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5lljm1
why do we salivate and gulp when we are nervous or put on the spot?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5lljm1/eli5_why_do_we_salivate_and_gulp_when_we_are/
{ "a_id": [ "dbwohcg", "dbwxgbr", "dbxhrn1" ], "score": [ 20, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "When you're in fight or flight response and your sympathetic nervous system is activated. Activation of the sympathetic nervous system actually shuts down saliva production, digestion and other rest an...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5suj10
power usage by smartphones is progressively growing, but battery capacity stays relatively same. why?
To clarify the question: we've seen impressive changes in their processing power, display size and resolution. However, there's little to no development of battery cell capacity. Why is that? *Edit*: Thanks everyone for the answers!
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5suj10/eli5_power_usage_by_smartphones_is_progressively/
{ "a_id": [ "ddhwalz", "ddhwfke", "ddiexzb", "ddj0ok7" ], "score": [ 15, 4, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Circuits in the phone follow Moore's Law (transistors double every ~18 months). The more transistors a phone has, the more power it uses. Moore's law says that number keeps incr...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
23q1qy
how to solve inequalities in algebra.
Could someone explain to me the procedure for solving inequalities? Here's a sample problem: 640 - x > 2x + 40
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/23q1qy/eli5_how_to_solve_inequalities_in_algebra/
{ "a_id": [ "cgzfzj6", "cgzfzmc" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "640 - x > 2x + 40 \n\n600 > 3x \n\n200 > x \n\nSimply add and subtract like terms. ", "Start by rearranging like you would accross an \"=\"\n\n640-40 > 2x + x\n\nSimplify:\n\n600 > 3x\n\nReduce\n\n200 > x\n\...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
7t1c7s
how does one prove that data (such as text messages) recovered forensically is actually the data it is purported to be?
Specifically, when data is "recovered" forensically (which I understand) how does an individual (or group) present that data to someone and remove any doubt that the "data" wasn't just planted, made up, or otherwise fabricated to serve whatever purpose they need it to serve? What mechanism is in place to say, for examp...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7t1c7s/eli5_how_does_one_prove_that_data_such_as_text/
{ "a_id": [ "dt9450q", "dt94t85" ], "score": [ 6, 4 ], "text": [ "Like all evidence, any recovered electronics would follow a chain of custody - a legal document which records the sequence of custody of the piece of evidence. So long as the chain of custody is intact and the people on the...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
a3bovj
what does the 'soap opera viewing' setting look like and why does it exist if evryone hates it?
I was scrolling through the comments on a post about some TVs today. The bulk of the comments seem to have been made by Americans and ALL OF THEM were complaining how bad this setting was and they all hated it. However where I am from we don't have this setting or anything like it so I am curious to say the least! I've...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a3bovj/eli5_what_does_the_soap_opera_viewing_setting/
{ "a_id": [ "eb4u00l" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "It gives movement a weird look because the tvs processor makes up missing frames in the video. Movies and some shows are shot 24fps and a lot of tvs try to air 30fps. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4vwjpk
the current economic downturn in the middle east.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4vwjpk/eli5_the_current_economic_downturn_in_the_middle/
{ "a_id": [ "d621kdd" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Countries in the middle east tend to be dependent upon revenue from a single resource to power their economy - either oil or tourism. Because they are so simple, economies like that are strongly tied to the resource they are dependent on. When ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7xnvu3
what kind of molecules are in everyday objects?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7xnvu3/eli5_what_kind_of_molecules_are_in_everyday/
{ "a_id": [ "du9ro3s", "du9t4vg" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "molecules aren't in everyday object. they ARE everyday objects. the air you breathe is made up of nitrogen molecules, oxygen molecules, co2 molecules. the water you drink, the food you eat, the chair you sit on, t...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6toizc
what's the difference between shoe types?
I know that there are sneakers and trainers, but what is the difference? And how do I tell which shoes are which?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6toizc/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_shoe_types/
{ "a_id": [ "dlm8zh8" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "There a many levels of classification. If you're looking for more \"high-level\" classifications then:\n\nDress Shoes (e.g. Blucher, Balmoral, Oxford)\n\nLoafers (e.g. penny loafer, camp moc, boat shoe)\n\nBoots (e.g. Work Boot, Chukka, Chelsea)...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3rl4zc
what are current active research areas in mathematics? and what are their eli5 explanations?
EDIT: Thank you all for the great responses. I learned a lot!
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3rl4zc/eli5_what_are_current_active_research_areas_in/
{ "a_id": [ "cwp2zfb", "cwp34u7", "cwp3eil", "cwp3xib", "cwp422d", "cwp44dr", "cwp4csd", "cwp4j2u", "cwp4j7h", "cwp4o2y", "cwp4v0a", "cwp6844", "cwp6xet", "cwp71p1", "cwp8tmc", "cwpb7u4", "cwpit7r", "cwptokh" ], "score": [ 333, 122, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Prize_Problems" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3lmnzc/eli5_mathematicians_of_reddit_what_is_happening/cv7xfd6", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topological_modular_forms", "https://en....
3av4mh
what does the correlation coefficient really mean?
