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3b2pxs | what are the core beliefs (religious or otherwise) held by isis? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3b2pxs/eli5what_are_the_core_beliefs_religious_or/ | {
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"text": [
"Step 1: Pretend you are living in the 7th or 8th century on the Arabian Peninsula.\n\nStep 2: Read the Quran and the haddiths in that mindset but don't read any parts of Islam borrowed from any other society in the past 1400 years (e.g. Greek and... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1ttf69 | the main points on why the nsa "spying" on citizens is bad | When I google, I just see things like "Why did it get so bad" and "Snowden leak bad for US business", but no one actually telling why it is bad.
What is the reason that I should be worried? Perhaps a link to somewhere, if you know a page that explains it well. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ttf69/eli5_the_main_points_on_why_the_nsa_spying_on/ | {
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"text": [
"In a democratic government, a necessary part of the machine is that the People are aware ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
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"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism"
],
[],
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2eovdb | is there such a thin line between an enjoyable dose and an overdose of heroin as seen in movies? if so, what triggers the sudden reaction of the body when the treshold is reached, and what is the course of events leading to death? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2eovdb/eli5_is_there_such_a_thin_line_between_an/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck1l1l5"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"With typical solo use, the line isn't as thin as you'd think from movies. (It's much thinner than for nearly any other drug, though; if you take 10 times your typical dose, you're probably going to die.) The problem is that heroin users can devel... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
9irmi6 | after 10 days of hurricaine florence, why are the rivers continuing to rise and crest bringing new flooding threats? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9irmi6/eli5_after_10_days_of_hurricaine_florence_why_are/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Because during that time, hurricane Florence dropped tons and tons and tons of water on the region and further inland. That water takes time to flow downhill into streams and out to the ocean. As it does so, it combines fur... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
6odo4n | why do movie studios disclose everything about their movies' budgets and revenue but game studios don't do the same for their games? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6odo4n/eli5_why_do_movie_studios_disclose_everything/ | {
"a_id": [
"dkglfiv"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Movie studios generally don't disclose everything about their budgets. The stuff you see is just a publicly releasable number regarding an approximation of the production cost of the movie. Thats just one aspect of the overall process, and its a... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
34cgio | why kenyans and ethiopians are the absolute masters of marathons / long-distance running? what makes these two countries produce so many male and female world-class winners? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/34cgio/eli5_why_kenyans_and_ethiopians_are_the_absolute/ | {
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"First, every top co... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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"http://www.wnyc.org/story/how-one-kenyan-tribe-produces-the-worlds-best-runners/",
"http://www.radiolab.org/story/runners/"
],
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"http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/why-are-kenyan-distance-runners-so-fast"
],
[
"http://www.radiolab.org/story/runners/"
],
[],
... | ||
32mddp | what is the sovereign citizen/freemen on the land movement? what do they believe, and what is the (quasi-)legal basis for their beliefs? why are their beliefs never held up in a court of law? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/32mddp/eli5_what_is_the_sovereign_citizenfreemen_on_the/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"\"HERE'S A SECRET THAT LAWYERS DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW!\" is really the core of it. Basically, they think that if they find the right loophole in the law, they can get away with anything they want to. That if you say \"This c... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
82krg4 | why exactly does a cold compress help with swelling? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/82krg4/eli5_why_exactly_does_a_cold_compress_help_with/ | {
"a_id": [
"dvavl7g"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The cold causes your veins and other fluid carrying structures to narrow off the conserve heat. So there's less room for fluid to collect"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1bafyf | why are gpus utilized for number-crunching work? | What makes a rig with many graphics cards better than a rig with many processors? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1bafyf/eli5_why_are_gpus_utilized_for_numbercrunching/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9533db",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"GPUs are more powerful than CPUs. The difference is that a CPU is better at more things. Think of a GPU as a guy with huge biceps who can curl 50kg dumbells all day but sucks at everything else, while ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
9c7yhq | rice expands when cooked. where does the water go and why does it happen? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9c7yhq/eli5_rice_expands_when_cooked_where_does_the/ | {
"a_id": [
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],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"The dried rice grains absorb the water.\n\nRice grains are the seeds of the grass species *Oryza sativa*. Naturally they contain a large amount of water, as this helps the seed to germinate. When harvested the grains are dried to preserve them lo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2hcn17 | why chicago became the symbol of crime (organized and individual) from its early days till now? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hcn17/eli5_why_chicago_became_the_symbol_of_crime/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Chicago became the center of organized crime due to the numerous transportation lines that ran through the city in its early days (i.e. robust train network). Being a centralized hub in the U.S., several people/items passed... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
36zz25 | if monetary inflation is a constant force, will the cost of goods just keep going up so that one day average items like a loaf of bread will cost $100 us dollars and cars will cost millions, or will the government make some sort of adjustment? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/36zz25/eli5_if_monetary_inflation_is_a_constant_force/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"In 1912 a Ford Model T cost $575. Today a low end car costs in the $10-15,000 range, and average in the $25-35,000 range. So in an equivalent time frame in the future it is conceiv... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redenomination",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwean_dollar#/media/File:Zimbabwe_$100_trillion_2009_Obverse.jpg"
]
] | ||
2erews | i have boner after wake up from night sleep? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2erews/eli5_i_have_boner_after_wake_up_from_night_sleep/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck2agcp",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"There are a variety of explanations. \n\n1: The cause of NPT is not known with certainty. Bancroft (2005) hypothesizes that the noradrenergic neurons of the locus ceruleus are inhibitory to penile erection, and that the cess... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturnal_penile_tumescence"
],
[]
] | ||
27qefn | strikes, fouls, outs, and basically anything about scoring in baseball | I've been watching some ball the last couple days but don't totally understand it. Wikipedia hasn't been as helpful as I'd hope. Help me, ELI5. You're my only hope. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/27qefn/eli5_strikes_fouls_outs_and_basically_anything/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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5
],
"text": [
"I googled \"baseball rules for dummies\" and found [this article](_URL_0_). If you have specific questions I'm sure someone here will help.",
"If a batter gets three strikes he is out. If he gets 4... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://baseball.about.com/od/thebasics/a/basebasicrules.htm"
],
[],
[]
] | |
9cahpg | if i suspend freely a piece of red hot steel in a vacuum, what (if anything) gets hot? the space around it? the walls of the vacuum? and how soon will the steel cool down? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9cahpg/eli5_if_i_suspend_freely_a_piece_of_red_hot_steel/ | {
"a_id": [
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2,
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"text": [
"Due to the absence of particles, conduction and convection cannot occur. Hence radiation is the only method of heat transfer between the rod and the walls of the vacuum and the space around it. (Radiat... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1l60lc | what happens to my glass bottles, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles after i go recycling? | Are they melted down and remade into things? Or are they sold back to their respective companies? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1l60lc/eli5what_happens_to_my_glass_bottles_aluminum/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbw31fn",
"cbw5n69"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Chopped into tiny bits, resold as pellets. Bottling companies mix recycled pellets in with virgin pellets",
"They get taken down to your local recycling centre which there they do some sorting. depending on which produ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3hf19q | how does a 911 responder distinguish between a silent distress call and a butt dial? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3hf19q/eli5_how_does_a_911_responder_distinguish_between/ | {
"a_id": [
"cu6tces"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"I would assume they do not make such a distinction. They would/should send police to the location of the phone call to investigate. If it was a \"butt dial\" that is a false call and they could be given a warning or given a ticket depending on th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
8ifeqr | why was/is there a need of the hexadecimal system in programming? | I understand the need of the binary system. The Computer can only understand 1s and 0s but we want to use other numbers, too. So we invented a system to convert the two back and forth.
