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2awwxi
why do humans have such small irises compared to other animals?
I've always wondered this. I can't see the whites of my dogs' eyes unless they're looking to the side. I can hardly see the whites of a cats' eyes at all. Why are humans different? I mean, I think we would look terrifying with huge irises, but still.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2awwxi/eli5_why_do_humans_have_such_small_irises/
{ "a_id": [ "cizljhe" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "There are a few ideas, one being the \"cooperative eye hypothesis\" which suggests that it is easier to follow another's gaze when communicating. We communicate a lot through our eye gaze, and it's easier to distinguish different communicative a...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
np8dp
would it be legal at all for godaddy to be specifically exempt from the sopa legislation? if not... how was that clause worked in?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/np8dp/eli5_would_it_be_legal_at_all_for_godaddy_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "c3auphc", "c3auphc" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "When you make the law, you can make anything you want legal. GoDaddy will probably just become a branch of the government, the one that controls domain name.\n\nIt's not like there was something governing what power the stat...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3t10gf
when software updates say they've optimised it to run faster, what exactly did they do and why didn't they do it before?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3t10gf/eli5_when_software_updates_say_theyve_optimised/
{ "a_id": [ "cx245v1" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Let's say you have an old PC game. The game is written to run on Windows 2000, but it still works on Windows 7. Sort of.\n\nWell that company might re-release the game *Optimized for Windows 7*.\n\nThey physically re-work the code of the program ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1s1jpn
when a large company (typically oil & tobacco) has "lobbyists in washington" how does that actually affect the passing of legislation?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1s1jpn/eli5_when_a_large_company_typically_oil_tobacco/
{ "a_id": [ "cdt29y6", "cdt3m88", "cdt937b" ], "score": [ 9, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You know how when you want a family portrait *painted* you go to that person with the little cart in your local shopping mall, who has been there since before you were born, and you give that person a c...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
16bl2d
Non-American scholars of US History: What inspired you start?
As an American, I think it is very interesting that anyone would want to focus learning about the US. While interested in history in general, I never particularly enjoyed learning about US history, so I was curious to hear what others found appealing about the history of the country.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/16bl2d/nonamerican_scholars_of_us_history_what_inspired/
{ "a_id": [ "c7uiw4h" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "I'm not completely US-oriented since I'm interested in the 19th century in general and not just the US, but I did take a lot of classes on US history and I was always fascinated by how much the US considered themselves special, from the puritans'...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
alkdxp
What would happen to a single photon going through a prism?
To clarify things, let's make the prism "perfect" in the sense that it has no imperfections. Furthermore, let's make it a photon of "red" light (625 - 740nm). Here's one rough explanation of what happens: If one were to conduct the experiment with a beam of red light, an angle of refraction would be observed. This ...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/alkdxp/what_would_happen_to_a_single_photon_going/
{ "a_id": [ "efeythp" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "Describing the statistics of photons passing through a prism, as though a classical electromagnetic wave were passing through it, and where this classical EM wave determines the photon statistics is a perfectly legitimate way to go. The quantum ...
[]
[ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/22icbf/what\\_happens\\_to\\_an\\_individual\\_photon\\_when/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/22icbf/what_happens_to_an_individual_photon_when/" ]
[ [] ]
2yj055
why are white paints always bluish in color?
How does adding blue tint to a white paint make it more "white"? I hate the painter who always adds some violet pigment to white paint. He says it makes it more white. Sounds like an absolute BS to me, as I can see he turned the paint bluish and left me wanting for pure white. But just yesterday I purchased a 100mL ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yj055/eli5_why_are_white_paints_always_bluish_in_color/
{ "a_id": [ "cp9z5tr", "cp9z64g" ], "score": [ 9, 3 ], "text": [ "There are lots of colors of white. It sounds like you are looking at \"cool whites,\" but there are also \"warm whites\" which use yellow or other warm colors as a slight tint.", "blue tint is added to white fabric to ma...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/wk3Ffdt" ]
[ [], [] ]
fngfw5
why it is hard to think about death deeply?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fngfw5/eli5_why_it_is_hard_to_think_about_death_deeply/
{ "a_id": [ "fl9gd32", "fl9h5rc" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Imagination doesn’t actually ever create truly new things. It takes bits and pieces of experiences that you’ve had and uses those to construct what you’re imagining.\n\nIf you want to test this, try imagining a colour you’ve...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
a3o81v
genome vs. gene expression
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a3o81v/eli5_genome_vs_gene_expression/
{ "a_id": [ "eb7vhvh", "eb7vkyt" ], "score": [ 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Genome are all of your genes in your DNA.\n\nGene expression is wheter or not a gene is expressed.\n\nWe, human, have lots of DNA but only a minority of it is expressed, it's called \"coding DNA\" , the non expressed part of...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
46jgmu
Let's just say that the LHC had a place that you could open up and get inside the collider. What would happen if particles were accelerated to maximum speed and you stepped in front of them?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/46jgmu/lets_just_say_that_the_lhc_had_a_place_that_you/
{ "a_id": [ "d05ov6q" ], "score": [ 20 ], "text": [ "[Nothing good](_URL_0_). A single beam in the LHC is about 100 times as powerful as the beam that Bugorski encountered. Even if the beam struck somewhere other than your head, the local nerves would probably be permanently damaged." ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoli_Bugorski" ] ]
4ajfbp
What would be the biggest boat I could build if I was a king or a rich person around 1000 CE in western Europe?
I mean of course a boat that would float and be able to reach a destination even if it is slow and hard to control. I understand having a fleet of smaller boats is way better, but I'm thinking about size only here (lenght, width, carrying capacity). If the biggest possible boat was not in western Europe, I'm intereste...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4ajfbp/what_would_be_the_biggest_boat_i_could_build_if_i/
{ "a_id": [ "d11a6xa", "d11gw5a" ], "score": [ 9, 3 ], "text": [ "It's hard to say with confidence how big of a boat *could* have been built at that time. A lot depends on the design and the resources said king could have pulled together. At the time a large cog would be about 50 or 60 fee...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quanzhou_ship" ] ]
753euw
For how long has October/Halloween/All Hallows' Eve been associated with spooky, mystical forces and the dead?
Could it be that this holiday and traditions associated with it reflect a vestige of a mindset from an earlier age where goblins, ghosts, witches, demons and faeries were thought to be real and lurking in the dark corners of the world at any time of year?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/753euw/for_how_long_has_octoberhalloweenall_hallows_eve/
{ "a_id": [ "do3cb0d" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The simple answer to your second question is yes, the modern Halloween associations with supernatural entities reflects 'a mindset from an earlier age' when these things were 'thought to be real and lurking in the dark corners of the world at any...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7qxy92
why is it that certain weapons, like poisonous gasses, are banned from use in warfare by the geneva convention, yet countries and governments can still use them against their own population, such as tear gas to control riots?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7qxy92/eli5_why_is_it_that_certain_weapons_like/
{ "a_id": [ "dssr6bo", "dssr9cj", "dssrurm" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Geneva convention is largely a gentlemen agreement. No one wants their soldiers getting gassed or having to patch up wounds from hollow points. Its easier to just say no one gets chemical weapons and fi...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Petersburg_Declaration_of_1868" ] ]
to8bm
Why do humans make similar facial expressions in response to similar situations? Nature, or nurture?
