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1czfgp | how do old cameras work? | I don't understand... Does the bright light flash getting all the light on a super sensitive film sheet? That's all I can infer. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1czfgp/eli5_how_do_old_cameras_work/ | {
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"They use a super sensitive film sheet, and a shutter. The shutter opens brifely, allowing the light from the subject of your picture to pass through the lens and hit the film. Then the shutter closes, so no more light can ge... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2hmekj | what takes so long at the er? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hmekj/eli5_what_takes_so_long_at_the_er/ | {
"a_id": [
"cktz4qk",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"triage. \n\nThey treat the most serious problems first, regardless of position in line. If you stubbed your toe, but the next five patients are in life threatening situations, you're going last.",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
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6um8oe | why do regular smokers have such horrible constant coughs/splutterings? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6um8oe/eli5_why_do_regular_smokers_have_such_horrible/ | {
"a_id": [
"dltqotr"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"In some cases the smoke has actually damaged their lungs. In some cases they lungs are simply full of goo.\n\nCheck out [this disgusting photo of lungs.](_URL_0_)"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/images/1HT02296/non%20smoker%20lungs%20vs%20smoker%20lungs.jpg"
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6mzqcq | why is it that our butt can detect when we have eaten something spicy, but not when we have eaten something with a different effect, such as sweet, sour, bitter, etc? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6mzqcq/eli5_why_is_it_that_our_butt_can_detect_when_we/ | {
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"text": [
"Capsaicin (the stuff that makes food spicy) is an irritant to humans. That burning sensation is the irritation not so much flavor. Your butt can't detect any flavor but because... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3sam13 | why do local network tv channels broadcast free over the air but charge for online streaming? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sam13/eli5_why_do_local_network_tv_channels_broadcast/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwvhfxe",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The answer to any \"why does company charge\" question is because they can and because people are willing to pay.",
"Broadcasting channels is like shouting, whoever can hear you picks up what you're saying. Channels are ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
wqnjb | what's going on with directv and viacom? | I'm very confused about what's going on here, but have seen posts about it everywhere. So apparently, DirecTV is a TV provider, and removed all channels by viacom, which included some of the most watched shows of all time? What purpose would they have in doing this?
and apparently Viacom removed all streams of their ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/wqnjb/eli5_whats_going_on_with_directv_and_viacom/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5fn7a8"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"There are probably a lot of actual 5-year-olds wanting an answer for this question, because Nickelodeon is gone. =) I'll try to answer as thoroughly as possible:\n\nWhen a cable/satellite provider (i.e. DirecTV) wants to carry a channel (ex. MTV,... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
20jrsi | why don't commercial airplanes get faster? | We have all these military jets that break the speed of sound, and yet a commercial flight probably still takes the same amount of time it did forty years ago. Why is it not improving? Have we reached a limit in speed for aircrafts that size, or is it a matter of cost-efficiency? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20jrsi/eli5_why_dont_commercial_airplanes_get_faster/ | {
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"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_(physics)#Power"
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1w1mh1 | argentina's currency devaluation. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1w1mh1/eli5_argentinas_currency_devaluation/ | {
"a_id": [
"cexunht",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Those fuckers don't like paying back their debt. A national currency is just the government telling you that they're \"good for it\".\n\nIf I'm always freeloading off of you and telling you that I'm good for it, but then tel... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
fv9ls6 | why do humans break down alcohol calories when they are not a macro (carb/protein/fat)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fv9ls6/eli5_why_do_humans_break_down_alcohol_calories/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The leading theory is that humans evolved to house the enzymes necessary to digest alcohol in order to eat rotting fruit, and this shift most likely happened when humans went from a tree swinging animal to a ground walking a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3kpo1i | what does the day-to-day life of a career mathematician consist of? | Other than education, what jobs do math majors end up taking after school and what does the actual work consist of? Can't a lot of monotonous math be done by an uneducated worker and a handful of computer programs? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kpo1i/eli5_what_does_the_daytoday_life_of_a_career/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuzeont"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The mathematicians i know are employed to use sophisticated statistical tools. One worked for an insurance company to evaluate the risk of death for various ages. Another worked for a state health department to evaluate death statistics.\n\nOne b... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1n68h8 | hypothetically, if all humans cease to exist, how would an alien civilization decode our language & documents to study & understand us? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1n68h8/eli5hypothetically_if_all_humans_cease_to_exist/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"It's very hard to answer a hypothetical like this, since we have no idea what the aliens are like and how they behave. If the aliens communicated telepathically, they might not even recognize our writing as language. ",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://webodysseum.com/art/116-images-of-the-voyager-golden-record/"
]
] | ||
6tqfs8 | why do we feel the need to justify our own actions to ourselves? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6tqfs8/eli5_why_do_we_feel_the_need_to_justify_our_own/ | {
"a_id": [
"dlmppd0",
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"The human brain doesn't like to be wrong. The effect is that we justify ourselves so that we always have a rightful justification for an action. The brain also twists our reasoning, and even the perception of the reality in ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
y5xm3 | how do meridians and world time work? | As you can see [Here](_URL_0_) There's the meridian lines, observing that image, I want to know why the meridian lines have irregularities and are not always straight. Why are there exceptions?
