q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 3 296 | selftext stringlengths 0 34k | document stringclasses 1
value | subreddit stringclasses 1
value | url stringlengths 4 110 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5oism1 | is there a reason why so many tech companies, game developers, and startups are based in california, compared to other regions? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5oism1/eli5_is_there_a_reason_why_so_many_tech_companies/ | {
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"Many of the companies (going back to 60's) were founded by Stanford professors and students, who hired other Stanford students. The concentration of technology skills fueled new ideas, some of which became new companies. Ot... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
a0rcl4 | if the body can heal from small wounds ( burns, cuts, breaks), why can't it come together to fix bigger wounds (dismeberment)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a0rcl4/eli5_if_the_body_can_heal_from_small_wounds_burns/ | {
"a_id": [
"eajuml4",
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"score": [
13,
2
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"text": [
"For cuts/burns/breaks the cells from the neighbouring undamaged area will heal over to the injured side. When you chop off an entire arm, the neighbouring site (like your armpit) doesn't have the cells/info to code for grow... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
67w19k | intuition of electric flux | Are there any analogies to electric flux, like there is with water and electricity? The math is fine, but I can't really visualize any of it. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/67w19k/eli5_intuition_of_electric_flux/ | {
"a_id": [
"dgtovyr"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Think of electric lines as paths of water coming from a fountain except the top is a ball and sprays water in every direction rather than just up. When you increase the pressure of the water, more water comes out from the fountain per second. So ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
qg1c9 | the safety of flying/airplanes | Hi all, I am hoping someone on here can help me with one of my biggest fears, flight. I have been on multiple multiple planes since I was a child but my fear of them has grown exponentially as I get older for no apparent reason. This fear has gotten so bad that last time I was on a longish flight (5 hours) we went thro... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qg1c9/eli5_the_safety_of_flyingairplanes/ | {
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"text": [
"Following an approach used by several writers,[3][4] one can compare the likelihood of a fatal accident while driving and while flying with a scheduled airline. This is most meaningful for trips in whic... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_safety_in_the_United_States"
],
[],
[
"http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/od5fr/li5_convince_me_that_air_travel_is_safe_based_on/"
]
] | |
4ixt1r | why does urine spiral? is my urethra rifled like a gun? | Title | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ixt1r/eli5_why_does_urine_spiral_is_my_urethra_rifled/ | {
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"d... | [] | [] | [
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"https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/40gzxy/til_the_opening_of_the_male_urethra_the_meatus_is/"
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[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocketdyne_F-1",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin%E2%80%93Helmholtz_ins... | |
7ftabx | why is it as kids, we could eat candy/sweets all day long, but as an adult, i'm done after a single cookie? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7ftabx/eli5_why_is_it_as_kids_we_could_eat_candysweets/ | {
"a_id": [
"dqe9gte",
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],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Yo ho ho! Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained:\n\n1. [ELI5: Why is it when we are younger we like sweeter food and can eat large quantities of them. But as adults we tend to like more fuller and bitt... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/64ge9l/eli5_why_do_kids_like_sugar_so_much_compared_to/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zat4v/eli5_why_as_a_kid_do_we_prefer_sweet_foods_but_as/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ngsnl/eli5_why_is_it_whe... | ||
uvnmm | quasars | What are they?
What is significant about them?
Are they like Black Holes?
What is the nearest quasar to Earth? What does it mean for Earth? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/uvnmm/eli5_quasars/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4yzsr9"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Quasars are currently assumed to be the extremely energetic centers of very very distant galaxies, probably caused by a black hole at the center of each. \n\nI do not know offhand what the closest one is, but since they are very far away, they ar... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5oj8mj | how do cells know when to stop growing on the macroscopic level? | i get how cells replicate etc but what always confuses me is how they know when to stop growing on the macroscopic level. as in, how do they form the 'human' shape on the macroscopic level. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5oj8mj/eli5_how_do_cells_know_when_to_stop_growing_on/ | {
"a_id": [
"dcjpzab"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The processes involved are incredibly complicated, but I'll do my best. \n\nWe start off as just a single fertilised egg. This egg contains different chemicals which are distributed differently in different parts of the egg. As this cell divides ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://i.imgur.com/BlSnGaN.png",
"http://i.imgur.com/4AjoJik.png"
]
] | |
3hr4iw | how does immigration boost an economy? | I know it does (or at least thats what I've been lead to believe) but I never quite understood economics and how it worked.
EDIT: thanks for all the responses! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3hr4iw/eli5_how_does_immigration_boost_an_economy/ | {
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"text": [
"more people, more workers, more labor, more production.\n\ntypically you don't immigrate retirees or orphans.\n\nIn the case of the US, latino immigrants and their offspring are the only thing growing o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4otw6s | why do most dogs move and make noise in their sleep, but most humans don't? | My dog will have vivid dreams multiple times a night - and when he has them, he will make little woofing noises and jerk around. I've seen plenty of dogs do this, but it's pretty rare for a person to do this, unless they have a sleeping disorder or something. Why do dogs not seem to have sleep paralysis as strongly as ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4otw6s/eli5_why_do_most_dogs_move_and_make_noise_in/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"All dogs are different, just like people. My dog looks dead when he sleeps. Sometimes I feel like a jack ass cuz I wake him up to make sure. ",
"According to my other half all... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
ba81tg | why does fruit never have a consistent taste, but yet fruit juice always does? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ba81tg/eli5_why_does_fruit_never_have_a_consistent_taste/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The ingredients are never ‘just oranges’. They always have a preset amount of flavours and sugars they add to m... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
4c5pz2 | snapchat and pics | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4c5pz2/eli5snapchat_and_pics/ | {
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"text": [
"As long as there is no nudity, you are fine. Try to keep it that way, as some < 18 kids (mostly male unfortunately) have been sued for possession and distribution of child porn. ",
"Technically you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
51bgw2 | if i were to shine only a red light at an object that only reflects blue light, would the object appear black? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/51bgw2/eli5_if_i_were_to_shine_only_a_red_light_at_an/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Assuming you find an object which absorbs all light but blue perfectly, then yes the object will appear black initially.\n\nHowever, as the object heats up due to the light it absorbs, it will start emitting radiation.\n",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.photofusion.org/_/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/darkrooms_BG_002.jpg"
]
] | ||
2my2k5 | how do people come up with huge complicated equations?! | So I've been thinking about equations in math and stuff, and I was wondering: How in the world do people come up with stuff like that?!