Any Number can be represented in binary. So why was there a need for hexadecimal? What can the hexadecimal system do that binary canno... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8ifeqr/eli5_why_wasis_there_a_need_of_the_hexadecimal/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Binary numbers get very long quickly making it hard for people to deal with. Converting the binary to decimal is a bit of a pain but converting to hex is easy. Each 4 bits of a bi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2bzgxa | do private military companies (pmc's) abide by military laws and rules of engagement? | Are they totally private or do they have to follow rules? I am almost positive they have to follow the Geneva Convention, so that is not my question. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bzgxa/eli5do_private_military_companies_pmcs_abide_by/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjaxi0b"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Sometimes\n\nIt really depends on what company you are talking about, what they are doing, where, and who is hiring them to do it. Some follow the letter of the law and some effectively operate with impunity."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3fubap | why are straws based from circles and not any other geometric shape? | Say, an hexagon or triangle? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3fubap/eli5_why_are_straws_based_from_circles_and_not/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"A circle (or cylinder) is the strongest shape for avoiding collapse. So when you suck on the straw it doesn't fold in on itself. \n\nAs a bonus, it's also a very easy shape to manufacture. [Here, watch them do it.](_URL_0_)\... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MFD4RQ1aek"
],
[]
] | |
8czqee | how does rna editing work? | I've been reading about how octopuses are able to edit their own RNA as a way of evolving. Generally I understand what this means and how cool it is, but I would be very grateful if someone could break down RNA vs. DNA, RNA editing vs. genetic mutation, and how RNA editing actually works. Thanks! | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8czqee/eli5how_does_rna_editing_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"dxjbpn4"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"I don’t see people responding so I’ll do my best to cover it all. I’m by no means an expert in genetics, as I specialize in microbiology and biochemistry. \n\nRNA vs DNA\n\nSo the simplest way to explain RNA vs DNA is in terms of their roles. DNA... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
18nz30 | why does sleeping help when you're sick? | as opposed to like running, which helps pump blood throughout your body | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/18nz30/eli5_why_does_sleeping_help_when_youre_sick/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8gfhx2"
],
"score": [
36
],
"text": [
"Your body is weak already and needs a lot of energy to support your immune system in killing bacteria. You can only come up with so much usable energy at a time and if you use some of it to run around, there is less left for healing processes. "... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
8kjmq2 | why is walking barefoot on grass or dirt (grounding/earthing) said to have health benefits? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8kjmq2/eli5_why_is_walking_barefoot_on_grass_or_dirt/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"None whatsoever. It’s complete pseudoscience. If you want a good overview I would recommend listening to the Skeptoid Podcast that covers the topic. ",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2750j5 | what's the difference, if any, between cyborgs, androids and robots? | Are there technical differences? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2750j5/eli5_whats_the_difference_if_any_between_cyborgs/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"A cyborg is a person with robotic components.\n\nAn android is a robot specifically designed to look human.\n\nA robot is a non-human-like machination.",
"A cyborg has organi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R._\\(Rossum%27s_Universal_Robots\\)",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot#Etymology",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyborg",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_\\(robot\\)#Etymology"
],
[]
] | |
1pel52 | has anyone had sex in space yet? if so, how, and why? if not, why not/is it viable? | A friend and I were having this argument the other day. Googling turned up ultimately very little which leads me to believe it probably hasn't happened yet, but I dunno, I figure there's people out there that know more about space banging than us.
I originally was going to ask if anyone had had sex in zero G yet but I... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pel52/eli5_has_anyone_had_sex_in_space_yet_if_so_how/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Husband and wife teams have gone into space. The odds of someone at least attempting it a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://space.about.com/od/frequentlyaskedquestions/a/Is-Sex-In-Space-Possible.htm"
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[],
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[]
] | |
aunnw5 | why is it we can see the inside of our eyelids when we close both eyes, but not when we close one? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aunnw5/eli5_why_is_it_we_can_see_the_inside_of_our/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Your brain is really good at editing out the parts of your vision that don't have any... | [] | [] | [
[],
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] | ||
33g3yw | how do sports teams ensure that the home colors are represented at home games? | I am a HUGE hockey fan. Last night, the Winnipeg Jets' fans were almost entirely decked out in white (despite the fact the team was wearing home dark blue jerseys).
Tonight, the Calgary Flames' fans similarly were all dressed in the home dark red.
