "cxzg8bu", "cxzgart", "cxzhysf", "cxzitnp", "cxzja21", "cxzjd3u", "cxzjgze", "cxzk7o5", "cxzkf5o", "cxzkfma", "c...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.amazon.com/Console-Wars-Nintendo-Defined-Generation/dp/0062276700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450145280&sr=8-1&keywords=the+console+wars" ], [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMAg46zaRbs" ], [], [], [], [], [], []...
4vd7su
Why do some metals turn bright red and white when they are melting? Why don't they just turn to liquid like mercury does?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4vd7su/why_do_some_metals_turn_bright_red_and_white_when/
{ "a_id": [ "d5xrnmx", "d5xs1j6", "d5y5rir" ], "score": [ 12, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Because the melting points of most metals are much higher than Mercury and at high temperatures, the thermal radiations all objects gives off (including you, your dog and your chair) shifts into the vi...
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[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draper_point" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-body_radiation" ], [] ]
cn6xjl
How do Colloids work?
I understand that they are molecules that are used in mixtures to create a sort of “gelling” but is it because how they are arranged or due to specific bonds? How does its presence actually cause particles from not being able to settle?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/cn6xjl/how_do_colloids_work/
{ "a_id": [ "ewcu8xx" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Colloids aren’t a molecule or additive, they’re a state of a mixture. Specifically, a colloid is formed when the particles (not atomic particles, particulate/macroscopic particles) are too small to settle out. The particles are so small that grav...
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[ [] ]
2q3hq2
why should someone never refreeze something that has been unfrozen ?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2q3hq2/eli5_why_should_someone_never_refreeze_something/
{ "a_id": [ "cn2gkei", "cn2gnyx" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Generally when frozen foods are frozen for sale/storage they are done so in a way that prevents large ice crystals from forming and damaging the food. You can't easily do this at home.\n\nThis was the big advantage that Bird...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2k9icr
the ending of the sopranos
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2k9icr/eli5_the_ending_of_the_sopranos/
{ "a_id": [ "clj70s9" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Here's a very detailed analysis:\n\n_URL_0_\n\nI personally think you have to pick one of two narratives:\n\n1. Tony was killed by the man in the members only jacket, with the ending tied to prior episodes where the characters discuss the fact...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://masterofsopranos.wordpress.com/the-sopranos-definitive-explanation-of-the-end/" ] ]
3fpcdl
why do some sites not allow you to have special characters in your password? wouldn't it be better to always have as secure a password as possible?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3fpcdl/eli5_why_do_some_sites_not_allow_you_to_have/
{ "a_id": [ "ctqpo54", "ctqv79z" ], "score": [ 10, 2 ], "text": [ "There have been news stories about websites getting hacked, and the hackers making off with lots of customer/employee/third-party information. How do hackers normally do this?\n\nIn the younger days of the internet, most s...
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[ [], [] ]
105pfj
What sort of judicial system did the Confederacy have during the Civil War?
Law student here- by the time 1861 rolled around, U.S. Supreme Court precedent had already handled some extremely fundamental questions about the judiciary, from issues concerning federalism/separation of powers to appellate/original jurisdiction. I realized, however, that I am entirely unfamiliar with the judicial str...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/105pfj/what_sort_of_judicial_system_did_the_confederacy/
{ "a_id": [ "c6ao6xm" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Someone did a presentation about this in the constitutional law class I took ages ago but I barely remember it. I do remember that at a national level, the [Confederate Constitution took the Article III language virtually word-for-word](_URL_0_) ...
[]
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[ [ "http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America" ] ]
3jhveu
stock dividends
Title
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3jhveu/eli5_stock_dividends/
{ "a_id": [ "cupbbls", "cuphbjw" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "If a corporation makes a profit, it may decide that it wants to share some of the corporation's profits with its owners (known as shareholders). The profit that is paid by a corporation to its shareholders is called the divi...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
d4oqx2
what determines whether a pro sports team is named after a city (dallas cowboys), or after a state (minnesota vikings)?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d4oqx2/eli5_what_determines_whether_a_pro_sports_team_is/
{ "a_id": [ "f0evquk", "f0evvhq" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "It is down to the owner plus any special tax break the local community has given them which may also involve promoting the city or state. In addition existing teams in the state may restrict the naming process.", "That’s...