EDIT: Sorry for my lack of knowledge, I didn't explain that clearly. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/y5xm3/eli5_how_do_meridians_and_world_time_work/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Meridian lines do no have irregularities - time zones do. Why? To better fit the political geography e.g. avoid having to time zones on one country. ",
"Those aren't meridian lines. Meridians go straight south-north. Tho... | [] | [
"http://www.worldservicegroup.com/images/tzmap.jpg"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
36qnt6 | how can liquids have negative pressure? and how does it behave? | I thought that the lowest pressure you can have is in vacuum. But recently I read that you can go lower than this with liquids. Somebody care to explain? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36qnt6/eli5_how_can_liquids_have_negative_pressure_and/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Easily: they don't. We talk about negative pressure when (on Earth) the pressure is lower than our reference value (atmospheric pressure). So you could say (gentle scientists cover your ears) vacuum has pressure of -1 atm, a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://discovermagazine.com/2003/mar/featscienceof"
]
] | |
9ta7sw | does someone with a lower resting heart rate have a slower metabolism than someone with a higher resting heart rate? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9ta7sw/eli5_does_someone_with_a_lower_resting_heart_rate/ | {
"a_id": [
"e8up2fx",
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"score": [
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4
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"text": [
"Not to any significant degree. \n\nIn your case specifically it's almost certainly the other way around. As a male you likely have more testosterone than your fiancé, which means you have more muscles than your fiancé for a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
25lok7 | dyslexia | I'm a 17 year old boy. I have server dyslexia and was told I would never be able to read, yet here I am writing this. But I still have a vague idea of what dyslexia actually is and what the difference between sever and regular dyslexia is. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/25lok7/eli5_dyslexia/ | {
"a_id": [
"chies4r",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"First, disclaimer if I am not doing this right. But I just created a reddit account and this is my first comment. I had/have dyslexia too. I had a very difficult time learning how to speak, read, and write (in that order)... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
31kbh5 | how did the first cell phone work without cell towers or a mobile carrier? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31kbh5/eli5_how_did_the_first_cell_phone_work_without/ | {
"a_id": [
"cq2cfg5",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The first mobile phone call was made over a portable network created by a small, man-portable tower. ",
"The first phones that we would actually describe as \"cell phones\" were created *after cell ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3rvys9 | how does the web archive site work? how can they store all of the internet pages? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3rvys9/eli5_how_does_the_web_archive_site_work_how_can/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Basically, they set a computer program (called a \"crawler\") to browse the Internet and capture all the pages it reaches. The crawler follows links on pages to find more pages, which means that popular pages will be captured more often, and page... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1hngat | why some people are referred to as hacks. | I was reading an article about one of my favorite composers, Hans Zimmer. Someone had said that the soundtrack for Man of Steel was crap, and that Hans Zimmer was just a worthless hack or something similar, but still using the term hack. I've also had a friend of mine refer to some of my favorite chefs' like Jamie Ol... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1hngat/eli5_why_some_people_are_referred_to_as_hacks/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"From [Wiktionary](_URL_0_):\n\nNoun: One who is professionally successful despite producing mediocre work. (Usually applied to persons in a creative field.)\n\nBasically, the \"hack\" is someone who is successful, but not through talent or skill.... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hack#Noun_3"
]
] | |
2470lo | why did us draftee soldiers get harassed when they returned home? | After all, most weren't there by choice, and we go out of our way today to praise US soldiers even when wars have been unpopular.
Just watched all of Vietnam in HD (History Channel) and they bring it up but it seems inadequately explained. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2470lo/eli5_why_did_us_draftee_soldiers_get_harassed/ | {
"a_id": [
"ch475kf"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Because a lot of people believed the war in Vietnam was wrong or morally reprehensible. They transferred their hatred of it to the men that fought it. They felt that a truly moral man would have refused to go or would have refused to fight. I don... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
d71lj7 | why does taking the entire prescription combat antibiotic resistance? if the bacteria were resistant in the first place, wouldn’t it still survive? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d71lj7/eli5_why_does_taking_the_entire_prescription/ | {
"a_id": [
"f0wxeb4",
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"score": [
4,
6
],
"text": [
"Think of it like this:\nKids are usually stronger and bigger than their parents. \n\nStopping before the full course results in the strongest bacteria surviving. Continuing the full course will kill them all off, even the st... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1jgssc | when something comes naturally to us, why do we say it is second nature. why not first? | Doesn't second nature imply that it is learned? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jgssc/eli5_when_something_comes_naturally_to_us_why_do/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbeipko"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Think of what all people can regularly and easily do as being \"first nature\". If you can do something as easily as that, but it isn't something which you did originally, we call it a \"second nature\"."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
427uip | why are street numbers in the usa so much larger than in europe? | I have the highest street number in my hometown (123), but i noticed that the ones in the United States are so much larger | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/427uip/eli5_why_are_street_numbers_in_the_usa_so_much/ | {
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"text": [
"For most cities, laid out on a grid-like pattern, each section of street between intersection is its own \"block\" of numbers.\n\nSo let's say you're at the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
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2seeb0 | how does thermophysics work? | Please explain like if I was a litte child.
Edit: Spelling | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2seeb0/eli5_how_does_thermophysics_work/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Thats kind of a huge topic. The simplest I can boil it down to is....\n\nThings are different temperatures and they want to all be the same temperature. "
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4hei9u | why is it that timezones are separated by hours? as in, why isn't it that the further i travel towards a different timezone, minutes aren't added up? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hei9u/eli5_why_is_it_that_timezones_are_separated_by/ | {
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"text": [
"You could also split the time zones by seconds if you wanted to, as you traveled around town or maybe to a neighboring town, you'd have to readjust your clocks. \n\n1 hour is a bal... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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3l1gaw | why are glass cutting boards a thing? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3l1gaw/eli5_why_are_glass_cutting_boards_a_thing/ | {
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"Because, unlike wood and plastic, they are not porous and can be better disinfected. For ... | [] | [] | [
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1rwdf4 | why do people have the notion that age correlates to ability? | As a 13-year-old programmer of Lua, Java, C#, etc. I sometimes get discredited, but not for anything I can change, people believe that because I am young, I must be worse at everything that someone who is an adult. Being put down for something you cannot change (no matter how hard you try), your age, in my opinion, it ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rwdf4/eli5_why_do_people_have_the_notion_that_age/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdrlb2b",
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"score": [
9,
7
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"text": [
"Because in the vast majority of roles/positions/jobs etc. age is a big indicator of experience. You can't get really good at something without putting a lot of hours into it. When you are 13 you simply don't have enough ho... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
36qcf2 | why are cellphone chargers so bad at keeping a consistent connection, but 3.5mm audio jacks have been doing a great job for decades | Basically what the title says. I find cellphone chargers are kinda hit and miss...a new phone might do alright for a year, currently I'm using a brand new Samsung galaxy s5 that's already having connectivity issues which is what sparked my question....but headphone jacks always seem to do well. Sure, the headphones t... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36qcf2/eli5_why_are_cellphone_chargers_so_bad_at_keeping/ | {
