q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 3 301 | selftext stringlengths 0 39.2k | document stringclasses 1
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values | url stringlengths 4 132 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3kymzq | instead of melting, why do objects, such as paper, trees, and human bodies, turn to ash instead when lit on fire? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kymzq/eli5_instead_of_melting_why_do_objects_such_as/ | {
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"They're composite materials, made of different stuffs basically. The temperature at which they would melt, is higher than the temperatu... | [] | [] | [
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3283rn | how do we learn our first language? | Leaving nouns, how do we understand what the words means? And if it is something we learn from the womb, why is it that we have to relearn words as we grow and how do children of parents who are deaf learn a language? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3283rn/eli5_how_do_we_learn_our_first_language/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"We learn as a baby and toddler from our surroundings (parents, family etc.) If your parents repeatedly tell you \"kick the ball\" and react positively when you swing your foot against that round object on the floor, you have... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1zliv9 | why doesn't russia want to be part of the eu? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zliv9/elif_why_doesnt_russia_want_to_be_part_of_the_eu/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Thanks for the response ",
"Russia has a long history of being the head of empires, not being subjects of other nations. Taking back seat to other countries is not in their nature.\n\nRussia joinin... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3c14dq | Objectively speaking, was the Roman civilization on a whole more advanced than the various Celtic civilizations? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3c14dq/objectively_speaking_was_the_roman_civilization/ | {
"a_id": [
"csrdt8g",
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"text": [
"What does advanced mean objectively? Or to you?\n",
"Very hard to say. \n\nThere are significant gaps in almost all the celtic histories and entire cultural groups like the picts who we know almost nothing about. \n\nIn ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
6khwkd | india's new gst-tax | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6khwkd/eli5_indias_new_gsttax/ | {
"a_id": [
"djm9njy",
"djn0r51"
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"score": [
2,
2
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"text": [
"It's a \"value add tax\" similar to the GST in Canada or the VAT in the UK. Many countries have a tax system like this because it's fairly simple to implement and compliance can be easy audited. \n\nThe easiest way to expla... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
biobk2 | what causes the pressure in our chest when we hold our breath? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/biobk2/eli5_what_causes_the_pressure_in_our_chest_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"em1ufvk"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The pressure doesn't actually increase as you hold your breath. What you are feeling is the psychological manifestation of your need to breathe. And what is ultimately driving that is increased carbonic acid in your blood.\n\nCarbon dioxide is a... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
43m34m | why doesn't a slinky expand like normal springs do? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/43m34m/eli5_why_doesnt_a_slinky_expand_like_normal/ | {
"a_id": [
"czj8kln"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Springs are just coils of metal that try *really hard* to return back to their original shape. If you stretch a \"normal\" spring in your hands, it'll try to pull back to it's original shape just the same as it pushes against you when you compre... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2na3yn | why do people continue posting threads here when 99% of the questions can be answered w/ a simple google search? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2na3yn/eli5_why_do_people_continue_posting_threads_here/ | {
"a_id": [
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"c... | [] | [] | [
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49z5xi | What is some of the oldest primary source documents from Northern Europe? | I've been looking for a first hand account of the early medieval period in Northern Europe. I know written history from this area doesn't really go back much further than that. If anyone can give me any information on first person accounts only, I'd greatly appreciate it! | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/49z5xi/what_is_some_of_the_oldest_primary_source/ | {
"a_id": [
"d0w5arg",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Do you want first person accounts or the oldest accounts? I doubt those two are going to be the same.\n\nSome of the oldest sources will be saints' lives, usually written by biographers/hagiographers long after the saints we... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/columba-e.asp"
],
[]
] | |
1gh0mf | branch davidians and the waco siege | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1gh0mf/eli5_branch_davidians_and_the_waco_siege/ | {
"a_id": [
"cak5z90"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The branch Davidians, an Adventist sect focused around David Koresh lived in a compound in Texas were stockpiling illegal weapons. The ATF got a warrant to investigate and approached the compound armed. The Davidians didn't take too kindly to thi... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/utxgs/eli5_the_waco_siege/"
]
] | ||
ebs6ej | why can motorbike batteries sit on a shelf unused without losing charge but when sitting inside a motorbike for a few weeks that hasn't been turned on, go dead? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ebs6ej/eli5_why_can_motorbike_batteries_sit_on_a_shelf/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"When its on the shelf, there no where for the energy to go. In a motorbike, the battery is slowly and passively discharging. even if nothing is on. This is because the electrons in the battert have ano... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
ahy77n | why do some airports make transit passengers go through security again and others don’t? | For transit I mean your bag is already checked through to a final destination and you probably have boarding passes already. Is it a case of differing national regulations or dependent on your country of origin? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ahy77n/eli5_why_do_some_airports_make_transit_passengers/ | {
"a_id": [
"eejgjmm"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"As /u/TehWildMan_ said, international flights can force you to go through security again. But, even within the same country you might have to pass through security when connecting between flights. The common reason for this is that many airports ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6s6gzf | why is yellow visually/functionally the least strong color? | Okay, I'm not entirely sure if I can express this very well, but out of all the different wavelengths of light, why does yellow seem to be weaker and lighter in shade/tone than other colors at their full intensity? Like, picking colors in Photoshop by RGB/HSL, it feels like yellow is a much lighter color than red even ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6s6gzf/eli5_why_is_yellow_visuallyfunctionally_the_least/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"So there are a few things going on here. First...\n\n > it seems odd that one of the three primary colors seems so submissive to the others. \n\nYellow is not a primary color, at least not in the way you're thinking of it i... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/877x500p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/92/202/453250621.jpg"
],
[]
] | |
1nh7wp | Why did the Ustaše initially recognize Islam and "Muslim Serbs" as more Croatian than Orthodoxy and Orthodox Serbs? | I was reading up on the Ustaše and Ante Pavelić and came across this passage on the wikipedia page for the Ustaše: "The Ustaše recognized both Roman Catholicism and Islam as the national religions of the Croatian people but initially rejected Orthodox Christianity as being incompatible with their objectives." It goes o... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1nh7wp/why_did_the_ustaše_initially_recognize_islam_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cciost0"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"There is a strong connection, almost complete correspondence in fact, between religion and nationality in Bosnia (and Croatia, Serbia, etc.). Usually nations were defined not so much by what they have in common, as by how they are different than ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
72l3z2 | What would the treatment of an RAF pilot at a German POW camp in WWII have been like? | This question was inspired by Nolan’s *Dunkirk*, so I mean a pilot that would have been captured towards the beginning of the war.