Is this because we have these facial expressions encoded into our DNA as reactions to certain stimuli, or is it just a social reaction that we are all just taught at a young age? Basically my thought is if we were to do the classic experiment of taking 100 children at birth and isolating them from the world with little...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/to8bm/why_do_humans_make_similar_facial_expressions_in/
{ "a_id": [ "c4occpb" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "I would say the basic facial expression are a product of nature and cite the work of [Paul Ekman](_URL_0_).\n\nBTW, the TV show Lie to Me was inspired by his work on facial expressions and lying. However, the early work on basic human emotions an...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ekman" ] ]
4wpz5c
whats the difference between christianity and orthodox christianity?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4wpz5c/eli5whats_the_difference_between_christianity_and/
{ "a_id": [ "d68xywu", "d68ywho", "d691asd", "d695bwy" ], "score": [ 6, 12, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, since you are asking this question, I assume you know what Catholicism is. With the Pope and the Vatican and the Baby Jesus.\n\nEastern Orthodox Christianity is essentially ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://000024.org/religions_tree/" ] ]
1t786s
how is it not entrapment when the fbi provides you the means to commit a crime?
A guy was arrested last week for conspiracy to blow up the airport in Wichita Ks but was provided all his bomb materials by the FBI. How is this not entrapment? Why didn't they just stop and try to help him in the beginning instead of providing him the,means to commit the crime? Here's an article about it... _URL_0...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1t786s/eli5_how_is_it_not_entrapment_when_the_fbi/
{ "a_id": [ "ce517h3" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "FBI > \"I hear you're looking for explosives, here you go\" \nvs \nFBI > \"Hey, you should blow up this airport. Here are some explosives you could use\"" ] }
[]
[ "http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/12/14/us/man-accused-of-airport-bombing-attempt-in-kansas.html?hpw=&rref=us" ]
[ [] ]
2g5m0m
- what does a 3200 rpm stall converter mean, and why do i want it in my modified muscle car?
I thought I knew what I'm getting into but now I'm confused. What's the difference between a stock torque converter, a 2800 stall, and 3200 stall?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2g5m0m/eli5_what_does_a_3200_rpm_stall_converter_mean/
{ "a_id": [ "ckfunqs", "ckfuzfe", "ckfw8oh" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "You only want that if your camshafts power curve starts at 3200 rpm. Stall speed os the max slippage speed the torque converter will allow, ie. break torqueing your car will hold the rpm at 3200 where y...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5itkxm
how did articles in the roman languages come about?
As far as I know neither ancient Indogermanic languages, nor Latin or ancient Greek had articles yet somehow all (or most) of the modern derivatives ended up having them. How did this happen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5itkxm/eli5_how_did_articles_in_the_roman_languages_come/
{ "a_id": [ "dbaxs9d" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "Actually, Ancient Greek did have articles: it had definite articles, but not indefinite articles. This is why some sticklers for correct grammar insist that you cannot say \"the hoi polloi\", because that translates as \"the the people\".\n\nAnc...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
826gsd
the weird lettering and symbols that are meant to “help” us pronounce words.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/826gsd/eli5_the_weird_lettering_and_symbols_that_are/
{ "a_id": [ "dv7pswv", "dv7pxdb", "dv7qj7g" ], "score": [ 3, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "You mean Diacritical or IPA?", "What else would you use? It is defined in the International Phonetic Alphabet. You need a system that complex to describe how word are pronounced.\n\nI would agree th...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
39zpn5
How do plants change the pH of the soil?
Observation: [Japanese Stiltgrass] (_URL_0_) (an invasive species to the Eastern US) makes soil slightly acidic. My best guess is due to nitrogen released from decomposition of the roots in the soil. Additionally, the plant may support a certain soil bacteria whose waste product changes soil composition. Reason for c...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/39zpn5/how_do_plants_change_the_ph_of_the_soil/
{ "a_id": [ "cs89coa" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The assertion that Microstegium varieties raise soil pH by altering local nitrogen content is asserted by [Ehrenfeld](_URL_1_):\n\n > Soils directly beneath each of the two exotics had higher pH values and higher nitrification rates and often had...
[]
[ "http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/graminoid/micvim/all.html" ]
[ [ "http://www.lowes.com/pd_322730-10799-1310503___?storeNumber=1623&Ntt=peat&selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=", "http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/1051-0761%282001%29011%5B1287:CISFFI%5D2.0.CO%3B2" ] ]
2gxhxw
What decade is this painting portraying?
_URL_0_ Can't figure it out. I say 20s or 30s, my girlfriend says its the 50s or 60s
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2gxhxw/what_decade_is_this_painting_portraying/
{ "a_id": [ "ckng2to", "cknm8c0" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Based on the automobiles I would say the 20s/30s.", "I'm almost insulted by the idea that this is the 50's or 60's, as a former resident of SLC. Utah is backwards but not THAT backwards.\n\nIt'd have to be between the 18...
[]
[ "http://imgur.com/MW26mr7" ]
[ [], [ "http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Temple_Square_1912_panorama.jpg", "http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Salt_lake_city_main_street_c1890_ug.jpg" ] ]
15nu0f
Do you expend more energy running on a treadmill or a non-moving flat surface?
This is a question that some family friends, my parents (both PhDs, one in Physics) and I (only recently finished college) debated at a dinner table a few years back. The question is whether a person expends more energy running on a treadmill or propelling himself along a flat surface, assuming that he runs the same "...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/15nu0f/do_you_expend_more_energy_running_on_a_treadmill/
{ "a_id": [ "c7o8c2i", "c7o8ifc", "c7o9nyt", "c7og708" ], "score": [ 5, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "If you look at the surfaces providing the normal force to hold the runner up against gravity, they are both moving in a circular fashion. Earth is rotating and the treadmill belt i...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
2twj15
if congress passes a bill that has a 'watered down' version of net neutrality, can't obama simply veto it?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2twj15/eli5_if_congress_passes_a_bill_that_has_a_watered/
{ "a_id": [ "co2y79i", "co2y7c7", "co32kmn" ], "score": [ 10, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Sure, but it goes back to Congress after he vetoes it, and if over two thirds of both the House and Senate (voting separately) vote in favor of the bill, they can override the presidential veto.", ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
26n46a
what was the point of ww1? was anything significant achieved?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26n46a/eli5_what_was_the_point_of_ww1_was_anything/
{ "a_id": [ "chskknn", "chskp55", "chsmftt" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "How the treaties among nations can bring them into a war they do not want to be in. \n\nFor future generations to learn from the mistakes from our past. ", "[Just listen to this - trust me](_URL_0_)...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.dancarlin.com//disp.php/hharchive/Show-50---Blueprint-for-Armageddon-I/First%20World%20War-World%20War%20One-Great%20War" ], [] ]
1h8njz
Could we workout for longer if we inhaled pure oxygen during the process
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1h8njz/could_we_workout_for_longer_if_we_inhaled_pure/
{ "a_id": [ "cas8bou", "cast6vu" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Inhaling pure oxygen would theoretically increase the rate at which your body could produce energy. However this is dependant on there not being any metabolic bottlenecks that exist so that the extra oxygen delivered to the ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1pql1e
why is the media not referring to the lax shooting suspect as a 'terrorist'?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pql1e/eli5_why_is_the_media_not_referring_to_the_lax/
{ "a_id": [ "cd4z7xh" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "There is no evidence he was a terrorist, was involved in terrorism, had connections to terrorist organizations, or was doing this act for terror purposes. This was just a crazy/suicidal guy with a gun shooting people, though its currently though...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
23belf
Are electricity and magnetism related in a similar way that space and time are related?
