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6lpg6l
why do we sometimes get the urge to do violent things to cute things?
Edit: Something along the lines of [Key and Peele's comedy sketch](_URL_0_)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6lpg6l/eli5_why_do_we_sometimes_get_the_urge_to_do/
{ "a_id": [ "djvlu8t", "djvmk7q", "djvndhe", "djvv131" ], "score": [ 6, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I think it's probably along the same lines of why we think about jumping off a cliff when we get too close to the edge. We are analyzing outcomes and consequences. It's a totally n...
[]
[ "https://youtu.be/z6iC0Vi1yEg" ]
[ [], [ "http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-01/science-says-adorable-animals-turn-us-aggressive" ], [], [] ]
75jpwf
Most of the wild west shows that aired in the '50's and '60's always shows everyone drinking whiskey all the time. How accurate is that portrayal?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/75jpwf/most_of_the_wild_west_shows_that_aired_in_the_50s/
{ "a_id": [ "do6s6qd" ], "score": [ 26 ], "text": [ "This is a difficult question to answer because there were so many different people coming to and living in the West in the nineteenth century - and it was in itself an enormous place with \"many Wests\" as historians of the period and place like...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3dvim2
why does it sometimes look like the numbers on my alarm clock are jumping up and down?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dvim2/eli5_why_does_it_sometimes_look_like_the_numbers/
{ "a_id": [ "ct9293v", "ct92ndj" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "I'm not familiar with the phenomenon you are describing, but I might have an explanation. \n\nWhen you look at an object within a space, your eyes don't look at one point. You see one point, and when you move your eyes to an...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
ab52du
splitting infinitives???
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ab52du/eli5_splitting_infinitives/
{ "a_id": [ "ecxli8j", "ecxo6pp" ], "score": [ 11, 3 ], "text": [ "An infinitive is just the phrase \"to *verb*\". A split infinitive is when you put an adverb in between the parts of an infinitive. So in your example, the word \"never\" is in the middle of the infinitive \"to grow up\",...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4w8cgx
Brazil is widely known to be the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery. Why did it last so long in Brazil and what pressures caused it to finally end?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4w8cgx/brazil_is_widely_known_to_be_the_last_country_in/
{ "a_id": [ "d658zrv" ], "score": [ 80 ], "text": [ "I'm Brazilian so I think I might help, though I'm a lawyer, not a historian. This is a topic that is really common knowledge in Brazil so I hope it's alright by the mods.\n\nOne of the reasons Brazil took very long to abolish slavery was because...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2894sm
why does a body pillow feel between my legs make sleeping more comfortable?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2894sm/eli5_why_does_a_body_pillow_feel_between_my_legs/
{ "a_id": [ "ci8nen5", "ci8newo" ], "score": [ 13, 6 ], "text": [ "My guess would be that it raises your leg which aligns your spine and reduces lower back tension.", "Without it, your hips are in a stress position when you sleep on your side. With it, your knees are separated, putting...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
53e1sg
what is happening at a biological level when someone mentions tequila and you can instantly taste it?
I am interested in how synesthesia of someone verbally articulating something translates into a reflex which in turn translates into a taste, which in itself is a memory.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/53e1sg/eli5_what_is_happening_at_a_biological_level_when/
{ "a_id": [ "d7sjxpp" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Not an expert, just a guy who reads a lot of science-y stuff. But it's been four hours and you don't seem to have any other responses. I've read that memory recall in our brains doesn't work like a computer. A computer creates some kind of physi...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
23c9kl
Were the United States of America set up for such power and success before the revolution or was their ascent to the top of the global hierarchy only possible because of what happened after the Revolution or the Revolution itself?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/23c9kl/were_the_united_states_of_america_set_up_for_such/
{ "a_id": [ "cgvog0u" ], "score": [ 96 ], "text": [ "I work on the history of Anglo-American relations and this question (or at least a variation on it) interests me greatly. At what point was the United States' rise to power perceived to be inevitable?\n\nFirstly, it all depends on what you mean ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/oct/08/chillax-emma-thompson-slang-english-language", "http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13555502.2012.702664#.UcRrDPlwpcw", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1gsi4n/when_did_the_relationship_between_britain_and_the/", "http://w...
1yyfqm
Can someone explain "Bleeding Kansas"?
All I know is that it was between pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups and it helped start the civil war.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1yyfqm/can_someone_explain_bleeding_kansas/
{ "a_id": [ "cfoywvp", "cfozb8s", "cfp11kb" ], "score": [ 3, 7, 6 ], "text": [ "In 1820, Congress passed the [Missouri Compromise] (_URL_2_), which basically said that any territory in the once Louisiana Purchase north of the parallel 36°30' north was prohibited to have slavery. Ho...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleeding_Kansas", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas%E2%80%93Nebraska_Act", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Compromise" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleeding_Kansas" ], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-Fifths_Compromise", "http://en...
5m301z
how did humans create perfectly flat objects prior to the invention of advanced tools/machinery?
If they used necessary contemporary tools, how did they create those tools to be flat? EDIT: How were these primitive methods of getting a flat surface applied to large-scale constructions and objects? (i.e. furniture, construction materials, etc.)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5m301z/eli5_how_did_humans_create_perfectly_flat_objects/
{ "a_id": [ "dc0ed9a", "dc0en27" ], "score": [ 2, 8 ], "text": [ "If you just take two moderately flat stones and rub them against each other in random circles, they will wear away the highest points until they get quite flat.\n\n", "There are no *perfectly* flat objects being made tod...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3isnsb
Are there valuable or highly useful resources which could potentially be harvested from mars?
Lately there has been a lot of talk about future settlement missions to mars. What specific resources exist there, and how would they be useful, either to earth, or the settlers themselves?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/3isnsb/are_there_valuable_or_highly_useful_resources/
{ "a_id": [ "cujj7cd" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Mars has the same elements Earth does. You could build a gold mine or a titanium mine or whatever. Actually moving it from Mars to Earth would be absurdly expensive and isn't going to happen without something making space travel much, much cheape...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2uawn1
american tv shows compared to the rest of the world.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2uawn1/eli5_american_tv_shows_compared_to_the_rest_of/
{ "a_id": [ "co6q090", "co6qfos", "co6qm0p", "co6qwuk", "co6r2tp", "co6r2zt", "co6rk3d" ], "score": [ 15, 21, 20, 4, 10, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "They make it into a drama type show to get more people interested. Most Americans wouldn't watch it if it was ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1mwxhk
why are some sports teams historically more successful (ny yankees) than others (cleveland browns)?
The yankees have 27 world series wins, the next team only has 11. On the other hand the Cleveland Browns have never even appeared at a super bowl and haven't been to the playoffs since the mid 90s. These teams were just used as examples.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1mwxhk/eli5_why_are_some_sports_teams_historically_more/
{ "a_id": [ "ccddg6l" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It's a vicious circle. Teams that do well earn more money (because they have more fans, have higher attendance, sell more merchandise) and have higher prestige, so they can attract better talent." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4o65yy
how can ebay sellers send something like 1$ phone cases with free delivery to the other side of the planet, when if i send a small letter to my neighbor it will cost 3$? do they still make profit?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4o65yy/eli5_how_can_ebay_sellers_send_something_like_1/
{ "a_id": [ "d49xr6a", "d49z4yr", "d49zdlm", "d49znnm", "d4a4rwm", "d4a72h6" ], "score": [ 7, 3, 3, 5, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Postal systems in other countries can pay a LOT less than what us westerners pay, ditto manufacturers. The companies that are selling th...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Infrastructure_Investment_Bank", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Belt,_One_Road" ], [], [] ]
7ctnp7
why does basically no one speak latin anymore even though it is used in many popular countries?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ctnp7/eli5why_does_basically_no_one_speak_latin_anymore/
{ "a_id": [ "dpsmgbx", "dpsn22t", "dpsobwy", "dpsqk00", "dpt9g0e", "dptfjvk" ], "score": [ 8, 5, 5, 6, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "It is a very slow language with very complex grammar that isn't very intuitive. The sheer amount of declensions, verb tenses, gender wor...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
7rreex
What is the story behind Australia’s government shutdown in 1975 and subsequent elections?