How would they have travelled to Germany? Would they likely have survived, and stayed put in the camp for the duration of the war? Were there any Allied rescue attempts, or many successfu... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/72l3z2/what_would_the_treatment_of_an_raf_pilot_at_a/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
" > How would they have travelled to Germany? \n\nPotentially by train; the Luftwaffe wanted to get prisoners to their Dulag Luft interrogation centre at Oberusel rapidly to extract information so captured airmen would often travel under guard on... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
17xcey | What would happen if one face of the Earth faced the sun year round, for ever? | What if a planet like Earth (ok let us say plain old Earth), at its current distance from the sun, orbited the sun in a way that only one face of it ever only faced the sun (like the Moon orbits the Earth). Assuming the poles were at a right angle from the point of the earth that faced the sun at all times. What woul... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/17xcey/what_would_happen_if_one_face_of_the_earth_faced/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8a60d7"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Here's a better answer: _URL_0_\n"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/2491-world-stopped-turning.html"
]
] | |
15dfyo | how does a flute produce sound? | sound is vibrations, so how can a steady stream of air suddenly start to vibrate as it passes through the end? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/15dfyo/how_does_a_flute_produce_sound/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"It helps to think of the air in the flute and around the mouthpiece as a squishy fluid, like Jello or jam. We usually think of air as flowing like water, but you can compress air (squish), and compressed air will push back, like when you squeeze ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
lhqpo | Is it possible to cause light to travel in an "orbit"? | A mass in space will cause light traveling near it to curve and change direction a bit. Is there anything stopping a very large (or very widely distributed) mass from creating an "orbit" for light rays traveling a certain direction? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/lhqpo/is_it_possible_to_cause_light_to_travel_in_an/ | {
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"score": [
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2,
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"text": [
"This happens at 1.5 times the Schwarzschild radius outside a stationary black hole.",
"Sure. There's a region outside nonrotating black holes called the photon sphere where e... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
27g5ju | how does intuition or instinct work? | Have these ever been explained? Like what goes on in your brain and what exactly happens when you have a "gut feeling" about something? What does intuition only seem to occur in some instances and not others? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/27g5ju/eli5how_does_intuition_or_instinct_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"ci0hsa6",
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"score": [
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3,
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"text": [
"This is an INCREDIBLY interesting topic... I don't know if this was just an 'idle-curiousity' ELI5 or one that touched on something you really are passionate about... if it is the latter, go to Amazon a... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.amazon.com/The-Portable-Jung-Library/dp/0140150706"
],
[],
[]
] | |
4ut8zb | is it possible to manipulate your voice? such as make it raspier, more hoarse or deeper? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ut8zb/eli5_is_it_possible_to_manipulate_your_voice_such/ | {
"a_id": [
"d5snvk3",
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"score": [
3,
2
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"text": [
"Permanently? Not without outside help. ",
"If you want to become hoarse, you can start screaming. Football coaches who have been screaming daily for two decades tend to be a bit hoarse."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3lys1c | Was there a moment that was agreed upon to be the basis for clocks moving forward? | I understand that our methods for measuring the passing of time have increased in accuracy, but the labeling of time itself is arbitrary. Was there a moment when we generally agreed for global purposes that that particular second would be the starting "mark" for measuring time going forward?
Another way to phrase it ... | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3lys1c/was_there_a_moment_that_was_agreed_upon_to_be_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvaklmc",
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"score": [
22,
4
],
"text": [
"The globally agreed upon standard for time is called [Coordinated Universal Time or UTC.](_URL_1_) The wiki has plenty of information on the standard, but basically in 1960 a bunch of national labs (e.g. _URL_0_ from NIST i... | [] | [] | [
[
"time.gov",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time"
],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time"
]
] | |
3uoqkm | indians: what is the deal with the train system in india? | Why do you think it's normal to sit on top of, or hang from moving trains? Did anyone ever think to add some extra trains, wagons, tracks? I really don't understand how this works. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3uoqkm/eli5_indians_what_is_the_deal_with_the_train/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxgkc5a",
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"score": [
2,
4
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"text": [
"The main thing is the huge gap between the users and the providers of this service. \n\nAlso, indians love sitting on top of trains/buses. plus i think its cheaper to travel like that instead of INSIDE the bus. \n\nAnd train... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
20pttf | Explain the application of Five Sigma for me? | So yesterday's big announcement was kind of exciting. I posted the article on my facebook and then promptly received a ton of flak from people who felt that this news impinged on their personal beliefs. I don't want this to turn into a flame war; I always try to calmly explain the facts as we understand them and let th... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/20pttf/explain_the_application_of_five_sigma_for_me/ | {
"a_id": [
"cg5p7qb",
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"score": [
10,
4
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"text": [
"Let's define a few terms first:\n\nSigma (σ) in this case represents standard deviation. Standard deviation is the mean distance of values from the mean (μ) of the set of values.\n\nA normal (or Gaussian) distribution is pr... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Normal_Distribution_PDF.svg",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_limit_theorem",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_deviation#Rules_for_normally_distributed_data",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LEPS#Research",
"https://en.wikipedia... | |
1psyq9 | Were their any internal anti-imperialist movements at any time during ancient Romes existence? | I'm thinking internal, roman citizens trying to reign in Romes imperialist tendencies, rather then revolts from recently conquered people. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1psyq9/were_their_any_internal_antiimperialist_movements/ | {
"a_id": [
"cd5rtit"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I don't really know about any internal rebellions against the Imperial system, rather than an individual emperor, but I'll try to answer your question. (Note that I'm in no way a historian.)\n\nRome was first ruled by Kings. Romulus is fabled to ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.amazon.co.uk/Emperors-Dont-Die-Bed-Meijer/dp/0415312027/ref=la_B001HCVZ9U_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383493663&sr=1-2",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrarchy",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Tarquinius_Superbus",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Romana"
]
] | |
wafnq | The Science behind HAARP? | I'm stuck in a debate with a fellow coworker that believes HAARP is some sort of weather control apparatus. I've debunked all I can but I don't know Atmospheric Science enough to go further. I'm hoping for an in depth of what is actually being researched, and how? I understand bouncing frequencies but that’s as far as ... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/wafnq/the_science_behind_haarp/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5bnaa0"
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"score": [
4
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"text": [
"[Searched](_URL_4_)\n\nRelevant [discussion](_URL_6_)\n\nOriginal question by [permanentmarker](_URL_2_)\n\n > [the comment in question](_URL_9_)\n\n > Above is a link to the top rated comment on a post about the atmosphere above Japan heating r... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program#Conspiracy_theories",
"http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/he9of/regarding_a_comment_in_rscience_about_haarp/c1urqx6",
"http://www.reddit.com/user/permanentmarker",
"http://www.reddit.com/user/Sannish",
"http:... | |
1o263u | how do sinks work? | How does water just flow upwards with the movement of a handle? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1o263u/eli5_how_do_sinks_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"cco4sp7",
"cco7wsy"