I'm kinda assuming it's noticing a pattern, like with the Pythagorean theorem, I guess it would be a bit easy to notice a pattern that the sides of a triangle are in relation to the 3... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2my2k5/eli5_how_do_people_come_up_with_huge_complicated/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"So you have to have an idea that there is a relation, like you say. Then you go take a bunch of measurements of the relative factors. In triangles this is \"easy\", in case of mass deficits (e=mc^2) etc this is much harder. But you take your data... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1o31k2 | why did the fur on our bodies dissapear if some humans moved to colder climates? | Did it have something to do with our temperature control system when we were running in our hunter gatherer past? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1o31k2/eli5_why_did_the_fur_on_our_bodies_dissapear_if/ | {
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"text": [
"mine hasn't dissapeared...",
"it probably had something to do with the release of heat from our bodies when we were doing a lot of ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826HMLoiE_o"
],
[],
[]
] | |
58mes2 | how are original soundtracks for movies done? | Is the soundtrack done before the filming, is it done after or what? Often I'd watch an action scene in a movie and the music just fits perfectly - I understand that they cut and edit the already existing tracks, but the track itself often very much fits the tone and tempo of the action scene.
How does a composer kno... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/58mes2/eli5how_are_original_soundtracks_for_movies_done/ | {
"a_id": [
"d91xxpe"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"There are a few ways that it's done.\nThe \"Best\" way for the composer is to be given the script, storyboards, be involved in the production, be able to bounce ideas off of the director, etc. Maybe also during filming the composer can bring in d... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
9s1p8u | why does most processed meat cost less than cheeses? (specifically in european countries) | Isn't it much more difficult to raise an animal and then turn it into processed meat than laying a wheel of cheese into a cave?
Edit: Thank you everyone for the answers! I had no idea that there were that many cheese experts among us. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9s1p8u/eli5_why_does_most_processed_meat_cost_less_than/ | {
"a_id": [
"e8ldnqj"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Most processed meats are made with portions of an animal that likely would be just thrown away. It also has cheap fillers thrown into there which makes them even less expensive.\n\nCheese on the other hand is made with milk, which is not a throw... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2w03d8 | what is the purpose of /r/ and why that letter? | Why does every subreddit adress use /r/ is there any subreddits that don't? Why the letter R is there any other letter in use? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2w03d8/eli5_what_is_the_purpose_of_r_and_why_that_letter/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Reddit *could* have used **_URL_1_ without the **/r/**, but if they did so, there could be a name clash. Imagine if I created a subreddit called \"submit\", then the address would be [_URL_0_](_URL_0_) - but this is obviously bad because such pa... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.reddit.com/submit",
"www.reddit.com/name**"
]
] | |
17rok0 | what is the significance of lagrange point ( l4/l5) | After reading definitions of Lagrange points, I still can't grasp its significance. What happens at those points exactly? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/17rok0/what_is_the_significance_of_lagrange_point_l4l5/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"An object at the Lagrange point will be stationary relative to the two objects with which it was defined.",
"You can park satelites in and around all lagrange points and they will need much less fue... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5wmhp6 | flinging rocks from the moon to the earth | _URL_0_
Brianna Wu's original tweet about this was helpfully screencapped by Dan O'Sullivan and, while it sounds absurd on its face, I honestly want to know whether there's any possible truth to this assertion. Can you fling rocks from the Moon to the earth as though they were weapons of mass destruction? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5wmhp6/eli5_flinging_rocks_from_the_moon_to_the_earth/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Sort of. What she's talking about is essentially a meteor - if you toss a big enough rock from above the earth (or the moon for that matter) toward the earth and it doesn't disintegrate, it will cause a huge impact. It does... | [] | [
"https://twitter.com/Bro_Pair/status/836454561409814529"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1a8lk8 | how were the first video games programmed? | Like on the atari and NES? Were they coded or what? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1a8lk8/eli5_how_were_the_first_video_games_programmed/ | {
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"text": [
"\"Programmed\" and \"coded\" mean the same thing.\n\nOlder video games were written in assembly code, which is only one step above machine code (raw numbers that the CPU can understand).",
"I think ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Atari_Pong_arcade_game_cabinet.jpg",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong"
]
] | |
erh9qa | - what does it feel like to have really severe hypothermia? | I understand the basics of what happens to the human body during hypothermia, but I'm curious as to what it actually feels like to have really bad hypothermia. Working on a scene for my book and I'd like to make sure I get it right.