How does this work? If I showed up with neutral colors at the door, wou... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/33g3yw/eli5_how_do_sports_teams_ensure_that_the_home/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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2,
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],
"text": [
"Because in general, most of the fans are locals. Local fans wear their team colors to the game. There will always be a few fans of the visiting team, but those are a minority.\n\nFor the most part, they... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
68pqdd | why when websites are finished loading, the page scrolls up/down slightly so that you end up clicking on the wrong thing | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/68pqdd/eli5_why_when_websites_are_finished_loading_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"dh0axry",
"dh0bhzj"
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"score": [
2,
4
],
"text": [
"Because there's nothing loaded on the page, there is an input delay until the entire webpage is loaded. So if there is an offset once the page fully loads, that specific point on the screen is clicked.",
"The last thing ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5jatyt | if boiled water is safe to drink, why do humidifiers need to be cleaned? | Wouldn't any toxins or bacteria that might have accumulated in the basin be left behind when the water boils into vapor? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5jatyt/eli5_if_boiled_water_is_safe_to_drink_why_do/ | {
"a_id": [
"dbepf0b",
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Humidifiers do not maintain a high enough temperature throughout their entire systems to kill all bacteria and the like. they simply warm the water up enough that some of it will leave operate into the atmosphere and increa... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
bpjkj3 | how do countries pay other countries? | i.e. Exchange between two states for example when The US buy Saudi oil. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bpjkj3/eli5_how_do_countries_pay_other_countries/ | {
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2793,
217,
83,
273,
14,
2... | [] | [] | [
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"bis.org"
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"https://kplr11.com/2016/08/03/us-sent-plane-with-400-million-in-cash-to-iran/"
],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_payments",
"https://www.marketwatch.com/story/boes-carney-sees-the-us-dollar-eventually-losing-its-reserve-currency-status-2... | |
6ugun6 | how can we tell someone is smiling even when talking over the phone? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ugun6/eli5_how_can_we_tell_someone_is_smiling_even_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"dlsjoss"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Two hypotheses:\n\n1. You know the person well enough to know the kinds of things they would smile at. \n\n2. People pronounce things slightly differently when they're smiling, whether it be by their mouth shape or from inflection, that humans ca... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1ablab | what is the difference between techno and electronic? | I admit to being ignorant with the genres, but I just played through Hotline Miami (fanastic game btw) and the amazing soundtrack piqued my interest so now I wanna do a little exploring. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ablab/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_techno_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8vunwu"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Techno originates from the 80s in Detroit. It sounds dark, industrial, and sometimes depressing. A good example is Prodigy - Breathe: _URL_1_\n\nElectronic is a catch-all term for all music that uses electronic instruments.\n\n\"Electronica\" is ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://techno.org/electronic-music-guide/",
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_PAHbqq-o4"
]
] | |
3rdolu | global investment banking | Can someone please help the idea of Global Investment Banking click in my head. I will be forever grateful. I searched the thread before, but there has been nothing on the Global Aspect. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3rdolu/eli5_global_investment_banking/ | {
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"text": [
"An investment bank is a financial institution that advises clients - mainly corporations - how to raise finance. Unlike retail banks, they do not hold deposits and so they aren't your regular high street bank (although many banks do both function... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
a9paep | why hasnt the last 100 yrs of tech innovation resulted in fewer hours an individual has to work to earn an average life of food, housing, clothes, and amenities? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a9paep/eli5_why_hasnt_the_last_100_yrs_of_tech/ | {
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"ecl8goq",
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"e... | [] | [] | [
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"https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/12/22/why-americans-and-britons-work-such-long-hours"
],
[],
[],
[],
[]... | ||
5benpo | why aren't mob bosses in jail if we know who they are? | This has bugged me for years. Like, I don't get how members of the mafia are public knowledge but don't get arrested. Example: _URL_0_
Someone explain to me how you can be a known crime boss and not get caught | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5benpo/eli5_why_arent_mob_bosses_in_jail_if_we_know_who/ | {
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"text": [
"Knowing who they are and catching them in the act of a crime are two very different things. Those who become mob bosses do so by being intelligent enough to hide their criminal activities and keep direct ties from being dr... | [] | [
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Families#Current_bosses"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5gb30k | if someone is classified medically as "starvation" or emaciated, why can't you just feed them anything to get them to normal weight? | In a few Holocaust books, survivors were not just given "food"-they were given very specific diet (which a narrator said he vomited up) of bread and something else because the Allied Doctors wouldn't allow anything else.