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"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"I think you mean how do _faucets_ work, or _water pipes_. Pressure. The utility supplier pumps potable water into the top of the system. Boost pumps along the system keep the pressure up throughout the underground mains. ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
283v1g | What happens to the body when it falls into lava? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/283v1g/what_happens_to_the_body_when_it_falls_into_lava/ | {
"a_id": [
"ci75gw6",
"ci75l90"
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"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"You'd probably sink in a few inches, feet burning away, feeling hot from the rising heat. After your feet are gone you'd fall face first or backwards into it. You'd die moments after from the pain, nerve damage, and eventual... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
9ia1rt | what is bearing in navigation and how is it different from heading? | More specifically, it would be great if you could relate this to aircraft. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9ia1rt/eli5_what_is_bearing_in_navigation_and_how_is_it/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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5
],
"text": [
"Bearing is the direction to any given point or object. Heading is the direction you are travelling in.",
"Bearing is the direction to some specific object or location, and heading is compass direction you are moving. Fo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
pymm3 | How can potential energy be relative? | This has bothered me for some time, but I haven't thought about asking and been on reddit at the same time until now.
So, taking voltage for example. Every prof I've had has said that voltage was relative, and none gave me a satisfactory answer as to why. My understanding is if you have an empty universe with a charge... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/pymm3/how_can_potential_energy_be_relative/ | {
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"score": [
8,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Voltage is not potential energy, it is potential. A charge has to be introduced into the potential in order for there to be \"potential energy\", and it is the charge that contains the potential energy,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
35hsfp | why is it preferable to keep apps running on android lollipop instead of closing them frequently? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/35hsfp/eli5_why_is_it_preferable_to_keep_apps_running_on/ | {
"a_id": [
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"cr4ih8s",
"cr4pttb",
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"score": [
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48,
65,
7,
2
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"text": [
"Force closing and re-opening them requires more power than to keep them open in the background. So to save battery, don't force close them.",
"It's true... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.howtogeek.com/127388/htg-explains-why-you-shouldnt-use-a-task-killer-on-android/"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2styzr | how can different operating systems able to read programs written in different programming languages. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2styzr/eli5how_can_different_operating_systems_able_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnst3a6"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"When you write a program in some programming language, you can't just run it. You need to pass the code through a *compiler*, a program that translates the code into binary code that the processor can understand.\n\nEven then, the executable bina... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3apdtc | how come when i use "end task" programs that aren't responding close instantly but when i "x" out of them it takes a while | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3apdtc/eli5_how_come_when_i_use_end_task_programs_that/ | {
"a_id": [
"cseovl7",
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5,
8,
43
],
"text": [
"Pressing the X sends a message to the program asking it to close.\n\nIf the program isn't responding to other input, it's entirely possible it won't respond to that input.\n\nUsing End Task tells the o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1viitx | why do me teeth feel loose? are they really loose, temporarily, or is my brain just playing tricks on me? | Hey,
My teeth certainly feel loose. And even though it is something that happens on rare occasions, and it always seems to pass, I always wondered why they feel like that.
Despite the fact that my teeth may or may not be loose, why do I feel this now? Assuming they are not loose, why is my brain telling me they are -... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1viitx/eli5_why_do_me_teeth_feel_loose_are_they_really/ | {
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"Your teeth do move very slightly over time (they tend to crowd as wisdom teeth come in, for example), but they shouldn't be loose. If you tap on them while looking in the mirror, d... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
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h3dpu | Cutting someone in half and they still live for a few seconds? | You see it in movies all the time. Someone gets a blade through their entire body (abdominal area) fairly quickly, cutting them in half and they manage to be alive long enough to look down at the destruction, say something, then die.
Is that even possible? I mean, their heart and brain are still fine so I guess it can... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/h3dpu/cutting_someone_in_half_and_they_still_live_for_a/ | {
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"text": [
"Yes, it is possible, and during the French Revolution, there were some doctors that were experimenting to see if the brain was still functional after decapitation by guillotine [[1... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/nervous-system/10-brain-myths6.htm"
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[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemicorporectomy#Traumatic_hemicorporectomy",
"http://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=13431119048667642117&hl=en&as_sdt=0,44"
],
[
"http://www.break.com/use... | |
6drejh | What will happen to the Voyager spacecraft if they never come into contact with anything? | Considering space is mostly 'empty' and that the distance between stars, galaxies and other structures is huge, is it possible that the voyager spacecraft could continue to travel forever without hitting anything? Could it theoretically outlive stars, and make it to the end of the universe? Or would the metals and mate... | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6drejh/what_will_happen_to_the_voyager_spacecraft_if/ | {
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"text": [
"It has a pretty good chance (well north of 50%) of outliving the Sun, at least in some sort of semi-recognizable form. After trillions or quadrillions of years, I'm not sure, it will eventually essent... | [] | [] | [
[],
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3nn4jj | What exactly is happening when a cyclist rides hand-free? | Why doesn't the front tire just go haywire? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3nn4jj/what_exactly_is_happening_when_a_cyclist_rides/ | {
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"text": [
"The bicycle design is such that it will remain upright in response to lean. You can search through /r/askscience for the question of how bicycles stay upright which has some interesting answers as the research is still actua... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_and_motorcycle_geometry#Trail"
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5w1ldx | how did fungi develop antibiotics fast enough to kill bacteria? and why couldn't bacteria just develop faster to overcome the antibiotics fungi made, therefore becoming resistant? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5w1ldx/eli5_how_did_fungi_develop_antibiotics_fast/ | {
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"Many bacteria HAVE evolved to become resistant to penicillin due to its widespread use as an antibiotic when it was first discovered. \nFrom what I understand, it might be opposite of what you think. Bacteria have poor DNA repair mechanisms due ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
7h1727 | why do truckers always pass other cars/truckers when going uphill? i seem to notice this mostly on the interstates and it always results (obviously) in the “fast lane” getting backed up. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7h1727/eli5_why_do_truckers_always_pass_other/ | {
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"text": [
"They don't always pass when going uphill. Sometimes they pass going downhill and sometimes they pass on the level (source: I've seen them do it many times).\n\nYou probably notice it more when they do it going uphill because it inconveniences yo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
68916f | how is it that although we don't know all of the words in the dictionary by heart, we can easily spot when something is not a word? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/68916f/eli5how_is_it_that_although_we_dont_know_all_of/ | {
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"text": [
"1. Recognition is easier than recall, so if you see a real world you usually recognize it, even if it's not one you use.\n2. In a specific language, certain letter combinations are rare or completely unused. Here are some r... | [] | [] | [
[],
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] | ||
4jrm6v | why black holes cause infinite curvature? | Why is it called infinite?