Let's say two variables have a correlation coefficient. Let us say that this is 0.6, in sciency numerical terms. What does this mean, really? That it applies in 60% of cases? Or that if you predict the dependent variable based on the independent variable, it could vary by some factor involving that 60? Or that you wo...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3av4mh/eli5_what_does_the_correlation_coefficient_really/
{ "a_id": [ "csg8qp9" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "If the correlation coefficient is 1.0, then the two variables move together in lock step. If one variable changes by a given amount, the other variable changes in direct proportion.\n\nIf the correlation coefficient is 0.0, then the two variables...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9h4vem
how do we not run out of 'desert'?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9h4vem/eli5_how_do_we_not_run_out_of_desert/
{ "a_id": [ "e693ay5", "e693dly", "e695fp9" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Sand blows away exposing more rock. New rock is blasted by more sand at high winds and crumbles it into smaller pieces until they eventually turn into sand.", "Where's it gonna go? It's gonna blow a...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamada#/media/File:La_hamada_noire_du_Tademayt_1890.jpg" ] ]
5um0wn
why do americans hate paying taxes so much?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5um0wn/eli5_why_do_americans_hate_paying_taxes_so_much/
{ "a_id": [ "ddv0ggp", "ddv0is4", "ddv29rg" ], "score": [ 4, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Because people don't care where taxes go or what they do. They care that their bank numbers are going down.", "Firstly, you mean IRS. Understandable since you aren't American. American culture is de...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
ek0izj
why do you have to pay for .com domain names? where did those websites get them from in the first place?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ek0izj/eli5_why_do_you_have_to_pay_for_com_domain_names/
{ "a_id": [ "fd425uv", "fd42d0s" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "There is some upkeep required in owning a domain name, so part of the fee goes to support that.\n\nBut most importantly, the price needs to be high enough that people can't just buy millions of domain names to sit on them fo...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
f6e2or
temperature changing the taste of water
If it’s just too much or too little heat, why does it taste so different? Also, why does hot water taste bad? We need water to survive, but hot water tastes so bad I’d rather stay thirsty than drink it
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f6e2or/eli5_temperature_changing_the_taste_of_water/
{ "a_id": [ "fi45t2z", "fi48y3r", "fi49dnx" ], "score": [ 2, 18, 21 ], "text": [ "Oxygen makes water taste better, and the hotter the water is, the less oxygen that the water contains", "1. Cold water is generally an acquired taste and deviating from that can feel odd \n\n2. Co...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3bsg4b
president obama's plan to allow workers who make less than ~$50k/year on salary to qualify for overtime.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3bsg4b/eli5_president_obamas_plan_to_allow_workers_who/
{ "a_id": [ "cspca01" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Most Americans who are employed by a company are paid in one of two ways. Either you are paid a set rate for each power of work or you are paid a salary per year.\n\nIf you are paid by the hour, then working more hours will earn you more money. T...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7eyynl
how does nano technology work and can we get objects, such as tiny cameras, into little creations that can fly?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7eyynl/eli5_how_does_nano_technology_work_and_can_we_get/
{ "a_id": [ "dq8dt5g" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Asking that is like asking “how does normal sized tech work”. Nano is just a prefix used here to describe the general size of an object.\n\nThe reason it’s considered special “nanotechnology” is that it’s hard to create these objects and it’s har...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9hm5px
how does a thumbprint sensor on a mobile device work, and why does it have to be recalibrated every once in a while?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9hm5px/eli5_how_does_a_thumbprint_sensor_on_a_mobile/
{ "a_id": [ "e6d2es3" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Most fingerprint scanner are made of capacitive touch sensors, just like the ones on most touch screens. The simple explanation is that it's a bunch of capacitors, which are devices that can store small amounts of electrical charge. The capacito...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
6gmg9s
why do people stick a 'sold' sticker on a previously 'for sale' house's billboard?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6gmg9s/eli5why_do_people_stick_a_sold_sticker_on_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dirdee3", "dirdw2p" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Because it's still an advertisement for the real estate agency, and it shows results. You see a \"sold\" sign and people can see that the agency is doing its job. ", "As other people said it is advertisement for the real...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2mi79l
why does it take longer for an iphone to charge from a dead state to a percentage to turn back on than the same percentage charge takes when the phone is not dead?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mi79l/eli5_why_does_it_take_longer_for_an_iphone_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cm4h18x" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The percentage is a little bit arbitrary. The percentage is determined from the voltage, which is not linearly related. So someone had to actually decide how it would relate. Surely they did a lot of work to ensure that it's close but it's but go...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
ejun37
how does the sky appear red in australia right now?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ejun37/eli5_how_does_the_sky_appear_red_in_australia/
{ "a_id": [ "fd1h2gz" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "Thick smoke lit from below by massive fires, and filtering the sunlight in the same way lots of atmosphere does (which is why sunsets are red)." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
10xsxy
what are banned books and why are we celebrating them?
I'm assuming they're not literally banned, so what's the deal here?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/10xsxy/eli5_what_are_banned_books_and_why_are_we/
{ "a_id": [ "c6hknw3", "c6hkr9r" ], "score": [ 4, 3 ], "text": [ "No, many of them *are literally banned* in certain parts of the world. We celebrate them because people have a right to know and there are many institutions and governments in the world that try and suppress forms of thinkin...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_banned_by_governments" ], [] ]
3nzpko
how can cable send hundreds of hd channels at the same time but my internet is slow?
Basically, the cable coming into our house gives us access to hundreds of HD channels (that's a lot of data)
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3nzpko/eli5_how_can_cable_send_hundreds_of_hd_channels/
{ "a_id": [ "cvsnn9m", "cvsnu66", "cvso74b", "cvuauzo" ], "score": [ 27, 28, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Cable TV sends all these channels to every subscriber at the same time. When you're on the Internet, the cables have to send different data to every single subscriber. ", "It...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
34xslh
comcast.
I've never used Comcast myself, but I see lots of stuff that tells me it is a terrible company with bad business practices. I'm curious as to what keeps the business going if they're doing these things? How does it not effect their number of users? I've heard about random hundreds of dollars being added to bills, hor...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34xslh/eli5_comcast/
{ "a_id": [ "cqz1ekz", "cqz1gga", "cqz1jlm" ], "score": [ 6, 3, 5 ], "text": [ "In most cases it's because Comcast has exclusive agreements with local governments, so the choices come down to them or nobody for many people, or at best them or slow DSL for Internet.", "Cable ser...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2dhnh4
when you work out/do cardio do you burn the same amount of calories when you first start off compared to when you are conditioned if you do the same workout?
When you first start a work out you are less conditioned, so it seems hard at first. But once you get adjusted after a little while it seems easier and you have more endurance, but does that mean you are burning less calories?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dhnh4/eli5_when_you_work_outdo_cardio_do_you_burn_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cjpn4gi" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Yes, as you get more in shape, your body becomes more efficient at exercise, and you burn less calories. This effect is mediated by the fact that more in shape people can exercise at a higher intesity rate, usually more than enough to compensate ...