I know that as one approaches the speed of light, several things happen: Space and time change in some proportional manner, mass and energy both increase (obviously because they are the same thing), and electric fields become magnetic (and vice versa I think). I can conceptualize why time slows down, why space shrinks...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/23belf/are_electricity_and_magnetism_related_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cgved4n", "cgvfv05", "cgvhxqh" ], "score": [ 2, 37, 3 ], "text": [ "An electric charge at rest \"produces\" an electric field but no magnetic field. When a charge moves it also produces a magnetic field, via the Ampère(-Maxwell) equation. When it moves faster, the magn...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativistic_electromagnetism" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativistic_electromagnetism#The_origin_of_magnetic_forces", "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2VMO7pcWhg", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...
52vinv
How much, if at all, does the moon's gravity effect satellite's orbits?
Specifically do we have to include a moon's gravity variable in satellite orbiting calculations?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/52vinv/how_much_if_at_all_does_the_moons_gravity_effect/
{ "a_id": [ "d7ns9ll", "d7nt7bm", "d7nu8uq", "d7o2aun" ], "score": [ 2, 42, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "It depends. There are a lot of contributing factors to the acceleration of an earth-orbiting satellite: earth gravity, atmospheric drag, the moon and sun, etc. The relative magn...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_perturbation_analysis_(spacecraft)" ], [], [] ]
2c8qwj
why do so many games have a "start" screen where you have to push a button before they decide to start a several minute loading process? (i'm looking at you, battlefield 4)
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2c8qwj/eli5_why_do_so_many_games_have_a_start_screen/
{ "a_id": [ "cjd1km7", "cjd1uba", "cjd2u42", "cjd3vhk", "cjd3wbt", "cjd41he", "cjd9usx", "cjdjavj", "cjdju09", "cjdkbh0", "cjdotfr" ], "score": [ 248, 36, 3, 203, 14, 21, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The primary reason ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
3ut5zh
why is it that most corporate jobs don't have unions?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ut5zh/eli5_why_is_it_that_most_corporate_jobs_dont_have/
{ "a_id": [ "cxhlcde", "cxhn6u1", "cxhpovx" ], "score": [ 2, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Many corporate jobs are achieved by skill. So wage and benefits are given accordingly. There is a lot less likely of a chance of near slave labor in an office building than in a factory/warehouse.", ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
40ftla
During WW2, were there any jews who actively collaborated with the Nazis to hunt down other jews?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/40ftla/during_ww2_were_there_any_jews_who_actively/
{ "a_id": [ "cytwhfy" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "Ok, first off, it is important to understand that this is an extremely touchy and controversial subject even within academia today.\n\nThe short answer is that there were indeed Jews who collaborated with the Nazis though most of it was part of ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0011_0_10457.html" ] ]
342cyz
lagrange points for a planet with two moons
So, Google was no help regarding this question and I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I understand very basically how Lagrange points work (five locations of equilibrium between opposing gravitational forces and centrifugal forces) but what would happen in a system with more than three bodies? Taking Mars as an ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/342cyz/eli5_lagrange_points_for_a_planet_with_two_moons/
{ "a_id": [ "cqqkprk", "cqqpo5n" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It would depend a lot on the relative sizes and positions of the bodies. Taking the solar system as an example: Jupiter has fairly large concentrations of asteroids at some it's lagrange points, because it and the sun are mu...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3v10z6
why hasn't microsoft word made times new roman the universal font?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3v10z6/eli5why_hasnt_microsoft_word_made_times_new_roman/
{ "a_id": [ "cxjd41o", "cxjdcuw", "cxjdf63" ], "score": [ 3, 14, 15 ], "text": [ "Because TNR is ideal for some uses, but would be awful for many other things.\n\nFor example, in a spreadsheet it would be hard to read, and on a shop-front it might send the wrong message.", "It ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5w8cd4
if calories are the measure of how much energy there is in food - how can things be 0 calorie?
I mean - isn't there still energy in those 0 calorie cookies? Would you starve to death if you tried to live on those and Coke Zero?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5w8cd4/eli5_if_calories_are_the_measure_of_how_much/
{ "a_id": [ "de82smv", "de84vg1", "de8688c" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Yes. It has zero nutritional value. Zero calorie stuff is just a bunch of chemicals that your brain tells you is tasting good.", "Yes, you'd starve. 0-calorie food is made of stuff you can't digest...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
ch8iq6
How was the production of coins organised in ancient Greece / Rome (or even after)? How did rulers ensure the people who made coins didn't steal them?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ch8iq6/how_was_the_production_of_coins_organised_in/
{ "a_id": [ "euqnb4n", "euqrvvy", "eur86uf" ], "score": [ 3, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "At least in the Late Republic, but I think also earlier and definitely later, the Romans had \"governmental\" mints. On the Roman Imperial coinage (RIC), the mark SC, Senatus Consulto, showed that the c...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3ent4e
why does germany have such a strong influence over the eu?
Seems like Angela Merkel and her effect on the EU is always in the news.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ent4e/eli5_why_does_germany_have_such_a_strong/
{ "a_id": [ "ctgod0u", "ctgoqqm" ], "score": [ 9, 5 ], "text": [ "Germany is the EU's strongest economy and has the largest population. Why wouldn't they have a strong influence?", "Germany does have the largest economy in the EU, and the largest population, but that is probably a litt...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
fnkud3
Can anyone explain how someone can be an asymptomatic carrier of disease?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fnkud3/can_anyone_explain_how_someone_can_be_an/
{ "a_id": [ "flcc4ok", "flcm5u6", "flcnkxk" ], "score": [ 5, 10, 2 ], "text": [ "There's always a portion of the population that falls into this category, even for virulently lethal diseases like the black plague. Some immune systems hit that point where the person shows no sympto...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2bghf7
Why do a lot of little kids have freckles, but not that many adults?
Also, why are they more common with red headed people?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2bghf7/why_do_a_lot_of_little_kids_have_freckles_but_not/
{ "a_id": [ "cj53ncp" ], "score": [ 21 ], "text": [ "Two theories about the prominence of freckles in children are as follows:\n\n1. Freckles, being triggered by exposure to sunlight, are more common due to more frequent exposure to the sun and outdoors play, coupled with less care for sunscreen. ...
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[ [] ]
xrgy5
what is r/circlejerk?
