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fikfs
Since humans can change time-zones, can we adapt to longer days/nights?
We know that if we were to move to Japan, it takes a couple of weeks to adjust to the different time zone hours. If we were to move to a planet that, e.g. takes 32 hours to complete one rotation on it's axis, would a human ever be able to adapt to sleep longer hours & comfortably stay awake for the duration of dayli...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fikfs/since_humans_can_change_timezones_can_we_adapt_to/
{ "a_id": [ "c1g70n5" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Perhaps. The body's native circadian rhythms have a natural period (that is, what the circadian cycle would be like if you had constant darkness or light) that is very close to 24 hours, but is not exactly. This rhythm is modulated by light- whic...
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1kpsnr
how we use hubble's law to measure distances.
having issues getting my head around this.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1kpsnr/eli5how_we_use_hubbles_law_to_measure_distances/
{ "a_id": [ "cbrf6of" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "You see, the Universe is expanding. Not just at the edges, but everywhere. The space between any two points is expanding whether it is the space between galaxies or the space between your hands.\n\nWe know how fast space is expanding and we kno...
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[ [] ]
ami5q7
Does alcohol settle out of solution over time?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ami5q7/does_alcohol_settle_out_of_solution_over_time/
{ "a_id": [ "efoipnl" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "No. Alcohol and water are 100% miscible, meaning they blend together perfectly. For something to settle out of solution, you would need it to precipitate. " ] }
[]
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[ [] ]
9qpvck
how an empty pan left on a turned on stove burns?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9qpvck/eli5_how_an_empty_pan_left_on_a_turned_on_stove/
{ "a_id": [ "e8aubtc", "e8auzab" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Dont know about gas stoves but i do know that most pans/pots will melt before they catch fire (had a herion user as a roommate when we lived with my uncle as a kid) ", "A stainless steel or cast iron pan will have a laye...
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[ [], [] ]
6jujjl
What makes something an acid and what makes something a base?
I've heard somewhere that acids have a sour taste and a bases have bitter tastes. But I've heard that water is a base and acid? This confuses me a lot.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6jujjl/what_makes_something_an_acid_and_what_makes/
{ "a_id": [ "djh8t2w", "djhihcu", "djhnwte", "dji3q2o" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "The concentration of H+ ions in an acqueous solution is what defines acids and bases. A strong acid such as HCl will dissociate and you'll have tons of H+ ions (and tons of Cl- ion...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
14zmj1
What made the Normandy invasion so significant compared to the other battles in WWII? Why is this the one most often talked about?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/14zmj1/what_made_the_normandy_invasion_so_significant/
{ "a_id": [ "c7hx3sz" ], "score": [ 17 ], "text": [ "I assume you mean what is the significance from an american/western perspective yes? In the larger ww2 scheme the invasion is certainly siginificant although probably not as significant as it's often regarded in the west.\n\nBut onward with the ...
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[ [] ]
vundk
how did the us go from a budget surplus under clinton to a massive deficit now?
I understand that the tech-bubble burst, but what were the other factors/when did they occur?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/vundk/eli5_how_did_the_us_go_from_a_budget_surplus/
{ "a_id": [ "c57rr04", "c57sak8", "c57sez1", "c57shtz", "c57t0xn", "c57v35e", "c57v403", "c57wi10" ], "score": [ 31, 10, 7, 8, 20, 2, 25, 2 ], "text": [ "THE most expensive thing (by far) in the world is war. ", "Mostly war but also tax c...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2013/assets/hist.pdf" ], [] ]
rx90i
Does a phone get lighter as the battery drains?
As I use my phone, photons are being released from the screen, heat is being dissipated, and the energy in the phone is being used. Does any of this affect the weight of the phone? Is my phone lighter and if so by how much? Does charging it add weight back?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/rx90i/does_a_phone_get_lighter_as_the_battery_drains/
{ "a_id": [ "c49dmii", "c49eoku" ], "score": [ 10, 4 ], "text": [ "Yes - charging the phone adds weight (all other things being equal). A really, really small amount. Your fingerprint on the phone makes significantly more difference. You probably scrape off more metal/plastic plugging in t...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/qxdai/does_a_battery_weigh_more_when_charged_as_opposed/" ], [] ]
a81e0l
When did it become a common thing for employers to drug test their applicants? What events could be linked to the reason employers began doing it?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/a81e0l/when_did_it_become_a_common_thing_for_employers/
{ "a_id": [ "ec87icm" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "This is an interesting question without much historical background. This sub requires historical evidence prior to 1998 in its answers. There is not a lot from before 1998 on this topic. You may want to post somewhere else. \n\nWith that being sa...
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[ [] ]
7d3woq
How is it possible that the planet Mercury gets so cold and so hot on opposite sides? Shouldn't heat conduction make the entire planet roughly the same temperature?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7d3woq/how_is_it_possible_that_the_planet_mercury_gets/
{ "a_id": [ "dpuyeaq", "dpuyhz0", "dpva8ui" ], "score": [ 14, 22, 5 ], "text": [ "There arent enough particles in the atmosphere to transfer the heat through. And with minimal atmosphere, there are also no wind currents to act like a big convection oven like we have here on earth. ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
3emp3e
why, when we look at younger people, do we perceive them as looking younger than us than we did at the same age. (aka me at 16 looked much older than whoever is 16 right now)
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3emp3e/eli5_why_when_we_look_at_younger_people_do_we/
{ "a_id": [ "ctgei9j", "ctggch8" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "That's an opinion based thing. If I look at pictures of when I was 16, I look like a little kid. Then again 16 year olds also look like kids to me. Your perception of how people look changes with your age.", "When you lo...
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[ [], [] ]
212yx7
why is our vision tinted blue after we face the sun with our eyes closed?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/212yx7/eli5_why_is_our_vision_tinted_blue_after_we_face/
{ "a_id": [ "cg954ow", "cg96q5l" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Detecting light requires chemical reactions inside the cells of your eye. The chemicals take a moment to reset/replenish before you can detect the light again. When you look at a bright light, it uses up these chemicals qu...
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[ [], [] ]
ks9qq
on my home theater system why are action sequences so thunderously loud but people talking barely audible. is it my setup or the film audio track itself?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ks9qq/eli5on_my_home_theater_system_why_are_action/
{ "a_id": [ "c2mshbd", "c2mysxg", "c2mshbd", "c2mysxg" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Try bumping up the gain on your center channel. ", "It has to do with dynamic range compression, or in your case, lack thereof. Movies are usually less compressed than tv shows...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
8fhror
How did the British view their Australian and New Zealander soldiers?
Did they respect them as soldiers or did they see them as cannon fodder and inferior to actual British soldiers?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8fhror/how_did_the_british_view_their_australian_and_new/
{ "a_id": [ "dy4749v" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "What time frame are you asking about? " ] }
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[ [] ]
qmt43
why do we have war, and why do we go to war?
If it helps, my son who asked was 7, so feel free to explain it like I'm 7.....my son came to me last night and said "Dad, why do we have war, why do people want to kill other people?" Immediately i thought, religion, greed, and just straight up bad guys. I had no idea how to relay that to him so that he would unders...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qmt43/why_do_we_have_war_and_why_do_we_go_to_war/
{ "a_id": [ "c3yst7p", "c3yt0n7", "c3yt3uc", "c3yt8ov", "c3ythc1", "c3yu69m" ], "score": [ 4, 19, 6, 2, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Pick up a copy of Marvin Harris' book \"Our Kind\". It is an anthropological reader aimed at the masses, and your son should be able to...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1adoum
why do some (ebay) auctions have "reserve" prices?