Why isn't the space called eg. *"curved so much that not even light cannot escape it" instead?*
Or *"curved so much that even photons cannot escape"?*
Is it the same thing?
I'm so confused. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4jrm6v/eli5_why_black_holes_cause_infinite_curvature/ | {
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"Black holes are only infinite right in the center. The curvature at the event horizon **is** \"curved so much that not even light can escape\", but that isn't infinite. You don't need infinite anything to stop light from esc... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
bxzg85 | why do charley horses (the type of painful muscle cramp) seem to mostly happen while you're asleep? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bxzg85/eli5_why_do_charley_horses_the_type_of_painful/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Because you sleep in weird positions and your muscles can't properly relax, or it's too cold and your body won't bother shivering, but the muscle still has to warm itself up,so it stays active and pulsates,and eventually it gets stuck"
]
} | [] | [] | [
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179vp0 | Would a gladiator beat a trained soldier in combat? | I started watching the serie Spartacus and I wondered if Gladiators were really trained as the ones in the show (weight lifting, endurance training, fighting techniques, etc.) and how they would compare to trained soldiers in terms of fighting abilities. | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/179vp0/would_a_gladiator_beat_a_trained_soldier_in_combat/ | {
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"text": [
"Well, to be fair, the terms \"gladiator\" and \"soldier\" are really meaningless terms and describe a very wide variety of persons. For instance, the majority of \"gladiators\" if we are referring to people that fought in ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
6djxzg | When people were put in stocks as punishment back in colonial times, was it just a given that they'd be raped? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6djxzg/when_people_were_put_in_stocks_as_punishment_back/ | {
"a_id": [
"di3cxst"
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"text": [
"Hi, not to discourage further discussion, but you may be interested in this answer from a past question that deals directly with your question! \n\n_URL_0_"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2bj4nm/were_people_punished_to_time_in_the_stockspillory/"
]
] | ||
2gwjpp | If two planets were of the same gravitational pull(earth's for example) and were close to each other what would happen if an object(or human) was directly in the middle of it? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2gwjpp/if_two_planets_were_of_the_same_gravitational/ | {
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"If the object was perfectly placed in the center, it would remain there, since the force of gravity from the planets would be equal in magnitude but in opposite direction.\n\n However, this would not be stable. Any minor cha... | [] | [] | [
[],
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"http://wmap.gsfc.nasa.gov/media/ContentMedia/lagrange.pdf"
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3792bg | why do gas stations offer mid grade gas | It seems like everyone uses either regular or premium gas so what's the purpose of having another grade in between the two? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3792bg/eli5_why_do_gas_stations_offer_mid_grade_gas/ | {
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"In my state (Montana) premium gas is 91 octane, but regular gas is 85.5 octane. From what I understand the low-octane gas is acceptable because of the altitude, at least for older cars without engine-management computers. So the mid-grade gas is ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
35umfp | when people sing in a tonal language (like chinese), how do they keep the tones in their voice? | I would think it might be hard to sing in a tonal language because in trying to match the song's pitch, it would then be difficult to keep the tones of the language as well, wouldn't it? (Sorry, that's kind of strangely worded but its the only way I can think of to explain it.) | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/35umfp/eli5_when_people_sing_in_a_tonal_language_like/ | {
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"text": [
"The short answer is, they don't. You can't really tell the tones when listening to a song. The meaning is usually pretty clear from context.\n\nThe tones are basically lost when whispering Chinese too.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3rsjqd | Has mercury been successfully employed to treat anything? | So in the past I know mercury has been used for all sorts of medical purposes with little to no evidence that it actually did anything other than poison the patient.
I'm curious if it is used for any sort of treatments where it has turned out to be and effective remedy. | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3rsjqd/has_mercury_been_successfully_employed_to_treat/ | {
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"text": [
"Mercury is an ingredient in many vaccines, albeit not as the element purely. It's a component of the preservatives, and this is declining as well.\n\nI can't find anything in my j... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalgam_%28chemistry%29"
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[],
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8jkmd5 | how can tv shows like south park and family guy still use the “all persons fictitious” disclaimer when they are clearly making fun of an actual person/celebrity? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8jkmd5/eli5_how_can_tv_shows_like_south_park_and_family/ | {
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7720,
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... | [] | [] | [
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"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0RHSuRMQwzY/maxresdefault.jpg"
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[],
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k1wp6 | how rainbow tables work and how they're used for password cracking. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/k1wp6/eli5_how_rainbow_tables_work_and_how_theyre_used/ | {
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"text": [
"Passwords are stored by \"hashing\" -- to explain this intuitively, think of it like you give me your password, I run it through a machine, and the machine gives me an output that I store. The main point of this machine is\n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1r15t3 | Is it possible to set something on fire by pouring boiling water on it? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1r15t3/is_it_possible_to_set_something_on_fire_by/ | {
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"text": [
"yes, if it is a water reactive substance like calcium carbide water will react exothermically and ignite the gases produced",
"Besides a chemical reaction with water itself, anything that has an [autoignition temperatur... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoignition_temperature"
]
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233jod | how does a cvt(continuously variable transmission) work? | They're usually found in Nissans from what I know. Thanks. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/233jod/eli5_how_does_a_cvtcontinuously_variable/ | {
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"A normal geared transmission switches between larger and smaller gears to change speed to power or power to speed.\n\nA CVT uses pulleys that can move apart or back together. The inside of the pulley is inclined, so as it moves apart, the diamete... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
43na7e | Recently I read that recombination (the coupling of electrons and protons to form atoms) happened 378,000 years after the Big Bang. How can this estimate be so precise? | _URL_0_ | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/43na7e/recently_i_read_that_recombination_the_coupling/ | {
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"The answer is that there is a direct relationship between the age of an object and the redshift of an object. This comes out of the [ΛCDM model](_URL_0_) of the universe, which basically just says we trust that general relativity keeps working on... | [] | [
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombination_(cosmology)"
] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda-CDM_model"
]
] | |
5bs5u2 | how does a single firework explode more than once and every explosion all at once. | I saw this on r/gifs/ :_URL_0_
So how does this work. Is there something mechanically in the shell.