Thanks! | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/erh9qa/eli5_what_does_it_feel_like_to_have_really_severe/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"I’ve heard from multiple sources that you get EXTREMELY warm when your body gets to a dangerous temperature.\n\nEdit: 100% serious. I heard it from SYSK podcast",
"I have not had extreme hypothermia but I have had hypot... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3h85am | how do you teach a homing pigeon to fly where you want it to go? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3h85am/eli5_how_do_you_teach_a_homing_pigeon_to_fly/ | {
"a_id": [
"cu533e0"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Homing pigeons know where they live, so you take a pigeon from that area and transport it somewhere else. Tie something to it and let it go, the pigeon will go back to where you got it originally."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
6j2dwo | why do a lot of videos from the early 2000s have a yellow tint to them? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6j2dwo/eli5_why_do_a_lot_of_videos_from_the_early_2000s/ | {
"a_id": [
"djaxve3"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"I assume you're referring to home videos. The state of camcorders at the time, while serviceable, was not very good outside of ideal conditions, particularly they had problems in dark rooms. Many people filmed indoors and during the evening at t... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2kwie8 | why do malls start putting up christmas decorations in october even though everybody hates it and it pisses off customers? | Everybody I have ever met hates pre-thanksgiving Christmas decorations. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2kwie8/eli5_why_do_malls_start_putting_up_christmas/ | {
"a_id": [
"clpcl8g"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Because customers don't actually hate it enough to not shop at those stores because of it. If the stores didn't think they made any money from putting out displays earlier and earlier they wouldn't do it."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6c5e97 | how were isp's able to "pocket" the $200 billion grant that was supposed to be dedicated toward fiber cable infrastructure? | I've seen this thread in multiple places across Reddit:
_URL_1_
_URL_2_
I'm usually skeptical of such dramatic claims, but I've only found one contradictory source online, and it's a little dramatic itself: _URL_0_
So my question is: how were ISP's able to receive so much money with zero accountability? Did the gov... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6c5e97/eli5_how_were_isps_able_to_pocket_the_200_billion/ | {
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"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7709556",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ulw67/til_the_usa_paid_200_billion_dollars_to_cable/",
"https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/64y534/us_taxpayers_gave_400_billion_dollars_to_cable/"
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[],
[],
[
"http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/09/20/google-fiber-commits-attorneys-nashville-fight-possible-t-lawsuit/90732006/",
"http://www.zdnet.com/article/at-t-to-google-fiber-suck-it-up-broadband-is-tough-and-get-ready-to-eat-our-dust/",
"https://fiber.googleblog.com/2016/10/ad... | |
97fgpf | how is gerrymandering possible when voting is anonymous? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/97fgpf/eli5_how_is_gerrymandering_possible_when_voting/ | {
"a_id": [
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8
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"text": [
"Voting is anonymous, but voter registration and other demographics are not. You can pull census stats and correlate them with voter rolls and determine that “straight old white people who live in one particular area of town are registered republ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5arw9e | how are minor league teams affiliated with major league teams? | I always hear about a minor league team lets just say the Mud hens for example one year are associated with the Twins, next year the phillies, and two years later the Cubs. I have always thus been confused how minor league teams affiliations can change from year to year. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5arw9e/eli5_how_are_minor_league_teams_affiliated_with/ | {
"a_id": [
"d9isaga"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
"Many minor league baseball teams are owned by people unaffiliated with the major league baseball teams. These are generally teams like the Mudhens who have been around forever with the same name. Major league teams sign contracts with these teams... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
ngzfh | how does healthcare work in england? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ngzfh/how_does_healthcare_work_in_england/ | {
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"score": [
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2,
3,
5,
2,
17,
2,
3,
5,
2
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"text": [
"The government pays for all of it, for everyon... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHS_Direct"
],
[],
[
"http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/it.htm",
"http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/nic.htm"
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"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHS_Direct"
],
[],
[
"http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/it.htm",
"http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/ni... | ||
a10kbd | can someone explain projection? | Psychological projection | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a10kbd/eli5_can_someone_explain_projection/ | {
"a_id": [
"ealvqli"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"I’m not entirely clear what kind of projection you’re asking about, but I’m guessing you mean psychological projection. Psychological projection is the act of interpreting the words or actions of another person in a (usually) negative way that th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
34x4vh | lebanon history from first israel invasion to today. | My dad is Lebanese but i do not speak his language or anything of the like. He fled to sweden and met my mother, so i am more swedish then Lebanese by all means. But! I wanted to know more about the history of lebanon, i've been there a few times but the history is so confusing. There is invasions and occupations inter... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34x4vh/eli5_lebanon_history_from_first_israel_invasion/ | {
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"Lebanon in under the Othman was a refuge for minorities:\n- Sunni (sect of islam)\n- Durz (sect of islam)\n- Shiet (sect of islam) \n- Alwet (sect of islam) \n- Christians (Cathol... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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"https://kickass.to/lebanon-s-civil-war-arabic-term-nator-t10339329.html"
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4fqhzd | what are the conditions of a large company merger? | Just saw an internal email discussing a merger between our company and another, and it seems like no one person nor a small group of individuals can just make this happen by their own power. So who is responsible for approving a merger? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fqhzd/eli5_what_are_the_conditions_of_a_large_company/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2b43qq"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"whatever the two parties, the seller and buyer come up with as terms. attornies representing both parties negotiate the terms. then the responsible parties on both sides approve it. who the responsible party is on each side depends on t... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3cv642 | why can we think in different accents but struggle to speak in them? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3cv642/eli5_why_can_we_think_in_different_accents_but/ | {
"a_id": [