What is the purpose behind a reserve price on an ebay auction? I understand that it sets a minimum amount to win the auction but why doesn't the auctioneer just start at the reserve price?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1adoum/eli5_why_do_some_ebay_auctions_have_reserve_prices/
{ "a_id": [ "c8wfb5d", "c8wgay7" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Starting at 0 entices buyers to begin bidding and then once they've started they will keep bidding past a point when they may have begun bidding earlier.", "I think it also gets the bidding ball rolling and taps into peo...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2gtjqf
How different are h.sapiens from today vs 1 mya?
How different would an early Homo sapiens be from a Homo sapiens from today? Could one survive easily in the others timelines? Immunity to diseases would definitely be a concern. What else???
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2gtjqf/how_different_are_hsapiens_from_today_vs_1_mya/
{ "a_id": [ "ckmfutw", "ckmhx67", "ckn29gi" ], "score": [ 5, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, we only diverged from neanderthals around 500,000 years ago. So 1mya we would not be looking at h.sapiens exactly. That said I am interested in hearing more from someone who studies this and so kn...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2zgjku
Why does it take longer to get dark at night in some areas over others that are along the same or are close in latitudes?
I live in Edmonton, which is pretty well a mid prairies city, and have noticed that in the summer, it takes a really long time at night before it get a dark,even well outside the city. For example, the sun may set at around 9ish, yet it won't get dark until nearly midnight, while in Toronto, or San Jose which is much f...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2zgjku/why_does_it_take_longer_to_get_dark_at_night_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cpitm4g" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "Twilight lasts a longer time the further you get from the equator, because the Sun moves at an increasing angle to the horizon. The extreme case is the polar regions ( > 66 degrees from the equator), where the Sun never sets at all during summe...
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[ [] ]
638iq2
how did humans develop such that a well balanced human diet consist of a wide variety of foods when throughout most of human history we only had access to a few foods?
This seems like it'd doom our survival as a species.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/638iq2/eli5_how_did_humans_develop_such_that_a_well/
{ "a_id": [ "dfs38sc", "dfs3l38", "dfs3ss3", "dfs4h7b", "dfsir86", "dfsjrwc", "dfsmkug", "dfsneig", "dfsojxv", "dfsp0ia", "dfspk7b", "dfstc0w", "dfstn40", "dfstyjd", "dfsucq4", "dfsv5xd", "dfsvikt", "dfsvx0n", "dfsx307", "dft0r0l", "d...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/education/artifactgallery_manometate.htm", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2zeuwu
Was Greek almost the official language of the United States?
My roommate and I were talking, and he brought up that Greek was 1 vote shy of being the official language of the US. Apparently Ben Franklin was the swing vote and voted for English. I just want to know if there is any truth to this. Also, sorry if this was asked before, it's my first time on this subreddit.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2zeuwu/was_greek_almost_the_official_language_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cpixsfu" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "tl;dr so essentially we had a vote to decide to print laws in German as well as English and it's possible utopians may have advocated making Greek Latin or French an official language (\" considered in the late 18th century to be the languages of...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/essays/legend.htm", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois-Jean_de_Chastellux", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Astor_Bristed", "https://books.google.com/books?id=Q28RBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA137&lpg=PA137&dq=Chastellux+hebrew+g...
6ocn7w
how these modern tiny loudspeaker / amplifiers sound so good?
When I was a teenager you needed huge loudspeakers and a 40W amplifier to get decent bass plus a tweeter for the top end. What magic is at work here?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ocn7w/eli5_how_these_modern_tiny_loudspeaker_amplifiers/
{ "a_id": [ "dkgdi40" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "I know part of this, much stronger permanent magnets. Back then we didn't have neodymium magnets, utilising those in speakers allows for much more powerful motion of the speaker cone so you can get much louder and better sound from a smaller spea...
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[ [] ]
5jdc2o
Is there a usage of quantum physics in our body?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5jdc2o/is_there_a_usage_of_quantum_physics_in_our_body/
{ "a_id": [ "dbf7p7z", "dbflq7i", "dbflsx6" ], "score": [ 20, 2, 17 ], "text": [ "Maybe. Known quantum effects in biology include long-range coherence during photosynthesis and [the magnetic field detection that birds use to navigate](_URL_0_). It's possible that [smell uses quantu...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://arxiv.org/pdf/1204.6528.pdf", "http://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.4767067", "https://arxiv.org/pdf/1508.05929.pdf" ], [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19480428", "http://www.columbia.edu/cu/chemistry/groups/berne/papers/jacs_126_8501_2004.pdf" ], [] ]
2uaybp
why don't they use metal detectors before an mri scan?
I've seen in TV shows that any ferrous metal in your body can be extremely dangerous during an MRI. I had an MRI recently, they made me sign that I don't have any of that, but that was it. Why don't they have, say, the same equipment TSA uses in airports? Is it too expensive or not sensitive enough?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2uaybp/eli5_why_dont_they_use_metal_detectors_before_an/
{ "a_id": [ "co6qa4i", "co6r6ii", "co6r7om", "co6trzt", "co6ukh7", "co6z8h8" ], "score": [ 11, 8, 3, 2, 10, 2 ], "text": [ "I think it may just be an unnecessary expenditure since you are assumed to know if you have metal in your body, or it would at least b...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.fgiguidelines.org/pdfs/FGI_2.4_CriticalAccess_Hospitals.pdf" ], [], [], [], [] ]
2g5vlc
Cold weather and lung disease - how are they linked?
For me at least, being somewhat sweaty (perhaps hot too) and stepping outside in cold weather is a guranteed recipe for getting a severe cough. What exactly is the cause of this lung "infection"? It is often very severe for me and lasts for several days!
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2g5vlc/cold_weather_and_lung_disease_how_are_they_linked/
{ "a_id": [ "ckg7wca", "ckghgxf" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "This is pretty much asking for medical advice. You should go see a doctor.\n\nThere is a reflex that makes you cough a bit upon moving from warm air to cold air, but it's not severe and it does not last days.", "There's ...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
35zxkz
How did contemporary, mainstream western ideas about fashion and gender develop?
Men's formal, professional, and casual clothing is plainer and with fewer options than women's clothing. Men also conform to laxer grooming standards, don't wear makeup, accessories, etc., and aren't criticized if they spend limited time on dressing and personal hygiene. Women, on the other hand, stereotypically wear m...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/35zxkz/how_did_contemporary_mainstream_western_ideas/
{ "a_id": [ "cr9gmpb", "cram8ss" ], "score": [ 5, 8 ], "text": [ "There was a [phenomenal answer](_URL_0_) posted a year ago in response to a similar question, and I'm not really sure it can be improved upon. James Laver is an old source for doing fashion history, but he's correct here.", ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1wbbgn/why_has_mens_formal_wear_remained_largely_the/cf0okrl" ], [ "http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/homebeauty/images/spruce.jpg", "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RDwzk5F2h-0/TxdGBK5yMtI/AAAAAAAABu0/kREP1cILmQs/s1600/Is+this+my+Daugher+Ann.jpeg", ...