"a_id": [
"crg5bis"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Mainly that has to do with USB capability. USB have to have 4 receptacles, and to achieve that in such a small space, the individual parts of the plug have to be made to be very small, and are therefore very delicate and fragile. \n\nHeadphone ja... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5ya3je | what does the numbering system mean with pc application versions? why is it likely to see a sequence like 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 2.0, rather than 1, 2, 3, 4? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ya3je/eli5_what_does_the_numbering_system_mean_with_pc/ | {
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"text": [
"The first number is for major releases.\n\nThe secondary numbers are for minor releases.\n\n1.0 is going to be a lot different from 2.0, but 2.0 won't be to... | [] | [] | [
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690nwf | how does polypeptide know how to shape into a protein | Like how can it know how to fold into the specific shape that it needs. Is it encoded in the DNA or maybe different amino acids are connected at a specific angle thus creating the unique 3d structure of the protein or sth else. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/690nwf/eli5_how_does_polypeptide_know_how_to_shape_into/ | {
"a_id": [
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3
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"text": [
"A pretty big part of it is chemical bonding. Throughout the structure, there are different types of bonds with varying strengths and affinities (hydrogen, ionic, and covalent). There are different levels of structuring tha... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaperonin",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaperone_(protein)"
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] | |
8je35d | why do criminals always ask for 'small unmarked bills' when they're asking for ransom | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8je35d/eli5_why_do_criminals_always_ask_for_small/ | {
"a_id": [
"dyywi8a",
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"score": [
4,
3
],
"text": [
"Because they can spend them in local stores without arousing suspicion. If they get large denominations or bills with any markings then police/stores know what to look for to catch them.",
"Large bills are more conspicuo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7ey5ff | why does google get governemnt subsidies? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ey5ff/eli5_why_does_google_get_governemnt_subsidies/ | {
"a_id": [
"dq88tlo"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
"They are building massive data centers which provide a lot of infrastructure. A lot of the internet infrastructure in other countries is paid for by the public .Also added jobs. I haven't really done the math to see if it's worth it or not yet th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
qshpj | why mouse acceleration is in so many pc games. | I don't know anyone who likes Mouse Acceleration, so why does it keep showing up in so many PC games? (Example: Skyrim)
Does it have to do with porting from console? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qshpj/eli5_why_mouse_acceleration_is_in_so_many_pc_games/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4037hp",
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"score": [
2,
2
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"text": [
"No, mouse acceleration theoretically gives a person accurate variable control for precise movements, both short and long. when you move slowly, you have precise control over short areas, and when you move quickly, you can c... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
18te1g | how do budget airlines make money? do they make more money than premium airlines? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18te1g/eli5_how_do_budget_airlines_make_money_do_they/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
7,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"1. Lower legacy costs. Budget airlines are much younger (as in age of the company) than mainline carriers. The mainline airlines have big pension and health care expenses owed to past union workers (... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
9pynbu | how do fish swim up waterfalls? | I just dont understand. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9pynbu/eli5_how_do_fish_swim_up_waterfalls/ | {
"a_id": [
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3,
5
],
"text": [
"They use their mouths as a sort of suction cup and latch onto the rocks behind the falls and they inch their way up. They sometimes eat the algae off the rocks and go up the waterfall that way too. \n\n[Read more about it he... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.realclearscience.com/journal_club/2013/01/04/fish_evolved_to_climb_waterfalls_with_its_mouth.html"
],
[]
] | |
p2vlu | wine and food pairings. | What kind of food pairs best with what kind of wine? Or, even better, why does wine pair so well with food? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/p2vlu/eli5_wine_and_food_pairings/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3m2i2l",
"c3m35wy",
"c3m39sg"
],
"score": [
9,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Keeping it simple:\n\n- light wine for light food, strong and heavy wine for hearty meals\n\n- the sweeter the food, the sweeter the wine\n\nIn practice, white wines go well with soup, risotto, fish, as... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2l95eg | why is call of duty: ghosts so shunned? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2l95eg/eli5_why_is_call_of_duty_ghosts_so_shunned/ | {
"a_id": [
"clskfut"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"To me all CODs are pretty much the same, black ops 2 was the last version. I gave a shit about. I think now its just popular to hate in it."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5nrrh2 | is lucid dreaming a viable method of accessing memories that you have long since forgotten or repressed because your brain is not receiving any external stimuli and is only interacting with the other parts of the brain? | I was recently reading an article on lucid dreaming, it says lucid dreaming allows someone's frontal cortex to interact with the other regions of the brain with no outside stimulus. This got me thinking that it could be possible to access memories you didn't even know you had... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5nrrh2/eli5_is_lucid_dreaming_a_viable_method_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"dcehpmz"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"As a lucid dreamer as well as having a mind palace (which is basically a visual storage place in your mind), I do access memories while dreaming but rarely ones I've forgotten or repressed. I think this is because of how when I lucid dream I choo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1sj88p | how did shaving your vagina become such a wide-spread trend? | (You're going to sound like a pedophile) | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1sj88p/eli5_how_did_shaving_your_vagina_become_such_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdy72cm",
"cdyx95w"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"I read not too long ago that \"crabs\" (body lice) have disappeared by 90% from levels they were at 20 years ago or so since this trend of waxing/shaving became so popular with women and even men. Might be one good reason fo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
qxsls | diving in football/soccer. | When and how did it start? or has it always been part of the sport? Is it common in amateur matches as well or do the players start diving when they go pro? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qxsls/eli5_diving_in_footballsoccer/ | {
"a_id": [
"c41hggp"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I can only speak for the English amateur leagues, of which i've played in a few, but diving is something that only really occurs at the top level. If anyone dives in an amateur league in England they'll probably get the crap kicked out of them fo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
20wd0v | cable box streaming vs. online streaming | Why is it when you play something on demand through your cable box its perfect quality but when you stream it through the internet its not as good. My internet speeds are great but it still doesn't compare to the quality of my cable box. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20wd0v/eli5cable_box_streaming_vs_online_streaming/ | {
"a_id": [
"cg7eiv1",
"cg7fkxw"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"If your cable system is older, it's because you're actually watching a private cable channel that is broadcasting the show from the cable company's office directly to your box. The box does the work of setting this up and h... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
29rdkk | so what is puerto rico? is it a state? on its way..?[uk resident] | i'm just super curious. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29rdkk/eli5so_what_is_puerto_rico_is_it_a_state_on_its/ | {
"a_id": [
"cinqnmh",
"cinqw6r",
"cinqxmw"
],
"score": [
5,
5,
5
],
"text": [
"It's a territory. Kind of a quasi-state with some rights of a US state but not others.\n\nThey are of mixed opinion whether to become a US state or not. They vote once in a while on the question of st... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
y8enz | the fairtax plan | I was looking up some info on Presidential candidates stances on the economy, and Gary Johnson wants to repeal all forms of income tax and replace it with the FairTax program.