Hospitals, for children with abusive homes where the child is medically considered "starved", the... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5gb30k/eli5_if_someone_is_classified_medically_as/ | {
"a_id": [
"daqt6zf",
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"score": [
5,
5,
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],
"text": [
"Basically, your body is very weak when you haven't eaten for a long time. Certain foods require more effort for your body to handle than others, so to avoid risking you hurting yourself by eating foods... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1o5ndh/iama_guy_who_went_from_430_pounds_to_170_pounds/",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refeeding_syndrome"
]
] | |
8t2x6q | what exactly makes a "good" gaming computer that makes it run fast, smoothly, and look nice? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8t2x6q/eli5_what_exactly_makes_a_good_gaming_computer/ | {
"a_id": [
"e149jxs",
"e149mol",
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"score": [
2,
2,
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],
"text": [
"Processing power, both graphically and computationally combined with speed of access to memory.\n\nMore calculations performed by the computer per second translates directly into more frames or more det... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2jny1t | why do my symptoms of depression go away while exercising and for a while after, but if i exercise for too long they get worse? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jny1t/eli5_why_do_my_symptoms_of_depression_go_away/ | {
"a_id": [
"cldg8uf"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Exercising releases endorphins into your blood stream which can make you feel better. It's a powerful drug that is natural in your body and often makes people who are depressed feel better. It's also why people hurt themselves either by cutting o... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
7fvgki | which country's alcohol laws apply on an international flight? | As an 18y/o from New Zealand (where 18 is legal to buy alcohol), I was recently on a flight to the USA and was unsure as to whether I was able to buy alcohol or not. What are the laws about international airspace and whatnot? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7fvgki/eli5_which_countrys_alcohol_laws_apply_on_an/ | {
"a_id": [
"dqemu41",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"While on the ground, an airplane is governed by the laws of the country it's in. When in the air, those laws don't apply and it's up to the airline. Typically, airlines choose to follow the laws of their home country (so U... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
6kt645 | how do judges determine who wins a boxing match? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6kt645/eli5_how_do_judges_determine_who_wins_a_boxing/ | {
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"text": [
"The scoring system works like this: every round, the judges will score both fighte... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://coolmaterial.com/feature/how-to-score-a-boxing-match/",
"https://www.thoughtco.com/amateur-boxing-rules-423996"
],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.thoughtco.com/biggest-controversies-in-olympic-boxing-history-424101",
"http://bleacherreport.com/articles/965780-13-most-shocking-scandal... | ||
2ckuei | why won't my printer print in black and white if one of the color cartridges runs out of ink? and why do the color cartridges run out if i only print in black and white? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ckuei/eli5_why_wont_my_printer_print_in_black_and_white/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjgg1vi",
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"score": [
7,
12,
6,
2,
3,
3,
3,
2,
3,
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"text": [
"You don't print in white.",
"Because they m... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://smallbusiness.chron.com/can-empty-ink-cartridges-damage-print-heads-58731.html"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3jita9 | how does whipping cream create butter? | I know whipping cream makes whipped cream (duh) but if you keep beating the cream it turns into butter. Isn't "whipping" just adding air? How does cream get from light and fluffy whipped cream to dense butter by "adding air"? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3jita9/eli5_how_does_whipping_cream_create_butter/ | {
"a_id": [
"cupkpim",
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"score": [
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],
"text": [
"cream is fat suspended in water (along with a lot of other stuff)\n\nWater and fat don't normally like to mix, but it can be achieved with what is called an emulsion- milk and milk products like cream are natural emulsions\n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3va0i7 | how hard would it be to combine google maps and (e.g.) gta5 engine to engine to make (e.g.) london in a game? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3va0i7/eli5_how_hard_would_it_be_to_combine_google_maps/ | {
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"cxlm4yq",
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37,
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"text": [
"Pretty hard, the elevation isn't perfect and the buildings would be terribly choppy. You would be better off just making London from scratch, you would be putting in about as muc... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.class3outbreak.com/"
]
] | ||
3up54q | why do feminists have a problem with people calling themselves egalitarians? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3up54q/eli5_why_do_feminists_have_a_problem_with_people/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxgni7o"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Implicit in saying \"I'm not a feminist, I'm an egalitarian\" is the that you're implicitly saying \"Feminism is crap because it only cares about women\".\n\n...and if **you're** not saying that, there's a long string of really shitty people maki... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3qwt9w | why can you be punished for refusing to take a drug/breathalyzer test? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qwt9w/eli5_why_can_you_be_punished_for_refusing_to_take/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwj05xj"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
" > Like if you're applying for a job and refuse to take the drug test that they require, it can disqualify you. \n\nYou can be disqualified from a job for any reason that is not a \"protected status\", such as gender, race, religion, pregnancy, m... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3bj256 | obviously religious freedom and laws sanctioned by the state will sometimes clash. please explain how and why federal laws must take any form of religious freedom into account when it comes to governance and legislation. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3bj256/eli5_obviously_religious_freedom_and_laws/ | {
"a_id": [
"csmk44i"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Why: \"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;\"\n\nHow: the Lemon test - \"First, the statute must have a secular legislative purpose; second, its principal or primary effect... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1tw1a7 | why does everyone keep calling birds dinosaurs? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1tw1a7/eli5_why_does_everyone_keep_calling_birds/ | {
"a_id": [
"cebzq0p",
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"score": [
2,
2
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"text": [
"Because birds are dinosaurs. It's a fairly obvious answer. \n\nDinosaurs are split into birds and nonavian dinosaurs. Birds are currently the only group of living dinosaurs. ",
"As time moved forward, dinosaurs evolve... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
66fw5f | if you were shot in the back of the head from close range (completely unaware) and died, how much of the gunshot noise would you hear before you passed away? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/66fw5f/eli5_if_you_were_shot_in_the_back_of_the_head/ | {
"a_id": [
"dgi9cge"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"You'd never know anything about it. Never mind how fast the sound travels, it takes your brain a substantial amount of time to hear and react to the sound, even if we're talking just the startle reflex reaction to a loud noise."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3qabne | mind-body problem and qualia. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qabne/eli5_mindbody_problem_and_qualia/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"We can (not fully but pretty well) describe how nerves are able to take in inputs, move them to the brain, and where they are processed into sensations.\n\nWhat we have failed to describe physiologically is how those senses ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://consc.net/papers/nature.html",
"http://www.sfu.ca/~jillmc/JacksonfromJStore.pdf",
"http://organizations.utep.edu/Portals/1475/nagel_bat.pdf"
]
] | ||
junob | li5 a foreigner with a simple question about american politics. | Since people seem to be losing faith in Obama and I definitely did months ago, what with him ignoring or forgetting his pledges and being the worst negotiator on earth, it seems that most of you think he's the only choice, since the republicans are scarily moronic why cant you just replace him from the same party? it's... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/junob/li5_a_foreigner_with_a_simple_question_about/ | {
"a_id": [
"c2f9j04",
"c2f9j04"
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"score": [
5,
5
],
"text": [
"There is absolutely no rule against a a candidate challenging a sitting president from within his own party. However, It is rarely attempted seriously, and no candidate has ever succeeded in winning his party's nomination ov... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Democratic_National_Convention"
],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Democratic_National_Convention"
]
] | |
2bsai5 | where does background radiation in space come from? | Hi guys.
i was reading up on astronauts and their suits, and how they have to be proofed(if that's the right word) against the radiation in space.
what i wanted to know was, what is the source of all this radiation?