I’ve heard this story passed around during the previous government shutdown that basically went “Australia had a shutdown in 1975. The Queen subsequently fired all of parliament after they did that.” However, today I saw some comments from Australians on reddit saying that that narrative is terrible, and the event was ...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/7rreex/what_is_the_story_behind_australias_government/
{ "a_id": [ "dszq3dr", "dt08qi0" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "Australia has two Houses of Parliament: the House of Representatives, with members elected by locality, which originates legislation. The other is the Senate, with each state having an equal quota of Senators, which 'reviews...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2kflf4/why_was_the_prime_minister_of_australia_dismissed/" ] ]
ztf6c
If the ISS was left abandoned now, will it still circle the planet in say a thousand years?
How about even longer? And not just the ISS, how about other satellites?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/ztf6c/if_the_iss_was_left_abandoned_now_will_it_still/
{ "a_id": [ "c67jq92" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "No, without monitoring and adjustment its orbit would decay and it would eventually re-enter the atmosphere. \n\n > Even though the space station orbits in what most people on Earth would consider to be the “vacuum of space,” there still are eno...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition26/iss_altitude.html" ] ]
7kza9a
How does a car lose horsepower from the engine to the wheels?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/7kza9a/how_does_a_car_lose_horsepower_from_the_engine_to/
{ "a_id": [ "drk2wqn", "drk317o", "drl9kuk" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Mechanical drag, and inefficiency with the driveline. Translating the rotational force produced by the engine and both gearing it down, and changing the direction of that force all consumes some of the ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3cps66
where does the earth (or any other planet) find the energy to continue spinning on itself forever?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3cps66/eli5_where_does_the_earth_or_any_other_planet/
{ "a_id": [ "csxsvk9", "csxt7vi" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Energy isn't required to continue spinning, or continue any sort of motion in fact. One of the laws of physics is that objects in motion stay in motion unless acted upon by something else.\n\nSince nothing is really stoppin...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
4hbugs
if animals can distinguish us from our smells, how do they not get confused by the smells of our soaps/colognes/deodorants/etc?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hbugs/eli5_if_animals_can_distinguish_us_from_our/
{ "a_id": [ "d2ow5t9", "d2ox03m", "d2ox1fy", "d2ox3v6", "d2p004c", "d2p06rv", "d2p0bnp", "d2p0d18", "d2p1kfz", "d2p21pv", "d2p30td", "d2p4wim", "d2p5m7l", "d2p7yd6", "d2p9zj8", "d2pbs87", "d2pd4no", "d2pd58e", "d2pdf7b", "d2pdqa0", "d...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://cybersd.com/sd/", "http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-sense-of-smell.html" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], ...
55iwja
Is it possible to find an effective infinity for all intents and purposes?
I was in the shower the other day and wondered if you could find a number (an astronomically big number) that for all intents and purposes might as well be infinity in our universe. I understand infinity as a concept but if we assume the expanding universe will eventually stop expanding and shrink (due to gravity overc...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/55iwja/is_it_possible_to_find_an_effective_infinity_for/
{ "a_id": [ "d8bbdjp", "d8bmrqi", "d8bu1dt", "d8c0xkc" ], "score": [ 8, 5, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Assuming humanity ends at some point, then we can look at the collection of all numbers practically used and this will be a finite set, so there is some number bigger than all of t...
[]
[ "https://www.docdroid.net/LkNbytW/an-effective-infinity.pdf.html" ]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham%27s_number", "https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/51mlrx/hi_ask_science_is_divining_by_zero_the_same_as/d7d4f5n?st=itt5p3u1&sh=d33c1c8c" ], [], [], [] ]
axb964
Is it true that concussions and even subconcussive impacts kill neurons?
I’ve gotten a lot of mixed info on this. I heard you don’t even need to get a concussion for an impact to damage your brain and kill neurons, is this true?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/axb964/is_it_true_that_concussions_and_even/
{ "a_id": [ "ei3as8u" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "You've probably gotten a lot of mixed info because there is a *lot* of mixed info out there. [This paper](_URL_0_) would be a good read if you want a detailed and relatively recent description of what we currently understand about concussions.\n\...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479139/", "http://rethinkconcussions.upmc.com/2014/10/energy-crisis-during-concussion/", "https://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00001504-200505000-00013" ] ]
c7fofv
why do overweight people have higher basal metabolic rates than lean people?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c7fofv/eli5_why_do_overweight_people_have_higher_basal/
{ "a_id": [ "eses661" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ " > Most BMR calculators, even on reliable websites, make no distinction between muscle and fat\n\nYes, this is why the calculation is an estimate and not 100% accurate. A bodybuilder is in a very different place metabolically than an obese perso...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
pnn7g
Why is a fast reentry from space back to earth a better option than a slow decent?
I've always wondered why the SOP for reentry into Earth is a fast decent when it requires a incredibly important heat shield on the shuttle, and if said heat shield is damages then the astronauts lives are is danger. I'm guessing that the reason the heat shield is needed is because of the friction with the atmosphere a...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/pnn7g/why_is_a_fast_reentry_from_space_back_to_earth_a/
{ "a_id": [ "c3qsz19", "c3qszvb", "c3qtr1h", "c3qwdkb", "c3qx66v", "c3qxlhp", "c3qxohc" ], "score": [ 15, 2, 2, 9, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, two issues, spacecraft in orbit are already moving at orbital speed, which is 7.8 KPS for LEO, and varies d...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [ "http://imgur.com/3ebku" ], [], [] ]
44ni6i
Zika virus has been known about for 70 years, why is it only now a big issues? Has it always caused microcephaly, or is this new?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/44ni6i/zika_virus_has_been_known_about_for_70_years_why/
{ "a_id": [ "czryvfs" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "We don't know.\n\nCould be a recent mutation in ZV.\n\nCould be that there's always been a link to microcephaly, but that ZV didn't infect enough people for anyone to notice — there is some debate as to whether the sheer number of people infected...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
28jnjg
why is it so hard to get into medical school when there is so obviously a scarcity of doctors?