3xiky5
why do people leave useless answers to amazon product questions?
[This for example](_URL_0_) And I've seen a lot more. Why even bother answering if your answer doesn't provide useful information for the one asking?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3xiky5/eli5why_do_people_leave_useless_answers_to_amazon/
{ "a_id": [ "cy4x4ep", "cy4x6oi", "cy554c2" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Because Amazon asks people who have bought products to answer questions so some people just try to answer", "You actually get an email from amazon, asking you if you can answer the questions (usuall...
[]
[ "http://www.amazon.co.uk/forum/-/Tx8JIXZ7WCM2EN/ref=ask_dp_dpmw_al_hza?asin=B0000AN4D0" ]
[ [], [], [] ]
5gxrm2
Does the supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy have any effects on the way our planet, star, or solar system behave?
If it's gravity is strong enough to hold together a galaxy, does it have some effect on individual planets/stars within the galaxy? How would these effects differ based on the distance from the black hole?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5gxrm2/does_the_supermassive_black_hole_in_the_center_of/
{ "a_id": [ "davzzoc", "daw0ooh", "daw3l4z", "daw9666", "daw9ib8", "daw9wis", "dawbw1s", "dawhwqs", "dawj5r8" ], "score": [ 49, 1983, 54, 2, 9, 38, 23, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "There aren't any noticeable tidal forces for most of the galaxy...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.physast.uga.edu/~rls/1020/ch22/22-01.jpg", "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Galaxy_rotation_under_the_influence_of_dark_matter.ogv", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7xl_zjz0o8" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
21goht
Why did German soldiers pay homage to Joan of Arc during WWII?
This is a story that's circulated in my family since I can remember. I'm a dual citizen of France and the US that was raised in America (my father is a native French citizen). My grandmother was raised in a rural, eastern-central French town called Rigny-le-Ferron. So during the German occupation, our family owned one ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/21goht/why_did_german_soldiers_pay_homage_to_joan_of_arc/
{ "a_id": [ "cgcvwmf" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This is somewhat of a complex answer and she stretched far beyond German homage.\n\n1. It wasn't as much an homage to Joan of Arc the person, but more so what she began to symbolize in the late 19th century. Following the Franco-Prussian War, Joa...
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[ [] ]
31lf9e
why is it that we typically make eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc. for breakfast & why does it seem so wrong in a sense if we eat anything other than those typical breakfast foods for breakfast?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31lf9e/eli5_why_is_it_that_we_typically_make_eggs_bacon/
{ "a_id": [ "cq2nuli", "cq2o4mi", "cq2rpfi", "cq2t8qj", "cq2zf53" ], "score": [ 22, 11, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Conditioning. If you were raised on pizza and soda for breakfast, milk and cocoa puffs would seem weird.", "Because that's what we're accustomed to. Oth...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.cracked.com/article_19833_the-7-sneakiest-ways-corporations-manipulated-human-behavior.html" ], [] ]
juvea
Why are sumo wrestlers able to maintain their athleticism while morbidly obese, but others of the same weight become bedridden and are at risk of sudden death?
I'm interested in things like the maximum pressure on human joints, compression of internal organs due to excess fat, high blood pressure and others I haven't thought of along those lines. TIA.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/juvea/why_are_sumo_wrestlers_able_to_maintain_their/
{ "a_id": [ "c2fev8w", "c2fev8w" ], "score": [ 6, 6 ], "text": [ "sumos aren't morbidly obese. Turns out the bodyfat percentage on a lot of them is in the 15-30% range. Pair that wil the fact that they physically train, and you have, essentially, a power lifter body on a wrestler", "su...
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[ [], [] ]
w2c5s
Meat and colon cancer
I've gotten into a link-fight about evidence suggesting high meat consumption increases risk of colo-rectal cancer. It started when I told my non-vego friends about this article: _URL_0_ One of them shot back with Dr Briffa poo-pooing the idea of a connection: _URL_1_ I see some holes in Briffa's points, like; a) di...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/w2c5s/meat_and_colon_cancer/
{ "a_id": [ "c59od26" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The best you can do is take a recommendation from a reputable source like the American Cancer Society. They have looked at all of the data as a whole and use that to make an informed recommendation. Most importantly, THEY HAVE NOTHING AT STAKE....
[]
[ "http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2012/07/03/3533219.htm", "http://www.drbriffa.com/2009/03/18/does-eating-meat-really-increase-our-risk-of-colon-cancer/" ]
[ [ "http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ColonandRectumCancer/OverviewGuide/colorectal-cancer-overview-what-causes", "http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Red-meat-and-colon-cancer.shtml" ] ]
4zbwwx
I'm a penniless, but free, peasant living in Italy at the beginning of the Renaissance. What can I do to start making money and rise into the bourgeoise class?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4zbwwx/im_a_penniless_but_free_peasant_living_in_italy/
{ "a_id": [ "d6usrf7" ], "score": [ 86 ], "text": [ "In Florence you would find things... difficult, to say the least, but perhaps easier the younger and more talented in whatever craft you knew. At the time of the Renaissance, all meaningful means of production in Florence was tightly controlled ...
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[ [] ]
49fmsy
why do some runners/drivers get a head start in pro races?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/49fmsy/eli5_why_do_some_runnersdrivers_get_a_head_start/
{ "a_id": [ "d0rf8pz", "d0rfm35", "d0rjems", "d0rnnlw", "d0ru01m" ], "score": [ 95, 8, 3, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "If you're talking about racing around an oval track, the competitor on the outside has to cover a longer distance than the competitor on the very inside, whi...
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[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
7mr9hz
Were there copies of the information in the library of Alexandria in other places around the world?
First off, sorry if this sounds too "a-ha! gotcha!" While the library of Alexandria was a hub that carried tons of information, do we have records that suggest that all or some of the information in the library had copies in other libraries/information hubs around the world? It's just astonishing to me that so much in...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7mr9hz/were_there_copies_of_the_information_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "drw6a59" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "[This thread](_URL_0_) from /u/XenophonTheAthenian seems like it may answer your questions (or at least parts of them)." ] }
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5t6op5/facts_about_the_library_of_alexandria/ddkr2h6/" ] ]
5rinkh
cellular respiration, why is it so important in maintaining animal health, growth and reproduction?
Looking for a simpler understanding of a process I find rather complicated.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5rinkh/eli5_cellular_respiration_why_is_it_so_important/
{ "a_id": [ "dd7mqsc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Cellular respiration isn't like, important in maintaining health. Its like saying a heartbeat is important in maintaining health.\n\nCellular respiration for animals..i guess, is how every cell gets energy to carry out(most) chemical reactions.\n...
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1m5kl5
in what context would you decide between saying "muslim" or "islamic"?
Or are they interchangeable? Or is there a difference between the two words that I am not aware of?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1m5kl5/eli5_in_what_context_would_you_decide_between/
{ "a_id": [ "cc5zrb3", "cc6013v" ], "score": [ 7, 3 ], "text": [ "Muslim and Islamic are interchangeable when used as an adjective. For example \"Muslim architecture\" and \"Islamic architecture\" are both correct. However \"muslim\" is also a noun that refers to a follower of islam and is...