is it the reactions in stars? or something else? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bsai5/eli5_where_does_background_radiation_in_space/ | {
"a_id": [
"cj8e4jc",
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"score": [
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Well there's cosmic background radiation all the way from the Big Bang, but there is a ton of radiation in space from stars. If the vacuum of space didn't kill you, going into space without a suit would... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Allen_radiation_belt",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection"
]
] | |
wh733 | what exactly does a modem do? | I tried reading the wikipedia article and my reaction was pretty much [this](_URL_0_) | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/wh733/eli5_what_exactly_does_a_modem_do/ | {
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"score": [
16,
3,
21,
4
],
"text": [
"A modem (modulator-demodulator) converts a digital signal(1s and 0s) into an analogue signal(electrical signal that can be transmitted by either cable or telephone lines dependin... | [] | [
"http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3oqzll/"
] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
39n8iu | why do people seem to get better, or "rally", right before they die? | How come some people seem to get better right before they die? I've seen this in both of my grandfathers as well as relatives of friends. I never quite understood how someone could be on the verge of death then feel better only to die a short time after. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/39n8iu/eli5_why_do_people_seem_to_get_better_or_rally/ | {
"a_id": [
"cs4rn83",
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"score": [
9,
4
],
"text": [
"Some of the time it's because the medications were stopped. Chemotherapy especially has a lot of terrible side effects and its stopped if its not helping the prognosis.\n\nSide effects stop, person feels better from that, bu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4se5na | what does the epa do and what are the consequences of removing it | The big ol Don says that if he is elected he will remove the EPA so I was wondering what are the consequences of this and why he wants to remove it. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4se5na/eli5_what_does_the_epa_do_and_what_are_the/ | {
"a_id": [
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"d58m5a0",
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"score": [
12,
3,
8,
3
],
"text": [
"The EPA is the agency in charge of Environmental Regulation in the United States. \n\nThe most important part of this is what is an Agency in the US? Let's say congress enacts and... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyahoga_River#Environmental_concerns",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smog"
],
[]
] | |
1smxv1 | why do helicopter blades make the choppy sound they do when they are spinning around at a constant speed? | If they are turning at the same rate, shouldn't they just make sort of a buzzing sound and not a pulsing sound? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1smxv1/eli5_why_do_helicopter_blades_make_the_choppy/ | {
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"score": [
3,
6,
79,
5,
2,
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2
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"text": [
"The pulsing sound happens because the blades aren't turning very fast, so your ear can hear each one as it comes ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=452889"
],
[
"http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1966JSV.....4D....L"
],
[],
[
"http://imgur.com/YQi3ZFz"
],
[],
[]
] | |
1fet8z | how did early lifeforms know how to procreate? | I know this seems like a silly question, but let me expand on it. Humans, to my understanding, aren't born with the knowledge of what sex is, hence sexual education. That knowledge isn't ingrained into us from birth, we are taught.
But, life obviously would have died off very quickly if we didn't procreate. And animal... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fet8z/eli5_how_did_early_lifeforms_know_how_to_procreate/ | {
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20,
7,
6,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"They just kind of figured it out. The ones that didn't figure it out didn't reproduce.",
"The earliest life forms didn't have sex. They were called asexu... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6gsylk | why does tan/sunburnt skin appear lighter briefly after pressing down on it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6gsylk/eli5_why_does_tansunburnt_skin_appear_lighter/ | {
"a_id": [
"dissomq"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"The skin is red due to increased blood flow near the surface. By pressing down on the skin you force blood out of the thin capillaries, similar to squeezing a sponge. In doing so you reduce the visible blood and change the color."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4m59o0 | why can we open our eyes during sleep paralysis | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4m59o0/eli5_why_can_we_open_our_eyes_during_sleep/ | {
"a_id": [
"d3sosft",
"d3soucd",
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"score": [
2,
5,
3
],
"text": [
"My eyes have always been open when this happens to me. As far as I know, having your eyes open is part of it.\nI read this as \"why *can't* you open your eyes.\" Backwards answer, huh.",
"You are ac... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1mctis | how do they determine "viewers" for certain tv shows or event. do i have to watch certain percentage of the show to be counted as a viewer? or does it mean that i could literally tune in for couple seconds and be counted as a " viewer". please explain. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1mctis/eli5how_do_they_determine_viewers_for_certain_tv/ | {
"a_id": [
"cc807t9",
"cc80dsg"
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"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"Both are right of the Nielsen Ratings system. Basically, the company uses census information to find homes that contain certain types of \"families\". Those families are gives boxes that are attached to their televisions an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7moqkj | how do machines place each individual pixel on a screen? | There are a LOT of pixels on screens now, millions. I really wanna know: how can machines can be so precise and so fast to place millions of lights on a machine? Does it take a long time? How does it not make many mistakes? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7moqkj/eli5_how_do_machines_place_each_individual_pixel/ | {
"a_id": [
"drvink9",
"drviq30"
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"score": [
6,
4
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"text": [
"The pixels are put on the screen in the display factory. All the pixels that aren't in the right place or don't work are not sold to customers. (Actually, most displays are allowed to have 3-6 failed pixels.)\n\nYour comput... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1sh5ax | when a homeless person requires emergency surgery in america - who picks up the tab? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1sh5ax/eli5_when_a_homeless_person_requires_emergency/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdxiqvv"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"They are given a bill, but when it's clear they won't pay it the hospital pays for it, and to cover the cost they charge insured people (and their insurers) slightly more."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
6vg6gq | when could the united states debt become a major issue for all citizens? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6vg6gq/eli5_when_could_the_united_states_debt_become_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dm00ctn",
"dm019lm",
"dm03lis"
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"score": [
9,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Not soon. Our national debt is only about equal to our annual GDP, depending on how you measure it.\n\n_URL_0_\n\nWe could start paying it down if we wanted to, and certainly can afford the interest.",
... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt"
],
[
"https://www.thebalance.com/who-owns-the-u-s-national-debt-3306124"
],
[]
] | ||
1hgva6 | why is the loss of a language a bad thing? | In TIL, [I learned that the last two fluent speakers of an indigenous language refuse to speak to each other](_URL_0_). I also learned that there are people who are there to try to keep the language from dying. I also learned that there are people in the comments of that thread who see the loss of a language as a great... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1hgva6/eli5why_is_the_loss_of_a_language_a_bad_thing/ | {
"a_id": [
"cau721f",
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"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"\"Bad\" is subjective, so obviously you will get different answers.\n\nBut the primary difference is this: Latin is not dead. Sure, it's no longer used in daily life, and speakers are *rare*, but they exist. People can still... | [] | [
"http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1hfk8s/til_the_last_two_speakers_of_an_indigenous/"
] | [
[
"http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-language-shapes-thought"
],
[
"http://www.helium.com/items/1376944-why-it-is-important-to-save-dying-languages-culture-and-language",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dying_languages#Dead_languages_and_normal_language_change"
]
] | |
czgpf3 | why will a gif play normally the first time but may stop and need to load when it repeats? | I often see gifs on Reddit and then go to show my wife only to have the gif get stuck loading on the 2nd play through. Shouldn't the gif be completely loaded after the first time it plays all the way through? This happens on mobile and PC | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/czgpf3/eli5_why_will_a_gif_play_normally_the_first_time/ | {
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"When you create a gif in Photoshop or similar programs, you can determine if the gif should loop once, twice or over and over. The other possibility would be the browser or OS you are using as certain preferences could limit the times a gif would... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2ocu6r | how are school history books legally allowed to print known false/half-true information? | For example, the whole Christopher Columbus story. Most of it that we're taught in school is either false or leaves out all the parts where he did absolutely horrible things to the natives.