So here's what I'm thinking. Doctors are paid very highly, which by simple economics means there is a low supply of them. In addition many doctors have to be on call 24 hours a day, and residents have to work incredibly long shifts. However, at the same time medical schools are very hard to get into, meaning there is a...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28jnjg/eli5why_is_it_so_hard_to_get_into_medical_school/
{ "a_id": [ "cibjhpv", "cibjnwt", "cibjo38", "cibjouu", "cibjykv", "cibk662", "cibme2g" ], "score": [ 3, 12, 2, 2, 6, 10, 3 ], "text": [ "doctors get paid a lot because medical school is retarded expensive and so is malpractice insurance. Not everyo...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
2w3mae
losing color perception when going from dark to light areas
I get that my pupils need to adjust for brightness' sake. What confuses me is that everything goes greyscale for awhile after going from a bright to dark area. Why can't I see colors? I put ELI5 there this time.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2w3mae/eli5_losing_color_perception_when_going_from_dark/
{ "a_id": [ "conaesa" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "At a basic level, your eyes use two different types of cells to see: cones and rods.\n\nYou use cones primarily when you are in well lit areas. You use rods primarily when you are in poorly lit areas. Think of rods as what you use for 'night-visi...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
en6d9u
Did the Romans practice Syncretism with Judaism and Christianity?
The Romans were famous for adapting various gods and folklore into their own pantheon by drawing parallels between them, i.e. sea gods all became Neptune, war gods became Mars, etc. Did they attempt this same thing with Judaism and later Christianity? If so, why did it fail when it seemed to have worked almost everywh...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/en6d9u/did_the_romans_practice_syncretism_with_judaism/
{ "a_id": [ "fe0oqls", "fdw5mgg" ], "score": [ 6, 5 ], "text": [ "There's quite a lot of Jewish and Christian influence in the so-called 'Greek Magical Papyri' - a modern collection of pagan magical spellbooks from Roman Egypt (mostly later than the 3rd century AD). These texts take inspir...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9ouy3f/manichaeism_is_the_only_major_world_religion_i/e7xqd95?utm_source=reddit-android" ] ]
267fn3
What is the evolutionary advantage of stress?
Stress is detrimental to health, it leads to a variety of problems which affect longevity and quality of life. This however seems counter productive because an organism is stressed and is flooded with stress hormones due to difficult environmental situations, its survivability is tested, therefore stress should strengt...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/267fn3/what_is_the_evolutionary_advantage_of_stress/
{ "a_id": [ "chodqyh", "chorrb1" ], "score": [ 28, 3 ], "text": [ "I'm a stress physiologist. We (stress researchers) take it as a given that *in the short term, the stress response is helpful*. (The stress response = sharp elevation of stress hormones - epinephrine, cortisol, and a few ot...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
21koqf
What do I have here?
_URL_2_ _URL_3_ _URL_1_ _URL_0_ Ford Emblem _URL_4_
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/21koqf/what_do_i_have_here/
{ "a_id": [ "cge5o1x" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Not a car battery, it's an ignition coil from a Ford model T (missing the wooden cover panel). Every model T has four of these - one per spark plug. They take the low-voltage electricity generated by the flywheel magneto and convert it into the h...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/nsSQf0E.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/iPoykop.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/Z0eJpBn.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/JLXVXax.jpg", "http://i.imgur.com/74r31Ik.jpg" ]
[ [ "http://www.modelt-coils.com/Coil%20Box.jpg" ] ]
1x6nkl
What happens to liquids in a horizontal centrifuge?
(Sorry if my terminology is wrong -- definitely not a scientist.) If you have a liquid made up of two substances that is homogenized (I guess like an emulsification?) and put it in a horizontal centrifuge, will the liquids separate like they would in a vertical centrifuge or does something different occur because of t...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1x6nkl/what_happens_to_liquids_in_a_horizontal_centrifuge/
{ "a_id": [ "cf8pp4i", "cf8qt7j", "cf8s0a9" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I don't really know how milk centrifuges work or what your construction looks like, so I have no idea if it will work. I could however imagine a whole lot of things that could go wrong when it comes to ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2nuuk5
Some of the diseases humans catch from animals have very serious symptoms. Do these symptoms present themselves in the animals too?
For example, Hepatitis E, which can come from pigs, causes jaundice, nausea and vomiting. Does it cause similar symptoms in infected pigs?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2nuuk5/some_of_the_diseases_humans_catch_from_animals/
{ "a_id": [ "cmheryy" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Pathogens are actually not very interested in giving their host a hard time. Why? The more dangerous it acts, the stronger and quicker the host's (or its immune system's) reaction is, or worst when killing the host the pathogen can't benefit in t...
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[]
[ [] ]
4yci5u
why does chewing (gum) increase concentration/productivity?
A teacher of mine told us to chew gum (or something like the back of your pen) when studying as it releases a chemical in your jaw? He also said the reason why you get tired after you eat is because you stop chewing.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4yci5u/eli5why_does_chewing_gum_increase/
{ "a_id": [ "d6mqgdf" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The action of chewing involves the Temporalis muscle and the Masseter muscle. These cause blood to flow to your brain as you chew, bringing in more oxygen, which causes increased concentration." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9bi5ol
The CIA is widely known to have used LSD and other drugs in experimental and research programmes on its own citizens (MK Ultra, Midnight Climax etc). Is there any evidence of them using these techniques in the field or on citizens of other countries?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9bi5ol/the_cia_is_widely_known_to_have_used_lsd_and/
{ "a_id": [ "e54kmud" ], "score": [ 39 ], "text": [ "To get this out of the way - unfortunately nearly all of the documentation concerning the US Government's research into the weaponization of pharmaceuticals was destroyed in 1973 when the various programs were officially shut down. What we now ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4k4wlp
Were Australian Aborigines in contact with the rest of the world before the arrival of European explorers?
For example, did they have contact with other Indian Ocean regions through the Indian Ocean trade network, or contact with pacific island peoples such as the Maori?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4k4wlp/were_australian_aborigines_in_contact_with_the/
{ "a_id": [ "d3c8n7u" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Yes, to a limited extent. Traders from Macassar in Sulawesi are known to have visited the north west coast in praus (small sailing boats) in search of trepang (sea cucumbers, an Asian delicacy which was in demand in China). The northernmost parts...
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[ [] ]
6112xg
Is a bird's singing learned, is it genetically determined or a mix?
I am interested in how birds learn to sing. I was walking through the forest and noticed that a certain type of bird (I'm terrible at bird species, sorry) was making intervals at a perfect fourth interval in a steady rhythm/beat. I was wondering if this is learned behaviour (from mimicking their parents) or if birds si...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/6112xg/is_a_birds_singing_learned_is_it_genetically/
{ "a_id": [ "dfbhj5v" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "of course it's a mixture, birds learn their songs from their parents and other conspecifics - if you isolate chicks and start a new bird culture, their songs will start off very different from the wild type song; but after a few generations, the ...
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[ [ "http://web.mit.edu/fee/Public/Papers_pdf/tchernikovski/Tchernichovski_etal2001.pdf", "http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.776.601&rep=rep1&type=pdf" ] ]
4g803e
if water is always returned via the water cycle back to the earth, why are people getting concerned with "running out" of water?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4g803e/eli5_if_water_is_always_returned_via_the_water/
{ "a_id": [ "d2faejk" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Because that water is mixed up with gross stuff- the totality of H2O on the planet is unchanged, but the amount of fresh water is rapidly diminishing from pollution, irrigation, and divertment. The natural processes that scrub and clean water hav...
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[ [] ]
286ef9
why does sleeping regenerate/refresh/recharge is, while laying in bed awake without moving us does not?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/286ef9/eli5_why_does_sleeping_regeneraterefreshrecharge/
{ "a_id": [ "ci7ug9d", "ci7uou3" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Because laying in bed awake is generally exactly the same as standing next to the bed awake, or sitting on the bus awake, or watching tv awake. Your brain needs you to actually be unconscious so it can have a moment of low a...