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[ [], [] ]
242gqm
In a zero gravity environment if I were to punch forward would I move with the punch?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/242gqm/in_a_zero_gravity_environment_if_i_were_to_punch/
{ "a_id": [ "ch2yfbl", "ch32apk" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "No, as your hand moves forward your body will go backwards, but after both are done moving you will be stationary relative to your initial position.", "Also, to clarify: If you punch *something other than the empty space...
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b4bv4f
Did the British Isles have their own variant of Vulgar Latin? What happened to it?
On the continent, Vulgar Latin evolved into the languages we know today as French, Spanish, and Italian. But what about the British Isles? After centuries of Roman rule, did they develop their own dialect of Latin that might have gone on to become its own Romance language?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/b4bv4f/did_the_british_isles_have_their_own_variant_of/
{ "a_id": [ "ej66fye" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "It's a difficult question, because evidence is scarce one way or another : the consensus is that Vulgar Latin might have been an urban language, especially in the south-eastern regions and place of active Roman institutions (such as York), which...
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2ngrzw
Why is there vapor that comes off really cold things?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2ngrzw/why_is_there_vapor_that_comes_off_really_cold/
{ "a_id": [ "cme2t8e", "cme3496" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It's the result of atmospheric water vapour condensing into droplets.", "I imagine you are talking about what you may see if you pull out a tub of ice cream from the freezer on a warm day you see little wisps coming off ...
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50cwzo
why do we fall asleep faster when the environment is being rocked/swung about (i.e. car, baby's bed, ship)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/50cwzo/eli5_why_do_we_fall_asleep_faster_when_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d7302ub" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Surprisingly, it looks like the science is still out on this.\n\nMy two cents would be that it is a hypnotic effect though. Continuous rocking is also a soothing / coping habit for people experiencing anxiety. I would presume it gives the brain a...
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4jko7x
what exactly does the little blue gel pad at the top and the rubber pad at the bottom of my razor do? is it just for style and we all assume it actually does something like add comfort or something but it actually does nothing?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4jko7x/eli5_what_exactly_does_the_little_blue_gel_pad_at/
{ "a_id": [ "d37cqgt" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "They're lubricant. They both help the razor slide more smoothly across your skin but also leave moisture behind to prevent your skin from drying out.\n\nThe one at the bottom would help with function as you don't want hair to catch on the blade...
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1pc8es
why does the us use a state system?
What do the residents of the western region of Virginia have in common with the eastern region that would allow them to have some say in what they should share in laws, regulations, benefits, etc.,? What made them decide that this should be a permanent system for the country?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pc8es/eli5_why_does_the_us_use_a_state_system/
{ "a_id": [ "cd0w38p" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Because originally the USA were thirteen pseudo-independent colonies under the British crown. Contrary to common belief, the \"united\" states of America never got on with each other historically. Not all thirteen even rose up against the British...
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cc12ez
how bugs (not referring to tiny ones) somehow get through screened windows with no noticeable entrances.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cc12ez/eli5_how_bugs_not_referring_to_tiny_ones_somehow/
{ "a_id": [ "etjow2v" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Info: are you talking like stuck between the screen and a closed window? \n\nIf so, many screens, while sealed into the screen frame itself, are able to be open and closed. They can run on a little track in the side of the window frame and can ac...
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1k4n0q
What are the origins of the Roman *Triarii*, and why did they assume the role of "the 3rd Line of defense?"
I have a specific question regarding the *Triarii* of the Roman Army. I am currently doing an independent study and may have discovered some interesting parallels regarding social divisions among certain armies. I am a scholar of Hellenic Greece, but have very little knowledge regarding Rome, so any information by AskH...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1k4n0q/what_are_the_origins_of_the_roman_triarii_and_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cblg0sr" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Ok I'm going to take a stab at this. \n\nThe Roman Army under the Etruscan kings was modeled after the Greek Phalanx with rounded shields (*hoplon*) and long spears. In 387 BC the Battle of Allia occurs and Rome is sacked. After the Gauls are dr...
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3p2exn
How often were horse riding accidents when it was the primary form of transportation?
I think of horseback riding as pretty dangerous nowadays so yeah
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3p2exn/how_often_were_horse_riding_accidents_when_it_was/
{ "a_id": [ "cw2oeku" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Did you have a specific time period or country in mind for your question? And are you interested in just horse-riding accidents or also accidents involving horse-drawn vehicles? I own an old history of the English courts in the 1860s that lists ...
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2quj23
why does the dish for my satellite tv have to face south to receive signal?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2quj23/eli5_why_does_the_dish_for_my_satellite_tv_have/
{ "a_id": [ "cn9mqrz" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Because, if you live in the northern hemisphere, that's where the satellite is.\n\nThey're in a geosynchronous orbit - which means they're above the equator and orbit the earth in 24-hours. So they stay in the same spot in the sky." ] }
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d7sjh9
why do some diseases tend to localize to specific areas while others remain more general? for example, hand, foot, and mouth disease, or genital herpes.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d7sjh9/eli5_why_do_some_diseases_tend_to_localize_to/
{ "a_id": [ "f143u4x" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "I suppose you're talking about communicable diseases. It all depends. But for viruses for instance, they can never infect a cell unless they bind to a receptor and get internalized. Not all cells express a receptor for a given virus, for example ...
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ad0fgk
Potato Famine
Recently in my us history class we were talking about immigration to the us and it’s effects on the economy and so on and so forth. I came across information suggesting that the famine was bad but that the British had caused it (not the fungus but by forcing them to live off potatoes) and could have intervened. I heard...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ad0fgk/potato_famine/
{ "a_id": [ "edcm9mj" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Not to discourage further discussion, but you might be interested in this previous answer on the subject by u/mikedash:\n\n* [Was England's role in worsening the potato famine one of neglect or did they actually try to increase the suffering?](_U...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5jcffu/was_englands_role_in_worsening_the_potato_famine/dbf9wnn/" ] ]
3vo6lh
Why does the ball in this gif go in the direction it does?
Here: _URL_0_ I know the bernoulli's theorem, that where the speed is high the pressure is low and vice versa. So here when the guy spins the ball inwardly, the speed of air on the near side is higher and so the pressure should be lesser. This means that the ball must move backward,i.e. opposite to the direction it mo...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3vo6lh/why_does_the_ball_in_this_gif_go_in_the_direction/
{ "a_id": [ "cxp6zzl", "cxp799q", "cxpa5aa", "cxpcux9" ], "score": [ 30, 54, 11, 2 ], "text": [ "Once falling, the air on the near side is actually being slowed down by the texture of the ball pushing back against the oncoming wind. This gets more pronounced as the ball fal...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/KuayNFt.gifv" ]
[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OSrvzNW9FE" ], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3ucg1v/will_rotation_of_a_smooth_object_change_the/cxdqq72" ], [] ]
643k3q
Assuming identical atmospheric and other planetary conditions, is a hotter sun always brighter?
Imagine we make an identical copy of Earth. Is there any conceivable type of star that this copy could orbit, at any distance, where the result would be Earth-2 being *hotter* despite the fact that the light levels are *lower*? Or are heat and light always positively correlated, holding atmosphere constant?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/643k3q/assuming_identical_atmospheric_and_other/
{ "a_id": [ "dfzw7mt", "dg1zf6o" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Luminosity is a product of the surface area and temperature, so if you have two stars with equal surface temperatures and different radii, the one with the larger radius will have a greater luminosity. Likewise, a star with...