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[]
[ [] ]
5j8h7c
the "iron peak" in nuclear reactions
I can grasp the difference between fusion and fission and the conditions to trigger them, I just can't understand why heavier elements behave inversely to lighter elements when it comes to binding energies. Put simply, what is different about heavy elements that makes their binding energy inverse?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5j8h7c/eli5_the_iron_peak_in_nuclear_reactions/
{ "a_id": [ "dbe5lsb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The force holding protons and neutrons together in atomic nuclei is called the [nuclear force](_URL_0_), and is a a part of the strong force, but has a very limited range, so for large nuclei begins to weaken. On the other hand, you have the elec...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_force" ] ]
6badaj
why do people get sore throat when they keep eating chocolate?
i have tonsillitis and whenever i eat lots of chocolate, i will get sore throat. why is that so?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6badaj/eli5_why_do_people_get_sore_throat_when_they_keep/
{ "a_id": [ "dhlb22t" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The sugar in chocolate candy dehydrates you, and that makes your throat burn. Oddly enough, hard candies made with pectin and sugar will coat the throat, and can soothe sore throats. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2f401v
please explain to me preference utilitarianism as a belief system/religion?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2f401v/eli5please_explain_to_me_preference/
{ "a_id": [ "ck5p660" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Utilitarianism is a system of belief based on making and doing things that have use. Utilitarianistic design has less flair and more practicality.\n\nBy extension, Preference Utilitarianism is a system where morals are defined based on how things...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
28dnfc
how does a phone vibrate?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28dnfc/eli5_how_does_a_phone_vibrate/
{ "a_id": [ "ci9w9zd", "ci9x7oy", "ciakf9a" ], "score": [ 41, 177, 2 ], "text": [ "A motor spins a weight around quickly.", "An unbalanced weight, called a counterweight is mounted on the end of the shaft of a small high speed electric motor inside the phone.\n\nWhen the motor ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Motors/step5/Vibrating-Motors/" ], [] ]
21ogl7
since light is flying about in all directions from all surfaces, how come don't just see a blurred mix of all the light entering our eyes?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/21ogl7/eli5_since_light_is_flying_about_in_all/
{ "a_id": [ "cgf0eyr", "cgf22hq", "cgf29n0", "cgf447b" ], "score": [ 40, 4, 8, 3 ], "text": [ "This is what the lens of our eyes does. It focuses light from one direction into our eyes, and doesn't allow light from other directions to enter.", "It's not the pupil of you...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://i.imgur.com/j2adi2D.jpg" ], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjHJ7FmV0M4" ] ]
4778k3
how do we know how fast the sea level rose 2000 years ago?
According to [this article](_URL_0_) the sea levels are rising faster than they have in 2800 years, how do we know how fast the sea was rising in 800 B.C.? I could see how they might be able to figure out what the sea levels were at that time, but how they get how fast it rose is confusing me. Edit: To clarify I am no...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4778k3/eli5_how_do_we_know_how_fast_the_sea_level_rose/
{ "a_id": [ "d0asd2k" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Here is the blog of one of the scientists in the study. _URL_0_\n\nOn the second page, you'll see they talk about drill cores of coastal sediments, and here is an article talking about how that is done: _URL_1_\n\nThe new paper uses statistical ...
[]
[ "https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/02/22/seas-are-now-rising-faster-than-they-have-in-2800-years-scientists-say/" ]
[ [ "http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2016/02/millennia-of-sea-level-change/", "http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2011/06/2000-years-of-sea-level/" ] ]
c9yswh
why does fog in a forest look brighter than the actual forest itself even though there is no light source anywhere near it?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c9yswh/eli5_why_does_fog_in_a_forest_look_brighter_than/
{ "a_id": [ "et4fl7a", "et4y2mi" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "The fog is white, while the forest is colored. Anything white on a colored background looks brighter than the background, because white reflects more light than any other color.", "Anytime you see something is because it...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
9iapsz
how does marijuana/other drugs give you a uppy feeling and or make you see things?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9iapsz/eli5_how_does_marijuanaother_drugs_give_you_a/
{ "a_id": [ "e6i5ofm" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "All drugs function by binding to other molecules or cellular structures. The ones that produce mind-altering effects are binding to molecules and cellular structures in the brain that regulate our emotions and perceptions. This changes how active...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4ara85
is it safe for people to live in places like hiroshima and chernobyl now?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ara85/eli5_is_it_safe_for_people_to_live_in_places_like/
{ "a_id": [ "d12v0iu", "d12v7mx", "d12vaei", "d12vazg", "d12w5hb" ], "score": [ 2, 4, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Hiroshima is perfectly safe to live in.\n\nChenrobyl is not safe to live in. People can enter most of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone without much danger if they...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima" ], [], [], [] ]
1v64q9
would a baby look different if the parents were young when it was conceived, rather than old?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1v64q9/eli5_would_a_baby_look_different_if_the_parents/
{ "a_id": [ "cep3fga", "cep3xwc", "cep6abu" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "This is the idea of [Lamarckism](_URL_0_), which was a popular theory for evolution prior to and contemporary with Darwinism. Larmckism basically says that characteristics aquired by parents in their li...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamarckism" ], [], [] ]
5x4xhe
will a more obese person burn more calories with the same daily activity as a thinner person strictly because of the amount of effort necessary to keep up?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5x4xhe/eli5_will_a_more_obese_person_burn_more_calories/
{ "a_id": [ "def8n2s", "def8rvd", "defdtrp", "defhnmn", "defjf2o", "defo54v", "defop95", "defoye3", "defsmzr", "deftvas", "defumou", "defv2hu", "defv6fd", "defv9xh" ], "score": [ 252, 212, 70, 7, 184, 39, 7, 15, 5, 4, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.livestrong.com/article/300582-do-fat-people-burn-more-calories/" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
a9bjek
if light is mass-less, what is keeping it from having an infinite velocity?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a9bjek/eli5_if_light_is_massless_what_is_keeping_it_from/
{ "a_id": [ "eci05lf", "eci32ky", "eci992h", "ecibrxz", "ecionru", "ecj080e" ], "score": [ 1514, 95, 8, 6, 14, 5 ], "text": [ "This is *exactly* the line of thinking which started Einstein on the path to relativity. His solution was to posit that the speed o...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://phys.org/news/2014-05-does-light-experience-time.html" ], [], [], [], [] ]
78mvq7
how are property lines decided and recorded for residential purchases?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/78mvq7/eli5_how_are_property_lines_decided_and_recorded/
{ "a_id": [ "dov1ofe" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Property lines are drawn when the area is first developed. If the area was first developed in modern times, it would have been split up into individual parcels and each parcel's lines would have been drawn quite precisely. If it was first devel...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
32vjgv
how to blind people write?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32vjgv/eli5how_to_blind_people_write/
{ "a_id": [ "cqf0xcb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Braille typewriters. [Here](_URL_0_) is a video describing how they work. That guy answers lots of questions about the blind btw, worth watching." ] }
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj51UuxwjaE" ] ]
3tzv99
why do people appeal to the public about climate change and not campaigns for companies to change?