From my limited understanding of economics, it appears to me as though the FairTax plan will act as regressive taxation.
Am I right or am I wr... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/y8enz/the_fairtax_plan/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5t9ktw"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"The fair tax is regressive but it offers up citizens a prebate to offset their costs. \n\nBenefits \n\n* You are taxing consumption instead of production so it's seen as a more just system. \n* The stress on working household would be lessened si... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HowFairTaxWorks"
]
] | |
5f3r0u | what does a warming up exercise do to your muscles and why is it so important to do it before a very physical activity | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5f3r0u/eli5_what_does_a_warming_up_exercise_do_to_your/ | {
"a_id": [
"dahaf2u"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"Think of your muscles as gum. If you begin to do strenuous movement without priming and introducing heat to the muscle tissues, it is more likely that your muscles will tear, displace, or move improperly. Cold gum snaps, warm gum moves in any wa... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
301luh | if millions of people pirate a piece of software, why don't they just drop the price to the point that it is actually worth it to have a legal copy as opposed to an illegal one for free? | ...wouldn't all the extra purchases compensate for the price drop and then some? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/301luh/eli5_if_millions_of_people_pirate_a_piece_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpo8xlz",
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"cpo9755",
"cpoa2f0",
"cpoaque"
],
"score": [
5,
10,
3,
2,
12
],
"text": [
"Some manufacturers are doing just that. Windows Office Suite was one of the most heavily-pirated pieces of software at one point, mainly because the price o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
54oytx | what is psychological projection? | (Don't know if this was posted before, couldn't find anything on search.)
I'm stupid and also half asleep, what does projection mean? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/54oytx/eli5_what_is_psychological_projection/ | {
"a_id": [
"d83qy63",
"d83r1sp"
],
"score": [
5,
3
],
"text": [
"Psychological projection is when you take something that you are feeling/thinking (normally subconsciously), deny that you're thinking/feeling it, and project it on to someone else as a defense mechanism. An example could be... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
272h6b | if fat is stored energy, why can't you burn it off by staving off sleeping for a few days? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/272h6b/eli5if_fat_is_stored_energy_why_cant_you_burn_it/ | {
"a_id": [
"chwra8n"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"When at rest, fat IS the primary fuel source being used to provide energy. Fat is oxidised to create ATP. As you exercise and require a more readily availably fuel source, your body will start tapping into the glycogen reserves stored in your mus... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
fl5mcy | what does it mean that airlines shouldn’t be allowed to buy back stocks? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fl5mcy/eli5_what_does_it_mean_that_airlines_shouldnt_be/ | {
"a_id": [
"fkwr2qa",
"fkx9dtr",
"fkxb19w",
"fkxbky0",
"fkxbrjq",
"fkxclkm",
"fkxeb8e"
],
"score": [
51,
4,
8,
3,
2,
4,
3
],
"text": [
"Company A is represented by 100 shares of stock valued at $1 million/share or $100 million total.\n\nCompany A bu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
cvjp8h | how do multiple light switches work? | I know about circuits and a single switch. But the multiple light switches really confuse me. They don't have a set position for off and on. They essentially reverse the state of the light bulb. So how do they work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cvjp8h/eli5_how_do_multiple_light_switches_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"ey4m81i",
"ey4qo2j"
],
"score": [
26,
5
],
"text": [
"In this case, you can think of electricity like a train on a train track. Pretend you have two tracks, side by side (a North one and a South one, for example). A train is traveling on the north track, headed for the depot. ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiway_switching#/media/File:3-way_switches_position_2.svg",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiway_switching#Traveler_system_2"
]
] | |
66t02c | why must i sneeze uncontrollably every spring? what haven't we figured out about curing allergies? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/66t02c/eli5_why_must_i_sneeze_uncontrollably_every/ | {
"a_id": [
"dgl12ty",
"dgl1nmh"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Insufficient information: We haven't figured out what causes allergies in the first place.\n\nAdditional variables: Human beings keep putting things into food, water, and air that might cause new allergies or worsen already-... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
czv6im | why are extra fingers surgically removed? | Obviously having six fingers is not the norm, but isn't it possible that the extra finger could be useful? Or at the very least, not get in the way enough to justify surgery? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/czv6im/eli5_why_are_extra_fingers_surgically_removed/ | {
"a_id": [
"ez283ff",
"ez2varj",
"ez6lp3n"
],
"score": [
16,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"When it’s polydactyly on the little finger side usually it’s not a full finger and isn’t fully functional. \nWhen it’s an extra middle or ring finger they don’t necessarily remove it because those will... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
ql7ad | why a show like the colbert report gets a 11:30 to 12 timeslot, and maintains it despite it's popularity, but doesn't move to an earlier, viewer friendly timeslot. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ql7ad/why_a_show_like_the_colbert_report_gets_a_1130_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3ygcik",
"c3ygnf7",
"c3yilqk"
],
"score": [
4,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"I'm speculating that there are three reasons:\n\n1. The target audience are teens and young adults who tend to stay up late.\n2. It is rerun the next day at 2 or 3pm, I can't remember which.\n3. A lot o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
eym49o | why can't we make a marriage system in which you just go to a lawyer and make a contract between two people? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eym49o/eli5_why_cant_we_make_a_marriage_system_in_which/ | {
"a_id": [
"fgi05fx",
"fgi069b",
"fgi0yv3",
"fgi2twk"
],
"score": [
7,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Most countries want to know if people are married, as that is important for tax purposes and other legal issues. So you have to do paperwork with the government to show that you ar... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common-law_marriage"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
6sabe5 | how do trains/airlines/etc decide the age to stop letting children on for free? wouldn't you be able to lie about their age? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6sabe5/eli5_how_do_trainsairlinesetc_decide_the_age_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"dlb8f69",
"dlb980v"
],
"score": [
7,
5
],
"text": [
" > How do trains/airlines/etc decide the age to stop letting children on for free?\n\nIt is a marketing decision where the marketing department guesses what ages would be enough incentive to gather business they might other... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
62gk5t | the holocene extinction | I know this was posted a year ago, but I was more wondering about solutions, beyond the obvious? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/62gk5t/eli5_the_holocene_extinction/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfmnh48"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Not sure what you consider obvious so here's a list of stuff that can help stop the Holocene mass extinction event:\n\n-Stop poaching and bring in good hunting management systems all over the world to get a handle on the bushmeat crisis\n\n-Elimi... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3e50ry | w-2 forms | I've been doing these things for years and every time when I have to, I forget what to do.