Every explosion is right in time.
* The first explosion is a big one. Thats not special.
* The second one, every single explosion at the same time.
* And the final explosion, all at once.
How is the timing so accura... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5bs5u2/eli5_how_does_a_single_firework_explode_more_than/ | {
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"The first is just a rocket pretty much. it explodes and a bunch of shells are released (\"shells\". they're not hard like artillery ones.) with a fuse, of a very specific length and material that is lit by the initial one. this process repeats wi... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/qzA9Lyl.gifv"
] | [
[]
] | |
9mu8u2 | how does voluntary/involuntary breathing work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9mu8u2/eli5_how_does_voluntaryinvoluntary_breathing_work/ | {
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"text": [
"When you go to a doctor's office and they tell you to take a deep breath, that is voluntary breathing. Most breathing falls under the involuntary category so that you don't have to occupy yourself with ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
34cjfd | how does fast charging work? | Qualcomm and numerous other manufacturers have announced some sort of quick charging technology to charge a battery up to 50% in 15 minutes etc. How does this work? Do they increase the amperage? Wouldn't that damage the battery? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34cjfd/eli5_how_does_fast_charging_work/ | {
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... | [] | [] | [
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bnha57 | How did the Practice of buying and selling an Officer's Commission become so widespread in the British military, and did having incompetent rich officers contribute to the decline in their military power? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/bnha57/how_did_the_practice_of_buying_and_selling_an/ | {
"a_id": [
"en5u05x"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"I don't see how the sale of commissions could be related to the decline of British military power: purchase of commissions was abolished in 1871 by William Gladstone's Liberal government under the Cardwell Reforms, largely as a response to the d... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3crqgu | "live within your means" as the saying goes. but why is austerity not a good thing when you are a debt stricken country in a deep recession? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3crqgu/eli5_live_within_your_means_as_the_saying_goes/ | {
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2,
3,
11,
2
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"text": [
"Because the best way to earn money is to spend money, wisely, on good investments. By investing, the government can create work places and provide economical stability to people, ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
4h5a1x | why does rolling he windows down help car sickness, but the vent / air conditioner doesn't? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4h5a1x/eli5_why_does_rolling_he_windows_down_help_car/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2npdsk"
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"score": [
13
],
"text": [
"I have found that breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth helps with car sickness, is there a reason why?"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2k55cu | what is the difference (if any) between medical grade nitroglycerin (like for angina) and "omg explosion" grade nitroglycerin? | I carry medical grade Nitroglycerin (GTN/Glyceryl Trinitrate) for Angina, and I have always wondered how come it can be used for medical treatment and carried around with you everywhere, without the volatility which comes with bog standard Nitro.
Are the two the same thing but in dilute quantities? Is the medical s... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2k55cu/eli5_what_is_the_difference_if_any_between/ | {
"a_id": [
"clhzsd0"
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"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"They are exactly the same thing, except the medical grade is in the range of milligrans, while you need at least a few grams of the stuff to create any kind of noticeable explosion. The medical grade is also very pure due to the fact that you're ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2f4ct5 | Why was Jesus poor as a Child? | I know that after Jesus was born the Three Wise Men gave his family Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh all while saying that he was the prophesied messiah for the Jewish people. Jesus's father, Joseph, was also a descendant of King David while Jesus's step father was related to King Solomon.
With that said how did Jesus st... | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2f4ct5/why_was_jesus_poor_as_a_child/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck62v1g"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"I can not answer for the Jesus of Christianity, /u/husky54 or /u/koine_lingua might be able to help with that part and their answers should (hopefully) at least to some degree correspond with what I can tell you about the historical Jesus. \n\nJe... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
ajr8zh | how do airport codes work when there are 17,678 commercial airports but only 17,576 possible combinations of letters? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ajr8zh/eli5_how_do_airport_codes_work_when_there_are/ | {
"a_id": [
"eey00ne"
],
"score": [
19
],
"text": [
"IATA codes are only used for airports that have scheduled passenger service. Pilots use ICAO codes for airports. Ticket booking and baggage systems use IATA codes and there are only about 3000 airports that need those."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
8iji6t | Why don't strong magnetic fields disrupt the normal electrical activity of cells? | If cells rely on charged particles for function, such as the electrochemical gradient of a nerve cell, it seems like a strong magnetic field should change the alignment/direction/movement of the molecules. | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8iji6t/why_dont_strong_magnetic_fields_disrupt_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dysj8n6",
"dytd9es"
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"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"So most magnetic fields only very weakly effect the eletrons in your body, and generally not enough to displace them from the nucleus of the atom. Basically the local forces tend to dominate the energetic landscape compared ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=electron+charge+*+0.1+nm+*+1+Tesla+*+speed+of+light+*+1%2F137"
]
] | |
3c09c3 | How popular was jesus by the time of his death? | Also, did he have more haters, followers, or people were neutral about him? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3c09c3/how_popular_was_jesus_by_the_time_of_his_death/ | {
"a_id": [
"csr6kia"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"This is truly an excellent question. One that could actually take pages and chapters to answer (which many have done and I will cite below) but I will do my best to try and help answer it briefly. I have also answered similar questions to this... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Christianity-Discovering-Immediately-Execution/dp/0060616601/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=",
"http://www.amazon.com/The-Historical-Jesus-Mediterranean-Peasant/dp/0060616296",
"http://www.amazon.com/How-Jesus-Became-God-Exaltation/dp/0061778192/ref=sr... | |
1jdm16 | the entire plot of bioshock infinite. still haven't figured it out completley. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jdm16/eli5_the_entire_plot_of_bioshock_infinite_still/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbdmbdq"
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"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Spoilers obviously.\n\nBooker DeWitt fought in the battle at wounded knee, which was a very bad thing if you weren't aware. Afterwords he felt strong remorse for what he did and considered going to a baptism to try and absolve himself of his sins... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
8r8h7k | if you melt a penny or rip up a dollar, are you combating inflation, since that cash is no longer in circulation? or is inflation less straightforward? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8r8h7k/eli5_if_you_melt_a_penny_or_rip_up_a_dollar_are/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Yes, you are combatting inflation, but the amount of new currency that is added to the economy everyday is so massive that unless you were to orchestrate a huge money burn, you couldn’t make any sort of difference "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
jmawr | How far from the Earth would an asteroid big enough to destroy all life be visible? | I ask because I am writing a graphic novel in which an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, and I would like to have an idea of when to put an image of it in the sky.
| askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/jmawr/how_far_from_the_earth_would_an_asteroid_big/ | {
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"text": [
"Visible to the best astronomical tools luckily pointed in the right direction, visible to back yard telescopes, visible like a star, or ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_magnitude#Solar_System_bodies_.28H.29",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid-impact_avoidance",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_magnitude",
"http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/glossary/h.html"
],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A... | |
2hgwhp | why do phone companies, like the iphone, focus on making smartphones thinner rather than putting in a bigger battery? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hgwhp/eli5_why_do_phone_companies_like_the_iphone_focus/ | {
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"It would appear that the market doesn't demand it, or at least manufacturers don't think t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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] | ||
1lyrh7 | what really happens when you re-enter earth's atmosphere in a space shuttle (gravity wise)? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lyrh7/eli5what_really_happens_when_you_reenter_earths/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc431gy",
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"score": [
4,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Nothing happens gravity wise. Gravity is the force that pulls 2 objects to each other. A space shuttle is pulled towards the earth, the closer it get's the harder the pull. But nothing significant happe... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
anv9b3 | are musicians brains "wired" differently than non-musicians? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/anv9b3/eli5_are_musicians_brains_wired_differently_than/ | {
"a_id": [
"efw9izz"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"A well-trained musician can hear notes and different types of instruments in pieces. They study music and can decipher music regularly. I would say anyone can learn music and be able to create a song if you learn the foundations of music. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1dbmc2 | why cant i smell or taste when i catch a cold? | Anytime I catch a cold, I find myself without a sense of taste or smell. Anyone know why? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1dbmc2/why_cant_i_smell_or_taste_when_i_catch_a_cold/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9oz693"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"When you have a cold, phlegm blocks the passages to the olfactory receptors at the top of the nose meaning that less air is going to pass over them. Thus, fewer molecules are reaching the olfactory cells because they are being blocked by the phl... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4s4yse | Viking height and build. | Vikings are often depicted as being exceptionally tall and well built for their time. I know that they kept no written records of themselves and every written account we have of them is written by the people who they invaded, so they may have depicted them this way deliberately. Their diet seemed to be more protein and... | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4s4yse/viking_height_and_build/ | {
"a_id": [
"d56moy1"
],
"score": [
12
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"text": [
"Hi there! The thing to keep in mind about your question is that, properly used, the term \"Viking\" refers to an *occupation*, not an ethnic group or proto-nation or whatever. That is, \"vikings\" were people who participated in viking activity:... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2uq6ly/very_interested_in_an_historians_perspective_on/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1huqtq/how_strongmuscular_were_ancient_warriors_did_they/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2qexcq/how_big_was_the_average_viking... | |
3ysqv2 | how my neighbor's radon exhaust pipe is not a health concern for me. | My neighbors have a radon exhaust pipe that is pulling radon from beneath the slab of their home and exhausting it outside, about 15 feet from my home. These pipes are estimated to exhaust at 2000 pCi/L when the EPA says there is "no safe level" but you should mitigate your home if it is greater than 4 pCi/L.
Yes, ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ysqv2/eli5_how_my_neighbors_radon_exhaust_pipe_is_not_a/ | {
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"We have a radon exh... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://xkcd.com/radiation/"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1lsrkc | why do homeless peoples dogs always seem so immaculately well trained? | And how do they do it?
Prompted by this [.gif](_URL_0_). I am not in any way implying the guy in the gif is homeless, but it reminded me of the kind of obedience you see in homeless dogs. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lsrkc/eli5_why_do_homeless_peoples_dogs_always_seem_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc2cw37",
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"score": [
2,
5
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"text": [
"They don't exactly have very busy days, so they train their dogs in that time.",
"I think it's a combination of several things:\n\n1. They probably aren't fed well, so they may lack the energy to be as excitable as house... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/ouazRNn.gif"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
z4vsh | How would a tyrannosaurus rex have laid down to rest, and then get back up? It seems with such small arms, lying down and righting-oneself up would be a disadvantage. | EDIT: Wow! Thanks for all of the responses. This is great! | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/z4vsh/how_would_a_tyrannosaurus_rex_have_laid_down_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"c621w95",
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"score": [
3,
129
],
"text": [
"At least one scientific paper has tackled this question:\n\nNewman, B.H. 1970. Stance and gait in the flesh-eating dinosaur *Tyrannosaurus*. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society vol. 2, p. 119-123.\n\nHowever, sinc... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mei_%28dinosaur%29"
]
] | |
2qki5m | what the hell is windows updating all the time? | seriously windows installs updates almost every day but there are no changes at all | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qki5m/eli5what_the_hell_is_windows_updating_all_the_time/ | {
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"text": [
"A majority are security updates. Behind the scenes stuff. Necessary, but usually not cosmetic in nature.",
"Updates aren't really... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2er5c7 | Can small multicelled organisms sense or detect single celled organisms? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2er5c7/can_small_multicelled_organisms_sense_or_detect/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck26bqn",
"ck29tni"
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"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Not my field specifically, BUT:\n\n_URL_0_\n\nWhile I can't seem to find any details anywhere (too many scare articles on 'brain eating amoebas') several places have said amoebas detect various chemicals in their environment... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slime_mold"
],
[]
] | ||
3x5exg | would inflation exist if our money were backed by something? | My understanding is that inflation occurs when the cost of goods goes up. If the cost of grain goes up, the cost of bread goes up, which means people need to spend more money to get the same amount of goods.