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[ [ "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Hertzsprung-Russel_StarData.png" ], [] ]
46nvpv
why do cars that are not driven rust while cars that are regularly driven do not?
Assuming that the one that doesn't drive just sits in the driveway and has for a few years, and the one that is driven regularly gets typical under the hood maintenance. They experience the same weather and same amount of sunlight. The undriven car isn't experiencing the wear of the driven car.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/46nvpv/eli5_why_do_cars_that_are_not_driven_rust_while/
{ "a_id": [ "d06n07w", "d06o8tp", "d06ouo4", "d06wmzs" ], "score": [ 3, 10, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "the paint deteriorates, allowing water to get to the metal. also, as my cousin learned with his 79 camaro, when you leave it outside in the sun, it can eat away at the rubber stri...
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4d9dt0
Why did the Japanese never adapt with anti-submarine tactics in response to U.S. submarine warfare in World War 2 that devastated Japanese merchant fleets?
[deleted]
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4d9dt0/why_did_the_japanese_never_adapt_with/
{ "a_id": [ "d1p7oco" ], "score": [ 45 ], "text": [ "Part of the reason was an obsession on the part of the Japanese Naval General Staff on the idea of a decisive battle - in 1890, an American strategist called Alfred Thayer Mahan published an extremely influential book called *The Influence of Se...
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23pmok
Why are particles in a superposition state 'forced' into a certain state due to observation/measurement?
I only have a very, very vague understanding of quantum mechanics so my question may be stupid. I've always just wondered how measurement or observation can have an effect on a particle without directly interfering. Even if we say that something is in a superposition or 2 states at the same time, I still don't get why ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/23pmok/why_are_particles_in_a_superposition_state_forced/
{ "a_id": [ "cgzends" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "This is an often asked question - and for good reason. While physicists agree on the basic ideas of measurement, they do not agree on the deeper (arguably philosophical) nature of it. \n\n > I've always just wondered how measurement or observa...
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4jeh8p
Is it theoretically possible to freeze photons?
Do elementary particles freeze at absolute zero? Can we [humans] ever go sub absolute zero?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/4jeh8p/is_it_theoretically_possible_to_freeze_photons/
{ "a_id": [ "d3606yn", "d360zhl", "d39mfvn" ], "score": [ 22, 10, 2 ], "text": [ "The particles in a system do not \"freeze\" at absolute zero. A system at absolute zero should be defined to be in its quantum mechanical ground state. Because of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle,...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_law_of_thermodynamics" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_temperature" ], [ "http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/162289-light-stopped-completely-for-a-minute-inside-a-crystal-the-basis-of-quantum-memory" ] ]
b0zjzm
how do animals, like squirrels & foxes, know what is food and what isn't, in urban environments, especially processed foods.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b0zjzm/eli5_how_do_animals_like_squirrels_foxes_know/
{ "a_id": [ "eij12ix" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "First they learn from parents by what is being presented to eat and what they see being eaten.\n\nSecond they have some instincts to avoid or pursue certain smells or tastes.\n\nThey learn by trying, if they puke up something that still looks and...
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3vbevq
Does high pH water have a lower capacity as a solvent to dissolve more because of the electrolytes and minerals already in the water?
Just a random question. I have some water with a pH of 8.8 and had the thought of using to make things like powdered gatorade, coffee, tea, etc.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3vbevq/does_high_ph_water_have_a_lower_capacity_as_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cxm3ex7" ], "score": [ 14 ], "text": [ "It depends on the ions that are already in the water. If the ions are also the same ions that are in the substance you are trying to dissolve, then the substance will dissolve less. If the ions can react with the ions in the substance you are tr...
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cj3rpj
how do some cars have a birds eye view of of the car when they’re parking?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cj3rpj/eli5_how_do_some_cars_have_a_birds_eye_view_of_of/
{ "a_id": [ "evay0ha" ], "score": [ 16 ], "text": [ "The car has cameras in the front, rear, and in the two side mirrors. Those images are stitched together (kind of the same way that your phone creates a panorama) to give a kind of 360° view of the car's surroundings. That image is then display...
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6tbv61
how did nicknames for names like richard and charles become dick and chuck and other ones like that when they are so different from their original form?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6tbv61/eli5_how_did_nicknames_for_names_like_richard_and/
{ "a_id": [ "dljhyc4", "dljjbiz", "dljm8hx", "dljustx" ], "score": [ 13, 8, 6, 13 ], "text": [ "Some of my friends told me that Dick comes from Richard due to the original nickname of Richard being \"Rick\". After that, Dick came to be due to its rhyming with Rick.", "W...
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d89je3
why is it that light can travel for a billion years across the universe, but as soon as you flick off a light switch it disappears instantly?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d89je3/eli5_why_is_it_that_light_can_travel_for_a/
{ "a_id": [ "f18kjbq", "f18lanh", "f18ldih", "f18lsyl", "f18lv3w" ], "score": [ 11, 10, 3, 3, 45 ], "text": [ "Light travels very fast. A source is needed for the light. \n\nWhen you turn off the light, it's no longer emitting light. The light wave that was sent jus...
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8lxvqt
How does lava stay hot until it hits the surface?
It seems like a cools pretty rapidly once it hits the surface- why doesn't do this when it's 8 feet below ground? Or even a hundred feet below ground?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8lxvqt/how_does_lava_stay_hot_until_it_hits_the_surface/
{ "a_id": [ "dzjbcfy" ], "score": [ 17 ], "text": [ "It's only the bits touching the air that seem to cool very rapidly at the surface. The more inner parts can take months to cool, as they become insulated by the solidified outer layers. Even in this case the convective cooling of the air is help...
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3e1my0
Why would the high pressure of Jupiter's atmosphere destroy a probe?
I've heard from at least a few sources that any attempt to investigate Jupiter's atmosphere with a probe would result in the probe being crushed. But if a probe can be designed with no gas or vacuum chambers, which I assume it can, why would pressure stop it from functioning?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3e1my0/why_would_the_high_pressure_of_jupiters/
{ "a_id": [ "ctapgp9" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "We actually send a probe to sample Jupiter's atmosphere called Galileo, it fell into a region without many clouds though and Nasa didn't get much useful data back if (I recall). \nVirtually any probe would eventually get crushed and melt as it fe...
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45n2fo
what happens next since justice scalia passed away?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/45n2fo/eli5what_happens_next_since_justice_scalia_passed/
{ "a_id": [ "czywacs" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Obama is going to appoint a new justice and that Justice will need to be confirmed by Congress. This is a pretty huge deal since the old court was pretty evenly split on issues because about half the court was liberal and half was conservative wi...
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2msj4y
what does obamas executive order on immigration do exactly?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2msj4y/eli5_what_does_obamas_executive_order_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cm76g26", "cm76mmy" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "From what I heard on Fox News, it shreds the constitution.", "I can't answer fully, but it sounds like there are a few broad scenarios in which Obama says that we will not deport, and we will give a Social Security numbe...
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[ [], [] ]
ivspc
Is good posture an indicator of good health?