"csza1hv",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Because thought's capabilities are pretty much infinite, whereas our bodily abilities are limited. If you have heard an accent, you can generate it in your head through memory alone. But to speak in it your vocal cords and t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
azhb8t | why is paper used to substitute plastic (such as paper bags, paper cups, paper straws etc.) if it costs our trees? is it more eco friendly? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/azhb8t/eli5_why_is_paper_used_to_substitute_plastic_such/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Trees are renewable and can be harvested sustainably. Plastic comes mostly from oil produc... | [] | [] | [
[],
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6eeyf9 | is it possible for the human body to recover naturally from cancer? | And I don't mean like by some new age medicine, alternative therapy energy stone stuff. I just mean, is there anyway for the body to fight it off by itself? Does this happen, ever? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6eeyf9/eli5_is_it_possible_for_the_human_body_to_recover/ | {
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"score": [
25,
16,
3,
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"text": [
"Yes and it happens all the time. You don't notice because the cancer cells are so few in number. It's when the body can't keep up that most cancers develop into a tumor.",
"M... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
26xal0 | why is it whenever i'm being scolded, yelled at, etc, i feel the intense urge to smile? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26xal0/eli5_why_is_it_whenever_im_being_scolded_yelled/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"I do this to its because you're nervous, most likely. ",
"The situation is minor to the point where you feel silly about being yelled at. Rest assured, if your boss was asking ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
21y3uf | what causes skin cancer and why has it become more common? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/21y3uf/eli5_what_causes_skin_cancer_and_why_has_it/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Prolonged exposure to UV rays may damage skin cells. Damaged cells are more likely than healthy cells to become cancerous. As for why it's become more common, I'm guessing the popu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
4ki8gf | what information is exchanged by using the new credit card chip compared to the old 'swipe' method? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ki8gf/eli5what_information_is_exchanged_by_using_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"d3f3hnc"
],
"score": [
3
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"text": [
"The magnetic strip contained the credit card number, name and expiry date. Everybody with a magnetic reader could read that and use that data over and over.\n\nWhen the credit card machine talks to the chip, it doesn't ask for the details as such... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
zim5d | why did osama bin laden's body get put into the ocean? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zim5d/eli5_why_did_osama_bin_ladens_body_get_put_into/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The official reason... | [] | [] | [
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2dqpzi | how does the "ice bucket challenge" actually raise money for charity? | if the options are: give money to charity, or dump ice water on your head, and the viral videos are of people pouring ice water on their heads, then doesn't that mean people are NOT giving money to charity? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dqpzi/eli5_how_does_the_ice_bucket_challenge_actually/ | {
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"score": [
6,
4,
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"text": [
"spreads the word to people who may pay",
"No, the options are, you give $100 to ALS research.\n\nOr you dump a bucket of Ice Water on your head and only donate $10\n\nYou then ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4qc3zs | why do adults and teens have differently shaped knee caps? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4qc3zs/eli5_why_do_adults_and_teens_have_differently/ | {
"a_id": [
"d4rtf5f",
"d4rybln"
],
"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Hi, there. I thought maybe I could chime in here, as I know a thing or two about the subject. Knee caps do not change shape with age.\n\nSource: I am an adult and I know how bones work.",
"They don't. \n\nKneecaps do not... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
75gsxn | why are novel adaptations of movies so uncommon? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/75gsxn/eli5_why_are_novel_adaptations_of_movies_so/ | {
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"do630hq",
"do63z07",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"In the old days before VCR's were common the only way to re-experience a movie that was no longer in the cinemas was to watch it on TV once a year, or, for a more regular experien... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25387202-star-wars---the-force-awakens",
"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27038914-warcraft-official-movie-novelization?from_search=true",
"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25241995-crimson-peak?from_search=true",
"https://www.goodreads.com/b... | |
492b4i | standard deviations. | I hear about this a lot but never really understand what it means. Specifically a thread in cringeanarchy was saying an IQ of 130 is two standard deviations from average. Being that IQs are a bell distribution centered on 100 this may be an easy dealie to use as an example.
Edit: lots on good answers. I will have t... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/492b4i/eli5_standard_deviations/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"It is a way to tell someone the range of a distribution. If something has a big standard deviation, that means... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
b63ixg | why only plants photosynthesize? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b63ixg/eli5_why_only_plants_photosynthesize/ | {
"a_id": [
"ejhobbn",
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"score": [
2763,
15,
85,
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Plants, algae and cynobacteria can do photosynthesis.\n\nThere are also some weird cases like [this sea slug](_URL_0_) which eats a... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elysia_chlorotica"
],
[],
[],
[
"https://what-if.xkcd.com/17/"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
3q43o8 | why does it feel like your heart is in your throat when you're nervous/anxious? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3q43o8/eli5_why_does_it_feel_like_your_heart_is_in_your/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwbwpll"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"You have major veins and arteries with blood pumping to and from the heart in your neck. What you're feeling is the increased blood pressure from an increase of blood flowing through those veins and arteries in your neck."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
e4wjcq | spectral lines in an emission spectrum | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e4wjcq/eli5_spectral_lines_in_an_emission_spectrum/ | {
"a_id": [
"f9fnotg",
"f9fpjh0"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"You excite an atom. Electrons jump to a higher energy state. When they relax, they go to a lower state releasing a photon of energy equivalent to the difference between the states. This shows up as a line of a particular fre... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
25jkoh | how can big name companies place advertisements on websites that illegally stream content? | I was just streaming The Dark Knight Returns on _URL_0_ and every ten minutes an advertisement for hhgregg would pop up. Why would hhgregg sponsor this website or am I missing something really obvious? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/25jkoh/eli5_how_can_big_name_companies_place/ | {
"a_id": [
"chhs990"
],
"score": [
14
],
"text": [
"Companies buy ad space from other companies, which in turn purchase space on websites. A company with an ad likely has no idea exactly where that ad is being displayed."