I've been thinking about his because of that day YouTube is having currently. My main idea is that companies the own the factories are much more easily shifted than individual people. They can be shifted by laws for example. But people won't change when they know that it makes an insignificant impact because not many ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3tzv99/eli5_why_do_people_appeal_to_the_public_about/
{ "a_id": [ "cxamp42" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ " > Companies can be shifted by laws for example\n\nand the people who pass the laws that regulate the companies are elected by the public. People appeal to the public on climate change issues because they are the relevant actors in any debate ab...
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[]
[ [] ]
34el7h
what are the financial dynamics that allow pacquiao/mayweather to make 100 mil for one fight, when the highest paid players in the most popular sport (nfl) take home 20 mil for the whole season?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34el7h/eli5_what_are_the_financial_dynamics_that_allow/
{ "a_id": [ "cqugcve", "cqugjt8", "cqujqfw", "cqul27w", "cqunhpa", "cqunj6w", "cquotyg", "cquqh2c", "cquqjw1", "cquqr0p", "cqurrsl", "cqutzuc", "cquyb1f", "cquzg3k", "cqtvef6", "cqtvfr2", "cqtvryn", "cqtwlpb", "cqtwznw", "cqtxffu", "c...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://sporteology.com/top-10-popular-sports-world/" ], [], [],...
3mg3gy
why do we awww everytime we see a baby animal, regardless if its a dog, cat, snake or even moose?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mg3gy/eli5why_do_we_awww_everytime_we_see_a_baby_animal/
{ "a_id": [ "cvenxh4", "cveo08t" ], "score": [ 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Mammal evolution. U.S. Mammals are not born ready to survive, babies are cute so that their parents feel more attached and don't abandon them.", "\"...even moose.\" Wtf is that supposed to imply? Shitting on the glorious...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2mvvnq
why is ocean life profoundly more diverse than freshwater life?
Specifically, how do fish and species alike, become so diverse with amazing ranges of colors and functions?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mvvnq/eli5why_is_ocean_life_profoundly_more_diverse/
{ "a_id": [ "cm81ao6" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The oceans are much larger, with much more variable conditions.\n\nFreshwater life is generally restricted to shallow depths, relatively stable temperatures, and small size.\n\nOceans are huge and have all sorts of conditions:. Pressures can vary...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
fnfzrk
why does a high ratio differential mean higher torque?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fnfzrk/eli5_why_does_a_high_ratio_differential_mean/
{ "a_id": [ "fl9ceoj" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Basically when you short gear you’re losing potential top end speed for that boost off the line \n\nYou go through the gears faster with the same amount of power. \n\nThink of it this way if you have a 0-100 of say 8 seconds, with a potential (n...
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[]
[ [] ]
3ajbqv
we keep hearing about how america "allegedly" goes to war for oil. if that is true, how does it work? they can't just drill for oil and transport it across the globe without anyone noticing!
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ajbqv/eli5_we_keep_hearing_about_how_america_allegedly/
{ "a_id": [ "csd4vpa", "csd4x2e", "csd52wy", "csd5cg0", "csd5d1x" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 3, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Why do you think no one has to notice? It isn't done in secret. Companies like Shell and Exxon got contracts to work on Iraqi oil fields after the invasion.",...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War", "https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Gulf_War" ], [] ]
6eefdz
how can east-timor (timor-leste) use the us dollar as its official currency, despite having no ties to the us?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6eefdz/eli5_how_can_easttimor_timorleste_use_the_us/
{ "a_id": [ "di9nb2b", "di9oilz", "di9ua1h", "di9yx51" ], "score": [ 92, 20, 10, 3 ], "text": [ "The simplest part of this is that the government will accept payment of taxes in US dollars. That will usually be enough to get people using whatever the government takes for ta...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
16osae
could someone please explain some of the most common reddit abbreviations?
Like OP, for example. TIL I found out by myself.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/16osae/eli5_could_someone_please_explain_some_of_the/
{ "a_id": [ "c7xxi68", "c7xxz5b", "c7xyh4x", "c7xyjrw", "c7y0w9g" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 3, 2, 8 ], "text": [ "OP - original poster (the person who made the thread)\n\nOC - original content (not copied from tumblr, 4chan, 9gag, any news source, etc)\n\nDAE - does anyon...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.urbandictionary.com/" ], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law", "http://www.reddit.com/r/ShitRedditSays/", "http://www.reddit.com/r/earthporn+villageporn+cityporn+spaceporn+waterporn+abandonedporn+animalporn+humanporn+botanicalporn+adrenalineporn+destructionpo...
8dznlp
question about energy and space.
Where originally did the potential energy that makes everything revolve around the center of the universe come from? Because the enrgy that makes us turn must have come from somewhere. Every scientist i've asked has just told me that there are many theorys but none of them care to elaborate on it.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8dznlp/eli5question_about_energy_and_space/
{ "a_id": [ "dxr7jc7", "dxr9ri5" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Literally, no one knows. The Big Bang was the release of a stunningly large amount of energy which condensed into all the matter and energy we see in the universe today—indeed, it created the universe we now live in—but we d...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
9o6gcz
how can a bunch of text characters crash a ps4?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9o6gcz/eli5_how_can_a_bunch_of_text_characters_crash_a/
{ "a_id": [ "e7rrmgw" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Crashes typically happen when a program is caused to enter a state which is unexpected by the programmers, resulting in incorrect behavior such as infinite loops or the attempt to execute instructions which cannot be performed.\n\nIn the case of ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
sf1lw
capitalism and socialism; and pros and cons of both.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/sf1lw/eli5_capitalism_and_socialism_and_pros_and_cons/
{ "a_id": [ "c4diqnj" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Capitalism: a system of buying and selling things (goods and also services) where the price of everything is determined by the people or companies that are making or doing it. The companies have to make sure their prices are low enough so people ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7gbnmq
why is religion still so big in a hyper-informed world?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7gbnmq/eli5_why_is_religion_still_so_big_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dqhxm7d", "dqhym6b", "dqhys4u", "dqhyujx" ], "score": [ 10, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "The world is not hyper informed. Information is easily accessible, but this also makes *mis*information easily accessible. Basically, you can find a community of thousands that ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "https://arstechnica.com/science/2013/08/new-meta-analysis-checks-the-correlation-between-intelligence-and-faith/" ] ]
61an43
how does a satellites stay positioned on a geostationary orbital target that is not on the equator?