I figure this belongs here because it's popular culture (at least to redditors) because references to the page are made EVERYWHERE. I went on, and the only heads or tails I could make of it is that it is a place where people pretend to speak french and make up stories. Is this an accurate analysis? **Edit:** Thank...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/xrgy5/what_is_rcirclejerk/
{ "a_id": [ "c5oz0oa", "c5p60ve", "c5pedbw" ], "score": [ 12, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It is a subreddit where they mock the rest of reddit. The more time you spend on Reddit the funnier /r/circlejerk becomes ", "It's a kids game that could alternatively be called \"Who can agree the...
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[ [], [], [] ]
69tm5a
How well did the the late Roman(Byzantine) emperors know their history?
For example, did Constantine XI know that the small empire he ruled had once been a Mediterranean spanning empire that was founded over 2000 years ago in Rome? I'm sure he knew that his empire had been way larger, controlling all of Grecce and Anatolia(and obviously Rome). But did he know that Rome had once been a re...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/69tm5a/how_well_did_the_the_late_romanbyzantine_emperors/
{ "a_id": [ "dh9jq27", "dh9lguh" ], "score": [ 5, 14 ], "text": [ "I can't speak as well to the last Byzantine emperors but its early and middle leadership certainly were aware of their past connections and history to the earlier \"Roman empire.\" This awareness, if nowhere else, is appar...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.stoa.org/sol/", "http://www.stoa.org/sol-entries/alpha/4413", "http://www.stoa.org/sol-entries/rho/246", "http://www.stoa.org/sol/about.shtml", "http://pinakes.irht.cnrs.fr/notices/oeuvre/12664/", "http://www.stoa.org/sol-entries/alpha/1121", "http://www.stoa.org/sol-...
129pv6
Can cancer cells potentially mutate to virulent forms?
Student with biology as major here. I'm currently studying for my microbiology exam, and I'm going through cancer and how mutations can make cells progress towards various forms of of the decease. So this thought hits me. If cancer mutates to behave largely independent of the host organism through uncontrolled mitosi...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/129pv6/can_cancer_cells_potentially_mutate_to_virulent/
{ "a_id": [ "c6tb18c", "c6tg7rq" ], "score": [ 6, 6 ], "text": [ "[Yes, cancer can become virulent(potential NSFW GORE)](_URL_0_), and it is the main reason Tasmanian devils are endangered. ", "You are looking for [Clonally Transmissable Cancers](_URL_0_). Three types are known, one f...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_facial_tumour_disease" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmissible_cancer" ] ]
23ccyk
why aren't we sexually attracted to our siblings or parents?
I know some people are, but why doesn't the majority of people find their siblings or parents sexually attractive?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23ccyk/eli5why_arent_we_sexually_attracted_to_our/
{ "a_id": [ "cgvlowx", "cgvm7z3", "cgvw8gf", "cgw90ad" ], "score": [ 11, 6, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "[Westermarck effect](_URL_0_) - we're not attracted to thoe we grew up with.", "Imo its more a cultural and societal thing because there have been plenty of cases of incest an...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westermarck_effect" ], [], [], [] ]
8xip0o
Did Nazi Germany get any tourism? If so, what countries visited? Were people who would be otherwise gassed (Jews, Blacks, homosexuals, etc) allowed there? Were they allowed to leave?
Reading The Stand by Stephen King, the antagonist Randall Flagg often compared to Hitler and he said something about the other society visiting (as a ruse) and it got me to this question. Side note: Great book if you're into reading.
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8xip0o/did_nazi_germany_get_any_tourism_if_so_what/
{ "a_id": [ "e24ckz0", "e24umvf" ], "score": [ 15, 4 ], "text": [ "Having written on the topic of forreign tourism before, I'll reproduce that here as it may be of interest, although more can always be said.\n\nNazi-era Germany wasn't necessarily destination number one for foreigners looki...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://www.amazon.com/Time-Gifts-Constantinople-Holland-Classics/dp/1590171659" ] ]
1axomk
How did some species (i.e, humans) come to require proteins that they could not produce themselves?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1axomk/how_did_some_species_ie_humans_come_to_require/
{ "a_id": [ "c91pi6j", "c91slft", "c91t05r" ], "score": [ 145, 11, 4 ], "text": [ "I think what you meant to ask is why some species have come to lose the ability to synthesize certain amino acids - not proteins. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. In the process of di...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/an-evolutionary-perspective-on-amino-acids-14568445" ], [] ]
43fiu6
What was the relationship between knight and horse?
I know this is a huge question that can't be possibly answers to a certainty but I'm curious as to how knights treated there horses, which were more likely than not, invaluable. Did they form a close relationship with them the way is today feel with our dogs? Or was it more of a master servant relationship?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/43fiu6/what_was_the_relationship_between_knight_and_horse/
{ "a_id": [ "czi672o" ], "score": [ 81 ], "text": [ "I don't have an answer to knights of the medieval period in particular but the training and relationship between horse and trooper in the Napoleonic Wars and beyond is essentially that first and foremost that it was a primary mode of transport a...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/44/page54_bou/" ] ]
277dt0
swift, apple´s new programming language
Is it helping? Or is another programming language just adding a new layer of confusion and complexity? What can it actually do?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/277dt0/eli5swift_apples_new_programming_language/
{ "a_id": [ "chy2oes", "chy3gx3" ], "score": [ 3, 5 ], "text": [ "While I can't talk specifically about Swift, seeing as I've not read much about it, I can tell you something about programming languages: new languages constantly evolve. Often as \"better versions\" of older ones. Each prog...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
1mjs37
how are large games abled to be rendered?
Im a PC gamer and I was wondering how different games are rendered. Why is it that I can get ~100fps in call of duty or source games (games with small maps) but other games (like skyrim or other huge maps) able to be rendered with the same fps? Basically I heard of a new game coming out with endless generation and was ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1mjs37/eli5_how_are_large_games_abled_to_be_rendered/
{ "a_id": [ "cc9w7zc", "cc9wctr" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Generally there are a few methods:\n\n* Intelligent clipping. You only draw the polygons that might be visible.\n\n* Variable Level of Detail. As objects become more distant, they get drawn more simply. A building might b...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1nqc1q
Why didn't every independent medieval ruler declare himself a king?
Many rulers, like those of Cyprus, Naples, or the German states, did declare themselves kings, but still many rulers were content with living their lives as counts or dukes. Why was this?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1nqc1q/why_didnt_every_independent_medieval_ruler/
{ "a_id": [ "ccl3krz", "ccl5ci0", "ccl734h" ], "score": [ 3, 33, 16 ], "text": [ "Do you have specific examples?", "One does not just become a king. In almost all circumstances a higher power created kings. In the older kingdoms that trace back to antiquity that 'higher power' ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
7sk9lx
why aren’t more major electronics companies making video game consoles?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7sk9lx/eli5_why_arent_more_major_electronics_companies/
{ "a_id": [ "dt5egyu", "dt5ert6", "dt5f17q", "dt5kckf" ], "score": [ 19, 8, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "The cost is way too high for the profits available. You have to invest huge sums in games and then make profit from selling hardware at very low margins. It's more a question of...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
5cxg3p
why is the ability to ride a bike something you can't lose once you gain it
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5cxg3p/eli5_why_is_the_ability_to_ride_a_bike_something/
{ "a_id": [ "da05ii7", "da0atz0", "da0fdlw", "da0frh4", "da0uxrw" ], "score": [ 23, 43, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Muscle memory. You don't have to mentally remember anything because your muscles remember how to preform actions they've repeated over and over. Another exa...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0" ], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countersteering" ], [] ]
4qs8um
Was there ever any protest or opposition to mandatory military service in ancient Greece and Rome?