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[ [], [] ]
1cmgip
If I travel fast enough to red or blue shift radio waves, what would happen to the sound coming from a radio program?
I realize that I would have to adjust my station to the new frequencies, but would the radio beat or tone shift up or down as well?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1cmgip/if_i_travel_fast_enough_to_red_or_blue_shift/
{ "a_id": [ "c9hwmu8", "c9hwr70", "c9hxkac", "c9i3n7s" ], "score": [ 8, 5, 2, 16 ], "text": [ "Well, it would change the station first of all... So if you tuned in at 98.5 MHz you might instead tune in at 98.6 MHz. \n\nAfter that I think things should be slowed down, regard...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM_broadcasting#Operation", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_broadcasting#Modulation_characteristics" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_modulation" ], [] ]
bzohlr
What makes an explosive effective at different jobs?
What would make a given amount of an explosive effective at say, demolishing a building, vs antipersonnel, vs armor penetration, vs launching an object? I know that explosive velocity is a consideration, but I do not fully understand what impact it has.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/bzohlr/what_makes_an_explosive_effective_at_different/
{ "a_id": [ "eqvl8q7", "eqvpigr", "eqvtbhu", "eqvuf2f", "eqvxq1w", "eqw2hdw", "eqwc7o6", "eqwej3m", "eqwg3ra", "eqwgjtw", "eqwsvq1", "eqx0tfn", "eqxqhgg", "eqyhvbf" ], "score": [ 386, 140, 2, 476, 8, 60, 4, 3, 8, 8, ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaped_charge", "http://www.unitednuclear.com/bp.htm" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1q7zq8
why do wombat's poop cubes?
Title says it all, I just can't wrap my head around the fact that they poop little dice shaped turds.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q7zq8/eli5_why_do_wombats_poop_cubes/
{ "a_id": [ "cda4rhn" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Wombats poop on top of rocks and logs near their burrows. The reason for this is not to keep intruders away, but to use as an indicator to know where their home is. Wombats have terrible eyesight however they have an extraordinary sense of smell....
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2zq7a7
how does the army/military wash clothes while deployed?
How does the army/military wash clothes and laundry while deployed? I'm assuming they just hand wash everything? Wouldn't everyone smell like ass? Hoping someone could chime in. Just a random thought that I couldn't find anything on google.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zq7a7/eli5_how_does_the_armymilitary_wash_clothes_while/
{ "a_id": [ "cpl9qr0", "cpl9rjn", "cpl9vxe", "cpla111", "cpla88j", "cplau3l", "cplcpkr", "cplcujf", "cplcwcx", "cpld7mu", "cpld9bn", "cplh6b2", "cply336" ], "score": [ 56, 64, 8, 18, 11, 6, 2, 4, 6, 10, 7, 4, 2...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
7m2k57
in movie scenes depicting large crowds or groups, do the extras usually have scripted dialogue or do they ad-lib?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7m2k57/eli5_in_movie_scenes_depicting_large_crowds_or/
{ "a_id": [ "drquuzh" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "They aren't talking at all. They are just pretending to talk. The sound is added in later. If they really talked it would interfere with the main actors dialogue recording. Sometimes directors will give them some motivation (like ask one couple i...
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[ [] ]
rmxpp
Do animals get tired of eating the same food day after day?
Domesticated animals especially. I know I get tired of eating the same sandwich three days in a row. Are there any studies out there about animals and food preference?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/rmxpp/do_animals_get_tired_of_eating_the_same_food_day/
{ "a_id": [ "c474ip9", "c474x8x", "c4750h0", "c475dw2", "c475wcv", "c4763ok", "c476c94", "c476jcu", "c476s7t", "c478ht3", "c4790ox" ], "score": [ 36, 50, 294, 18, 75, 12, 2, 31, 23, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "Modern humans act...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_food#Nutrient_chart" ], [], [], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9480714" ], [ "http://www.sciencemag.org/content/307/5716/1776" ], [ "http://www.radiolab.org/2007/jun/04/" ], [], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17049752"...
382www
why has the euro held its value for so many years, then all of the sudden dropped to almost the same value as the usd?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/382www/eli5_why_has_the_euro_held_its_value_for_so_many/
{ "a_id": [ "crs5c0c", "crs80l8", "crscfvc" ], "score": [ 11, 14, 3 ], "text": [ "US Fed has slowed down how much money they are putting into circulation (went interest rates are slowly going up.)\n\nGreece and partially Spain have forced the EU to begin their own QE", "I don't...