If a satellite maintaining a geostationary orbit on the equator stays on that spot above the earth, how does a communication satellite, say serving Norway, maintain its position?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/61an43/eli5_how_does_a_satellites_stay_positioned_on_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dfd0z25", "dfd1bxk", "dfd86ud" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Geostationary orbits are only above the equator. Geosynchronous orbits are at the same distance but not necessarily in the plane of the equator.\n\nCommunications satellites are not necessarily geostati...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
7dhuv7
how can people like ajit pai, who is trying to reverse the regulations that the fcc exists to create, come into power as the chairman of such an organization?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7dhuv7/eli5_how_can_people_like_ajit_pai_who_is_trying/
{ "a_id": [ "dpy16i4" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The President nominates someone. The Senate confirms them (or doesn't). That's pretty much the extent of it, although I suppose that if the FBI background check failed, that would also end the process.\n\nTrump nominated a radio talk show host ...
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[]
[ [] ]
2e2s6d
why is it that soccer players seem to get injured so often and for such long durations yet "rougher" sports like rugby seem to have less injuries?
Edit: Would just like to clarify that I was asking about actual injuries, not "faked" injuries players often use to get free kicks and penalties. Players like Robben, Pato and Walcott seem to spend the majority of their time healing Edit2: How you know the Americans have woken up _URL_0_
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2e2s6d/eli5_why_is_it_that_soccer_players_seem_to_get/
{ "a_id": [ "cjvhfwn", "cjvhzll", "cjvixlj", "cjvj0jk", "cjvj17s", "cjvj4fd", "cjvj865", "cjvj9jd", "cjvjbcf", "cjvjc2e", "cjvjdyw", "cjvjeek", "cjvjodv", "cjvjqb3", "cjvjs0j", "cjvjycw", "cjvk4b7", "cjvk753", "cjvkc05", "cjvkc1g", "c...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/2BTuEGI.png" ]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [ "http://i.imgur.com/rpMrs5A.jpg" ], [], [], [ "https://busycowboy.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/david-busst.jpg" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], ...
18xdxf
why are we still using gas powered vehicles
Seems like we have enough brain power to do away with gas and it's high prices. And the fact it's not great for the earth.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18xdxf/why_are_we_still_using_gas_powered_vehicles/
{ "a_id": [ "c8ityti" ], "score": [ 23 ], "text": [ "Cause they're awesome.\n\nIn order to do work, you need energy. Energy isn't a *thing,* but rather a property of matter. Some matter has lots of energy stored in it, other matter has only a little … some matter actually has none at all, and can'...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
13nksq
how can countries that are geographically close and have the same language family , develop vastly different languages?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/13nksq/how_can_countries_that_are_geographically_close/
{ "a_id": [ "c75hxlj" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "Mass transportation and communication are relatively new inventions. For most of history, people lived and died without travelling more than 10 miles form their homes.\n\nAdd in a geographical feature, like a big river or a mountain range, and t...
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[]
[ [] ]
1pw99h
why do some people consider obama a communist/socialist/hitler, and what exact powers does he have?
I know this is very controversial, but try to keep answers unbiased, please. I've seen countless "Like if you think Obama is worse than Hitler" posts on Facebook, and I've overheard people stating he's some sort of socialist or communist. I'm confused as to why people think that. I haven't been politically aware for a...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pw99h/eli5_why_do_some_people_consider_obama_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cd6ovkc", "cd6pqnu", "cd6sg2n", "cd6teid", "cd6tq34" ], "score": [ 10, 14, 6, 11, 8 ], "text": [ "The President is always a scapegoat for all of our problems, because people want to blame someone because it makes them feel better. Then, people love exag...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
3qycc8
did every culture have a breakfast/lunch/dinner before the world was connected?
E.g. did Japan have breakfast/lunch and dinner separately and so did Great Britain before countries started trading?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qycc8/eli5_did_every_culture_have_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cwjcj37", "cwjcoqj" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Anthropologists have found that breakfast is a universal common denominator. You literally *HAVE* to have a first meal of the day. Almost as common is the *last* meal of the day. Sometimes this coincides with breakfast, but ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
6dlret
why are newspapers so big? wouldn't halving the size and doubling the pages be approximately the same cost?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6dlret/eli5_why_are_newspapers_so_big_wouldnt_halving/
{ "a_id": [ "di3n7ju", "di3no8j", "di3noei", "di3szzz" ], "score": [ 10, 12, 12, 5 ], "text": [ "Even if it was, it's easier to read a larger font. \n\nEspecially in this day and age you have to make something big that catches people's attention or they ignore it. ", "I...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadsheet#History" ], [], [] ]
7jdq35
what makes jazz music sound 'jazzy'?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7jdq35/eli5_what_makes_jazz_music_sound_jazzy/
{ "a_id": [ "dr5j4i7", "dr5jwtr", "dr5klxh", "dr5ttjj" ], "score": [ 5, 29, 7, 4 ], "text": [ "Often jazz musicians add extended harmonies to chords, such as 7ths, 9ths, and 13ths. Basic chords are comprised of a root note, a third that makes it major or minor, and the perf...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfibwW-bQos" ], [] ]
515376
why do some optical illusions show on camera while others do not?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/515376/eli5_why_do_some_optical_illusions_show_on_camera/
{ "a_id": [ "d79c33j", "d79da1d", "d79fm26" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Well, there are illusions that occur entirely in the eye, like the grey dot illusion. \n\nHeat haze however isn't so much an illusion as the hot air moving and so distorting the light, so it can be capt...
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[]
[ [], [ "https://www.slrlounge.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/5540769474_9fea9c71e4_b-800x534.jpg" ], [] ]
fhwks6
how exactly does physical exercise make our immune system stronger?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fhwks6/eli5_how_exactly_does_physical_exercise_make_our/
{ "a_id": [ "fkdpwpa", "fkdt18h", "fkduh7k" ], "score": [ 16, 5, 12 ], "text": [ "Basically, stronger is stronger. No one part of the body improves without dragging the rest along with it. Run alot and your legs get stronger, but so does your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Als...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
ci7at1
does dyslexia only effect reading and writing, or visual input in general? either way, how?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ci7at1/eli5_does_dyslexia_only_effect_reading_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ev23850", "ev24hoe", "ev5davr" ], "score": [ 4, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "Sort of, your brain interprets the image wrong to fit what it thinks is a better match something you may already know, you see the interpretation not the actual , so new words and images can be confus...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/article.htm#what_causes_dyslexia", "https://www.readingrockets.org/article/dyslexia-and-brain-what-does-current-research-tell-us" ], [] ]
ky0wn
why are other primates considered as non-human, and not as an indigenous tribe of humanity?