Thank you!
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4qs8um/was_there_ever_any_protest_or_opposition_to/
{ "a_id": [ "d4vu5dr" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Nothing as dramatic as burning draft cards. Anyway, those people wouldn't have histories that survive. We do get a couple hints though.\n\nI'm assuming you aren't referring to mutinies - these are often not objections to service in general, but...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2004/2004-07-56.html", "http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Livy/Livy42.html" ] ]
2i01og
Will the first Quantum computer disrupt worldwide encryption and security?
Let's say this Quantum Computer just came out of the factory floor, and not-so-much-ethical individuals just started it up. Can it collect data - quickly - and start decryption before we can update all other encryption protocols and spread them? I guess my question could be, also: "Will Quantum Computer generate a sev...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2i01og/will_the_first_quantum_computer_disrupt_worldwide/
{ "a_id": [ "ckxnnwe" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It's going to be a long slow process from first proof-of-concept prototypes (which we've seen), to prototypes that work reliably, to prototypes that have an actually useful capacity, to demonstrations of breaking weak crypto as another proof-of-c...
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[]
[ [] ]
5vrc53
why does some scientists/countries still want to go on the moon ?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5vrc53/eli5_why_does_some_scientistscountries_still_want/
{ "a_id": [ "de46h4c", "de47303" ], "score": [ 6, 4 ], "text": [ "The moon is the closest large object to earth in space, so going to the moon allows us to develop and test a lot of technology related to landing on and moving around on solid, non-earth objects. Mars would be better to colo...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
2kn286
why do subreddits need mods to control posts? doesn't the voting system show what people actually want, whether it's shitty or not?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2kn286/eli5why_do_subreddits_need_mods_to_control_posts/
{ "a_id": [ "clmvdlj", "clmwlxj" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "If you have someone being abusive and harassing, simply down voting won't remove it from existing.", "Hi! There are a LOT of things that really are better off not being seen by anyone. For example, sometimes there are ac...
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[ [], [] ]
1hlb7a
why do royal families of defunct monarchies still exist?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1hlb7a/eli5_why_do_royal_families_of_defunct_monarchies/
{ "a_id": [ "cavg3ao" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Even if they came with no money or lands, titles can still give you an edge. " ] }
[]
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[ [] ]
1af64u
We saw that bionic eyes can be a success. Could we make them better?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1af64u/we_saw_that_bionic_eyes_can_be_a_success_could_we/
{ "a_id": [ "c8wvx6f" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ " > Could we modify such a bionic eye so that a person could see beyond the visible spectrum (..., radio, IR, UV, X-ray, Gamma, ...)?\n\nYes. Current high quality CMOS sensors in cameras already do this. They need filters and coatings to keep the...
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[ [] ]
2ojmc7
how come space probes that travel to distant planets not collide with the smaller objects in space?
All these objects are travelling at insanely fast velocities right? And there are thousands, if not millions of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter, right? How come the space probes never collide with even the smallest of particles? If they do - shouldn't they face a lot of damage, owing to their high relative velocit...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ojmc7/eli5_how_come_space_probes_that_travel_to_distant/
{ "a_id": [ "cmnqh9h", "cmnqhg8", "cmnqhgo", "cmnqhqz", "cmnrcd7" ], "score": [ 7, 2, 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Asteroid belts are nothing like in the movies. They are mostly empty space. Chances of getting hit are incredibly small. \n\nIt's like spreading millions of a...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
9575nh
why can you feel capsaicin irritating your mouth, stomach, and butt but don't seem to feel anything when it's passing through your intestines?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9575nh/eli5_why_can_you_feel_capsaicin_irritating_your/
{ "a_id": [ "e3qmcdh", "e3qxvy6" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Oh I've felt it. You try some good peppers or other high scovile oily food and you feel it working it's way through. It's not the same sensation, but you know it's there.\n\nAs for why you feel it less sit is because capsai...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
4jqyr2
Tuesday Trivia | Treasure Hunters
[Previous weeks' Tuesday Trivias and the complete upcoming schedule.](_URL_0_) Today's trivia theme comes to us from /u/sunagainstgold! To quote Sun's favorite start to undergrad history papers, *since time immemorial* humans have sought out treasure, whatever that word may mean to them. So **please share stories o...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4jqyr2/tuesday_trivia_treasure_hunters/
{ "a_id": [ "d38sr6h", "d398vur" ], "score": [ 12, 14 ], "text": [ "Heinrich Himmler, the infamous head of the SS, was a firm believer in the existence of ancient relics that had an immense power. Himmler believed that *Mjölnir*, the hammer of Thor, the god of thunder from Norse mythology,...
[]
[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/features/trivia" ]
[ [], [ "http://imgur.com/i7OSS4v" ] ]
7rt7zq
What really was Bushido?
I know this is a very broad question, considering the different eras involved, but I am having a hard time finding an answer to it so turned to reddit. Wikipedia (great source, I know) seems to draw mostly from Bushido—the Soul of Japan, which I’ve heard is heavily romanticized. If anyone who knows about the subject co...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7rt7zq/what_really_was_bushido/
{ "a_id": [ "dszi56a" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Not to discourage other answers but /u/bigbluepanda and /u/ParallelPain discuss Bushido in these answers from the FAQ\n\n_URL_1_\n\n_URL_0_\n" ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4rte1l/were_samurai_generally_honorable/d54202b/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/52sewz/was_the_way_of_bushido_ever_documented_in_a_book/" ] ]
4bfv96
Why are far away galaxies redshifted, when they aren't actually traveling away from us, there's just more space there than there was before? Does light lose energy traveling through a vacuum?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4bfv96/why_are_far_away_galaxies_redshifted_when_they/
{ "a_id": [ "d18y684" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Yes, the light loses energy by being stretched as the Universe expands while it travels." ] }
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[ [] ]
1oa0n7
How much, if any, correspondence occurred between opposing leaders during wartime? Is there more correspondence nowadays, or has it decreased over time?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1oa0n7/how_much_if_any_correspondence_occurred_between/
{ "a_id": [ "ccq4qm3" ], "score": [ 15 ], "text": [ "The first thing I thought of when I read your question was the ['Willy-Nicky Telegrams'](_URL_0_), an increasingly desperate series of telegrams exchanged between cousins (hence the familiar way they address each other) Kaiser Wilhelm II and Tsa...
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[ [ "http://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/The_Willy-Nicky_Telegrams" ] ]
1f2wkr
Who was history's first recorded gay right's activist, in times of homophobia?