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[ [], [] ]
iivu6
Is there anything hindering the development of super long-lasting batteries?
Laptops, video cameras, mobile phones. They've all been out for quite some time now, yet battery life hasn't really increased by any huge percentage. I thought by now a lot of devices would be able to run for a few days on a single charge. Is there any scientific reason why they haven't improved significantly? Or have ...
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/iivu6/is_there_anything_hindering_the_development_of/
{ "a_id": [ "c24499k", "c2449d7", "c2459bd" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Battery life *has* improved quite a lot. Ten years ago, you'd be happy if your laptop lasted two hours, now the best easily last six hours on a battery of similar volume.\n\nWhen it comes to phones, it ...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "http://alum.mit.edu/sites/default/files/IC_assets/news/images/alumninews/Ceder.pdf" ] ]
c8cx19
May sound stupid but here goes , when we are in the womb and are slowly growing where do those atoms come from that make us or do we make those atoms in the womb ?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/c8cx19/may_sound_stupid_but_here_goes_when_we_are_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "esojnfv", "et1fov8" ], "score": [ 11, 3 ], "text": [ "They come from the food your mother eats while you're developing, as well as your mother herself. No new atoms are created, just rearranged cleverly from food and air and water.", "I would add that you can't make atoms ...
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[ [], [] ]
2npcd2
When horses were the main form of transportation, how did cities deal with all the waste?
To narrow down the frame, if necessary, in large American and Western European cities from the mid-eighteenth to early twentieth centuries, how did municipalities deal with all the piss and shit created from horses riding around the city?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2npcd2/when_horses_were_the_main_form_of_transportation/
{ "a_id": [ "cmfzt44" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "hi! you may be interested in these earlier posts\n\n* [why did medieval people put up with so much filth in their city streets? IF they didn't have the resources for modern plumbing, couldn't they at least hire armies of people to cart away waste...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/202rzr/it_is_1890_in_new_york_city_cars_are_not_yet/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/xluj9/looking_for_primary_sources_on_the_great/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ve5vc/if_i_were_to_wake_up_in_1880_new_york_city_how...
q0o6q
the atomic bomb
can someone explain the atomic bomb, how it works. I have the most basic understanding of chemistry, i'm a biology major.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/q0o6q/eli5_the_atomic_bomb/
{ "a_id": [ "c3tqu3g", "c3tr2lu" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "In chemistry, you about endo/exothermic reactions to make molecules. Normal explosives rely on chemical reactions that release large amounts of energy. All of this energy involves moving a few electrons around leaving your...
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[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy" ], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESpRFkXon7g&feature=related" ] ]
2rj2th
Why do rockets use fuel with oxidises when taking off in the atmosphere instead of just using the oxygen in the air?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2rj2th/why_do_rockets_use_fuel_with_oxidises_when_taking/
{ "a_id": [ "cnggn04", "cngikaq" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "As you increase in altitude the oxygen density in the atmosphere drops dramatically. Over 10000 feet, people need supplemental oxygen to fight off hypoxia.\n\nAt the rate a rocket burns fuel, there is nowhere near enough ox...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SABRE_%28rocket_engine%29", "http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1894/1" ] ]
48dic4
why is english so broken?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/48dic4/eli5_why_is_english_so_broken/
{ "a_id": [ "d0ir39n", "d0ir4gd" ], "score": [ 7, 3 ], "text": [ "English is a bit of a Frankenstein language, stitched together from bits of a couple Germanic languages, French, Celtic, Latin, and Greek. This leads to a hodgepodge of rules, spellings, and pronunciations borrowed from thos...
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[ [], [] ]
1lealp
what is preventing toronto from acquiring an nfl franchise?
Toronto is the 4th or 5th largest city in all of North America. It's a major metropolitan area. It has a sport team in all other North American major pro sports. What is keeping Toronto from getting an NFL team?!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lealp/eli5_what_is_preventing_toronto_from_acquiring_an/
{ "a_id": [ "cbyd0jg", "cbyei2q", "cbyei62", "cbyeru1", "cbyi0bg", "cbyipx0" ], "score": [ 19, 3, 5, 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Football is the only major pro sport that has a viable and independent league in Canada. Toronto already has a CFL team. \n\nIn order f...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
3d8lao
why don't we build a 'sturdy' camera and throw it into saturn, or jupiter, and transmit what it records back to a space station?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3d8lao/eli5_why_dont_we_build_a_sturdy_camera_and_throw/
{ "a_id": [ "ct2rsew", "ct2s4ub", "ct2s6iq", "ct2su6a", "ct30ore", "ct3178h", "ct37c98" ], "score": [ 28, 5, 2, 14, 7, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "It costs way too much to make and launch something here and there really isn't that much to record.", "It's ...
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[]
[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Probe" ], [], [ "https://youtu.be/CNiO1b0ewy0" ], [], [] ]
2kuc8y
It is often thought that the "self", the individual, did not exist in pre-modern time. Religious officials who act as the spiritual intermediaries to the common person is one cited example. To me it sounds more like "middle age" than "pre-modern" though. How about in the antiquity?
I was re-reading a text on Foucault, and came across this passage, > Foucault’s genealogies question such sociological categories as ‘society’ and the ‘individual’ by emphasizing their historical development. Even more, they reconceptualize the relationship between the ‘individual’ and ‘society’, as it has tradition...
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2kuc8y/it_is_often_thought_that_the_self_the_individual/
{ "a_id": [ "cloyo16" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "I'm a bit confused by your question regarding \"pre-modern time\" and \"middle age.\" However, Foucault explicitly addresses the self/individual (what he calls 'subjectivity') in ancient thought in his *Lectures on the Will to Know* as well as in...
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1rywko
when calculating digits of pi, why do we start at the beginning instead of calculating from the last known digit.
When calculating n digits of pi we always start at 3.14159 instead from the last know digit. Why is this? Wouldn't it be advantageous to find the next unknown digits? [BBP formula](_URL_0_) is one used to find the nth digit of pi, why don't we just use this?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rywko/eli5_when_calculating_digits_of_pi_why_do_we/
{ "a_id": [ "cds9yk7" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "For one thing, calculating digits of pi is, at this point, just an academic exercise. It's not really good for anything, except maybe as a way to benchmark computing speeds. So doing things the efficient way isn't really advantageous." ] }
[]
[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bailey%E2%80%93Borwein%E2%80%93Plouffe_formula" ]
[ [] ]
26azde
When a human breaks their spine, why is it always said that they're paralyzed "below the waist"? Why does it always happen specifically at the waist?
Why wouldn't someone lose feeling below the knees, or below the chest, so on and so forth. Why does it always seem that breaking one's spine results in just loss of control of the bottom half of the body?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/26azde/when_a_human_breaks_their_spine_why_is_it_always/
{ "a_id": [ "chpb8ud", "chpc5ey", "chpf82i" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The nervous system is severed at whatever spot they broke their spine. Since the nervous system is interconnected with the spine, it relies heavily on the spine's support. The brain sends signals throug...
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[ [], [], [] ]
bqfusb
why is there a disconnect between what we're trying to say vs what actually comes out of our mouth. especially when public speaking
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bqfusb/eli5_why_is_there_a_disconnect_between_what_were/
{ "a_id": [ "eo42on7", "eo4532n" ], "score": [ 4, 4 ], "text": [ "Only guessing, but i would say that we think about what we want so say and not how we say it. We dthink about the message, not the words...", "ELI5 answer: Your mouth sometimes moves faster than your brain. \n\nYou’ve he...