This question is not an affront to indigenous tribes, rather, it just got to me that if most primates can utilize tools and go in groups, why are they considered as non-human primates? What consitutes a genetic cousin, ignoring skin covered with hair (which a number of humans has anyway). And what constitutes a human t...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ky0wn/eli5_why_are_other_primates_considered_as/
{ "a_id": [ "c2o5yov", "c2o60ny", "c2o5yov", "c2o60ny" ], "score": [ 4, 8, 4, 8 ], "text": [ "They are a different species genetically. You could not successfully have a child with an orangutan.", "Some people have defined a *species* as a a group of organisms that natu...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
4y0u0k
what are these terms as simple as possible, and how do they interact? -computer -server -database -network -router -modem -wifi -packets
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4y0u0k/eli5_what_are_these_terms_as_simple_as_possible/
{ "a_id": [ "d6jzlx7", "d6k35vn", "d6k39hv", "d6k3eyp" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Computer: box that does some stuff. Usually stuff that only exists inside the computer. It's kinda like it's OEM entity that can interact with other computers and people.\n\nServer...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "amazon.com" ], [] ]
dsjtfy
how do large area wlan networks work?
For example the WLAN in a Uni or in a convention center. Are there like 50 routers with the same Login data? How does your phone know to switch to a different WLAN source?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dsjtfy/eli5_how_do_large_area_wlan_networks_work/
{ "a_id": [ "f6prozf" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "exactly like you suggested.\n\nThere are a lot of Access Points (not routers) that broadcast the same network (ESSID), with the same security settings.\n\nEvery Access Point has a unique ID (BSSID), which a client also sees.\n\nSo your PC or phon...
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[ [] ]
6gsnmr
why do some animals like hummingbird want to have such high metabolism?
Wouldn't it be disadvantageous for them having to search for food almost constantly or they'll die of starvation within hours.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6gsnmr/eli5_why_do_some_animals_like_hummingbird_want_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dissc8o" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Hummingbirds have to have a super high metabolism because they beat their wings so fast, and they have to beat their wings so fast because they have to hover to get the nectar inside flowers that bloom on stems that won't support their weight. A...
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[]
[ [] ]
c771jq
how does the nba salary cap work?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c771jq/eli5_how_does_the_nba_salary_cap_work/
{ "a_id": [ "esdzywh" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Simple answer. Each team is allotted 107 million dollars to fill 13 roster spots. This, in theory, encourages parity and avoids the pitfalls the MLB has with teams like the Yankees and dodgers, who can simply buy whatever players they want due to...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
b1k5ll
sex ed not being taught in some schools while it is taught in others
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b1k5ll/eli5_sex_ed_not_being_taught_in_some_schools/
{ "a_id": [ "eim92z5", "eim9kb8", "eimaaww" ], "score": [ 4, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Public school curriculum in the U.S. has traditionally been decided at a very local level. There may be some things that the state or even federal government mandates, but for the most part every school...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
bg0n7f
why do some forms of pain, like stretching a sore back or picking a scab, feel so incredibly satisfying ("hurts so good")?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bg0n7f/eli5_why_do_some_forms_of_pain_like_stretching_a/
{ "a_id": [ "elho42q", "elhu30m" ], "score": [ 16, 8 ], "text": [ "I don't think there's a simple, single explanation to all of the situations you're asking about, but in regards to stretching a sore muscle, your movement pushes your body to the pain threshold, which draws your attention t...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
xrmmw
why bills like sopa and acta keep coming back when they seem to get beat by a large margin every time they're voted upon.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/xrmmw/eli5_why_bills_like_sopa_and_acta_keep_coming/
{ "a_id": [ "c5oyvp1", "c5oywh3", "c5p1qje", "c5p5mpo" ], "score": [ 9, 3, 3, 4 ], "text": [ "Because there's very powerful moneyed interests which want them to pass, and they lose little by trying. It worked in the past on many occasions. ", "Because the huge corpora...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
313cp2
how do the self check out scanners at the library work?
After scanning your library card, you put your stack of books on the scanner and it just knows what they are. you can put a stack of like three books or whatever, one on top of the other, how does it know?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/313cp2/eli5_how_do_the_self_check_out_scanners_at_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cpy351o" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "**R**adio **F**requency **ID**entification (RFID) tags.\n\nThese are cheap microchips (often in sticker form) that can respond to a radio frequency signal requesting information. In most cases, the chips are powered by the wireless signal itself,...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3zni8w
is it just luck or some other reason why germs that spread easily aren't nearly as deadly as harder to contract germs (like aid's or rabies or the like).
The Flu spreads like wildfire but generally isn't deadly, yet rabies and AID's have very specific ways of spreading, and don't "randomly" or "easily" spread among a population and both are extremely deadly, much more so than the cold or flu. Is there a reason for this? Why hasn't some super virus killed us all?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zni8w/eli5_is_it_just_luck_or_some_other_reason_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cynjm86", "cynjuil", "cynk2h2" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "You're comparing different things. Virus, germs, bacteria etc are all different things. Aids is a virus that is spread in a specific manner. Do those things and it is terrible easy to get. Rabies is als...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
b51xcj
why ads like mcdonald's aren't considered misleading advertising, despite the fact that the product showed isn't even something like the offered product?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b51xcj/eli5_why_ads_like_mcdonalds_arent_considered/
{ "a_id": [ "ejalyy3", "ejaou5i", "ejarp66" ], "score": [ 11, 9, 2 ], "text": [ "The product shown is the optimal, best case scenario version of the food they make. All of the food you see in a McDonald’s commercial is actual McDonald’s food cooked in an actual McDonald’s Kitchen. ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
352bjc
why do race for life only allow women to enter? aren't they losing out on thousands of potential donations?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/352bjc/eli5_why_do_race_for_life_only_allow_women_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cr0akpm" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's likely that because of it being a woman only event, more women are likely to feel comfortable about competing since they're on a more equal playing field (men tend to be larger, have more muscles, and thus more likely to win), and also becau...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
6ko5ic
what does it mean that new jersey & maine government has 'shut down'?
Is it a big deal? What are the implications/how are people affected?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ko5ic/eli5_what_does_it_mean_that_new_jersey_maine/
{ "a_id": [ "djnhvkw", "djnkc1n", "djnosdw" ], "score": [ 7, 17, 4 ], "text": [ "The New Jersey government is shut down. All non-essential services are not going to be provided until the budget problem is fixed. There are still essential services (police, prisons, ...), but other...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2wto6x
why is the body so dehydrated after a full body deep tissue massage?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2wto6x/eli5_why_is_the_body_so_dehydrated_after_a_full/
{ "a_id": [ "cou0ptl" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "I don't think it's necessarily dehydrated. They tell you to drink lots of water because the act of massaging the muscles releases lactic acid. The water intake helps to flush this out of the muscle tissue because otherwise it will cause you to ...