I realize that it was not always the taboo in society that it was in many places the last few centuries.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1f2wkr/who_was_historys_first_recorded_gay_rights/
{ "a_id": [ "ca6jsom" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It depends on what you define as an \"activist.\"\n\nKeep in mind that homosexuality as a category of identification really dates back to the late nineteenth century, when sexologists began to classify and medicalize homosexuality. This is also w...
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[ [] ]
684kwn
how can a distiller like jack daniel's meet doubled demand within one year when their product takes 4 years to age?
A recent TIL said that an endorsement by frank sinatra led to jack daniels doubling its sales of the previous year (150,000-300,000). But how is this possible when the minimum a bottle of jack daniels is aged is 4 years? Post in question:_URL_0_
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/684kwn/eli5_how_can_a_distiller_like_jack_daniels_meet/
{ "a_id": [ "dgvmcxf", "dgvnf7s", "dgwgtkw" ], "score": [ 7, 14, 2 ], "text": [ "the article says the distillery was already almost 100 years old, so they probably already had enough stock to be able to sell 300,000 units", "Jack Daniels complies with \"straight bourbon\" class...
[]
[ "https://talesofthecocktail.com/culture/frank-sinatra-jack-daniels?utm_content=bufferb7b43&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
4tp910
What's the longest single cell in the world?
I'm assuming it's probably going to be a neuron in a blue whale ... but how long is it?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4tp910/whats_the_longest_single_cell_in_the_world/
{ "a_id": [ "d5j91lv" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "Informal estimates place the dorsal root ganglion of the blue whale at ~25 m on average.\n\nIf we include prehistoric animals, though, this figure would not be the largest by a long stretch. The recurrent laryngeal nerve, which does a loop down ...
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[ [] ]
906tuf
why old tech is being shown in new movies
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/906tuf/eli5_why_old_tech_is_being_shown_in_new_movies/
{ "a_id": [ "e2o44ss", "e2o4nde", "e2oe6tu", "e2ofxkf", "e2ohk7z" ], "score": [ 33, 14, 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because most people can't identify models in simple passing.\n\nIf someone pays for the rights to feature their latest and greatest, the studio would use it...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
8b324m
bosons, do they facilitate all matter and how?
I was under the impression that energy is made matter through Bosons or something at that level. I know this is high level stuff but can anyone simplify it at all?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8b324m/eli5_bosons_do_they_facilitate_all_matter_and_how/
{ "a_id": [ "dx3lyeb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ " > I was under the impression that energy is made matter through Bosons or something at that level.\n\nThis is not really a correct statement. It sounds like you're referring to force carrier particles, which are bosons (a boson is anything with ...
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[ [] ]
13wwa7
What will happen when we run out of accessible stocks of rare-earth elements?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/13wwa7/what_will_happen_when_we_run_out_of_accessible/
{ "a_id": [ "c77vqtm" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Earth-bound rare earths will be around for a long time. This is why investing in [Planetary Resources](_URL_1_) might not pay off for a while, for example:\n\n[Japan finds major rare earth deposits](_URL_3_)\n\n > JAPAN has found a large deposit...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/31/rare-earth-greenland", "http://www.planetaryresources.com/", "http://euromin.w3sites.net/Nouveau_site/gisements/congo/GISCONe.htm", "http://www.news.com.au/business/breaking-news/japan-finds-major-rare-earth-deposits/story-e6frfkur-1226412676374",...
el0liq
do nutrients in food change when heated/frozen, and if so, how?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/el0liq/eli5_do_nutrients_in_food_change_when/
{ "a_id": [ "fdf49wr" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "Yes and no. Freezing won't change anything about the nutritional value of food, but cooking will. \n\nThere are many molecules that the human body cannot easily digest, and therefor cannot extract nutrients from. Cooking food can help to break th...
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[ [] ]
26ed3t
why do many companies nowadays see tattoos as being "unprofessional"?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26ed3t/eli5_why_do_many_companies_nowadays_see_tattoos/
{ "a_id": [ "chq806n", "chq83md", "chq88w6", "chqatp0", "chqdxek", "chqea44" ], "score": [ 8, 2, 5, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Because in much of modern history the people with tattoos have been people very often associated with unsavory organizations, crime, and...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
ci6qt5
what purpose do continents serve apart from broad classification?
Is there any difference between Asia and Europe or Australia and Africa in terms of administration? How come cultures of Europe and Asia are so different even in neighbouring countries?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ci6qt5/eli5_what_purpose_do_continents_serve_apart_from/
{ "a_id": [ "ev1z97y", "ev1zay0" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "There is not one but a few different models for the continets. Some of them are just for classification. Some are used to differentiate what is one landmass and what is another. I thing the most common models used are the g...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
slk6r
Where did energy originate from?
This is a question stemming from [this post](_URL_0_) about what propels light. I guess it's another "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" question, but I've always wondered where energy originated from. From my understanding, you need energy to create energy, so where did the first occurrence of energy originate...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/slk6r/where_did_energy_originate_from/
{ "a_id": [ "c4ez3nz" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "[This video is about pretty much exactly what you are asking for, watch it!](_URL_0_) " ] }
[]
[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/sktc1/what_propels_light/" ]
[ [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ImvlS8PLIo" ] ]
2yxl7y
why are united states parents much more strict with the sexual life of their children compared to european parents?
Okay, the title is kind of difficult to understand so let me explain. My girlfriend is from Germany and she tells me stories of how all of her friends' parents allow their significant others to go away with them on the weekends, go on vacations together alone, etc. When we asked to do something similar ourselves, my...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yxl7y/eli5_why_are_united_states_parents_much_more/
{ "a_id": [ "cpdvm07", "cpdvnjx", "cpdvp7y", "cpdwj4d", "cpdwugw", "cpdxelm", "cpe231f" ], "score": [ 22, 5, 13, 4, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The main reason is because of the religious background of the United States. ", "Probably because of religio...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://truthforsaints.com/denomination_history/denomination_history.html" ] ]
6j0o00
how have beauty standards changed so much throughout the years? wouldn't what humans find attractive be genetically ingrained into our heads and not really allow standards to change over time?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6j0o00/eli5_how_have_beauty_standards_changed_so_much/
{ "a_id": [ "djajmpe", "djajoqg", "djaspi4", "djatza0", "djawfer", "djaxnqi", "djb4lpz", "djbdyte" ], "score": [ 9, 70, 11, 4, 3, 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Humans are successful because we adapt to environment. We adapt by learning skills instead...
[]
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UIU9XH-mUI" ], [], [ "http://etc.ancient.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1023-1024x768.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/%27David%27_by_Michelangelo_Fir_JBU002.jpg/1200px-%27David%27_by_Michelangelo_Fir_...
6dhjkj
What happened to the French, Belgian and Dutch colonies when their European owners were conquered by Nazi Germany during WW2?