Read a newspaper blog and it noted something on posture and its correlation to health/fitness. I'll post the link when I get back as I am on my phone now. In my opinion, I think there is a correlation but its based on logic: if a person were to go to the gym, do weights (in proper) form, the posture should be quite d...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ivspc/is_good_posture_an_indicator_of_good_health/
{ "a_id": [ "c27143c" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Another anecdote: I teach a few yoga classes a week, and I run. Yoga focuses closely on alignment in legs and feet, as well as the spine. When running at the park, I notice that almost all the good runners have their feet pointed straight forw...
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[ "http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/fitness/blogs/boot-camp/dont-waste-your-time-at-the-gym-20110708-1h6co.html" ]
[ [] ]
vowsc
How would saturn-like rings affect life on an earth-like planet?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/vowsc/how_would_saturnlike_rings_affect_life_on_an/
{ "a_id": [ "c56capa" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Saturn's rings are actually not very dense. They don't really have an impact on Saturn's surface, so you could probably easily assume the same if they were around an Earth-like planet. Here are my thoughts:\n\n > how would they appear in the sky...
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[ [] ]
2i894q
What determines the frequency of a photon?
Please don't say "the energy." This doesn't explain it. I'm asking for the root of what determines the energy of a photon I suppose.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2i894q/what_determines_the_frequency_of_a_photon/
{ "a_id": [ "cl04jyw", "cl0es58" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Conservation of energy in the process that created the photon?\n\nI don't think I understand the question.", "A photon has to be created in a physical process within the system S. This process has to obey conservation of...
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[ [], [] ]
7ds6s3
why do lighters have smaller flames when cold and bigger flames when warm?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ds6s3/eli5_why_do_lighters_have_smaller_flames_when/
{ "a_id": [ "dpzz9ho", "dq03v1p" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "Butane gets thicker when cold so it doesn't come out as fast so it only produced a small Flame. ", "Butane boils at 30f degrees. The only reason it's a liquid is because the pressure forces it to be that way. When you hi...
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[ [], [] ]
4hykti
how did charles manson influence his followers to do such drastic acts?
I just can't imagine people being convinced so easily without anything on the line for them or anything benefitting them.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hykti/eli5_how_did_charles_manson_influence_his/
{ "a_id": [ "d2th7xe", "d2thr85", "d2tjdp8", "d2tnh5k" ], "score": [ 18, 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The same way that Hitler did. He had a very strong charismatic personality that was capable of getting people to trust him, believe and follow what he said. \n\n > I just can't i...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1ogjpf
what is final fantasy? what is the plot, and why is it so damn famous?
I seriously just don't understand the whole thing. Every time I try to understand it I end up with a headache.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ogjpf/eli5_what_is_final_fantasy_what_is_the_plot_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ccrqpta", "ccrrn6z", "ccrtiia" ], "score": [ 10, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Every one of them are almost completely disconnected from the others, so trying to think of them as a whole will make it really hard to get it. They all take place in different worlds, with different ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
4svnma
Asian exploration of America
With so much made of Europe's discovery of America, and additional discussion of whether there were pre-Columbian Atlantic crossings, I find myself asking why there wasn't more Asian crossing of the Bering Sea and Strait to explore, conquer, or trade. There were seafaring peoples in northern Asia. What was it about the...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4svnma/asian_exploration_of_america/
{ "a_id": [ "d5cm5gp" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Asian cultures did expand into North America. Migrations from Sibera and Alaska were particularly notable. The Thule started colonizing Dorset lands as late as the 1200s:\n\n_URL_1_\n\n\nThere are no written records of any of this, so it has to b...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.livescience.com/47604-first-american-arctic-people-genetics.html", "http://www.jstor.org/stable/25470503?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents" ] ]
548802
What happened to the French Foreign Legion during WWII? Was the legion divided, or did most of the legion go to either side? Were there ever any attempts by Petain's government to establish a foreign legion from Axis Powers?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/548802/what_happened_to_the_french_foreign_legion_during/
{ "a_id": [ "d7zs1fc" ], "score": [ 122 ], "text": [ "I think this is a question that I can actually answer. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on the French Foreign Legion's demographics from 1914 to 2014. \n\nThe French Foreign Legion was very fractured during the Second World War. There was no cen...
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[ [] ]
3vaujo
In Greek mythology does Hades ever actually do anything morally questionable?
As the God of the underworld many people would associate him with evil however after my semester at school it seems that compared to Zeus and Poseidon, Hades seems to be quite tame and civil. Has my teacher simply ignored any wrongdoing by Hades or did was he supposed to generally stay out of drama
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3vaujo/in_greek_mythology_does_hades_ever_actually_do/
{ "a_id": [ "cxly5cq", "cxm34jb" ], "score": [ 133, 37 ], "text": [ "The story that immediately pops into mind is the [Kidnapping of Persephone](_URL_0_). Hades takes Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter (God of Agriculture), as his wife against the wills of Zeus and Demeter. Demeter f...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.infoplease.com/cig/mythology/hades-takes-wife-persephone.html" ], [] ]
dnq99g
Why did agriculture develop independently all over the globe in the last 10000 years but not before?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/dnq99g/why_did_agriculture_develop_independently_all/
{ "a_id": [ "f5gf1js" ], "score": [ 26 ], "text": [ "Before that time period was [the last Ice Age](_URL_6_), which lasted for many thousands of years. The climate was so arid and difficult to survive in that it was not really possible for anyone to survive in one place long enough to discover & ...
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[]
[ [ "https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/quaternary/holocene.php", "https://www.britannica.com/science/Last-Glacial-Maximum", "https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/global-warming/penultimate-interglacial-period", "https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/eemian", "https://www.ancient.eu/articl...
3no6cg
why do cultures who rely heavily on rice in their diet typically use white rice which has less nutritional value than other types of rice?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3no6cg/eli5why_do_cultures_who_rely_heavily_on_rice_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cvptswy", "cvptx6o", "cvpvt3x", "cvpxt1h", "cvpzbc9", "cvpzvhb", "cvq0fk0", "cvq13yf", "cvq1qsq", "cvq2k83", "cvq4vyt", "cvq540e", "cvq58lv", "cvq81qb", "cvq9s2r", "cvq9z6g", "cvqc4ss", "cvqc767", "cvqd0kz" ], "score": [ ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://drbenkim.com/node/82" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9302338", "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2822877", "http://brianstpierretraining.com/index.php/brown-rice-or-white-is-there-really-a-difference/" ...
d94a75
how a gamma ray burst could kill us all at any moment
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d94a75/eli5_how_a_gamma_ray_burst_could_kill_us_all_at/
{ "a_id": [ "f1eikjq" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ " Gamma ray bursts occur when very dense stars die and go supernova - basically, they explode. If such a star were to explode close enough to our Solar System, dangerous gamma rays would bathe the Earth, killing us off - think a dangerous nuclear...
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[ [] ]
8jcuvt
Does losing sight in your right eye affect the functioning of the left side of the brain? and does this only impair your eyesight, or are there other implications ? [effectively you are reducing the input of visual information to the left side of the brain, thus reducing its functionality ]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/8jcuvt/does_losing_sight_in_your_right_eye_affect_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dyzbbdq" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "It is a common misconception that the image from the left eye is processed in the right hemisphere of the brain, and vice versa. In fact, it is the left half of your *visual field* that is processed by the right hemisphere (i.e. everything to the...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_perception" ] ]
totmj
Is it possible for a planet to be larger than the star that provides light for it, so that the sun revolved around the planet?