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38end0
can insects really make a home for themselves inside a human's ear canal?
I saw this video and was wondering if this really is possible? [NSFL] _URL_0_ Or is this just a hoax?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/38end0/eli5_can_insects_really_make_a_home_for/
{ "a_id": [ "crugi1j", "crujo9e" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes. Yes they can. There are also blowfish which can lay eggs in your eye and then grow maggots inside your eyesocket. There are also 3 foot long nematode worms which can get into your feet, grow into your leg, and then spen...
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[ "http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b97_1432926848" ]
[ [], [] ]
1p72s8
why does the internet not come together and rally for a 4th party candidate for the next us presidential elections?
ELI5: why does the internet not come together and rally for a 4th party candidate for the next US Presidential elections
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p72s8/eli5_why_does_the_internet_not_come_together_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cczdx52", "cczdxrf" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "Well a 3rd party candidate would be good for a start. But the problem is that the way US elections are set up, voting for a third party candidate tends to work against your own interests. Imagine this:\n\n* There are 2 mai...
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27gxs1
if the dosages on otc medicine are for the average person, how dangerous would it be to increase the dosage slightly?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/27gxs1/eli5_if_the_dosages_on_otc_medicine_are_for_the/
{ "a_id": [ "ci0olmg", "ci0qvlr" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "For legal reasons I don't think anyone here can safely give you medical advice. You should probably just ask your doctor/pharmacist.", "_URL_0_\n\nDr. Cox, answering all your questions!" ] }
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[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlzEJ-GdQfY" ] ]
29r209
how does a pulse width modulated digital to analog converter work?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29r209/eli5_how_does_a_pulse_width_modulated_digital_to/
{ "a_id": [ "cinqm5y" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The converter produces a pulse train at a fixed frequency, but with a variable ratio of on to off time. It is easy to manipulate the on/off ratio digitally, with good precision. Now consider the average value of the pulse train.\n 100% ON f...
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3v25ut
how does the map app on my ipod (which has no cell phone function) track my course when it is not connected to wifi? it accurately tracks down to a few meters.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3v25ut/eli5how_does_the_map_app_on_my_ipod_which_has_no/
{ "a_id": [ "cxjnq0i", "cxjobbp" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "iPods are integrated with Google Maps and use nearby wireless signals to locate themselves. You don't have to connect to a wifi network for the iPod to identify it and use the signal to find it's location.", "The magic b...
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[ [], [ "http://www.ghacks.net/2014/10/29/add-_nomap-to-your-routers-ssid-to-have-it-ignored-by-google-and-mozilla/" ] ]
65tgfj
why do you see individual pixels in small droplets of water on an led screen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/65tgfj/eli5_why_do_you_see_individual_pixels_in_small/
{ "a_id": [ "dgd3ok2" ], "score": [ 6 ], "text": [ "The droplets form a kind of lens which magnifies the screen under them, showing the colored segments which make up the pixels of the screen." ] }
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aleudh
why does it feel so damn weird to walk after running on a treadmill
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aleudh/eli5_why_does_it_feel_so_damn_weird_to_walk_after/
{ "a_id": [ "efdhumi", "efdksg7" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "Your muscles are used slightly differently on a treadmill vs running on solid ground. This is caused by the moving belt, you aren't propelling yourself forward in the same way compared to running on the ground. \n\nIt may al...
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2e0st5
how did people more than a thousand years ago handle epidemics?
Medicine and knowledge wasn't all that advance way back then. With that, shouldn't epidemics wipe out a vast majority of life a thousand years? So how were the diseases stopped? How did people deal with epidemics?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2e0st5/eli5_how_did_people_more_than_a_thousand_years/
{ "a_id": [ "cjuy9ab" ], "score": [ 9 ], "text": [ "They died. The black plague wiped out something like a third of Europe. Even 100 years ago, the Spanish flu killed more people than combat did in World War One" ] }
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3o29wx
why our bodies can recover from common cold and then forget how to next year?
Also, why don't we get stuck in a loop of infecting ourselves over and over during the sickness. Do we get some kind of temporary resistance? what makes it go away?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3o29wx/eli5why_our_bodies_can_recover_from_common_cold/
{ "a_id": [ "cvtdreg", "cvtebbf", "cvtej3c" ], "score": [ 5, 4, 5 ], "text": [ "The common cold is not one disease. It's *hundreds* of different diseases. Once you're over a cold, you're now immune to that specific strain of the virus, but you can still be infected by a different...
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3p14hb
the current situation with the kepler space telescope and what it might have found.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3p14hb/eli5_the_current_situation_with_the_kepler_space/
{ "a_id": [ "cw29azk" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "With regard to the star KIC 8462852, it's important because while it is over 1,400 light years away, it has been the focus of astronomers because Kepler had been watching it for planets. It does this by measuring the flux (how much the intensity...
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9mkyau
the keto diet and how it is different from actually starving
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9mkyau/eli5_the_keto_diet_and_how_it_is_different_from/
{ "a_id": [ "e7fegau", "e7fgtbo" ], "score": [ 14, 4 ], "text": [ "Starving you don't eat. Keto you eat a higher percentage of fat and a lower percentage of carbs to change the way your body produces energy. You have a caloric deficit usually, but the higher fat foods make you feel more fu...
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5t99ee
- health insurance companies have grown exponentially over the past 15 years and post record profits year after year - why do premiums and out of pocket expenses keep rising?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5t99ee/eli5_health_insurance_companies_have_grown/
{ "a_id": [ "ddl2v0t" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "1) Hydraulic despotism. Our country runs medicine as a business, and so it allows capitalist businessmen the power of life or death. If you let someone have control over a resource people need in order to live (like medical care) they can charg...
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4agu36
the transition from greek gods to their roman counterpart?
Did the Romans and Greeks develop their beliefs at the same time? And why they were so similar.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4agu36/eli5_the_transition_from_greek_gods_to_their/
{ "a_id": [ "d109bvc" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The Greek pantheon emerged first as Greece developed earlier.\n\nRome though did have a sort of animalistic, spiritualist religion. Very observant of family and household gods, and the spirits that dwelt all around them in almost anything and hey...
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2f8hsb
why do we get paid by the hour/salary instead of getting paid for how much work you get done?