If our money were backed by something, like gold (or better yet, silver) would inflation occur? If not, why?
... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3x5exg/eli5_would_inflation_exist_if_our_money_were/ | {
"a_id": [
"cy1oj8g"
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"text": [
"Sure it would--but inflation would then be tied to the supply of the backing, rather than just the supply of notes themselves. For example, the Spanish imported so much gold from the New World that they experienced dreadful inflation that was rea... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
34e5a1 | how can there be so many different interpretations of a single religious text? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34e5a1/eli5_how_can_there_be_so_many_different/ | {
"a_id": [
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2,
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"text": [
"Because try as we might, words can be very imprecise. Even nonreligious, everyday phrases can be interpreted in many different ways. \n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+3&version=ESV"
],
[],
[
"http://scienceblogs.com/notrocketscience/2009/11/30/creating-god-in-ones-own-image/"
],
[]
] | ||
ehjve2 | how are new variations of plants and fruits created? | I get that different "species" of them are combined, but how? It's not like the mating partner can be selected. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ehjve2/eli5_how_are_new_variations_of_plants_and_fruits/ | {
"a_id": [
"fcjpanq",
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"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Lucky mutations or experiments, seeing what pollen you can mix and still get a fruit for example. Nowadays also gene editing",
"A mating partner IS selected. Nowadays, it's all done in sterile labs, where a biologist can... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1ml5r9 | How were Latinos/Hispanics treated in pro-Slavery America? | As a Mexican I noticed in history class that slavery always concerned "Whites and Blacks", so I'm curious as to how Hispanics/Latinos and other non-whites were treated in Slave states? Were any forced into slavery somehow? Were their rights restricted much? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ml5r9/how_were_latinoshispanics_treated_in_proslavery/ | {
"a_id": [
"cca8vdh"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"You may be interested in some of the past questions collected in our section on [How were other minorities treated during the period of racial segregation in America?](_URL_0_)"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/us_history#wiki_how_were_other_minorities_treated_during_the_period_of_racial_segregation_in_america.3F"
]
] | |
cvsy6i | why dont my stomach acids dissolve me from the inside? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cvsy6i/eli5_why_dont_my_stomach_acids_dissolve_me_from/ | {
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3,
6,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Gastric mucosa. The inner surface of the stomach is lined by a mucous membrane known as the gastric mucosa. The mucosa is always covered by a layer of thick ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_mucosal_barrier"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
fxl068 | why does the charge in fully charged rechargeable batteries go down even if i don't use the batteries? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fxl068/eli5_why_does_the_charge_in_fully_charged/ | {
"a_id": [
"fmv1c6y"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"it's a property called self discharge. depending on the chemistry and purity of the electrolyte, it can vary from several years to a few % of total charge a month to as high as 30% a month."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2iwjxq | How do these flash drives do this? | _URL_0_ | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2iwjxq/how_do_these_flash_drives_do_this/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl6h6ch"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Based on the image I would assume those screens use e-ink/e-paper similar to kindle readers in that the last image on the screen is able to persist without power.\n\nSo while plugged into a USB port it checks the memory usage in the device and s... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/Of7oWEM.jpg"
] | [
[]
] | |
apypzs | Since red blood cells contain no nucleus how is dna obtained from blood? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/apypzs/since_red_blood_cells_contain_no_nucleus_how_is/ | {
"a_id": [
"egceo3v",
"egcfxli"
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"score": [
35,
34
],
"text": [
"There are plenty of white blood cells, for instance, these contain DNA (I'm not sure if this is where DNA is best extracted from, but I've shown you existence).\nAs an aside, blood type can help to narrow people down.",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
6bq9qv | During the mid to late middle ages did heavily armored knights play much of a role in patrolling, raiding, chevauchee, etc. or were those mainly limited to lighter troops? Did knights ever opt to wear lighter armor or adopt a more flexible weapon than a couched lance for these sorts of duties? | Also, how much of a distinction was there between heavy and light cavalry in the first place? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6bq9qv/during_the_mid_to_late_middle_ages_did_heavily/ | {
"a_id": [
"dhpl9uy"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"You might find [this post](_URL_0_) I made a few weeks ago useful. To expand on it, I do think there's too much distinction made between heavy and light cavalry within a western European context, and indeed between infantry and cavalry. Reality w... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/66o74v/how_did_a_medieval_european_raid_work/dgkd3bb/"
]
] | |
13f4ki | Why does the sun shine in a "star" shape? | [This](_URL_0_) is what Im talking about. Is it an opticak effect. Is it caused by the lens, the atmosphere, the human eye, the star itself. What goes on here? Thanks smart people. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/13f4ki/why_does_the_sun_shine_in_a_star_shape/ | {
"a_id": [
"c73eiu5"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"This is caused by the movable aperture blades in a camera lens. _URL_0_"
]
} | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/uQoZU.png"
] | [
[
"http://www.cameratechnica.com/2011/02/24/how-to-create-and-avoid-starburst-highlights/"
]
] | |
6netau | Why do you see double when drinking or sometimes experience the situation where you need to close one eye to concentrate on written text? More specifically, what mechanisms in the brain create the situation where hemispheres of the brain might not communicate correctly in this situation? | askscience | https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6netau/why_do_you_see_double_when_drinking_or_sometimes/ | {
"a_id": [
"dk8xtgy",
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"score": [
341,
11,
16,
3,
3,
2,
3,
2
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"text": [
"Thank you for this question, there is some fascinating work in the brain going on here.\... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2kuqep | what's the difference between looney tunes and merrie melodies? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2kuqep/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_looney_tunes/ | {
"a_id": [
"clow9v9"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"Silly Symphonies was Disney\n\nLooney Toons was Warner Brothers\n\nMerry Melodies was made by an independent studio until being purchased by Warner Brothers in 1944"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
12vtgp | is gravity the only measure of mass? | in other words, do mass and gravitational force essentially mean the same thing? is there an observable difference between something massive and something that has immense gravitational force? (i know the "something" here doesn't exist in the universe, but i'm talking about, if it did, wouldn't we just perceive the obj... | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/12vtgp/is_gravity_the_only_measure_of_mass/ | {
"a_id": [