Did their leaders collaborate with the Nazis? Did they stay loyal to their former owners? Where there any attempts of revolutions?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6dhjkj/what_happened_to_the_french_belgian_and_dutch/
{ "a_id": [ "di2x16t" ], "score": [ 44 ], "text": [ "I can answer in some detail where the Dutch colonies are concerned. \n\n & nbsp;\n\nThe Dutch had 3 major overseas holdings: the Antilles, Suriname and Indonesia.\n\n & nbsp;\n\nThe Dutch colonies in the West Indies became vulnerable after the G...
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[ [] ]
22vje1
what is passion and where does it come from? (passion for subjects or jobs.) how can it be created?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/22vje1/eli5_what_is_passion_and_where_does_it_come_from/
{ "a_id": [ "cgqshiw" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This is a good question. Comparable to \"how do you knew when you've met the one?\" You just know. " ] }
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[ [] ]
170k8t
Why don't dead leaves smell bad like other decaying organic matter?
Or is the smell just lost in the large volume of air surrounding it?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/170k8t/why_dont_dead_leaves_smell_bad_like_other/
{ "a_id": [ "c8177r4" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It actually takes quite a while for leaves to decay - assuming the leaf was detached from the tree in the fall due to 'normal' circumstances. So, think a regular autumn leaf, not a bunch of leaves that fell off when a branch broke. \n\nDeciduous ...
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24c9pd
are you able to move your hand forward whilest traveling at the speed of light?
Say you're in a vehicle that moves at the speed of light and there's no friction, would you be able to move your hand, or anything else forward? Hypothetically ofcourse.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/24c9pd/eli5_are_you_able_to_move_your_hand_forward/
{ "a_id": [ "ch5padl", "ch5pava", "ch5pb0d", "ch5q009" ], "score": [ 2, 5, 24, 4 ], "text": [ "every question you have that starts with \"i will be moving at speed of light\" is going to start at impossible. so answering it will be weird.\n\nthings with mass are not going t...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/4/1/8/41898d25611a3359aa6bb3a9a7cac36a.png" ] ]
tpfvx
Since the Earth is getting more mass in the neighborhood of 100 tons a day, will the gravitational pull be strong enough to pull the moon into it?
Saw this post today: _URL_0_ Title asks it all. Thank you.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tpfvx/since_the_earth_is_getting_more_mass_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c4ole15", "c4ombpz" ], "score": [ 11, 2 ], "text": [ "100 tons compared to the mass of the earth (~6x10^24 kg) is barely a rounding error.\n\nIt would take approximately 1.8 x 10^14 years to increase the mass of the earth by 1/1000 of it's current mass at that accumulation rat...
[]
[ "http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/toekr/til_the_earth_gets_a_100_tons_heavier_every_day/" ]
[ [], [] ]
1ex7no
how vinyl record players can play not only the pitch but also other details of some sound
How can vinyls store different sounds at the same note, because they have the same frequency and so the grooves would be the same? Eg. Middle C on a piano vs same note on guitar.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ex7no/eli5_how_vinyl_record_players_can_play_not_only/
{ "a_id": [ "ca4ni6z" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "Different instruments produce different shapes of sound wave. [Here](_URL_0_) are a few examples.\n\nThese are stored on vinyl by physically making the edge of the groove into the shape of the sound wave that the instrument makes." ] }
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[ [ "http://amath.colorado.edu/pub/matlab/music/F_InstrumentWaves.gif" ] ]
ylowe
how and by whom are generation groups (x,y,z etc.) determined?
I understand the concept of generations in a family (daughter, mother, grandmother), but I don't understand the line that separates generations in a culture. As new people are born everyday, and there are people of every age at any given time in a country, how/who decides which generation they are placed in?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ylowe/eli5_how_and_by_whom_are_generation_groups_xyz/
{ "a_id": [ "c5wv0ym" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Marketers, mainly. Most of the time, you get a steady drip-drip-drip of people being born every year; there's about as many 7 year olds as 5 year olds or 9 year olds or whatever. \n\nBut the World Wars, particularly WWII, fucked that up: All over...
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n0wts
What originally defined the human size/mass? Why are most of us 1.5-1.9m tall instead of 0.5m or 20m tall?
What would be the minimum possible mass for a human to survive? I'm assuming a baby is the smallest size. Would it be possible to scale down any smaller, ie in atoms or is that the smallest we could possibly be? Why don't we stay at baby size, why do we grow to 1.5-1.9m in average and then just stop? Why doesn't our bo...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/n0wts/what_originally_defined_the_human_sizemass_why/
{ "a_id": [ "c35f10o", "c35f10o" ], "score": [ 12, 12 ], "text": [ "Evolution is an optimising process, it's always making tradeoffs between competing criteria to find the highest fitness for the environment. There are advantages to being bigger, as well as disadvantages. On the simplest l...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_cube_law" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_cube_law" ] ]
jmzpr
what is "fair trade" and why should i care that my coffee is labelled as such?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/jmzpr/eli5_what_is_fair_trade_and_why_should_i_care/
{ "a_id": [ "c2dfwob", "c2dfwob" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Originally, fair trade was about a group of people that came together and said that they would pay the farmers that grew coffee a \"fair\" price. They wanted to do this in order to help them make more money, so that we weren...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_problem_with_fair_trade_coffee/" ], [ "http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_problem_with_fair_trade_coffee/" ] ]
cnsa6a
how do cpu temperatures drop so rapidly?
I was using Intel Power Gadget to monitor my Mac’s CPU temps, and I noticed that the temperature would sometimes drop from 80 degrees to around 70 within a second. It makes sense to me why the temps would increase cause the electrons moving through the CPU cause that. But how can the temps drop so immediately when all ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cnsa6a/eli5_how_do_cpu_temperatures_drop_so_rapidly/
{ "a_id": [ "ewdeqns", "ewdfr5t", "ewdnrgi" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 6 ], "text": [ "Depends on the exact configuation, but computers have fantastically efficient cooling systems onboard to keep the CPU at safe temperatures when just idling/keeping the OS running, that can max out to di...
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[ [], [], [] ]
23sgc6
Is rain water pure H2O, or does it pick up other elements from the air on the way down? If not, why?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/23sgc6/is_rain_water_pure_h2o_or_does_it_pick_up_other/
{ "a_id": [ "ch0eoky" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "No, rain water is not pure. For starters, it has to have a \"cloud condensation neuclei,\" basically a particle on which water forms. When the cloud becomes dense enough, rain begins to fall. The rain will react with various gasses and particulat...
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[ [] ]
2pw4pu
paradox?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2pw4pu/eli5_paradox/
{ "a_id": [ "cn0ik30", "cn0inje" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Don't post just to complain.\n\nAlso, you're using \"paradox\" incorrectly.", "Sometimes people don't always know how to phrase their answers right, sometimes people ask questions that necessarily demand a degree of tech...
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[ [], [] ]
4ai49v
why are so many americans hooked on opiate pain pills?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ai49v/eli5_why_are_so_many_americans_hooked_on_opiate/
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[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.wthr.com/story/11339724/authorities-link-indiana-doctor-to-nine-overdose-deaths" ], [], [], [], [ "http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/11/462390288/anatomy-of-addiction-how-heroin-and-opioids-hijack-the-brain", "http://www.npr.org/...