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[ [], [] ]
6ktl0f
how does uber lose so much money annually?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ktl0f/eli5_how_does_uber_lose_so_much_money_annually/
{ "a_id": [ "djooejv", "djop528", "djoqcso", "djor5y5" ], "score": [ 124, 26, 323, 51 ], "text": [ "Because Uber is undercharging for rides (charging customers less then the net amount being paid to the drivers) in an attempt to force the competition out of business and gai...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
52xvqr
why are flames pointy?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/52xvqr/eli5why_are_flames_pointy/
{ "a_id": [ "d7o9y3l", "d7oa1ik" ], "score": [ 12, 3 ], "text": [ "A flame rises because it is warmer than the air around it. The cool air rushes in to push the hot air upwards. However, as the air rises it also cools down. It cools down from the outside inwards. \n\nA flame glows beca...
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[ [], [] ]
1039o2
why can you only use your thumb/ finger on the iphone's screen? as opposed to your nails or a more traditional stylus?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1039o2/why_can_you_only_use_your_thumb_finger_on_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c6a0cxj", "c6a35bi" ], "score": [ 6, 4 ], "text": [ "iPhones and all modern smartphones use Capacitive touch screens. Rather then detect touch by pressure they use electricity, there is an electric field on the screen of your phone and when you touch it the electricity runs up...
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[ [], [ "http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/biology/bio4fv/page/image15.gif" ] ]
nwbc2
Why does adiabatic processes change the temperature of a gas?
Why does the temperature of a gas decrease when the gas expands and increase when the gas gets compressed? If temperature is the avarage kinetic energy of the molecules in the gas, and there is no exchange of heat during the expansion/compression of the gas, then why would the temperature change?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/nwbc2/why_does_adiabatic_processes_change_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c3cgo81", "c3ch3xu", "c3cgo81", "c3ch3xu" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Adiabatic processes are those where the entropy doesn't change. Remember that and it makes sense.\n\nThe entropy in that gas can be thought of qualitatively as this: make a list ...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
go4i4
Have there been experiments of keeping [wood frogs](_URL_0_) frozen for longer periods of time? How long can they stay frozen and then successfully thawed?
And if so, do these extra frozen frogs live longer than their peers?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/go4i4/have_there_been_experiments_of_keeping_wood/
{ "a_id": [ "c1p0xnc" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "**Regarding length of freeze:**\n\nLayne et al investigated this and found that anywhere from 3 to 9 days was generally fine, but that mortality rose to 50% as you approached the 28 day mark (all at -1.5C). They then loaded some of the frogs with...
[ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Frog" ]
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[ [] ]
5xgc2t
what are bonds, and what is the difference between stocks and bonds?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5xgc2t/eli5_what_are_bonds_and_what_is_the_difference/
{ "a_id": [ "dehumv0", "dehvn3q" ], "score": [ 11, 21 ], "text": [ "A Bond is a certification of a debt. Where as a stock is a certification of ownership. So when you buy a stock you become a partial owner of that business. But when you buy a bond, you are buying a certificate that says th...
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[ [], [] ]
2on4oa
Is it possible to represent imaginary numbers on a plane?
This thought occurred to me the other day while in math, is it possible to graph imaginary numbers on a similar plane to and x/y grid but with a real axis and an imaginary axis?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2on4oa/is_it_possible_to_represent_imaginary_numbers_on/
{ "a_id": [ "cmouve6", "cmow8e1", "cmox77w", "cmp4mt2" ], "score": [ 24, 7, 10, 11 ], "text": [ "[Yes, it's called the complex plane and it's amazing.](_URL_0_)", "Yup, half of a senior level complex analysis course goes over the complex plane which is exactly that and ...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_plane" ], [], [], [] ]
fxh4am
Washing one's hands with soap kills viruses because pulling apart their lipid bi-layer membranes, right? Why doesn't soap dissolve our flesh? Our own cells have membranes are made of lipid bi-layers.
[deleted]
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fxh4am/washing_ones_hands_with_soap_kills_viruses/
{ "a_id": [ "fmud846" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It actually does in a very minute way. We grow extra skin all the time and are constantly flaking it off. That's why we wash our hands. And it's why we shower. That skin is most of what the dust in your house is made of." ] }
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agtscd
Is it actually possible for an opera singer to shatter a glass with their voice?
I want to know if the sound waves powerful enough to break a glass could be produced from a human.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/agtscd/is_it_actually_possible_for_an_opera_singer_to/
{ "a_id": [ "eebqolu" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Yes. It's not about their \"power\" or more precisely, their amplitude.... It's about the frequency. A lot of solid materials have a sonic frequency at which the atoms no longer hold together. Glass breaks apart when vibrated at this frequency. ...
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[ [] ]
fvris9
how do "multiple year" copyrights work?
Inspired by [this post](_URL_0_); is it that some features got licensed/registered before others?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fvris9/eli5_how_do_multiple_year_copyrights_work/
{ "a_id": [ "fmkcvnq", "fmkef74" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "However, publishers of frequently-updated works, such as software, apparently desire to convey the idea that different versions of their works appear over time, and each is subject to copyright protection. So they provide a ...
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[ "https://old.reddit.com/r/crtgaming/comments/fvp6tm/time_to_try_this_new_animal_crossing_thing/" ]
[ [ "https://danashultz.com/2013/10/09/copyright-notice-with-multiple-years-legitimate/" ], [] ]
1qwd5u
why don't above-18s (adults) in usa have the right to determine their choice on alcohol consumption?
An American is legally an adult at 18, has the right to vote at 18, but can only decide whether or not to drink alcohol at 21. Why doesn't someone 21 and below sue to government to exercise their right as adult to choose to drink alcohol? I'm not American, and this has always been one of those things that perplexed m...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1qwd5u/eli5_why_dont_above18s_adults_in_usa_have_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cdh5no3", "cdh5nyt", "cdh66gi", "cdh7qqf", "cdhbasb", "cdhj4iw", "cdhjgya" ], "score": [ 3, 12, 9, 4, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "While I don't agree with it, the thought process is this:\n\n18 year old brains are not fully developed. One of ...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
fjt5tg
Why are coronaviruses coronaviruses?
To explain my question: I was under the impression that coronaviruses have their name because corona is Latin for crown and their shape looks like a crown. But don't they look identical to the vast majority of viruses? Influenza, HIV, herpes all have a crown-like shape, so why is one group specifically a Coronavirus?
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/fjt5tg/why_are_coronaviruses_coronaviruses/
{ "a_id": [ "fkp3y7p" ], "score": [ 19 ], "text": [ "The organization of their surface envelope proteins forms a ring which looks like a crown. Viruses from different families look wildly different, some have lipid envelopes like corona, some do not like polio. HIV has fewer number of envelope pro...
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[ [ "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_classification" ] ]
832rt5
Does the entropy of a system sometimes randomly decrease if its macrostate deviates from equilibrium?
Currently studying physics at uni, and in my statistical mechanics course notes I came across this statement: > "the number of microstates corresponding to the equilibrium state is overwhelmingly large compared to the total number of microstates of the system – the probability of appreciable deviations from equilibr...