]
} | [] | [
"animeflavor.com"
] | [
[]
] | |
2e1wzz | why does restarting a program make it work? | Say I start Excel and it messes up, so I just try it again and it works. What changes between the first and second try? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2e1wzz/eli5_why_does_restarting_a_program_make_it_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjv9v0k"
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"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Programs store information in memory(usually RAM). Sometimes this information becomes corrupted or conflicts with normal operation due to an error.\n\nWhen you close the program, this memory is made available again for other programs. And also wh... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2l22wq | historically, how were major changes made to the english language such as new letters or punctuation? who decided them and how did they become "official"? | Additionally, how would a change like this be made in modern times? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2l22wq/eli5_historically_how_were_major_changes_made_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"clqq240"
],
"score": [
5
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"text": [
"Publishers drove the changes. If other publishers adopted them, then they stayed and became universal. Spelling only became consistent when the first dictionaries were written - before that, people spelled words however they felt at the time. Fam... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma",
"http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/writing/forms/Style%20Guides.pdf"
]
] | |
2iguqd | how does (american) football work on kid level? | When playing sports (soccer) in Norway, every kid on the team is worth the same and, even though they aren't, treated as if they're all equally good. This is pretty easy to accomodate in game because even though some positions are more important than others, everyone plays an equal part and has the same basic responsib... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2iguqd/eli5how_does_american_football_work_on_kid_level/ | {
"a_id": [
"cl21sl3",
"cl22ikl"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Gotta speak for Canada here, US might be different.\n\nA lot of it depends on how forceful the parents are and how popular the sport is, but there's usually a point at which a kid makes a choice to either play the sport casu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
e6bqr4 | why don’t ears repair themselves? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e6bqr4/eli5_why_dont_ears_repair_themselves/ | {
"a_id": [
"f9p27q9",
"f9p7fra"
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"score": [
7,
2
],
"text": [
"Cartilage: blood-borne oxygen is necessary for healing, and cartilage doesn’t have any blood vessels. \n\nSource: I needed a chondrocyte implantation in my knee to replace a hole in my cartilage. Also, I pierced my septum 16... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
876a4u | why do surfaces (e.g. painted walls) change colour when wet - even with a clear substance such as water? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/876a4u/eli5_why_do_surfaces_eg_painted_walls_change/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwajz9l"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"It all has to do with how light is reflected. Our eyes take in light that bounces off surfaces, like you catching a ball your friend threw at the wall. When a surface is wet, there’s a liquid layer on it. Light bends when it’s in a liquid. Ever n... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3vlvxi | are the recent acts of terrorism outside of war zones new, or are they simply getting more coverage now? | There was a shooting in Paris, a shooting in San Bernadino, CA, apparently an attack in London today: all allegedly attached to radical groups. Are incidents like these increasing in number, or is this just a result of bias in what the media is choosing to cover? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3vlvxi/eli5_are_the_recent_acts_of_terrorism_outside_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxoo98a"
],
"score": [
2
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"text": [
"Well... a little bit of both, I guess. On one hand, there certainly are more things happening in the last few months, on the other hand, pretty much *everything* that has some kind of relation to IS sympathizers is called a terrorist attack. For ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2l2ye7 | why does splashing cold water on your face feel so refreshing & invigorating, especially when you're tired? | Since quitting caffeine this has become one of my go to pick-me-ups late in the workday, and have found it actually works and feels great! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2l2ye7/eli5_why_does_splashing_cold_water_on_your_face/ | {
"a_id": [
"clqzn2b",
"clr76m2"
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"score": [
3,
13
],
"text": [
"Cold water stimulates blood circulation through the system and also cleanses the face. Cold showers also work the same way.",
"Mammalian Dive Reflex is activated when water no warmer than 21 °C (70 °F) touches the face ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
18fgvv | the american school math system | Reading on Reddit and other places I've seen phrases floated around like Algebra, Algebra II, Pre-Calc, etc. I live in Canada and have never heard these phrases. In my district (and I believe in my whole province) we have grade 9 math (or Principles of Mathematics, mainly covering Linear Systems), grade 10 math (still ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18fgvv/eli5_the_american_school_math_system/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8ece1x",
"c8ecfu6"
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"score": [
10,
2
],
"text": [
"The math sequence I took was (starting in Grade 6 through Grade 12)\n\n1. Pre-Algebra (equation handling)\n2. Algebra I (quadratic functions, formulas, binomials)\n3. Geometry (this was mostly proof-based)\n4. Algebra I... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5so70e | what stops anyone (terrorists) from cutting the internet wires in the ocean and what would be the consequences? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5so70e/eli5what_stops_anyone_terrorists_from_cutting_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"ddgk4kq",
"ddgn1j4"
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"score": [
5,
5
],
"text": [
"Nothing really. You could just cut the lines that lie on the ocean floor between continents. One obstacle is that they are hard to get to. Another is that it would take more than just a knife or cable cutter to sever them... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5nr9bl | why are cane fields burned after a harvest? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5nr9bl/eli5_why_are_cane_fields_burned_after_a_harvest/ | {
"a_id": [
"dcdoo44",
"dcdsmwj"
],
"score": [
5,
6
],
"text": [
"Sugar cane is burned to remove the outer leaves around the stalks before harvesting. when i was a pre-teen my family took a trip to Mexico and we attended a festival of lanterns. the ultimate goal was to have your lantern l... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3ntcl0 | how do fountains (big, swimming pool types) continue to run in the rain without overflowing? | Was walking past my huge campus fountain today and this question popped into my head. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ntcl0/eli5_how_do_fountains_big_swimming_pool_types/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvr2g9h"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"They have overflows - you just can't see them any more than you can see the overflow in your toilet cistern without taking it apart.\n\nUsually the pump room has some form of level control, but don't forget the actual amount of rain is rarely mor... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3v16s8 | do buildings sink? | Objects sink, it's what they do. Buildings thousands of years old are found deep underground. But modern buildings don't seem to actually sink. Our house is 60 years old and seems fine. A rock in our landscaping is half buried after two years. I seen cars go under in less than a decade. I know I asked a similar questio... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3v16s8/eli5do_buildings_sink/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxjenuf",
"cxjenye",
"cxjesks",
"cxjqd6n"
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"score": [
2,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Objects aren't the same as houses. Modern foundations are pea gravel and concrete and the ground has to be grated away from the home to allow for drainage. This helps in keeping yo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa"
],
[]
] | |
4aojvi | why did old school tvs have a "layer" of static that sat on the screen? you could even "wipe it off" and it would be gone for a while then come back. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4aojvi/eli5_why_did_old_school_tvs_have_a_layer_of/ | {