How are textbook companies legally allowed to print, and therefore teach our children, factually incorrect information? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ocu6r/eli5_how_are_school_history_books_legally_allowed/ | {
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5uy2yp | how did they assign zip codes to us cities and towns? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5uy2yp/how_did_they_assign_zip_codes_to_us_cities_and/ | {
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"That is not how the zip code works. Before the zip code people used what where called postal zone numbers. And they would be put after the city on the envelope. Like \"New York City 19, New York\" 19 being the postal zone assigned to that city. W... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
86qsyd | why is it difficult to keep your eyes wide open when you look straight up at the sky? | You always squint and feel this urge to blink and look down immediately? And to be clear it's not looking at the sun lol - even at night it can be difficult? Is it something to do with gravity and the fluids in your eyeball? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/86qsyd/eli5_why_is_it_difficult_to_keep_your_eyes_wide/ | {
"a_id": [
"dw76lef"
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"text": [
"Because it is bright. The sun is up there. \n\nThe sky itself is made up of gas that scatters light. Even though it is not as bright as looking directly at the sun, it is like looking at a TV screen very closely. The sunlight hits the moisture i... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
20u7rz | under obamacare, you can stay on your parents' insurance plan until you are 26. does that mean your coverage ends the day you turn 26 or 27? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20u7rz/eli5_under_obamacare_you_can_stay_on_your_parents/ | {
"a_id": [
"cg6razs",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"You must be under 26 to be on the plan. So when you turn 26, you will be kicked off.\n\nEDIT: [Here is a source](_URL_0_)\n\n\"When you apply for a new plan in the Marketplace, you can sign up your **under-26-year-olds** dir... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.healthcare.gov/can-i-keep-my-child-on-my-insurance-until-age-26/"
],
[]
] | ||
6pik24 | how do subcommittees in the us legislature work to get a vote on something? | We all learn in school how a bill gets introduced and eventually becomes law but there's piles of committees that seem like they control what gets to be voted on. How does that part of it work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6pik24/eli5_how_do_subcommittees_in_the_us_legislature/ | {
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"text": [
"The committee said are created by congressional rule. In the House of Reps the Speaker gets a bill and assigns it to a committee or subcommittee, he can also theoretically send it straight to the House floor for a full vote,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4fcscw | why is lead so much more poisonous than other metals? | I've been using an aluminum rake for my yard and a lot of the aluminum dust comes off on my hands. Why is this not considered highly toxic if the aluminum dust can easily get into my lungs? Same with other metals. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fcscw/eli5_why_is_lead_so_much_more_poisonous_than/ | {
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"Before we discuss lead, what do you actually mean by \"aluminum dust... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
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"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_fume_fever"
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[],
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6smdyj | how are hackers able to hack into major companies, steal tons of data, and get out without a trace? | Specifically the recent HBO hack where hackers got away with 1.5 TB of data. How did this not raise a flag at HBO? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6smdyj/eli5_how_are_hackers_able_to_hack_into_major/ | {
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"text": [
"Companies have security measures commensurate to their perceived risk. Sure, some GoT scripts leaked, but that's not going to keep people from watching.\n\nHBO can't afford the sort of IT that would be... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
6m9smu | for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction | To a total layman this would imply that nothing ever moves. However, this obviously isn't the case. I like to think I have an idea of how it works, but when I try to contemplate it I find I don't. To me, it sounds like the law of inertia, but it isn't. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6m9smu/eli5_for_every_action_there_is_an_equal_and/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Imagine standing on a skateboard and throwing a ball. On one side, there's the force that sends the ball flying (the action). On the other side, there's the force that makes you skate backwards (the rea... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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2whrx6 | what is 'hedging' (international security/strategy) | I have heard this term specifically in relation to international relations and security/strategy. For instance 'nuclear hedging' or the US 'hedging' strategy in East Asia. Could someone who has knowledge in this realm explain what 'hedging' means. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2whrx6/eli5_what_is_hedging_international/ | {
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"text": [
"The simplest explanation would be that a hedge is a bet that something bad or counter to your interests might happen and you taking steps to mitigate the risk. An example is airlines negotiating long term contracts for fuel to insulate themselves... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1v3u8p | why are textbooks so expensive in the united states and why hasn't this been remedied? | I'm studying at university in the United Kingdom and have friends in the US who complain a lot about the textbooks they have to buy and the cost of them. The costs seem absurd.