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/832rt5/does_the_entropy_of_a_system_sometimes_randomly/
{ "a_id": [ "dveq7gk" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ " > Does this mean it is possible (however unlikely) that if you waited around long enough a system would randomly appreciably deviate from equilibrium and briefly lower its own entropy?\n\nYes.\n\nThe probability is **much** higher that the entro...
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[ [] ]
3ep7ig
why is it considered moral to put a dog down when it gets rabies or becomes too vicious and endangers others, but immoral when we do the same to a vicious person whose existence endangers others?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ep7ig/eli5_why_is_it_considered_moral_to_put_a_dog_down/
{ "a_id": [ "cth2x78" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "the issue for humans is where to draw that line of \"to be killed\". some people would put that line at drug use, some people not even for mass murderers. Along with that, how do you make sure the process is completely unbaised and 100% right? th...
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[ [] ]
qyv3s
If you looked at the earth from 1000 lightyears away through some kind of ultra magnifying glass, would you see events that happened 1000 years ago?
I'm trying to wrap my mind around the concept of a light year. If a light year is the distance light can travel in a year, I'm assuming that means if you see something a light year away, you are seeing what happened to it a year ago - am I right?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/qyv3s/if_you_looked_at_the_earth_from_1000_lightyears/
{ "a_id": [ "c41jna0", "c41jnfy", "c41jnra", "c41kp27", "c41le92", "c41lg5z" ], "score": [ 20, 8, 3, 3, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Yes, you are right. The way we see the stars, we see them how and where they existed long ago. If you're observing the sun from the E...
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[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voices_of_a_Distant_Star" ] ]
6j4ruv
What role (if any) did the United States play in China's Taiping Rebellion?
I can't seem to find any information that would indicate whether they had or not. I know there were some American Christian missionaries encouraging the millenarian, and the United States was largely occupied with its own civil war, but is there anything to be noted?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6j4ruv/what_role_if_any_did_the_united_states_play_in/
{ "a_id": [ "djc3bae" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "If we set aside the missionaries, the answer is not much of one. Remember that the Taiping Civil War was largely concurrent with the Arrow War in addition to the US Civil War. You had various individual Americans such as Frederick Ward who were t...
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[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6j3sgf/was_the_ever_victorious_army_truly_ever_victorious/" ] ]
2rm3cb
why hasn't life been replicated in the lab yet?
It seems like we know almost everything of what where the first steps required to create life, why haven't we been successfully at replicating this?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rm3cb/eli5why_hasnt_life_been_replicated_in_the_lab_yet/
{ "a_id": [ "cnh4c85", "cnh4f7n" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I got 2 answers;\n\n1) the ethical ramifications. \n\n2) there's always the possibility that someone has done it, and just not come forward because (see 1)", "You're right, we can replicate life (e.g. cloning) but we can...
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[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_cell", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_cell#The_minimal_cell" ] ]
2dngwt
During the 18th and 19th centuries, most armies had a standardised coat colour - red for Britain, green for Russia, white for Austria. How were the colours determined and was consideration given to not using the same as a likely opponent?
I was playing me some Empire: Total War the other day and I noticed that Ancien Regime France and Austria both had white coats. Aside from white seeming more than usually impractical, it got me thinking about how these things were decided.
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2dngwt/during_the_18th_and_19th_centuries_most_armies/
{ "a_id": [ "cjr7fxl", "cjrsv9y" ], "score": [ 114, 3 ], "text": [ "So, generally during this time period, the color of the uniform would vary. While Britain became famous for their red coats, up until the Napoleonic era and afterward, the regimental uniforms would be up to the decision of...
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[ [], [] ]
zvo8d
Can anyone recommend any good books on the reign of Henry VIII?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/zvo8d/can_anyone_recommend_any_good_books_on_the_reign/
{ "a_id": [ "c688nm5", "c689f66", "c68bf4v" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "I'm not a historian, but I read The Tudors: The Complete Story of Europe's Most Notorious Dynasty by G. J. Myer, and I really enjoyed it. A large part is about Henry VIII", "It depends; how academic...
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[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2j2nsh
bush v. gore. why did the supreme court stop the recount?
I've read it over and over and just don't understand how a STATEWIDE recount violated the Equal protection clause. If anything I believe Gore's request of the four counties to recount was a violation.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2j2nsh/eli5_bush_v_gore_why_did_the_supreme_court_stop/
{ "a_id": [ "cl7u27z" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The Court cited the Equal Protection Clause because each county's methods and standards for determining \"the voter's intent\" could vary. Two identical inconclusive ballots could be counted in two different ways if one was in Miami-Dade County a...
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4kdsuq
how can the 35-year-old hp-12c calculator still be in production and selling for over $50?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4kdsuq/eli5_how_can_the_35yearold_hp12c_calculator_still/
{ "a_id": [ "d3e4og1" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Basic math hasn't changed much in a few hundred years, so the calculator probably wouldn't either." ] }
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[ [] ]
3dytx9
What are the main differences between Ancient British Cultures (Picts, Celts, Gauls etc)?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3dytx9/what_are_the_main_differences_between_ancient/
{ "a_id": [ "ctai1wd" ], "score": [ 12 ], "text": [ "OK, so this is a complicated question because with Britain we have an incredible level of archaeological detail. I'll give a *very* simplified version and am happy to expand on anything you would like.\n\nOK, so broadly speaking \"Celtic\" is a ...
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[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_T%C3%A8ne_culture#/media/File:Hallstatt.png" ] ]
3namn5
how does formalin preserve dead organs?
Is there another chemical that is used for the same purpose?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3namn5/eli5_how_does_formalin_preserve_dead_organs/
{ "a_id": [ "cvmclpd" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It stops decomposition. There are a lot of microbes and bacteria that would love to eat up those organs (destroying them in the process). There are plenty of other chemicals that could do that (like bleach). But bleach would also rip apart the...
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8ndqgo
I have this theory that a lot of "traditional British food" became popular due to rationing in WW2. I am thinking of foods like Baked Beanz and tinned tomatoes. How accurate is this, and how big is the lasting impact of WW2 rationing on British cuisine?
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8ndqgo/i_have_this_theory_that_a_lot_of_traditional/
{ "a_id": [ "dzvg6ka" ], "score": [ 61 ], "text": [ "Rationing didn't have much of a long-term impact on British cuisine, \"traditional British\" dishes tend to either pre-date the 20th century (fish & chips, various pies, stews, hotpots, roasts, puddings etc.) or post-date rationing (when \"tra...
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[ [ "http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/photos/wooltonpie.jpg", "http://www.kingscollections.org/exhibitions/archives/food/ww2/pete#Gallery", "https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205195859", "https://www.britishpathe.com/gallery/children-of-war/1", "https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/ob...
aplm1o
why are sperm count in men decreasing?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aplm1o/eli5_why_are_sperm_count_in_men_decreasing/
{ "a_id": [ "eg9cz1x" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "From _URL_0_:\n\n > The analysis did not explore reasons for the decline, but researchers said falling sperm counts have previously been linked to various factors such as exposure to certain chemicals and pesticides, smoking, stress and obesity....
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[ [ "https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sperm-count-dropping-in-western-world/" ] ]
8iza3q
why can't the human heart "get used to" having to work harder in an individual with restricted arteries, causing it to get stronger under the increased work load like normal muscles?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8iza3q/eli5_why_cant_the_human_heart_get_used_to_having/
{ "a_id": [ "dyvqpth", "dyvqqn6", "dyvqtoc", "dyvrvug" ], "score": [ 11, 5, 18, 2 ], "text": [ "well uuuh, it does... If you suffer from high blood pressure or clogged arteries your heart will grow to compensate for it. The issue is that youe heart is a muscle that is const...