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[ [], [], [] ]
spssr
the modern "war on women"
I really have this HUGE premonition that this whole thing is a bunch of crap, but I'd like to know more. What makes people think this is actually going on?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/spssr/eli5_the_modern_war_on_women/
{ "a_id": [ "c4fy2l0", "c4fybpl", "c4fzfr3", "c4fztdw" ], "score": [ 7, 35, 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Don't have time to respond fully right now, spend 7 minutes watching the video at the bottom. \n\n_URL_0_", "There are a variety of issues that have come up that seem to releg...
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[ [ "http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rachel-maddow-calls-on-gop-to-appoint-sen-murkowski-war-on-women-spokesperson/" ], [], [], [] ]
3r0dsl
if one had an electric motor on a car that turned one wheel and three generators on the other three wheels, with two battery banks (one charging and one being used) could i run this car forever?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3r0dsl/eli5_if_one_had_an_electric_motor_on_a_car_that/
{ "a_id": [ "cwjtfjz", "cwjtgo9", "cwjtjrv" ], "score": [ 6, 9, 3 ], "text": [ "Nope! Any question that asks \"could I run such-and-such system forever?\" violates the first and second laws of thermodynamics.\n\nMore specifically, you would not be able to recover electricity at a ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
7c79ka
Why were European states such as Britain, France, Germany and more, able and willing to colonize and conquer places like Africa, the Americas, and more?
To start: I am mestizo, descended from central American Mayans and the Spanish conquerers - this is not a question alluding to white or european supremacy. I have always wondered (I played lots of Age of Empires growing up), however, why it was that European nations like france, russia, britain, portugal and more has b...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7c79ka/why_were_european_states_such_as_britain_france/
{ "a_id": [ "dqfhs27" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Oh dear. I'll be frank with you: the reason why you haven't received an answer to this question is because the answer would be enormous. You could spend the rest of your life studying how these questions apply to but a single group of people -...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3drttg/why_does_everyone_say_native_americans_were/ct8am3i/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3drttg/why_does_everyone_say_native_americans_were/ctch56l/" ] ]
1q3tuy
What was life like in Spain in the early 70's?
What was life like in Spain towards the end of Franco's rule? For somebody living in Madrid, what were the big political issues of the time? Was the standard of living decent, and was it rising or on a decline?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1q3tuy/what_was_life_like_in_spain_in_the_early_70s/
{ "a_id": [ "cd94059" ], "score": [ 24 ], "text": [ "I don't have any sources at hand but I will tell you what I remember from my Spanish High School history lessons:\n\nFranco no longer is the dictator he was at the end of the Civil War, his aging and loosening of the executive power have made hi...
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[ [] ]
2ka6ey
What will I hear if I talk while breaking the sound barrier?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2ka6ey/what_will_i_hear_if_i_talk_while_breaking_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cljp4nl" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Depends, in a jet it eill sound like you talking, if your head is exposed it will sound like nothing (and you would be screaming neways). What you hear is transmitted through the air (sound is just waves in air). So if the air is contained ans tr...
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bgdvnn
Is it possible that society actually needs wars as an engine for progress in technology? What does history say about this?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bgdvnn/is_it_possible_that_society_actually_needs_wars/
{ "a_id": [ "elkeivm", "ellbequ" ], "score": [ 136, 27 ], "text": [ "This question is so broad, the answer will depend pretty much entirely on what you want it to be. It would be easy to name many cases in which war produced technological innovations, but just as easy to cite many cases in...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/44sivx/ship_design_and_construction_in_the_age_of_sail/" ] ]
3klkpd
What do you end up with if you tear something apart at a 'molecular level'?
This may seem like an odd question; but we have an add on TV that proudly presents it's product as (a blender) able to tear apart food at a 'molecular level'. Creating 'super infused super food'. That got me thinking; if you began tearing food items apart at a molecular level; what exactly would you end up with? Would...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3klkpd/what_do_you_end_up_with_if_you_tear_something/
{ "a_id": [ "cuz398b" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Well first, that sounds like garbledeygook ad copy, so I wouldn't put much stock in the scientific value of that TV spot. \n\nAs for what breaking something at a \"molecular level\" would mean, that would depend on the nature of the substance. Fo...