Would a system where you get paid for how much you help a company work better or worse than the current system where people get paid for their time on the clock?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2f8hsb/eli5_why_do_we_get_paid_by_the_hoursalary_instead/
{ "a_id": [ "ck6vqsh", "ck6vs6e", "ck6vsff", "ck6vucr", "ck6vwv1" ], "score": [ 3, 5, 7, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "For lack of better words, there are people with no skills that still need to feed their families ", "Some places do that. It's called working for commissi...
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d5w8ik
is water infinite?
I know technically it isnt infinite- but from earths perspective, could we ever truly Consume every last drop of water? Wont rain just keep refilling the lakes/oceans/etc?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d5w8ik/eli5_is_water_infinite/
{ "a_id": [ "f0obpif", "f0op679", "f0oxbm3" ], "score": [ 24, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Water is a constant, rather than being infinite. Through normal use, the amount of water on earth stays constant over time; it just relocates, or gets turned into ice, or vapour. \n\nThe only exception...
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2ycouk
why is "pounds" shortened "lbs"?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ycouk/eli5_why_is_pounds_shortened_lbs/
{ "a_id": [ "cp89smh", "cp89t8r", "cp8dzo9", "cp8eane", "cp8f7d2", "cp8g26l" ], "score": [ 17, 1586, 16, 4, 17, 2 ], "text": [ "Lb is short for the Latin Libra, meaning scales.", "\"Lb is an abbreviation of the Latin word libra. The primary meaning of li...
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[ [], [ "http://mentalfloss.com/article/52058/why-are-%E2%80%9Cpound%E2%80%9D-and-%E2%80%9Counce%E2%80%9D-abbreviated-%E2%80%9Clb%E2%80%9D-and-%E2%80%9Coz%E2%80%9D" ], [], [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/13uh66/why_is_the_weight_unit_pounds_abbreviated_lbs/", "https://...
2lpbve
if i do something illegal that becomes legal the next day, am i still guilty of the crime? why or why not?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lpbve/eli5_if_i_do_something_illegal_that_becomes_legal/
{ "a_id": [ "clwvich", "clwvv7t", "clwvwj8", "clwy4rq", "clwzc2h", "clx3oed" ], "score": [ 21, 2, 7, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes. \n\nPeople in jail for marijuana posession etc are still in jail in the states that legalized it.", "You're still charged with...
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7ouff3
engine oil ratings
I know there are different standards to which engine oil is rated for gas, diesel, motorcycle/atv and I am wondering about effects of using let's say a car oil in a motorcycle or vice versa.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ouff3/eli5_engine_oil_ratings/
{ "a_id": [ "dscf59n" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "This question has many answers. I can answer the car/motorcycle one with authority: motorcycles use wet clutches (engine oil lubricates the clutch). Most modern car oils have friction modifiers which decrease friction between parts. If you used o...
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fy5k3k
the effect of regular exercise on bone health.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fy5k3k/eli5_the_effect_of_regular_exercise_on_bone_health/
{ "a_id": [ "fmyfl1n" ], "score": [ 8 ], "text": [ "Exercise makes good bones. The best type of exercise for bone health is what's called resistance training, but any exercise that requires you to 'use your bones', essentially, is great. For this reason, a lot of aqua-based exercise isn't optimal ...
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3dgcxp
why do some people who wear costumes paint black around their eyes?
I was just watching a Star Wars Episode VII behind the scenes trailer and noticed that Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) had black makeup all around his eyes, even though he would be wearing the full Chewbacca suit. I remember also seeing this in one of the Jackass movies (where one of the guys dressed up like a gorilla in the ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dgcxp/eli5_why_do_some_people_who_wear_costumes_paint/
{ "a_id": [ "ct4v8f7", "ct4vdxm" ], "score": [ 6, 2 ], "text": [ "The eye holes of the costumes show some of the actor's skin, so it's best to paint the area around the eyes a similar color to prevent any human features from slipping through and breaking immersion.", "The costume doesn...
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1q4esa
in computer networking, what is the difference between a port and a socket?
I've googled this but get mostly very technical explanations and I'm no programmer.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q4esa/eli5_in_computer_networking_what_is_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cd91mgt", "cd950lz", "cd96vjh", "cd9aze4" ], "score": [ 11, 2, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "If your computer were an apartment building, with programs living in the apartments, the address of the building would be your computer's IP address, and the apartment numbers wou...
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[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_sockets" ], [], [] ]
3cf4gk
what happens when you blank-out whilst driving and realise 5 minutes later you haven't paid attention, but also haven't crashed?
This is a really hard thing to ask unless it's happened to you (and I am sure that it has). So you're driving a car. One minute you are paying complete attention to the road/traffic/etc, the next some thought forms in your head, or you just go blank and after getting side-tracked, you suddenly realise that you haven't...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3cf4gk/eli5_what_happens_when_you_blankout_whilst/
{ "a_id": [ "csuwll7", "csuwzyn", "csv624v" ], "score": [ 6, 47, 3 ], "text": [ "Forming new memories requires two mechanisms to work properly and run in sync. Your short term memory has to pay attention to the thing, and your long term memory has to think it's important and file i...
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9fmxnn
how do autoimmune diseases work?
What causes the immune system to differ from that of a healthy person? Relatedly, are autoimmune diseases like the opposite of cancer (overactive vs underactive immune systems)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9fmxnn/eli5_how_do_autoimmune_diseases_work/
{ "a_id": [ "e5xokmq", "e5xr0lk", "e5yqqsd", "e60fhsr" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Autoimmune diseases come in two flavors: “kill everything” and “nah, bro.” We don’t know why it happens, but they’re starting to understand how they work. ", "Your immune syste...
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19p3wm
how is it possible for gopro to capture those video shots where the camera is rotating around the person mid-action?
I was watching [this GoPro video](_URL_0_) of the that "Hero 3" camera the other day and I have no clue how the get some of the shots where a camera pans/rotates around the person while they're doing something, but it doesn't seem to be connected to their body at all? Specifically I'm looking at 1:10-1:14, 1:25-1:27, ...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/19p3wm/how_is_it_possible_for_gopro_to_capture_those/
{ "a_id": [ "c8q1s0x", "c8qbscx" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Looking at the segment as 1:10 I'd say that the camera is mounted on an arm which is connected to the snowboarders helment. Which can rotate freely. Inertia keeps the camera in the same position while the snowboarder spins a...
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[ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3PDXmYoF5U" ]
[ [], [ "http://vimeo.com/50197446" ] ]