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[ [], [], [], [] ]
1c9f7p
Are there parts of the brain that can be physically damaged without immediate catastrophic effect?
If the brain is roughly separated into areas based on function, can certain areas of the brain be harmed without the person suffering immediate effect, like unconsciousness? I've heard of people walking around with brain injuries, I was wondering if we know the guidelines what when this is possible.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1c9f7p/are_there_parts_of_the_brain_that_can_be/
{ "a_id": [ "c9ec0ns", "c9eusge" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes, there are many areas of the brain that can be damaged without causing death/unconsciousness. The bizarre effects that have resulted from some such brain injuries has actually provided a huge amount of information about ...
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[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_Gage" ], [] ]
td3mj
Why does adding water to whiskey open up the flavor?
It seems like adding a bit of water or an ice cube makes flavors much more detectable, more so than just cutting down on the alcohol content alone would probably do.
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/td3mj/why_does_adding_water_to_whiskey_open_up_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c4ln70n" ], "score": [ 16 ], "text": [ "Adding water to whiskey affects two things.\n\n1. Cuts down on the alcohol content, so you're burned less by the alcohol and can taste more of the other flavors.\n\n2. It releases more of the aromatics in the whiskey that are not water soluble. ...
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[ [ "http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/dining/28curious.html?pagewanted=all" ] ]
eloimr
How much variation tends to exist between fingerprints, assuming no two fingerprints are the same?
I suppose another way to word this is, can two unrelated people out of approximately 7.6 billion total have the same fingerprint? I just have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that absolutely nobody has the same fingerprint.
askscience
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/eloimr/how_much_variation_tends_to_exist_between/
{ "a_id": [ "fdkpl8s" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "So at first level detail you have four basic ‘shapes’ within fingerprints - arches, tented arches, loops and whorls. You can have just a single one of these on each finger or occasionally you will get combinations such as two interlocked loops et...
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1c048q
how are online games (say wow or guild wars, etc) synchronized over all the players' individual games?
When I say "all" I don't mean every single player, but all the involved players. As AnteChronos mentioned, this usually has to do with a certain map or view distance.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1c048q/how_are_online_games_say_wow_or_guild_wars_etc/
{ "a_id": [ "c9bqesy" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "1. They're not synchronized over *all* players' games. The players are distributed across different \"realms\" or \"worlds\", that are actually different physical servers, and your game is (usually, barring specific cross-server interactions) ne...
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9xe3vo
why do humans feel the need to do things that are bad for us?
Why sometimes can we not help but hurt ourselves or others? Eat too much, lie, cheat, smoke, have a sedentary life style, drink etc...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9xe3vo/eli5_why_do_humans_feel_the_need_to_do_things/
{ "a_id": [ "e9rm7mj", "e9ro8ai", "e9s0qho", "e9sgkl1" ], "score": [ 4, 21, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The majority of those things \"feel\" good. I don't think humans as a whole feel the need to be self destructive. Its more of a byproduct of the things they enjoy. ", "Because...
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[ [], [], [ "https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms12867" ], [] ]
216003
why are so many people struggling with basic grammar - you're/your, it's/its, there/they're, etc.
I don't consider myself a grammar nazi. Even my title is probably not grammatically correct but I am curious as to why so many people are having hard time remembering when to use _your_ and when to use _you're_. I rarely correct people on this and mostly it's because I am confused while reading their text until realizi...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/216003/eli5_why_are_so_many_people_struggling_with_basic/
{ "a_id": [ "cg9xgtg", "cg9xm9v", "cg9yckn", "cg9zq8r", "cga0673", "cga3y58", "cga5s9h" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2, 2, 12, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Maybe it's because a lot of people now don't read actual books or online stories that are edited and have to have...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
10a8w6
How many nukes would it take to end the world?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/10a8w6/how_many_nukes_would_it_take_to_end_the_world/
{ "a_id": [ "c6bpomy" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "That could depend entirely on your intent, you could potentially do tremendous damage by targeting something specifically in order to damage the environment instead of humans. There have also been hypothetical \"doomsday devices\" that could kill...
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37f24e
water vapor vs. steam vs. mist vs. fog vs. cloud
Are these all different names for the same water in air?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37f24e/eli5_water_vapor_vs_steam_vs_mist_vs_fog_vs_cloud/
{ "a_id": [ "crm5nw0" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "In a sense, they do just describe water in air, but they also provide you an idea of what that water is like. Basically, different connotations\n\nVapor: gaseous and dispersed\n\nSteam: high pressure/temperature, maybe more tightly packed (Vapor ...
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333vhg
say i have a bad cold with an impossibly stuffed up nose. no way to breathe through my nostrils. now say i get kidnapped, and they put duct tape over my mouth. would my body react to un-stuff my nose so i could breathe to live?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/333vhg/eli5_say_i_have_a_bad_cold_with_an_impossibly/
{ "a_id": [ "cqha8h2", "cqha9im", "cqhflhw", "cqhi618", "cqhojq8", "cqhteal", "cqhyxz5", "cqi0ccj" ], "score": [ 8, 41, 5, 6, 9, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Not quickly enough, I don't think. One thing I've found that sometimes helps is to just put...
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[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1XgPBQAAQBAJ&pg=PP175&lpg=PP175&dq=do+not+gag+me+I+have+a+terrible+cold&source=bl&ots=sPhMhY01xY&sig=Lt5uryPUqdsVAg3ZoObUd2xDW68&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fRo0VY-ODMP0asu0gEA&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=do%20not...
d5wqkj
would it be possible to divert the nile to irrigate the sahara?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d5wqkj/eli5_would_it_be_possible_to_divert_the_nile_to/
{ "a_id": [ "f0oe4sm" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Yes. But then the rest of lower Egypt would have to go without the Nile which would make it a desert." ] }
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2vb0b0
when countries like north korea spend money on war supplies like missiles, nukes, guns, planes etc. who sells it to them?
How do they get it? Edit: Obligatory woohoo! Front page! And r.i.p. inbox
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2vb0b0/eli5_when_countries_like_north_korea_spend_money/
{ "a_id": [ "cog0r0j", "cog5t0c", "cog5urm", "cog6dzm", "cog6sa1", "cog6t1r", "cog7jp2", "cog7k09", "cog7nda", "cog7p4q", "cog8cq4", "cogdfaq", "coge3t6", "cogecdc", "cogelhd", "cogfpvg", "coghbxj", "cogisl8", "cogkd3s", "cogkuo3", "c...
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[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_3Qg-SADY&feature=player_detailpage#t=637", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_3Qg-SADY&feature=player_detailpage#t=780" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://www.vice.com/video/sofex-the-business-of-war-full-length" ...
2hp03b
Are there any animals who stay strictly in the air?
I was thinking, there are (obviously) animals who are always on land, and some that are always in the water. Are there some that are always in the air?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2hp03b/are_there_any_animals_who_stay_strictly_in_the_air/
{ "a_id": [ "ckur71y" ], "score": [ 21 ], "text": [ "The closest there is to an animal that spends their entire life in the air is probably the Alpine Swift. They have recently been found to spend upwards of 200 days in a row airborne and only land at their breeding ground. They eat, sleep, and ...