25mkqs
What made the United Nations significantly different from the League of Nations?
I know America was in the UN but not the LoN, but I asking about more structural things, in terms of their charters, their powers and their organization.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/25mkqs/what_made_the_united_nations_significantly/
{ "a_id": [ "chjb6wv" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "One of the larger differences is that the League of Nations had no teeth, it had no military force of its own to physically put down an aggressor. The League of Nations provided that if an aggressor would not stop it could use military force but ...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/leagueofnations.htm" ] ]
110o3n
humanism
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/110o3n/eli5_humanism/
{ "a_id": [ "c6i9cgi" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "See /r/humanism\n\n > Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through a...
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2mt3su
Is it possible to melt snow (or whatever) with sound?
I was reading another post about how the speed of sound changes depending on density and stiffness and other properties and one commenter was talking about how snow is an excellent sound absorber/dissipator/what have you. Because the sound is converted into thermal energy when it is absorbed/dissipated, how loud would ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2mt3su/is_it_possible_to_melt_snow_or_whatever_with_sound/
{ "a_id": [ "cm7fiak" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "I was the guy who made that comment on the other post. While technically you could input enough energy to melt snow, the amount of energy contained in sound is very small.\n\nAssuming you have 1 g of snow at 0 C, the amount of energy needed to me...
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tf7wi
Why do plants go "limp" after you pick them?
There's a fern growing on my lawn, and I plucked a small part of it off, to bring inside and look at under a microscope. Within 15 minutes of picking it off of the main part of the plant, it was very limp, whereas it was somewhat stiff beforehand. I understand it's because it's not attached to the stem of the plant, ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/tf7wi/why_do_plants_go_limp_after_you_pick_them/
{ "a_id": [ "c4m3ll8" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Plants use turgor pressure to maintain the rigidity of structures. When you pick the plants they lose pressure because they lose water. When they lose turgor pressure, they wilt." ] }
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[ [] ]
4r2bxd
how is monster energy allowed to claim some of their drinks contain zero calories, yet there's 4g of carbs per can?
And carbs contain calories. Also, they claim zero sugar, yet there's 2g per can of Erythritol, which is a sugar additive?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4r2bxd/eli5_how_is_monster_energy_allowed_to_claim_some/
{ "a_id": [ "d4xpqcm" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "The FDA allows numbers on Nutrition Labels to be rounded to the nearest whole number. If those 4g of carbs amount to less than half a calorie per serving, then the manufacturer is going to take advantage of the situation and put 0. \n & nbsp; \...
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g1zy4
With the recent horrifying earthquake that hit Japan, I'm curious: With today's technology and know-how, how difficult is it to predict an earthquake?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/g1zy4/with_the_recent_horrifying_earthquake_that_hit/
{ "a_id": [ "c1kbnym", "c1kbra0", "c1kc1gv", "c1kcop8", "c1kdpds" ], "score": [ 14, 11, 11, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Prediction of catastrophic failures is basically impossible. Scientists have been making progress in being able to measure tectonic pressures in earthquak...
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[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Alert+sounded+minute+before+tremor+struck/4425621/story.html" ] ]
54fzqx
why does cannabis make people sleepy after the high wears off?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/54fzqx/eli5_why_does_cannabis_make_people_sleepy_after/
{ "a_id": [ "d81lm6s", "d81neib", "d81o0y6", "d81ob87", "d81qt51", "d81rxg1", "d81syoy", "d81szpi", "d81t3wz", "d81ta0k", "d81v8np" ], "score": [ 616, 49, 179, 9, 2, 44, 2, 2, 11, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "CBN is a degradatio...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
zi72o
Are most living organisms today considered to be more complex than those, say, 70 million years ago?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/zi72o/are_most_living_organisms_today_considered_to_be/
{ "a_id": [ "c64t856" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "No. First off complexity is a very hard thing to measure. Are ants more complex than non-hive insects? But most importantly most life on Earth (by any measure, number, mass, etc.) is single celled. So most life on Earth is just as complex as it w...
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alvd2w
AskHistorians uses a 20-year rule to consider something to be "history." Is this a common rule among historians, or is it just a pragmatic measure to moderate this community? If so, how do scholars decide when something can be called "history"?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/alvd2w/askhistorians_uses_a_20year_rule_to_consider/
{ "a_id": [ "efhlf0t", "efikb83", "efjh8vg" ], "score": [ 84, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "There's not a hard and fast rule among universities or historians in general to consider events beyond a certain number of years \"history\" vs. \"current events.\" One only has to look at ~~Mao~~ Zhou...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/45wqkl/rules_roundtable_5_the_current_eventsmodern/" ], [], [] ]
9eglr7
why do toddlers prefer to run everywhere instead on walking? it doesn't matter if it's indoor/outdoor or what distance. the first option is to run to get from point a to point b.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9eglr7/eli5_why_do_toddlers_prefer_to_run_everywhere/
{ "a_id": [ "e5oqg0t", "e5oqrka" ], "score": [ 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Well, if you have energy to burn, and are impatient as someone who's only got 2 or 3 years of being alive, it only makes sense to run.", "They have the energy and impulse control isn't developed in their brains yet. Won'...
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[ [], [] ]
2dbzng
Why is it that a SSD (Solid State Drive) will eventually decrease in performance after a long period of time, but RAM doesn't?
I was reading about Solid State Drives online recently and I have noticed a lot of people mentioning that SSDs do not have an unlimited usage as they will decrease in performance after constant writing of files, then I had a look at RAM. RAM works similarly, but needs a constant electric supply in order to preserve the...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2dbzng/why_is_it_that_a_ssd_solid_state_drive_will/
{ "a_id": [ "cjohnx8" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Two differences that contributes to write speed degradation:\n\n1) DRAM stores data as a charge in a capacitor. NAND flash used SSDs stores the data as a charge in a floating gate. In DRAM, the charges simply flow through the transistor into the ...
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71imyi
if atoms are over 99% empty space, how is it possible to create structures like spaceships that contain air and are airtight themselves while being surrounded by a vacuum?`
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/71imyi/eli5_if_atoms_are_over_99_empty_space_how_is_it/
{ "a_id": [ "dnayq78", "dnayqyo" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained:\n\n1. [ELI5: I know that even though atoms are mostly empty space, we can't walk through walls because of electric fields, but if they're mostly empty, why isn't ev...
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[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ebd9w/eli5why_if_atoms_are_mostly_empty_space_we_do_not/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40mhaw/eli5_if_an_atom_is_9999_empty_space_why_isnt_all/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5btvyv/eli5_the_reason_w...
8yljle
Is there any historical documentation of the Viking Blood Eagle execution?
If so, do we know if this style of execution actually worked as intended?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8yljle/is_there_any_historical_documentation_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "e2bvncl" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "More could be pried out of someone, but you might like to start with ['What are the chances the Vikings actually used the \"Blood Eagle\"? (previous highly rated answer has been deleted and other posts just link to the deleted answer)'](_URL_0_) ...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8temli/what_are_the_chances_the_vikings_actually_used/" ] ]