What does withholding mean and what does putting a 1 or 0 next to it mean? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3e50ry/eli5_w2_forms/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctbq7vp"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"I hope that what you're doing is a W-4. A W-2 is the form sent by the employer to you each January, and needs to be prepared by someone with some expertise - often a bookkeeper. The W-2 goes to you to tell you what you made.\n\nThe W-4 is what ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5x1yvm | why do shows like the daily show and full frontal take a commercial break just before the end of the programme, only to end the show seconds later? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5x1yvm/eli5_why_do_shows_like_the_daily_show_and_full/ | {
"a_id": [
"deem3xh"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Viewers tend to change the channel once their favorite show is over. By aligning the commercial in this way, they might sit through the ads to catch the end of their show and then get \"hooked\" by the next show that starts immediately afterward.... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
byqtyw | what's the difference between embryonic stem cells and embryonic stem-like cells? | I recently came across the term "embryonic stem-like cells" that I've never heard of before. To my understanding, and its more of a guess actually, they're cells that have been manipulated (like through SCNT) to have the same characteristics as naturally occurring embryonic stem cells.
I've been trying to find a goo... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/byqtyw/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_embryonic_stem/ | {
"a_id": [
"eqnjdgt"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Embryonic stem-like cells (also known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs) are cells that have been reprogrammed from other cell types to have characteristics similar to those of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). About a decade ago, researcher... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4tdbae | the spratly islands dispute. how can multiple countries claim these islands? | Thank you! | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4tdbae/eli5_the_spratly_islands_dispute_how_can_multiple/ | {
"a_id": [
"d5giklg"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Countries frequently disagree on where their borders lie. They're only formally set in treaties (which can often be ambiguous too - it's surprising how often people forget that rivers can move). And then maybe you sign a treaty 50 years later t... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/9_dotted_line.png",
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Ph_Territorial_Map.png"
]
] | |
1kddy5 | why graphite does not work the same way as graphene | why are the properties different? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1kddy5/eli5_why_graphite_does_not_work_the_same_way_as/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbo2lm6"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Graphene is a single sheet of atoms. Graphite is a bunch of these sheets put together. \n\nKind of like a bunch of sheets of paper stacked on top of one another, but bunched up and they can peel off at any point. Graphene is just a single sheet.\... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1w8r2f | how do riot police/military/authorities justify going against popular protests? | Say for example the popular protest in Ukraine. How do riot police justify going against such popular protests? I'd assume it's along the lines of "I'm just doing my job".
Or for example the Kent State Massacre when Ohio Army National Guard soldiers opened fire on student protesters?
EDIT: Maybe an explanation on th... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1w8r2f/eli5_how_do_riot_policemilitaryauthorities/ | {
"a_id": [
"cezpit6",
"cezpvlf"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"\"I'm doing my job. I will get paid today. I have the government on my side. If I stop, my family will not have a place to live. If I stop, I will never have a job again.\"\n\nMorality is a little harder to apply when you're... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
90o5rg | why do bugs always try to fly into your mouth and eyes? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/90o5rg/eli5_why_do_bugs_always_try_to_fly_into_your/ | {
"a_id": [
"e2rvyw3"
],
"score": [
10
],
"text": [
"At least where I come from (Australia) it’s normally flys seeking moisture in the arid areas - trick is wear a dark shirt and work hard enough so that your back is sweaty and then they’ll land on your back instead of in your eyes or mouth or at ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2v5lw6 | exactly what is popping and sizzling when i microwave stuff? | You hear it all the time when you microwave, pretty much, anything. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2v5lw6/eli5_exactly_what_is_popping_and_sizzling_when_i/ | {
"a_id": [
"coeofwr",
"coephxf",
"coepwug"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"It's water vaporizing and creating bubbles that pop.",
"Water flashing to steam working it's way through cold grease. Only water is heated by the microwave",
"Microwaves heat water. When you pu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
8ydgq6 | how does beer become cold from the keg to the tap? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8ydgq6/eli5_how_does_beer_become_cold_from_the_keg_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"e2a09ds"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"The place I used to work for had long refrigerators that you put the kegs in while attached to the tap. So the beer kegs were cold to begin with."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1i05cq | why don't most politicians attempt or focus on getting the votes of young people? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1i05cq/eli5_why_dont_most_politicians_attempt_or_focus/ | {
"a_id": [
"caznlhj",
"caznly3",
"cazo2h0",
"cazpwz3",
"cazurvs"
],
"score": [
16,
5,
2,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Because young people tend not to vote at all. If one candidates strategy is to appeal to those demographics that reliably vote (the elderly) and another's i... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
5dnero | why is it that when you're very sleep deprived, and you decide to catch up on sleep and you nap for 12+ hours, that you feel even worse and more groggy than before? shouldn't lots of sleep fix that? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5dnero/eli5_why_is_it_that_when_youre_very_sleep/ | {
"a_id": [
"da5vgz6",
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"da5zjvl",
"da5zuvm",
"da614wl",
"da61j0l",
"da6207e",
"da668yz",
"da6an0m",
"da6is1k",
"da6m2sx",
"da6qvjs",
"da6tmv7"
],
"score": [
399,
27,
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.quora.com/Why-are-people-tired-after-over-sleeping",
"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/how-come-i-feel-more-tire_b_428928.html",
"http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/physical-side-effects-oversleeping#1",
"https://www.wired.com/2014/07/wh... | ||
8g89hz | how do you properly warm up an engine? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8g89hz/eli5_how_do_you_properly_warm_up_an_engine/ | {
"a_id": [
"dy9jw8m",
"dy9k1xm"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"The way I understand it is that most engine wear happens while the engine is cold. So by driving it (without high rpms until properly warmed) it will reach operating temp faster. ",
"There is more or less 2 phases to war... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2rv8bs | why are different actors credited in different ways during the credits of tv shows? for example, "starring actor a, actor b, actor c, featuring actor d and actor e, with actor f and actor g, guest starring actor h" | The only one I really get is "guest starring", but what's the difference between "starring", "featuring", and "with"? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rv8bs/eli5_why_are_different_actors_credited_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnjk736",
"cnjkp9s",
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"cnjo131",
"cnjuuzn",
"cnk24nd"
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"score": [
6,
82,
15,
3,
10,
7,
6
],
"text": [
"Billing order, even though everyone can be a main regular character, that doesn't mean that they get paid the s... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WGA_screenwriting_credit_system"
],
[]
] | |
3mzf2u | why do stocks that will never pay dividends have any value? | EDIT: There may be a bit of confusion on this question. I understand that the price of a stock goes and you can sell it for more than you bought it for based on people's projections about the companies future performance.