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72,
4,
51,
9,
81,
46,
30,
5,
2,
... | [] | [] | [
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],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
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3aazzs | what does the cpu do and what does the gpu do when playing a game ? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3aazzs/eli5_what_does_the_cpu_do_and_what_does_the_gpu/ | {
"a_id": [
"csawg9l",
"csaxegw"
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"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"The CPU is your computer's main processing center and handles the majority of the work involved with running the game. Things like running the game engine, responding to input, loading the next level are all done by the CPU.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7t34sa | if tupac is dead, who receives the royalties when someone listens to his music? and same for other deceased artists | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7t34sa/eli5_if_tupac_is_dead_who_receives_the_royalties/ | {
"a_id": [
"dt9mvns"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Tupac's estate was managed by his mother until she died a few years ago. Control of the estate then passed on to a a trustee that his mother appointed before her death. His mother and now the trustee was the beneficiary of all financial gains fro... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
176bqr | a coma | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/176bqr/a_coma/ | {
"a_id": [
"c82tv89"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Coma is indeed a prolonged state of deep unconsciousness. Coma typically lasts a maximum of 4 to 6 weeks, after that people die or go into a vegetative state. (or they have already gone to a more conscious state)\n\nIn a vegetative state patients... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Coma_Scale"
]
] | ||
2270jt | how can enough oxygen remain in crowded cities where there are very few plants to photosynthesize the co2? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2270jt/eli5_how_can_enough_oxygen_remain_in_crowded/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgjy6ge",
"cgjzt48"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"there are no impregnable barriers separating urban air space and surrounding air space, so air can move freely back and forth. as such, not only can wind (credit to ernie) bring in oxygen, it can also remove CO2 and other co... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
emun9w | how do elo ranking systems work in modern games? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/emun9w/eli5_how_do_elo_ranking_systems_work_in_modern/ | {
"a_id": [
"fdr7kih"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Every player starts with the same score. In the original formulation it’s 1600. And there’s also a constant K, which will depend on the game, but the usual value is 32. This constant determines how much elo is gained/lost.\n\nSo players with the... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elo_rating_system"
]
] | ||
2ciu4i | how do jets create electrical power? | You can't really strap a alternator and belt to a jet engine - so how do jet engined planes have enough power to fly for several hours? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ciu4i/eli5_how_do_jets_create_electrical_power/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjfw2r0"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"They use what's called [\"auxiliary power unit\"](_URL_0_). \n\n[Here's](_URL_1_) the APU on a Boeing 737."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxiliary_power_unit",
"http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/electronics/power/b737-apu.jpg"
]
] | |
18vtn2 | why doesn't my car have an oil gauge? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18vtn2/eli5_why_doesnt_my_car_have_an_oil_gauge/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8ifh9w"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"If you mean an oil quantity gauge, the oil gets pumped all around the engine, it doesn't just sit in a tank till it's needed like fuel does. This makes it difficult to measure the oil quantity when the engine is running.\n\nIt is possible to fit ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5yzkhi | how do roses that last for years work? | I was browsing the Internet when I saw an article about a company that made roses and claimed they would live for years (3 to be exact, under a dome) . The hype for these Roses apparently came from the recent beauty and the beast movie and each rose sells for a few hundred dollars. Can anyone explain how they get these... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5yzkhi/eli5_how_do_roses_that_last_for_years_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"deu4me7"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Not sure how those exact roses are preserved, but one way of creating eternal roses it is to take a recently cut rose, submerge it in a mixture of glycerine and water, the rose will gradually replace its sap with the liquid and after a couple of ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
bio1zt | why can't helicopters exceed a certain altitude when carryin a heavy load? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bio1zt/eli5_why_cant_helicopters_exceed_a_certain/ | {
"a_id": [
"em1stsw",
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"text": [
"Helicopters use their rotars and blades to create lift. The more mass it has to carry, the more lift needs to be generated to keep it in the air. As you go higher and higher in the atmosphere, it begins to thin. It eventual... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
z5e3m | how did god come to be known as a guy with a beard who wears long robes. | Why/how was that image assigned to him as opposed to just considering God to be some type of formless entity? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/z5e3m/eli5_how_did_god_come_to_be_known_as_a_guy_with_a/ | {
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"text": [
"Last I remembered, he wore a [white suit](_URL_0_)",
"It's called [anthropomorphism](_URL_0_) - when humans create gods, they ten... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://blog.twpbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/morgan-freeman-god1.jpg"
],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropomorphism"
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[],
[],
[],
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"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jupiter_Smyrna_Louvre_Ma13.jpg",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Odhin_by_Johannes_Gehrts.jpg"
]... | |
1rxyk2 | how self-timed christmas lights work | ^ like the title says. For example, my parents has set our lights to turn on at 6:00 p.m. every night. How do the lights do this? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rxyk2/eli5_how_selftimed_christmas_lights_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"cds11iz",
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"score": [
3,
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"text": [
"They have a microcontroller. Usually this is a timer plugged into the wall with the lights plugged into it. Either that or Elves....",
"I have a good question in the same realm, How do the non-timed ones blink if you cha... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1rxbzv | how long does it take for vitamin supplements do make a positive effect on your health after you take them? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rxbzv/how_long_does_it_take_for_vitamin_supplements_do/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdru636",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Depends on the vitamin. If you have scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency) and start taking vitamin C, it can make you substantially better in as little as 8-16 hours. If you have a Vitamin D deficiency, and start taking vitamin D,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24563590"
]
] | ||
1ksrmt | why do the butts or genital parts of two dogs stick to each other after a mating session? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ksrmt/eli5_why_do_the_butts_or_genital_parts_of_two/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbs8c31"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"A dog's penis has a bulbous structure at the base when erect. The penis isn't fully erect when penetration occurs, but expands when inside the female. The muscles of the female contract during sex, and the bulb at the base of the penis is locked ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
8qrpq1 | if hiv can be spread through body fluids, why can't it be spread through saliva? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8qrpq1/eli5_if_hiv_can_be_spread_through_body_fluids_why/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Saliva has very little “bodily” material for the HIV to reside in. Its mostly just wate... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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[],