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[ [ "http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2013/131008/ncomms3554/full/ncomms3554.html", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_swift" ] ]
2jafnu
Question about Saladin and King Richard's relationship during the Third Crusade.
I know Saladin (Salah ad-Din) and King Richard (the Lionheart) had a mutual respect for each other as enemies, and even corresponded with each other at times. My question is: do any of these letters still exist, and if not, are there any existing primary sources that might give some insight into this relationship?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2jafnu/question_about_saladin_and_king_richards/
{ "a_id": [ "cla7o0m" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "To my knowledge, none of the letters supposedly exchanged between Saladin and Richard I survive to this day. However, one of our best sources for the Third Crusade is chronicle evidence, supplied from both the Latin and Arabic traditions. Some o...
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bpj1st
how do printers work so accurately and fast?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bpj1st/eli5_how_do_printers_work_so_accurately_and_fast/
{ "a_id": [ "entxog0", "enuyidl" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "I don’t know what exactly you are looking for as an answer... \n\nThey work accurately because the motor that controls the printing head works in very small increments (typically 96 positions per inch) and the ink injectors ...
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[ [], [ "https://www.cartridgesdirect.com.au/br-sca-blog/post/image3-min.png" ] ]
2r3wve
all the types of steaks, such as sirloin, prime rib, filet, ribeye etc. what should i consider when choosing which one to order in a restaurant?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2r3wve/eli5_all_the_types_of_steaks_such_as_sirloin/
{ "a_id": [ "cnc7fi2", "cnc7wgj" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Personally, i think ribeye is the best all around for flavor, tenderness, texture and reasonable pricing. Of course, some of that depends on where you buy it, and how you have it cooked.", "In the US, Beef has 3 unoffici...
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[ [], [] ]
2ph9rv
If there are only 5 white rhinos left is there enough diversity in the gene pool to breed them back to non borderline extinction levels?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2ph9rv/if_there_are_only_5_white_rhinos_left_is_there/
{ "a_id": [ "cmxw4tq" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It's hard to say, since inbreeding problems are quite specific to each species and context. For example, pretty much all the golden hamsters in captivity are descended from one batch of siblings captured in the 30's, and they seem to be doing ok...
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2ahzhh
how do genders like genderqueer, genderfluid, etc work? do any scientists believe in them or are they just teens online trying to be special?
If you aren't a hermaphrodite how can you be two genders?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ahzhh/eli5_how_do_genders_like_genderqueer_genderfluid/
{ "a_id": [ "civb6mp", "civbhm3", "civbk2l", "civbn22", "cixpa4u" ], "score": [ 4, 5, 15, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "It is actually recognized as being something that legitimately happens to people, not just something they're making up. Gender Identity Disorder or Gender Dy...
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[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_gender", "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex" ], [], [ "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22364652" ] ]
8tq1hf
why does breathing on glasses before wiping them clean off fingerprints so much better than wiping alone?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8tq1hf/eli5_why_does_breathing_on_glasses_before_wiping/
{ "a_id": [ "e19ajze", "e19cgq5", "e1agj5j" ], "score": [ 17, 8, 6 ], "text": [ "Breath contains small amounts of water vapour, so when you breathe on the glass you moisturise the glass before whipping it to off. It's like using water to clean glass, but in very small amounts ", ...
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[ [], [], [] ]
3tljlg
how does [family member] once, twice, (etc) removed worked?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3tljlg/eli5how_does_family_member_once_twice_etc_removed/
{ "a_id": [ "cx7652y" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "[Here's a good visual.](_URL_0_)\n\nSo your sibling shares the same parents as you. Your first cousins share the same grandparents as you. Your second cousins share the same GREAT grandparents as you.\n\nYour cousin-once-removed is the parent o...
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[ [ "http://usercontent2.hubimg.com/6539591.png" ] ]
2sv86k
can some explain the differences in handgun ammunition calibers?
In particular what is different between the major calibers: 9 mm, .38, .40, and .45. Also what are the pros and con's for the average gun owner with regards to home protection and conceal/carry. Also, what is the differentiation of grain counts of a given ammo. This part I have never understood.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2sv86k/eli5_can_some_explain_the_differences_in_handgun/
{ "a_id": [ "cnt5auo", "cnt5m63", "cnt6o80", "cnt7aet" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "[This is a decent article on ammo type](_URL_0_). Basically the grain count is referring to the amount in weight of gun powder in each round. A grain being 0.002 ounces (or just un...
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[ [ "http://thewellarmedwoman.com/ammunition-demystifier-types-of-hangun-ammo" ], [], [], [] ]
1vuic1
Why don't I feel a shock when touching both ends of a household battery? Or even a car battery?
Since humans are pretty decent conductors of electricity, why aren't we creating a connection when touching both ends of a small battery or even a larger one like a car battery?
askscience
http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1vuic1/why_dont_i_feel_a_shock_when_touching_both_ends/
{ "a_id": [ "cevx6du", "cevxbzq", "cevxi0y", "cevxlmp", "cevy58h", "cew1njd", "cew2n4w" ], "score": [ 263, 47, 3, 16, 7, 2, 5 ], "text": [ "Humans are not that good of a conductor. They are better conductors than plastic but not better than for insta...
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[ [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/electrical_incidents/eleccurrent.html" ], [], [] ]
ftg7vc
Book recommendation for history of the U.S. 14th Armored Division in the Second World War
My great-uncle passed away about 30 years ago, but his younger brother, my grandfather, is still alive. As a nonagenarian widower, the coronavirus has made him even more isolated than usual, but he's become a voracious reader, so I'm trying to put together a package for the next few weeks. My great uncle was awarded t...
AskHistorians
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/ftg7vc/book_recommendation_for_history_of_the_us_14th/
{ "a_id": [ "fmb46cx" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "So, of a fairly minor note- your great-uncle’s discharge papers list him as a member of Able Company, 14th Armored Infantry [Battalion], which is a subordinate unit of the 1st Armored Division- which fought in Africa and Italy. Are you sure that ...
[]
[ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Personnel_Records_Center_fire", "https://imgur.com/pZm83eK", "https://i.imgur.com/yoy1ykP.jpg" ]
[ [ "http://14thad.org/19thaib/-", "14thad.org" ] ]
f9bfxz
why do cellphone companies pay x dollars for the trade in of y phones when buying a new phone? marketshare?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f9bfxz/eli5_why_do_cellphone_companies_pay_x_dollars_for/
{ "a_id": [ "fiqetfb", "fiqfa1w" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "A lot of companies probably get loads of phones at various prices, then mass sell them for their gold inside them, Get more bang for ya buck that way", "The goal is always to get you to re-up your contract. The trade in...
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[ [], [] ]
2uxj7e
When did humans first figure out that other planets existed and weren't just stars? What was the reaction to this idea when it was proposed?
AskHistorians
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2uxj7e/when_did_humans_first_figure_out_that_other/
{ "a_id": [ "cocmvp0" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "hi! fyi, one or more of these threads may be relevant\n\n* [What is the earliest record of a person theorizing that stars are suns and planets?](_URL_2_)\n\n* [When did scientists recognize the planets in our solar system as (relatively) nearby p...
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[ [ "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1ltd2u/when_did_people_realize_that_planets_were_not/", "https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1gz1pd/when_did_humans_become_aware_that_they_were_on/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1pbnf8/what_is_the_earliest_record_of_a_pers...