However, this doesn't answer why there is value in the first place. Pretty much every other asse... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mzf2u/eli5_why_do_stocks_that_will_never_pay_dividends/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvjfll9",
"cvjg42n",
"cvjic09",
"cvjiwdb",
"cvjjl4m",
"cvjlqjp",
"cvjoxwq",
"cvjpjod"
],
"score": [
26,
7,
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2,
2,
5,
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"text": [
"There are, generally, four ways for a shareholder to extract value from a company:\n\n1. T... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
16wirb | why it's so easy for me to get distracted/fall asleep when i have to study or clean, but when i'm doing anything else, i am much more focused and energetic. | My work ethic is declining little by little... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/16wirb/eli5_why_its_so_easy_for_me_to_get_distractedfall/ | {
"a_id": [
"c800inq",
"c803tby",
"c805ogr"
],
"score": [
8,
38,
3
],
"text": [
"Because you don't want to study or clean and thus are more apt to stop doing it to do something else. ",
"Imagine that you assign an imaginary, unconscious value to everything you could be doing. ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique"
],
[
"http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/do-it-now.htm"
]
] | |
34ioff | how does fire and explosions work in space? | I got no answers on /r/askscience ([_URL_0_](_URL_0_)) so I thought I could try here.
Can/will air from a damaged pressurized spaceship form a cloud of oxygen that can be ignited and burn separated from the ship or will the vacuum disperse the air? Or will it cool the air until the flame goes out?
How does the force ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34ioff/eli5_how_does_fire_and_explosions_work_in_space/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqv0ett",
"cqv0f77"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"No, the vacuum dispearses all of the air in a second. The fire can't burn fast enough, in fact if you had a fire inside the space(ship,station), you open the airlock and everything goes cold.\n\nThe only way to have a fire i... | [] | [
"http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/349kel/how_does_fire_and_explosions_work_in_space/"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
26lsed | green screening in older movies | I recently watched Mary Poppins, and the idea came mind of how they did green screening back then. I know that now it is all done on a computer, but what about before computers really took over? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26lsed/eli5green_screening_in_older_movies/ | {
"a_id": [
"chs8335"
],
"score": [
13
],
"text": [
"It was an [incredibly time-consuming process](_URL_0_).\n\n1. Get a sheet of glass. Paint it with a layer of black paint, followed by a layer of white paint.\n\n2. Project one frame of the already-recorded film onto the glass, and have the back... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matte_%28filmmaking%29#Bi-pack_process"
]
] | |
2cbflp | why are businesses in america based on only growth, and just not sustaining itself? | I've always wondered why businesses are judged by growth, they always report that if they make $20 mil in one year, with $15 mil the next as a $5 mil loss. Why does it always have to be growth, and not keep itself self sufficient. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cbflp/eli5_why_are_businesses_in_america_based_on_only/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjdsm09",
"cjdsn1p"
],
"score": [
7,
2
],
"text": [
"The most basic reason is that companies need to grow to keep up with inflation. Businesses costs go up every year. Employees want raises, gas prices constantly increase, and customers want more bang for their buck. If the ra... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4vcaxd | is voting for the green party or other really "throwing [my] vote away"? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4vcaxd/eli5_is_voting_for_the_green_party_or_other/ | {
"a_id": [
"d5x6yif",
"d5x79oo",
"d5x7a52",
"d5x7q9v",
"d5x7rfd"
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"score": [
2,
11,
4,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Short answer: NO. \n\nIf you have voted with a clear conscience, and feel sound of mind, soul and heart after leaving the voting booth, then hell no!\n\nDon'... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
9806se | why do chicks hatch? are they all curious or angry or otherwise instinctively inclined? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9806se/eli5_why_do_chicks_hatch_are_they_all_curious_or/ | {
"a_id": [
"e4cbewi",
"e4czvjv"
],
"score": [
10,
2
],
"text": [
"They hatch because their instinct tell them to break through the shell. Also, if they didn't, they'd grow too big for the shell and just break through it anyway.",
"Just like people developing as babies know when they'r... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
416kc5 | why is it that the lottery has reached a records high this year and the year before that ect. it it purely by chance or are there other factors involved? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/416kc5/eli5_why_is_it_that_the_lottery_has_reached_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cz0112y"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"The organizers of the lottery have changed the [odds of winning a few times](_URL_0_) (most recently rising from 1 in 175 million to 1 in 292 million) and since the top prize grows when there's no winner the odds increases mean the pot can get mu... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-winning-the-powerball-jackpot-is-harder-than-ever-1452870607"
]
] | ||
2z8ajs | is there any sort of evolutionary advantage to our heads/necks being shaped such that we require a pillow to sleep comfortably? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2z8ajs/eli5_is_there_any_sort_of_evolutionary_advantage/ | {
"a_id": [
"cpgk0fc"
],
"score": [
12
],
"text": [
"We don't require a pillow. You can sleep on a flat hard surface with no pillows at all. Comfort we have now is a modern invention."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3s4f7m | why was and, to a certain extent, is chinese porcelain so popular? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3s4f7m/eli5_why_was_and_to_a_certain_extent_is_chinese/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwtyxmw",
"cwtz26r"
],
"score": [
10,
4
],
"text": [
"For centuries the best porcelain in the world was made in China, due to their advanced technology (at the time). Fine Chinese porcelain (or \"fine china\" for short) was lighter, thinner, more delicate and flawless than oth... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1p0ca4 | what's happening with senator mike duffy in canada? will we have a new prime minister soon? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p0ca4/eli5_whats_happening_with_senator_mike_duffy_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccxfp3j",
"ccxjrf2",
"ccxofn6",
"ccxqjgm"
],
"score": [
2,