I hope this hasn't been answered already... I just had a philosopher moment sitting here on the couch.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/totmj/is_it_possible_for_a_planet_to_be_larger_than_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c4oh21c", "c4oh2ui", "c4ohls3" ], "score": [ 16, 4, 6 ], "text": [ "Actually, regardless of the relative sizes of the sun and the planet, both would orbit around their combined center of mass. It's just that when one is much bigger than the other, the combined center o...
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[ [ "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Solar_system_barycenter.svg/1000px-Solar_system_barycenter.svg.png" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSR_1257%2B12" ] ]
5tro1q
why do roads appear more curved as i drive on them compared to the way they appear on maps?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5tro1q/eli5_why_do_roads_appear_more_curved_as_i_drive/
{ "a_id": [ "ddoiu9q" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Scale. \n\nWhen driving if the road curves ten feet you will feel it. \n\nTo a map maker that small curve doesn't matter when they draw the road. \n\nSame thing with hiking trails. I've been on some flat trails that simply just did small ups and ...
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[ [] ]
1dki3a
what actually decides when i'm born if i'm a boy or a girl?
Sperm, egg or other?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1dki3a/eli5_what_actually_decides_when_im_born_if_im_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c9r68f1", "c9r68uf", "c9r6acs", "c9r6hqm", "c9r7u1c", "c9rauk4" ], "score": [ 5, 4, 25, 4, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "sperm have an X or Y chromosome. Eggs always have X. if you get a Y sperm you're going to be a male, if you get an X sperm you will be ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://biology.about.com/od/basicgenetics/p/chromosgender.htm" ], [], [ "http://www.in-gender.com/XYU/Conception/Pix/karyotype_sperm.jpg" ], [], [] ]
ax4oys
what happened in world war 2, and why did it happen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ax4oys/eli5_what_happened_in_world_war_2_and_why_did_it/
{ "a_id": [ "ehr7h76", "ehr89w0" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "1. War happened. You'll learn more when you reach middle school and take your history lessons. \n\n\n2. Because we treated the Germans really badly after WW1 they elected a Adolf Hitler, a known power tripper, as their lead...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
321seg
Have regulated languages evolved as much as English?
I've often wondered if languages like French and German, that have a governing body, would evolve as much, or potential even more, than the English language has.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/321seg/have_regulated_languages_evolved_as_much_as/
{ "a_id": [ "cq73gug" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "**short answer:** No, not usually.\n\n**long answer:** It's important to remember that even though there are these \"governing bodies\", perhaps most famously L'Académie française and Real Academia Española, they don't actually hold power over pe...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STEM_fields", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Register_%28sociolinguistics%29" ] ]
2ra54c
what is a financial audit ?
Minimal to no jargon please. I wish they taught me this in school. Edit: typo on 'wish'
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ra54c/eli5_what_is_a_financial_audit/
{ "a_id": [ "cndwzoe", "cndx2ge" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Somewhere along the lines you filed some paperwork with the government saying how much money you made that year. The government blindly accepts that information as true and uses that to figure out how much taxes to charge yo...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
1rsg79
a grenade explosion
Why can such a small thing do so much damage? Why does it go BOOM like this? Why won't it explode immediately?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rsg79/eli5_a_grenade_explosion/
{ "a_id": [ "cdqe6em" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ " > Why can such a small thing do so much damage?\n\nExplosives are designed to be just that. You stuff explosives into a small, contained space and it makes it even more violent. The case is made of thick steel, so when the explosion ruptures ...
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[ [] ]
6r4wux
What is the environmental impact of air conditioning?
My overshoot day question is this - how much impact does air conditioning (in vehicles and buildings) have on energy consumption and production of gas byproducts that impact our climate? I have lived in countries (and decades) with different impacts on global resources, and air conditioning is a common factor for the h...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6r4wux/what_is_the_environmental_impact_of_air/
{ "a_id": [ "dl2bgp1", "dl2dnfb", "dl2e0i1", "dl2eccr", "dl2fnr1", "dl2hllv", "dl2hvyr", "dl2it01", "dl2jf0b", "dl2k68i", "dl2kj42", "dl2mmu4", "dl2mvqs", "dl2veau", "dl2vrkh", "dl2y7vz", "dl2ymov", "dl32cge", "dl3fmmj", "dl3fyjm", "d...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://www.drawdown.org/solutions-summary-by-rank" ], [], [ "https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=96&t=3", "www.eia.gov" ], [ "https://permies.com/t/9580/a/3102/Solarchimney.jpg" ], [ "http://www.drawdown.org/solutions-summary-by-rank" ], [], [], [], [],...
2is2we
Independent Cities - How did it come about that St. Louis and Baltimore are the only two US cities not a part of their respective county?
St. Louis native here, and as much as the City/County split is a major topic of discussion around these parts (espcially lately), I don't know of anybody who knows how it actualy got that way. And I understand Baltimore is in a similar situation - is that a result of a similar historical factors or is it a whole differ...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2is2we/independent_cities_how_did_it_come_about_that_st/
{ "a_id": [ "cl5arah" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "This does not directly answer your question about St. Louis, but Virginia also has cities being independent from the counties. It is he only state in the nation this way. This evolved from the colonial times and codified in the 1970's. Here is a ...
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[ [ "http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Cities_of_Virginia#start_entry" ] ]
2m0l9c
If Christianity came from the Middle East, why are there no Middle Eastern countries with a Christian majority?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2m0l9c/if_christianity_came_from_the_middle_east_why_are/
{ "a_id": [ "clzwy4h", "cm06xxa", "cm0bf00" ], "score": [ 545, 18, 2 ], "text": [ "Christians in the Middle East largely converted to Islam over the centuries. However, there are still substantial Christian minorities in some Middle-Eastern countries.\n\nLebanon has a large Christi...
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[ [], [], [ "http://i.imgur.com/OcaUOFz.gif" ] ]
2xtgp9
why aren't all humans dark skinned?
I can't think of a single evolutionary benefit to having pale skin. Hiding in the nude in snow? Jokes aside, even slightly increased sun-resistance from having darker skin seems like a huge advantage, even in northern climates. Was it just from a lack of actual impact? Edit: Wow, who downvotes ELi5? lol
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xtgp9/eli5_why_arent_all_humans_dark_skinned/
{ "a_id": [ "cp37ixv", "cp37k6e", "cp37nn3", "cp3887f" ], "score": [ 21, 3, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "Vitamin D.\n\nThe further north you go, the less sun you get year-round. UV-rays from sunlight are used in the skin to metabolise Vitamin D, an essential vitamin. Less melanin in ...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
o42ay
Is there a scientific reason why we assume the foetal position when we are in pain?
It seems almost instinctive that everyone curled up when they're in pain. Is our mind hard-wired to do this? This question occurred to me when I came close to fracturing my wrist today.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/o42ay/is_there_a_scientific_reason_why_we_assume_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c3eccdc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "bodily instinct will be to protect itself and given that all our vital organs are in our torso shielding them with our un-vital arms and legs is just instinct so any horrible pain humans usually resort to instinct.\n\nBut its different for some p...
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[ [] ]
1be2ux
if doma gets overthrown in the scotus will same sex marriage be legal everywhere in the us? or will each state have to pass it individually still?