I compare this against the UK where I haven't had to buy a single book for a three year course in Physics and Philosophy at a prestigious uni... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1v3u8p/eli5why_are_textbooks_so_expensive_in_the_united/ | {
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"Price discrimination by the publishers. They can sell higher in the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://boingboing.net/2011/10/07/122076.html",
"http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/03/thai-student-protected-by-first-sale-supreme-court-rules/"
],
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[],
[],
[],
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] | |
37kx8v | why does gorilla glass shatter so easily when you drop your phone but seem indestructible in their demo videos? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/37kx8v/eli5_why_does_gorilla_glass_shatter_so_easily/ | {
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"text": [
"Advertising would never show the product being damaged, that wouldn't be a good advertisement, would it?\n\nPersonally, I've owned 3 phones with gorilla g... | [] | [] | [
[],
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40sc32 | why people that are iron deficient... | Why do people that are iron deficient have black eyes usually? My friend told me he visited the doctor yesterday and told the doctor that he thought it might be because he has a late sleeping pattern but the doctor said that it's probably due to an iron deficiency.. I'm curious how this makes sense? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40sc32/eli5_why_people_that_are_iron_deficient/ | {
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"text": [
"Iron is a necessary part of the blood which helps carry oxygen throughout the tissues. Not having enough iron means that you are less efficient at spreading oxygen throughout your circulatory system. A common side effect of ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1muzho | why the 3d in movies and stereograms looks so different from 3d in real life? | I was playing with some stereograms today. The kind that are two pictures next two each other, not the blurry static ones that I'm convinced are a huge joke.
There's a definite 3D effect in there, but it isn't anything like in real life. It's much more defined. It actually pops out and has a definite feel of depth. S... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1muzho/eli5_why_the_3d_in_movies_and_stereograms_looks/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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2
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"text": [
"Your eyes use focus in addition to disparity to sense depth. A stereogram only uses disparity to simulate depth. If a photo is taken with infinite depth of field, then more of the image will be in focus than you are used to.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autostereogram"
]
] | |
3br9jj | the "illusion of knowledge" | Stephen Hawking once said that "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." It's my understanding that now that information is so accessible (internet, iPhone, et al.) it's impeding our thought processes. I've been thinking a lot about the "illusion of knowledge" and that I am gu... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3br9jj/eli5_the_illusion_of_knowledge/ | {
"a_id": [
"csopxd8"
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"score": [
5
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"text": [
"What he was saying is that the \"illusion of knowledge\" is thinking that you know everything on a subject. That prevents you from seeking out new ideas or trying to understand a subject further; why would you as you already know everything?\n\n... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2jl4mr | how does the whole basketball and american football seasons work? in terms of how many teams in league, the whole playoff thing, all of it! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2jl4mr/eli5_how_does_the_whole_basketball_and_american/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"**NFL**\n\nThis will be an order of hierarchy thing.\n\n1. One League\n2. Two Conferences (American & National)\n3. Four Divisions\n4. Four teams per division.\n\nA total of 32 teams. 16 in each conference = 4 teams x 4 divisions.\n\nIn compari... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2g0qex | how they print pictures onto cakes | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2g0qex/eli5_how_they_print_pictures_onto_cakes/ | {
"a_id": [
"ckeimcb"
],
"score": [
6
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"text": [
"Fill an inkjet printer with special \"ink\" made of food coloring. Print your design onto a waxy paper. Set the paper on top of a frosted cake and press down. The colors from the picture get transferred to the frosting.\n"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
bc82x7 | why are guns with long barrels like rifles more accurate at long range than handguns? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bc82x7/eli5_why_are_guns_with_long_barrels_like_rifles/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Three main reasons:\n\n1. Sight radius: A longer distance between the front and rear sights allows for more precise aim.\n\n2. Stabilization: Most modern firearms stabilize bullets by spinning them with grooves carved into ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
5sx41m | why do american school busses not have flat fronts? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5sx41m/eli5_why_do_american_school_busses_not_have_flat/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
3,
3
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"text": [
"Some do. As to the visibility, most school busses have an arm that automatically swings open from the front of the bus to force a walk forward to get around it. Also, most bus routes are built to have the children not crossi... | [] | [] | [
[],
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2ixpdr | why do you have to check in for your flight if you already bought a ticket? | They have your money. They know you plan on being there.
I tried checking in 5 minutes later than I was allowed apparently, lost my first class seat, and now I'm on standby. I still made it to the gate in time for my original flight, but they weren't having it.
What gives, reddit? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ixpdr/eli5_why_do_you_have_to_check_in_for_your_flight/ | {
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"text": [
"I'm guessing they want to know whether or not you're actually going to be on the airplane or not. Because someone could buy a ticket 3 months ahead of time, but then not show up for the actual flight ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1re1k0 | why can't some people roll their r's and/or curl their tongue? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1re1k0/eli5_why_cant_some_people_roll_their_rs_andor/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdmb50k"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
"Some people can't curl their tongue because they are literally missing the muscle band that enables that action. There are genetic variations in everybody, and this is just another one of them. Same reason why some people can wiggle their ears."
... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
bdpas4 | why is natural selection described as "survival of the fittest" when it is clearly "failure of the weakest?" | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bdpas4/eli5_why_is_natural_selection_described_as/ | {
"a_id": [
"ekzw48g"
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"score": [
3
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"text": [
"Modern biology tends to avoid the phrase because it simplifies what is a very complex system. \"Survival\" is important, but ability to reproduce rapidly and/or spread your progeny is at least as important.\n\nDarwin used the phrase to mean that... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
9qol84 | which of the two types of weapons, chemical and biological, is more lethal and effective in the long run? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9qol84/eli5_which_of_the_two_types_of_weapons_chemical/ | {
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"text": [
"Biological weapons are more lethal over time because they (hypothetically) self-replicate. Chemical weapons degrade over time, but their biological counterparts can inoculate new victims and remain in dormant forms in the so... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
4d8w5o | how do some businesses like comic book stores survive when it is such a niche market now? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4d8w5o/eli5_how_do_some_businesses_like_comic_book/ | {
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"text": [
"Comic book stores have *always* been a niche market. And in fact, comics are a lot more mainstream today than they were in the past, thanks to the advent of ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.businessinsider.com/the-comic-book-industry-is-on-fire-2014-8"
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2yadr0 | why did nasa send a probe to ceres? | Of all objects to send one too, it's ceres? Why? If I were them, I would send a probe to Europa to search for life. Europa probably has an ocean, many times deeper than ours, and we've seen it ejecting water into space. Ceres, on the other hand, might have some liquid water, but not nearly as much. So why Ceres?