14,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"He may or may not be suspended from his Senate seat. We don't know yet. The chance that this will result in a new general election somehow is very, very slight. That would require... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-lies-about-coalition-details-broadbent-1.753734"
]
] | ||
73z0is | why does such an important feature as a planes transponder not work like the planes flight data recorder and be much harder to turn off and have it's own backup power supply? | I understand the FDR can be removed from the planes power supply by removing the circuit breaker, but it will then use it's own local power supply. Why does the transponder seem have a less strict "up time" policy applied to it by it being able to be turned off and having no localised power supply? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/73z0is/eli5why_does_such_an_important_feature_as_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dnu83oe"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Because the transponder isn't as critical to the operation of an airplane.\n\nThe main purpose of a transponder is to make it easier for air traffic control to tell which airplane is which, and to relay altitude information. If the transponder f... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
575gph | what is freedom of speech? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/575gph/eli5_what_is_freedom_of_speech/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8p40zv",
"d8p4m38"
],
"score": [
3,
9
],
"text": [
" > •Isn't it wrong to preach to evil?\n\nI think it is, but the problem is that not everyone agrees on what \"evil\" means. For 200 years in the US, the majority of people thought sex between men is evil, but now a huge chu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
4fozrl | what exactly is america still doing in the middle-east? | I really haven't done the proper research for this but as far as I know, ever since september 11th we had our war on "terror" then we went to Iraq and now syria.
I thought when Obama was elected that he would bring out troops back but really, nothing has changed except the U.S. Is just casually at war now.
What am I ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fozrl/eli5_what_exactly_is_america_still_doing_in_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2apl7c",
"d2b0km6"
],
"score": [
5,
4
],
"text": [
"The Middle East is a particularly interesting part of the world in that you have very militant political and religious interests, many of whom don't like each other at all. It also has incredible strategic advantage due to ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
b3113k | changing eye color | How do people change the color of their eyes? Not the whites, but the pupils. And not colored contacts. Like those videos where they suck out the color of their pupils with needles and then inject another color inside? What the heck??? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b3113k/eli5_changing_eye_color/ | {
"a_id": [
"eiwdjk6",
"eiwevbu"
],
"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"The pupil is the black hole that lets light into your eye, it's always black.\n\nThe iris is the colored membrane that controls how much light goes into the eye. Some sort of dye could be applied to it, or to the gap betwee... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4g1wfv | what happens to time when a body of mass actually reaches the speed of light? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4g1wfv/eli5_what_happens_to_time_when_a_body_of_mass/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2dxab6",
"d2dxe8m"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"You can't accelerate a mass to the speed of light since the energy required to do so approaches infinity.\n\nSo your question doesn't make physical sense.",
"Current physics excludes any \"massive\" object of ever actual... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1et57z | uk politics | I have a hard time following news across the ocean in many instances because I can't figure out all of the major political parties as well as how the system even works. I know it's much more traditional than some other systems but thats about it.
Thanks! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1et57z/eli5_uk_politics/ | {
"a_id": [
"ca3kzr0"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"It's a bit of a vague question, but I'll have a go. \nParliament is basically our Congress, and we have MP's (Members of Parliament) who represent the counties within the UK, they are voted for a minimum of every 5 years or sooner, if the Prime M... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
ux1ai | application programming interface (api) | It seems like the Google/Oracle debacle is mostly about copyrighting APIs. I've looked into them and can't seem to wrap my head around what an API really is or does. Can anyone sum them up like I'm 5? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ux1ai/eli5_application_programming_interface_api/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4zbugz",
"c4ze60w",
"c4zessi",
"c4zjjxv"
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"score": [
2,
2,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"API basically refers to a way to use some software. As opposed to a User Interface which is to be used by end users, the API is used by other programmers writing some program that ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
b7lt3f | how do spacecraft and satellites not get struck by meteors and other debris? | I watched Apollo 13 tonight and I noticed Tom Hanks saying something about being struck by a meteor when they had to use the lunar module as their ride home. It got me thinking: how do spacecraft not get destroyed by big rocks and stuff? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b7lt3f/eli5_how_do_spacecraft_and_satellites_not_get/ | {
"a_id": [
"ejsm0we",
"ejsnja9",
"ejthi4q"
],
"score": [
16,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Little bit of math (for known objects) and a whole lot of luck (for everything else).\n\nAlso, space is VERY big. For example, we tend to think of the asteroid belt as this great big collection of rock... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
y6i7o | for all your california voters, what are the consequences of proposition 32 (the paycheck protection initiative)? | I am a teacher and have been told by my union to vote No on Prop 32, but from my research, it would seem like Prop 32 might be good since it would lessen the effect of special interest groups from having political clout. Am I missing something here? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/y6i7o/eli5_for_all_your_california_voters_what_are_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5ss6kf"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Proposition 32 will make it illegal for a corporation or union to use payroll deductions for political purposes, for a corporation to make donations to a politician who offers them contracts, and for a corporation or union to donate to the campai... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4mptkt | why do gymnasts run with their arms straight for vaults and other things? | [Examples here](_URL_1_) and [here](_URL_0_), I'm sure I could find other if necessary.