I thought DOMA only allowed states with no SSM laws to not recognizing licenses given in other states. So if DOMA was repealed would gay marriage be legal across the county or would it still be only is some states, yet transferable to any?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1be2ux/eli5_if_doma_gets_overthrown_in_the_scotus_will/
{ "a_id": [ "c9611mb" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "DOMA does two main things:\n\n1. Makes it law so that if one state legalizes same sex marriages, all states do not have to recognize it.\n\n2. Denies federal marriage benefits to same sex couples, even in states where they are legally married. Th...
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[]
[ [] ]
b3xv81
why isn't government used software open source?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b3xv81/eli5_why_isnt_government_used_software_open_source/
{ "a_id": [ "ej2x7t0", "ej2y0s6", "ej32hwt" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "They probably bought a license and don’t own it. The government uses Microsoft office, but they buy volume licenses, Microsoft still owns all rights so it can’t be open source. ", "Because there is ...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2nne4z
Is there a chance of siblings not sharing any genetic material?
For example: A boy has one X chromosome from his mother and the Y from his father, while his sister has the other X chromosome from her mother and the X from her father? EDIT: Thanks for the replies! I feel strangely disappointed that the chance is so small :(
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2nne4z/is_there_a_chance_of_siblings_not_sharing_any/
{ "a_id": [ "cmg6xdo", "cmgb2x3" ], "score": [ 2, 4 ], "text": [ "While it is formally possible, the probability of sharing NO genetic material is vanishingly small (ie, essentially zero). A fairly simple straightforward explanation that might help give a sense to the numbers can be found ...
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[]
[ [ "http://genetics.thetech.org/ask-a-geneticist/why-siblings-share-around-fifty-percent-their-dna" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homologous_recombination" ] ]
1405jj
What capabilities would the now abandoned Super Colliding Superconducter have had compared to the LHC? Are there any questions it could have answered that the LHC cannot?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1405jj/what_capabilities_would_the_now_abandoned_super/
{ "a_id": [ "c78q8bl", "c78qvyn" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "I would suggest you to read [this](_URL_0_) for starters.\n\nAlso, a minor difference but it got me confused for a second, it's called Superconducting Super Collider, or SSC.", "The SSC was expected to run up to 20 TeV (...
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[ [ "http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/talking-back/2012/07/06/higgsteria-we-didnt-need-no-super-collider/" ], [] ]
14fwbw
Today marks the anniversary of the last time the United States declared war - WWII. What is the difference between a declaration of war and a military engagement?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/14fwbw/today_marks_the_anniversary_of_the_last_time_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c7cp269", "c7cpoa0", "c7cqpwt", "c7crw89", "c7cx09d" ], "score": [ 77, 16, 5, 7, 3 ], "text": [ "When congress passes legislation that uses the term \"Declaration of War\" in the title, it's often referred as the formal Declaration of War. U.S. congress...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.loc.gov/law/help/war-powers.php" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_declaration_of_war_upon_Japan" ], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_United_States" ] ]
4dczev
Are there any issues in which the historical record and archaeological evidence strongly disagree with each other?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4dczev/are_there_any_issues_in_which_the_historical/
{ "a_id": [ "d1pux9k" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "The legend of the Dorian Invasion would be a good example of this. The Ancient Greek literary tradition held that Spartan rule over the region of Lakedaimon was established during this Invasion (also called the Return of the Herakleidai), in whic...
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[ [] ]
svyct
If heat is the jiggling of particles which can't exceed the speed of light, does this mean there's an "Absolute Hot" similar to absolute zero?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/svyct/if_heat_is_the_jiggling_of_particles_which_cant/
{ "a_id": [ "c4hftrn", "c4hftwc", "c4hg15o", "c4hg9ew", "c4hge6n", "c4hjxdi", "c4hk37l", "c4hkx5q", "c4hmifj", "c4hod1t", "c4hpd2g" ], "score": [ 187, 27, 65, 2, 416, 31, 2, 4, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "\"There is no agree...
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[]
[ [ "http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-highest-possible-temperature.htm" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_hot" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_temperature", "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/svyct/if_heat_is_the_jiggling_of_particles_which_cant/c4hge6n", ...
158l02
Why is that an ARM based processor and an x86 based processor cannot be compared clock for clock.
For example, a 1.7ghz cpu might have better performance using x86 architecture vs A15.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/158l02/why_is_that_an_arm_based_processor_and_an_x86/
{ "a_id": [ "c7k7k5r", "c7kcyed", "c7ke7io", "c7kfaru" ], "score": [ 7, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "You can't compare even different core architectures using the same instruction set clock for clock. \n\nGenerally ARM instruction set is more RISC-like than x86. On average, each i...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "http://www.anandtech.com/show/4991/arms-cortex-a7-bringing-cheaper-dualcore-more-power-efficient-highend-devices" ], [] ]
uke9g
My buddy's dad found this rock on their farm. Apparently a meteorite may have hit the region, could this rock have been affected by that collision?
_URL_0_ This was found near the Flint River in middle Georgia. Some scientists are starting to believe a rather big meteorite hit this area causing a pretty big topography change for the area. Apparently the river should not run the way it does through the topography it goes through unless a change happened after the r...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/uke9g/my_buddys_dad_found_this_rock_on_their_farm/
{ "a_id": [ "c4w7rsk", "c4w83mj" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "I haven't found a lot of peer-reviewed journal articles about the impact, but what I've found seems to indicate it happened 83 million years ago. At that time, that part of Alabama/Georgia was under a shallow sea. I'm rather...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/kwZDp.jpg", "http://www.flintriverastronomy.org/Articles/TheCoveArticle.pdf" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/uke9g/my_buddys_dad_found_this_rock_on_their_farm/c4w7fto", "http://imgur.com/a/qqsKC", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tektite" ] ]
337avz
Are Cloudless Tornadoes possible?
Since Tornadoes are essentially two air masses of different temperatures, and there can be clear, no cloud, air masses, can they collide to make an "invisible" Tornado?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/337avz/are_cloudless_tornadoes_possible/
{ "a_id": [ "cqivc17", "cqj5awu" ], "score": [ 5, 6 ], "text": [ "A tornado is only visible because of the debris it throws around. The air can tornado without picking anything up. If the tornado formed in an area with little to no loose ground cover, like a flat rock desert, it might be h...
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[ [], [] ]
a0j4zn
how does a country first react if they are being invaded by another country?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a0j4zn/eli5_how_does_a_country_first_react_if_they_are/
{ "a_id": [ "eahzyhc", "eai0j8z" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Normally there is some form of advanced warning, in some cases a declaration of war in others intelligence gathering indicating a build up of forces on the border area. The general first action is a mobilisation of the army,...
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[]
[ [], [] ]
27xvzc
Is friction affected by surface area? For instance if I bought bigger tires for my car would I stop faster? what is the equation for this?
Is friction affected by surface area? For instance if I bought bigger tires for my car would I stop faster? what is the equation for this?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/27xvzc/is_friction_affected_by_surface_area_for_instance/
{ "a_id": [ "ci5i63v" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Contact area does **not** affect frictional force. \n\nYou might be surprised (I was!), but think about a 1kg 2x1x1cm block on a ramp. Put the brick down sideways, and the surface area is 2cm^2. That 1kg is being distributed over that whole 2cm^2...
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[ [] ]