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[ [] ]
1cyoq4
why does money exist?
I've been thinking about it, and most problems begin with money.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1cyoq4/eli5_why_does_money_exist/
{ "a_id": [ "c9l7r5g", "c9l7z00", "c9lmimx" ], "score": [ 25, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Because it's inconvenient to have to trade water buffalo for skittles.\n", "Less flippantly, it exists because resources are scarce. Money helps us decide how to allocate scarce resources.\n\nFor ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
24chw0
how do intangible currencies like bitcoin and dogecoin have value?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/24chw0/eli5_how_do_intangible_currencies_like_bitcoin/
{ "a_id": [ "ch5rrcb" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "People will accept it for goods and services. Therefore it has value." ] }
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[ [] ]
r6pma
Evolution Debate
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/r6pma/evolution_debate/
{ "a_id": [ "c43btt3", "c43bwa7", "c43bxbn", "c43c2jo", "c43c5po", "c43cpsd", "c43cv74", "c43cv7h", "c43d7gk", "c43d98n", "c43dg82", "c43duki", "c43dxb3", "c43dzvc", "c43e33v", "c43e3bj", "c43e59y", "c43e5bu", "c43e5dg", "c43egbq", "c...
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[ [ "http://people.delphiforums.com/lordorman/light.htm" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_evolution" ], [ "http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/comdesc/", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence_of_common_descent", "http://www.talkorigins.org/origins/faqs-mustread.html" ], [ "htt...
1mi7am
in u.s., "math". in u.k., "maths". why?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1mi7am/eli5_in_us_math_in_uk_maths_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cc9ghp0", "cc9habh" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "They're both shortened forms of the word \"mathematics\". Americans just shorten the whole word indiscriminately, while the rest of the world keeps the plural *s* and shortens the root of the word. ", "Linguists discuss ...
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[ [], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbZCECvoaTA" ] ]
229yxj
if number of offspring in mammals roughly correlates with mammary glands, why are twins not the predominant birth in humans?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/229yxj/eli5_if_number_of_offspring_in_mammals_roughly/
{ "a_id": [ "cgkqzan" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Due to bilateral symmetry (animals being roughly symmetrical down the middle) all mammals, as far as I know, have an even number of nipples, even ones where only one offspring at a time is the norm." ] }
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[ [] ]
3ltm0c
How did the combatant nations of WW2 disarm their soldiers when fighting ended? Did lots of soldiers hold on to their weapons, and/or take sidearms home with them? How much military hardware was unaccounted for?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3ltm0c/how_did_the_combatant_nations_of_ww2_disarm_their/
{ "a_id": [ "cv9eh64", "cv9yi08" ], "score": [ 84, 24 ], "text": [ "It depended on the country. I can shed some light on the American and Soviet methods of disarmament.\n\nWhen the Red Army began to demobilize large formations of its troops, the Soviet officials told them to hand over any...
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[ [], [] ]
5a8de6
why is a fan higher pitched when on higher speeds?
I'm curious why a fan sounds like it's higher pitched on higher speeds. Does this effect apply to other things? And is the sound we hear air particles moving more quickly? (Not 100% sure if this is a physics question but that seems right...).
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5a8de6/eli5_why_is_a_fan_higher_pitched_when_on_higher/
{ "a_id": [ "d9eg96j" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Sounds are based on frequency. The greater the frequency, the higher the pitch of the sound. As the fan is spinning faster, its frequency is greater and therefore the sound is higher." ] }
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8s7i6p
why during medical trials both control and subject group are told they are receiving experimental drug instead both being told they receive placebo?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8s7i6p/eli5_why_during_medical_trials_both_control_and/
{ "a_id": [ "e0x4l2x", "e0x4nvw", "e0x5e7w", "e0x6at1" ], "score": [ 8, 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Telling people you're feeding them sugar pills when in fact they're taking an experimental drug with possibly disastrous side effects is considered unethical, as it will make them ...
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2bhon2
- why do most honour killings involve murdering the victim? why not kill the rapist instead?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bhon2/eli5_why_do_most_honour_killings_involve/
{ "a_id": [ "cj5eshl", "cj5fx8n", "cj5i72c", "cj5iji8", "cj5wke9" ], "score": [ 65, 32, 19, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "In such cultures women are viewed as property, to be bought, sold, or traded. The honor killing is in retribution for the perceived dishonor of allowing th...
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