It seems to me that they would want to run as fast as possible, so shouldn't they use technique similar to sprinters? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4mptkt/eli5_why_do_gymnasts_run_with_their_arms_straight/ | {
"a_id": [
"d3xhrok"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"Mainly aesthetic reasons I believe. Gymnasts never run more than a few paces into tumble sequences, and the power mainly comes from the lower body so I doubt running with bent arms would make any difference. The sequences nearly always start with... | [] | [
"https://youtu.be/8UZBM1wgfRA?t=12",
"https://youtu.be/IUVLSIZV_0U?t=30"
] | [
[]
] | |
21h3r6 | i flip a coin three times and get heads three times. how is the chance of getting heads a fourth time 50%, while the chance of getting four heads in a row is 6.25%? | Is this necessarily a contradiction? I am not very experienced in this area of probability. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/21h3r6/eli5_i_flip_a_coin_three_times_and_get_heads/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgcyujk",
"cgcyxrc",
"cgcz81r"
],
"score": [
5,
34,
3
],
"text": [
"The chance of getting heads a fourth time is 50% because the results of the previous flips has no meaning -- those flips are independent of your fourth flip. \n\nThe chance of getting heads four times ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5xmr8t | what is the point in giving high ranking nazi's like eichmann or himmler trials, when they are going to be found guilty no matter what? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5xmr8t/eli5_what_is_the_point_in_giving_high_ranking/ | {
"a_id": [
"dej9g9d",
"dej9p42",
"dej9z9h",
"dejb6np",
"dejcapv"
],
"score": [
13,
12,
6,
2,
6
],
"text": [
"It's more about showing the world all their crimes, as well as giving formal closure to their victims and victims families. \n\nAlso, no matter how severe y... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1n002t | does "knockout gas" actually exist? what's the fastest way to put someone down using gases? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1n002t/eli5_does_knockout_gas_actually_exist_whats_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cce69kk",
"cce6tig"
],
"score": [
17,
3
],
"text": [
"Well it does, but the difference in dosage to to get 'knockout' rather than 'dead' are *way* *way* too close to ever consider using in a police action or some other hectic scene even if we ignore any other concerns like cos... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_theater_hostage_crisis"
]
] | ||
m1675 | i get why they are upset, but what do the occupy wallstreet protesters want done about it? | Unfair, yadda yadda, but do they just want the government to repossess and redistribute other peoples property? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/m1675/i_get_why_they_are_upset_but_what_do_the_occupy/ | {
"a_id": [
"c2xa5fr",
"c2xcsvs",
"c2xa5fr",
"c2xcsvs"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"There's really no one defined goal. Different people want different things, i think what the protesters have in common is that they tend to be somewhat left-leaning politically and... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
23mnkb | why there aren't any caffeinated versions of lemon-lime soft drinks (sprite, 7up, sierra mist, etc.)? | It seems like there are caffeinated/caffeine free versions of all other soft drinks EXCEPT lemon-lime ones. Anyone have a reason/guess why that is? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23mnkb/eli5_why_there_arent_any_caffeinated_versions_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgyhcme",
"cgyogti"
],
"score": [
8,
8
],
"text": [
"Try Mountain Dew",
"I'm surprised no one has mentioned this so far:\n\nThe explanation makes more sense the other way around. That is, why do cola drinks contain caffeine? The reason is that kola nuts, which were the ori... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
76x0ex | why does the english language have so many weird inconsistencies? | Like 'i before e except after c (except in scientists)' and 'Reed, Read, Read and Red'. I'm sure the language is really hard to learn for these reasons, so why did this sort of thing develop? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/76x0ex/eli5_why_does_the_english_language_have_so_many/ | {
"a_id": [
"dohbk0v",
"dohbkji",
"dohbrqb",
"dohd5em",
"doheadi"
],
"score": [
2,
3,
2,
2,
15
],
"text": [
"I’m not a linguist, but English borrows word roots from many different languages including German, Latin, Greek, etc. Many words have rich histories and etym... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
bux1c6 | what’s the difference between “wearing a costume” and “cosplay”? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bux1c6/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_wearing_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"epiw5tv",
"epiwgsv"
],
"score": [
6,
4
],
"text": [
"Adam Savage puts it in a really good way in his book; \n [_URL_0_](_URL_0_) \n\n & #x200B;\n\nIn short, costumes are things you wear, it's you.\n\nCosplay is becoming a character, playing a role, adding your spin to the cos... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXbXNV9-ZAg"
],
[]
] | ||
84eacd | what is spectrum access/a spectrum access policy? | I’ve been reading about it all morning and I still don’t understand it at all. I’d appreciate any help. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/84eacd/eli5_what_is_spectrum_accessa_spectrum_access/ | {
"a_id": [
"dvovtna"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Radio waves can be used to transmit data. This is used in a lot of technologies: FM/AM radio, cellphone communication, TV broadcasts, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, satellite communication, ... \n\nAll this communication often uses a dedicated \"channel\"... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2ikuwk | what is turbulence? and how do airplane pilots sometimes know when they are about to hit turbulence? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ikuwk/eli5_what_is_turbulence_and_how_do_airplane/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl30341",
"cl30441",
"cl3082v",
"cl3131h",
"cl39bl4",
"cl3b78f",
"cl3fj3e"
],
"score": [
33,
4,
2,
126,
2,
2,
15
],
"text": [
"Turbulence happens whenever you encounter differences in air density during flight. Differences in temperature... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/12010/air-turbulence-causes-vna-plane-to-drop-for-122m-one-slightly-injured"
],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sA9Kato1CxA"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
6m9qwh | how do you make a movie from scratch? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6m9qwh/eli5_how_do_you_make_a_movie_from_scratch/ | {
"a_id": [
"djzy4qp"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Get a camera. Have someone hold it. That's the cameraman. \n\nGet some people to do stuff in front of the camera. Those are actors. \n\nGet something for them to say, like on paper. The person who makes that is the writer or script-writer if they... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
bfk6o7 | in a church setting, do older people still call young priests "father," and do younger priests call older people "my son" etc.? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bfk6o7/eli5_in_a_church_setting_do_older_people_still/ | {
"a_id": [
"elebg1t",
"elecgsi",
"elecxwv",
"eled8id"
],
"score": [
4,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"I think it's a Catholic thing. In Baptist and other churches, we might say Pastor Smith or Reverend Jones. An elder of the church might be referred to as Brother Don or Sister Sus... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] |
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