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[],
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yoed6 | if the u.s. has the industrial military complex, why are we in debt from the wars in the middle east? | I thought the industrial military complex meant that the U.S. profited from war, so why are we in debt? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/yoed6/eli5_if_the_us_has_the_industrial_military/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5xdnpx",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"It means that *industry* and the *military* profit from war. The government as a whole doesn't.",
"I think you (and most people) are confused about national debt. US national debt is NOT money we (US citizens) owe to fo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
48e4pq | why is it such a big deal that justice clarence asked a question during oral arguments for the first time in 10 years? | I've seen a few posts on /r/all about it but I don't get why it's created such a fuss? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/48e4pq/eli5why_is_it_such_a_big_deal_that_justice/ | {
"a_id": [
"d0iwpb9"
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"text": [
"10 years is a long time for any judge to go without asking a question. Even more so considering the particular Court.\n\nPeople who watch the Supreme Court closely will often take the questions and dialogue from Justices into consideration when t... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
eqc4l0 | why don’t (most) trees grow symmetrically? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eqc4l0/eli5_why_dont_most_trees_grow_symmetrically/ | {
"a_id": [
"feplple",
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"text": [
"Sunlight influences mainly. Trees tend to lean toward the sun, and try to grow over obstructions to the sun. Sometimes soil conditions, like roots against a foundation or even a large rock can cause trees to grow awkward bra... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7zzhwg | when and why did musical composers start giving their compositions 'poetic' names instead of descriptive names? | For example, Beethoven's symphonies are called "Symphony No. 1," or "Symphony No. 3," but Aaron Copeland can write something called "Fanfare for the Common Man." | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7zzhwg/eli5_when_and_why_did_musical_composers_start/ | {
"a_id": [
"duruyzy",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Compositions numbered and named like Beethoven's were not named by the composer. They were named by musicologists and other people studying the music as their collections were categorized. Sometimes the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
8eogjg | how does lactate acid cause pain in muscles ? | Just finished listening to the JRE podcast with Peter Attia and he talked about this. Can someone shed a light on that please ? Thanks | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8eogjg/eli5_how_does_lactate_acid_cause_pain_in_muscles/ | {
"a_id": [
"dxwv5ec"
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"text": [
"Lactate causes a bit of pain during exercise but isn’t why you feel sore afterwards. \n\nYou start producing lactate as part of an aerobic response to overexertion. Basically, your muscle cells have run out of oxygen so your muscles have to br... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
a60qdh | why are there no giant masses of bacteria colonies? | I mean if bacteria were capable of growing in several environment, i imagine that bacteria could be a living mass of a colony. Heck, it could even be a self-sustaining army ready to be deployed by some mad genius.
But why are there no colossal masses of bacteria that exist since we have been living for so long? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a60qdh/eli5_why_are_there_no_giant_masses_of_bacteria/ | {
"a_id": [
"ebqri8a",
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"text": [
"Well, bacteria live on pretty much every surface. It's extremely difficult to get rid of all bacteria - it's a major problem for, say, the Mars rovers.\n\nAs for a giant colony of a single species of b... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/thermophilic-bacteria.htm"
],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromatolite"
]
] | |
4knknb | if cancer is just cells randomly mutating, why do we hear a lot about lung or breast cancer, but not so much about leg or hand cancer? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4knknb/eli5_if_cancer_is_just_cells_randomly_mutating/ | {
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"Leg and hand cancer w... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
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] | ||
97ujfv | why does metal get hot when in the sun even though it's so reflective? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/97ujfv/eli5_why_does_metal_get_hot_when_in_the_sun_even/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Sunlight is made up of [many colors](_URL_0_) of light. As you can see from [this image](_URL_1_), only a small portion is visible light in the ROYGBIV colors.\n\nEach color of l... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://catalyticcolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Color_Energy_sun_spectrum.gif",
"http://wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/images/sunlight_wavelength.png"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
4cr0v1 | what is a collateralized debt obligation and the tranches involved with it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4cr0v1/eli5_what_is_a_collateralized_debt_obligation_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1ko8xw"
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"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Imagine a giant pile of mortgages. \n\nWe're going to take this pile of mortgages and sort them by \"risk factor\" with higher grades (A, AA, AAA) being for low risk and lower grades (B, BB, BBB) for riskier ones.\n\n\nNow we're going to take th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
b7jmlu | why do windshield wipers leave water streaks in the middle when swiping up, but leaves no streaks wiping back down? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/b7jmlu/eli5_why_do_windshield_wipers_leave_water_streaks/ | {
"a_id": [
"eju1bs2"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
"That could happen as a result of the angle the blade. Try putting some sand on a surface and using a broom to sweep it both with a pushing motion and a pulling motion. Pulling will probably be more effective.\n\nIf you're getting a lot of streaks... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
qc1l0 | how do balls curve when thrown or struck? | How are pitchers and tennis players and other various examples of things that use balls, able to make the ball alter it's normal parabolic trajectory? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qc1l0/eli5_how_do_balls_curve_when_thrown_or_struck/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3wpsad"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
"To curve a hit ball, you hit it off-center, which makes it start spinning. The spin causes the drag to be different along the edges of the ball, which makes it curve.\n\nTo throw a curve ball, you have to throw it so that it spins in a certain wa... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1dapo2 | how does the co-operative business model work? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1dapo2/eli5how_does_the_cooperative_business_model_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9ophf6"
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"score": [
3
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"text": [
"There are several different types of cooperative, but in general they exist when there is a group of people that has a need and they elect to work together to meet the need rather than rely on a previously existing business. In the spirit of Eli5... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3kdj2u | why can't microsoft sue apple for copying the microsoft surface? | Is it because there is no copyright? If so, why can't Microsoft copyright it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3kdj2u/eli5_why_cant_microsoft_sue_apple_for_copying_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuwl66y"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"Copyright is for expressions, not things. You can copyright a book, movie or play but you can't copyright a tablet computer, you'd have to patent that."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
f2tydm | . how did people treat acid reflux and heartburn prior to modern medicine? | I deal with acid reflux frequently and I can't imagine what it would be like to not have access to things like Prilosec or Alka-Seltzer. I keep thinking of the Vikings trying to be a "man" about it and just accepting it as part of getting older. Must have been horrible. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f2tydm/eli5_how_did_people_treat_acid_reflux_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"fhenc42",