Hones... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yadr0/eli5_why_did_nasa_send_a_probe_to_ceres/ | {
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"text": [
"From the [Wikipedia article](_URL_1_) on the Dawn mission:\n\n > The Dawn mission's goal is to characterize the conditions and processes of the Solar System's earliest eon by investigating in detail two... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassini%E2%80%93Huygens",
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"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons"
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[],
[
"http://www.space.com/28436-nasa-europa-mission-white-house.html"
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bhtnnh | why does scratching feel so good? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bhtnnh/eli5_why_does_scratching_feel_so_good/ | {
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9g4xef | what do dryer sheets do exactly? as a single man i never used them. my wife can't not use them. i see no difference. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9g4xef/eli5_what_do_dryer_sheets_do_exactly_as_a_single/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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8
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"text": [
"They help eliminate static and help make your clothes smell fresh, though we stopped using them about a month before our first kid was born and didn't notice a difference. ",
"From my understanding dryer sheets leave a t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
1gvit3 | if dc's the flash were real, how fast would he have to be traveling so the human eye could not see him? | I am not a physicist and I realize that this question relates to physiology of the eye and physics. I know that the answer would be different and there is some sort of connection with the size of the object versus the distance, but I am unsure how to calculate this. For example, I know that if we saw an object a 2x2 mi... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1gvit3/eli5_if_dcs_the_flash_were_real_how_fast_would_he/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Complex question, but the answer is *very, very* fast. To the point that he would be doing severe damage to his organs.\n\nYou can find a [partial explanation of the problem here](_URL_0_). The reason it's so complex is that... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.hhmi.org/askascientist/answers/20110810-1.html"
],
[]
] | |
3tn288 | what is it that prevents xbox games from being played on a playstation but yet allows people to play music cds on either? | I have little knowledge on how cds work and was just curious. I imagine it's the CDs wanting a command or something that isn't found in that software like run .Xbox which doesn't exist on PlayStation. Thanks for any answers! | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3tn288/eli5_what_is_it_that_prevents_xbox_games_from/ | {
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5,
2,
7
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"text": [
"Games are a series of instructions for the device to follow. A Playstation can read the instructions from an Xbox disc just fine, but it doesn't understand them. A music CD just contains data. A program... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
acx9c4 | why do some viruses like distemper only affect one species while others like rabies affects all or at least most mammals? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/acx9c4/eli5_why_do_some_viruses_like_distemper_only/ | {
"a_id": [
"edboa3f"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"When you get down to it it's really just about what it evolved to do. Think of it like this: you have grizzly bears which are more \"generalists\", they eat smaller mammals, birds, berries, fish. And then you have pandas, which are \"specialists\... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3utng3 | if drones are meant to be the future why are flying cars still so far away? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3utng3/eli5_if_drones_are_meant_to_be_the_future_why_are/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Multiple reasons. Flying cars are horribly fuel inefficient. You can't trust humans to fly them so you'll need fully functional autopilot, something that is extremely experimental right now. There isn't much of a demand besides from fantasy, if y... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
91l5e8 | why do humans assume that we need earth conditions for life to exist? is it not possible that other life forms could exist under different conditions? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/91l5e8/eli5_why_do_humans_assume_that_we_need_earth/ | {
"a_id": [
"e2ythvi",
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"score": [
15,
7,
5,
4,
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33,
2,
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3,
2,
2
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"text": [
"We don't know if it can ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://youtu.be/2LGQrVSxPvg"
]
] | ||
1lcwze | what is the purpose of boxers? (the undergarment, not the sportsman) | Sounds like a dumb question, but my wife asked and I didn't have an explanation. Briefs hold the "equipment" in place, but boxers just kind of hang there, seemingly doing nothing. So what's the purpose? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lcwze/eli5_what_is_the_purpose_of_boxers_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbxyntn",
"cbxyxim",
"cby03sb"
],
"score": [
12,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"They keep your dick from piss-staining the front of your trousers. They also avoid panty-lines.\n\nedit: they also cover your butthole",
"They are roomier. It is a known fact that tight fitting sh... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5bx2iw | how can a state be called one way or the other when 0% or < 1% of districts have reported the results? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5bx2iw/eli5_how_can_a_state_be_called_one_way_or_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"d9rwevm"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"A combination of polls leading up to the election and exit polls (people polled about how they voted as they exited their voting location). If the numbers are large enough, you can be extremely confident in the results even before they are offic... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2mwn7n | why is the typical mass shooter so incompetent? | Today's would-be killer at Florida State failed to kill a single person. This is true of a non-trivial portion of mass shootings, and it's very rare for a gunman to kill more than a handful of victims despite typically being armed with multiple (often semi- or fully-automatic) guns, knives, bombs, et cetera. What's the... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mwn7n/eli5_why_is_the_typical_mass_shooter_so/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
5,
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10,
2,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"If you've never shot a weapon before, you're probably underestimating the ease of use. It's hard to aim a gun. It's especially hard to ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1fpfkk | why aren't recording devices allowed in courts but artists and stenographers are? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fpfkk/eli5_why_arent_recording_devices_allowed_in/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
56,
136,
26,
3,
3,
2,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"In the UK, that's the way it's been since the Criminal Justice Act 1925 came into force ... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/162260/broadcasting-filming-recording-courts.pdf.pdf"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1kkjcd | how does fdic insurance work? | Hey All,
A bit confused on FDIC Insurance. Why is it even needed into today's world? I could understand it's importance back in the day, but it seems unnecessary today? If I have a Chase account with $50k in it, and that branch is robbed, I don't lose my money right? Chase won't say" Sorry we lost your money?"
Or... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1kkjcd/eli5_how_does_fdic_insurance_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbpwkgb",
"cbpxxyn"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Since the financial crisis started, 65 banks have been acquired by the FDIC with well over 150 becoming insolvent (the remaining were acquired by other financial institutions). This is still very much an issue!\n\nIn the 19... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] |
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