"c6yrhxj"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Mass is a property, gravitational force is a force. Forces and masses are not the same thing, though there is a relationship between them: F=ma.\n\nThe problem is that many people think that weight is the same thing as mass, especially due to con... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
21mcuy | How historically accurate is the architecture in the Asassin's Creed series? | Anyone care to share their knowledge? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/21mcuy/how_historically_accurate_is_the_architecture_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgehf6m"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"I wrote this historical analysis of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flags if that will help:\n_URL_0_"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.dropbox.com/s/70hdem5w4h7gzo7/Analysis%20of%20Assassins%20Creed%204%2C%20Black%20Flag.pdf"
]
] | |
dg7ncq | why did vhs tapes show a blue screen on the tv when they started up? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dg7ncq/eli5_why_did_vhs_tapes_show_a_blue_screen_on_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"f39utbq",
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37,
12,
7
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"text": [
"That was the VCR, not the tape itself.\n\nIt's the precursor to the HDMI no signal screen. Used to be blue.",
"That's not the tape. That's either the TV or the VCR telling you, \"I don't have anyt... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
6yochg | why do events that have a negative effect on oil production cause immediate rises in prices of gas but when production is back to normal prices don't plummet back to where they started? | I notice this all the time with major weather events. is it simply gouging or is there a reason for this? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6yochg/eli5_why_do_events_that_have_a_negative_effect_on/ | {
"a_id": [
"dmow6ht",
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3,
2,
9,
2
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"text": [
"You have a lemonade stand. You sell it for 50 cents a cup. One day you find out it's going to be very hot outside and people are going to want more lemonade. You figure you can get... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
vc7eq | What are the long-term physiological effects of heavy body building in pre-teen years? | I came across [this video](_URL_0_) on the YouTubes, and I'm curious what the long-term effects will be for such a regimented weight lifting life so early. | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/vc7eq/what_are_the_longterm_physiological_effects_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"c53am5p",
"c53bwou",
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69,
11,
2
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"text": [
"[Here](_URL_1_), with plenty of citations if you want to look into it further.\n\nThe important part\n\n > Epiphyseal plate (growth plate) fractures may be the key concern in this controversy. Damage... | [] | [
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17MsUgv1H3g"
] | [
[
"http://exrx.net/Kinesiology/Deficiencies.html",
"http://exrx.net/WeightTraining/Weightlifting/YouthMisconceptions.html",
"http://exrx.net/WeightTraining/Safety.html"
],
[],
[]
] | |
6j3y53 | In massed infantry warfare (pikes, Roman legions, muskets, ect.) were casualties higher for soldiers in the front row? How did they convince anyone to be in front? | AskHistorians | https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6j3y53/in_massed_infantry_warfare_pikes_roman_legions/ | {
"a_id": [
"djco8jy"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"There is always more to be said, but you may be interested in this answer by /u/iphikrates:\n\n[Did the people in the front lines of ancient armies basically know they are going to die?](_URL_0_)"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/48pumt/did_the_people_in_the_front_lines_of_ancient/d0ly1na/"
]
] | ||
2w71vc | can "playing dead" really trick bears? whats the reasoning behind this? bears dont eat/kill seemingly dead things? | Also, does this "trick" work on any other predators? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2w71vc/eli5_can_playing_dead_really_trick_bears_whats/ | {
"a_id": [
"coo4ugh"
],
"score": [
6
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"text": [
"Playing dead is only suggested for Brown and Polar Bears and it does two things.\n\n1 - It makes them think you're not something they would want to eat, bears aren't usually scavengers.\n\n2 - It makes them think you're not a threat and therefore... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
qd7cc | why do people's voices generally get higher when attempting to sound polite? | This is something I noticed the other day. I am a waiter at a local restaurant and I overheard one of my friends speaking to his table. Normally his voice is rather deep but when speaking with them it was at a higher pitch. I then began noticing this in a lot of other people, including myself. Is there a scientific rea... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qd7cc/eli5_why_do_peoples_voices_generally_get_higher/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3wnj1j"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"A low voice sounds big and intimidating. A high voice sounds like a harmless little child. So it implies \"no offense intended!\" instead of \"hey get out of my way\"."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2umlpv | Question about alaska | Did Russia really sell Alaska or did they lease/rent out it
I have found some sources telling both, some are saying that it was sold, others that it's just leased
If it's leased, why didn't russia get it back? | AskHistorians | http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2umlpv/question_about_alaska/ | {
"a_id": [
"co9xln1"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"The concept that it's just a lease appears to have originated as a plot element in the novel A Matter of Honour by Jefffrey Archer.\n\nThis theory has no basis in reality and the Alaska purchase of 1867 was just that - a purchase."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4i88c2 | why do we do things, which we know are dangerous or bad for us long term? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4i88c2/eli5_why_do_we_do_things_which_we_know_are/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2vxjti",
"d2vxw6r"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Easy access to sugar and the use of fossil fuels have both been around for an extremely short time, evolutionary speaking. There hasn't been enough time for natural selection to gradually result in adaptations that discourag... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
s7d2r | Why does North Korea have a poor record launching ICBMs | I read [this article](_URL_0_), among others.
Is it a product of not enough materials, poor testing facilities, brainpower, or AOTA? | askscience | http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/s7d2r/why_does_north_korea_have_a_poor_record_launching/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4booi5"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Developing ICBMs is very complex. They are not simple things to design and manufacture.\n\nThe US had plenty blow up in the process of coming up with ones that worked. Thing is the US could afford to test many rockets till they got it right. N... | [] | [
"http://www.ncnk.org/resources/publications/Missile_Issue_Brief_December_14_2011.pdf"
] | [
[]
] | |
3ujyey | why is the "black lives matter" toted towards police when statistically they seem to matter least to other black lives? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ujyey/eli5_why_is_the_black_lives_matter_toted_towards/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxfhjcu"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Because the police aren't actually supposed to be killing people, perhaps? Besides, statistically, white people kill mainly white people, and the same for the other ethnic groups. \n\nThey're angry that a group who are supposed to *avoid* killing... | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
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