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5,
3,
2
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"text": [
"There are quite a few herbs out there that will help with heartburn. I know Ginger is one of them, my mom keeps a jar of candied ginger instead of tums or anything like that for heartburn, and it sounds... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
46cr9i | difference between usb 3.0 and usb 3.1 gen 1 | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/46cr9i/eli5difference_between_usb_30_and_usb_31_gen_1/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"USB 3.0 has been retroactively named USB 3.1 Gen 1.\n\nUSB 3.1 Gen 2 will be eventually released and the difference is that Gen 1 has 5Gbps speed, and Gen 2 has 10Gbps speed. There are no other difference you need to worry about, and physically ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1pox1l | why was a show listed as "sold out" but there are still tickets available online at ticketmaster? | I was browsing Ed Sheeran's page and it lists one of his shows as "SOLD OUT" [Ed's Website Screenshot](_URL_0_) However, when you go to Ticketmaster, there are still some tickets left. [TicketMaster Screenshot](_URL_1_) At what point is a show sold out? How does ticket scalping, and resale ticket sites (e.g., StubHub... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pox1l/eli5_why_was_a_show_listed_as_sold_out_but_there/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"I assume that Ticketaster purchases those tickets from the artist or venue and then resells them. When the original source of the tickets then runs out of tickets the show is Sold Out. But you can still purchase tickets from... | [] | [
"http://i.imgur.com/81kKdNy.png",
"http://i.imgur.com/Z6ZuiWC.png"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
9s91b1 | how do the things that lower to stop traffic when a train is coming know when to lower and raise back up? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9s91b1/eli5_how_do_the_things_that_lower_to_stop_traffic/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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10
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"text": [
"As I’ve understood it there are mechanical switches along the tracks before and after the station so as the train rolls in it triggers the gates and all going down and as it leaves the opposite will happen. Don’t know exact... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
cvu26k | if inflammation and fevers are the body's way of fighting of infection, why is the goal of medicine and icing to stop inflammation and reduce fevers? doesn't that increase healing time? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cvu26k/eli5_if_inflammation_and_fevers_are_the_bodys_way/ | {
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"text": [
"Those things do delay the healing process (or, they could potentially do so, each case is different.) but generally not by very much... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
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] | ||
3930k1 | when apps update, do the mbs of the update add to the already existing size of the app? | When I update apps on my phone, the average update is 20-30 MB. Does this add onto the already existing size of the app, or is old data deleted/remove to make room for this update? If it's simply added on, would deleting the app and reinstalling it do anything in regards to saving space on my phone? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3930k1/eli5_when_apps_update_do_the_mbs_of_the_update/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
2,
2,
4
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"text": [
"Generally the new files replace the old files. So, it's not added on to the existing size of the app.\n\nNow, it's possible that the new files are larger than the old versions, so the app takes up a lit... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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45rlru | what would it take for some of 'us' to be declared a new species in the human genus? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/45rlru/eli5_what_would_it_take_for_some_of_us_to_be/ | {
"a_id": [
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8,
3
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"text": [
"It wouldn't quite be possible, at the moment at least. The parent and offspring are always the same species. If through some isolating event two or more lineages began to diverge significantly, they wou... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2bjhed | how did science advance? | How did alchemists and doctors of Ye Olde Times lay down a successful foundation for science to improve on in the space of a few centuries? To me (as well as most people alive today), Old Science seems so ridiculous and far fetched, and it baffles me as to how anyone could possibly make enough sense of it to actually t... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bjhed/eli5_how_did_science_advance/ | {
"a_id": [
"cj5xfyr",
"cj6dhh8"
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"It's not about purposefully advancing science by \"doing good science\". It's about gathering data and putting pieces of the puzzle together by just doing ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING, even if your initial concept was completely ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
33z8wb | what's keeping us from having full dive virtual reality games? | I want to create full dive gaming (think of Log Horizon or Sword Art Online), however I understand there's a lot missing from the puzzle before it can be done. I have a slight idea as to what's keeping us away from it, but I think a more in depth look would help me out a lot and point me in the right direction.
I want... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/33z8wb/eli5_whats_keeping_us_from_having_full_dive/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqpsvdj"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"While some people want it, the fact is that most people... don't. I love video games as much as anyone my age, and while the idea of VR sounds interesting, I dont' actually want to play it. It seems kinda... isolating, you know?\n\nAnd being so d... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
47ijuv | explain why this kid's $14 "electromagnetic harvester" doesn't create free energy. _url_0_ | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/47ijuv/eli5_explain_why_this_kids_14_electromagnetic/ | {
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"text": [
"It's energy being transferred. Nothing is be... | [
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Yh3nXKuGU"
] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
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"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_energy"
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"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/47ijuv/eli5_explain_why_this_kids_14_electromagnetic/d0d5x4j",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_thermodynamics",
"https://www.reddit.... | ||
97ledh | why do roads in the horizon reflect the sky? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/97ledh/eli5_why_do_roads_in_the_horizon_reflect_the_sky/ | {
"a_id": [
"e4928xn"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"It's not the road surface, but the junction between hot and cold air, because the road surface heats air nearby it. Light *refracts* or bends as it travels between objects which slow it by different amounts. This is easiest to see with water, lig... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_internal_reflection"
]
] | ||
akg9bw | why is carbonated/seltzer water made with carbon dioxide and not oxygen? | Also how come people don't water plants with carbonated water? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/akg9bw/eli5_why_is_carbonatedseltzer_water_made_with/ | {
"a_id": [
"ef4ky0a",
"ef4m0ba",
"ef4m703",
"ef4xrrl"
],
"score": [
9,
6,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"1. Oxygen is far less soluble in water than CO2, costs more to produce and is harder to transport. Its not a good gas for making drinks fizzy, at all. \n \n2. Carbonated water is ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.scienceabc.com/eyeopeners/why-is-carbon-dioxide-mixed-in-cold-drinks-and-beverages.html"
],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_water"
]
] | |
32ybrd | why are the functions of the immune system so unpleasant? | Like getting the flu, or a stomach bug. What causes the symptoms to be so unpleasant? Isn't that unpleasantness kind of unnecessary? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32ybrd/eli5_why_are_the_functions_of_the_immune_system/ | {
"a_id": [
"cqfsbwe"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Fevers are literally designed to cook the invading illness alive, so it's gonna be a bit unpleasant for you. Vomiting, etc. is forcibly expelling the enemy from your system - can't really think of a way to make that pleasant."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
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