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
6wacf6
why are the primary colours red, blue, yellow when they are not combinations for both additive and subtractive colour theories (rgb and cmy)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6wacf6/eli5_why_are_the_primary_colours_red_blue_yellow/
{ "a_id": [ "dm6lvbp", "dm6oake" ], "score": [ 4, 5 ], "text": [ "The primary colors **aren't** red, blue, and yellow. That's an outdated model used in art, and not scientific at all. It's a useful color system for having different colors that are easily distinguishable, but it's not a \...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2g0os4
what's the point of a company owning and operating a number of brands which are in competition?
I just saw the Volkswagen Group TIL. Why have a multitude of brands competing? such as Volkswagen skoda and seat, or Porsche Bugatti and Lamborghini? Edit: to add in other company's such as the MARS group or even Johnson johnson.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2g0os4/eli5whats_the_point_of_a_company_owning_and/
{ "a_id": [ "ckei4sl", "ckei5zr" ], "score": [ 3, 3 ], "text": [ "The illusion of choice. Catering to different markets. A billionaire wouldn't by a VW. They *need* a BMW or a Lamborghini. \n\nYou could technically make VW Aventador. But calling it a Lambo gives the owner much more satisfa...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
7sla6b
how are people creating their own internet?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7sla6b/eli5_how_are_people_creating_their_own_internet/
{ "a_id": [ "dt5mq8i" ], "score": [ 42 ], "text": [ "Take two computers, run a cable between them. Now the two computers can talk to each other. Poof, you have a network. You can stick a switch in the middle and connect more than two computers even. Just give each computer a unique name (or number...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4f3eyz
why does kayne west consider himself a "visionary" and have such a huge following
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4f3eyz/eli5_why_does_kayne_west_consider_himself_a/
{ "a_id": [ "d25kc7g", "d25oqrq", "d25p443", "d25p5hl", "d25p61t", "d25rovs" ], "score": [ 47, 16, 10, 2, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Kanye is one of the few artists that successfully bridged the gap between gangster rap and what we see today. When rappers like ludac...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [ "https://youtu.be/uC5KR1Qzkkw?t=3m16s", "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImKfG8equzY" ] ]
4a9sw6
why can you whistle a song without practicing, but you have to practice to play the piano?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4a9sw6/eli5_why_can_you_whistle_a_song_without/
{ "a_id": [ "d0yj915", "d0yjhqc", "d0yjyj7" ], "score": [ 8, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "If you didn't care about the exact notes, just a rough approximation, an experienced pianist could play it after hearing it once. However, most experienced pianist prefer the exact notes.", "When p...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krz9PRm9L2g" ] ]
crlri3
do people with lazy eyes have more "field of view" or does your brain automatically fix it and make it a normal image?
I never really understood why or what causes it either and I'd love to learn.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/crlri3/eli5_do_people_with_lazy_eyes_have_more_field_of/
{ "a_id": [ "ex6jlmz", "ex6lrjl", "ex6t7sk", "ex6vw0r", "ex71pns", "ex7b2kl", "ex7fzsu", "ex7k85t", "ex7l761" ], "score": [ 8, 303, 85, 15, 5, 11, 2, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "what do you mean with lazy eyes? I am an optician so I can maybe ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amblyopia", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strabismus" ], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
lj4qv
why does our appearance change as we age?
Why do we become shorter, get wrinkles, grey hair, etc? Why doesn't this happen to animals? I know most don't live that long comparatively, but it seems like humans are the only species that have such a significant change in physical appearance as they grow older. Can anyone explain?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/lj4qv/why_does_our_appearance_change_as_we_age/
{ "a_id": [ "c2t42th", "c2t42th" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "LI5:\n\nIn your body there are tiny strings called DNA. These are like the instructions you have when you build LEGO. It says what color your hair should be, your eye color, your finger's shape and length, more or less every...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
aern8g
how do people get away with filming pranks without their consent?
Movies like Borat and shows like The Eric Andre Show always make me laugh due to the raw reactions of the people they end up pranking. How is it that they get away with pulling off these stunts? Do they go through the pain of making every single person sign a film consent waiver, or do they continue to do it in secret?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aern8g/elif_how_do_people_get_away_with_filming_pranks/
{ "a_id": [ "edrzsem", "edskb62", "edt0usb" ], "score": [ 9, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "a common variation of your question is why doesn't snoop or the people on drugs inc get arrested. \n\nWhat you see on tv or on some youtube video is not always real.\n\n\n_URL_0_\n\nIf it's shown on TV,...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/search?q=snoop+weed&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all" ], [], [] ]
947m93
how and why bombs or explosions are measured against x kilotons of "tnt" - is the explosive behaviour of tnt even that well known as a comparison? is there a better measure?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/947m93/eli5_how_and_why_bombs_or_explosions_are_measured/
{ "a_id": [ "e3iwktj", "e3iws8h", "e3iy68h", "e3j1noh", "e3j5ac2" ], "score": [ 13, 2, 2, 2, 7 ], "text": [ "A ton of TNT releases a pretty fixed amount of energy ( 4.184 gigajoules ) and TNT has been the standard for measuring the strength of bombs for the last hun...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
2yfioq
the federal reserve has kept interest rates low for several years to stimulate economic growth during the recession. what benefits are there to them raising the rates ever if low rates strengthen the markets?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2yfioq/eli5_the_federal_reserve_has_kept_interest_rates/
{ "a_id": [ "cp90q37", "cp919gz" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Raising rates can prevent a boom or bubble, where previously cheap interest rates would allow people to borrow money cheaply on high risk speculation.", "Raising rates slows inflation, which becomes an issue if rates are...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
afi5s5
why do things seem to get worse?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/afi5s5/eli5_why_do_things_seem_to_get_worse/
{ "a_id": [ "edys1hd", "edyuw7r" ], "score": [ 4, 5 ], "text": [ "Well for a part it has to do with you only remembering the good parts of a certain era\n\nThat said, social interaction is on a decline since the internet, that and other things have indeed gotten worse as technology progres...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3lk5bu
could a currency have a negative value?
What about a cryptocurrency? Would it be possible to start a currency that has a negative value?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3lk5bu/eli5_could_a_currency_have_a_negative_value/
{ "a_id": [ "cv6x1r4", "cv6x28c" ], "score": [ 8, 2 ], "text": [ "Your credit card is a currency with negative value. You accept some debt and goods together, then later have to exchange that currency for USD, because you're earning way too much compound interest on your anticurrency.", ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1rwd9m
why is recycled toilet paper rougher than regular?
It seems silly to cut down trees just to make paper to clean my backside. So I like to try to get the recycled stuff. But it's never as nice and soft as the non-recycled TP. Why not?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rwd9m/eli5_why_is_recycled_toilet_paper_rougher_than/
{ "a_id": [ "cdrm671" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "It's in the fibers used to make the paper. Softer toilet paper requires longer fibers which come from old growth trees. However, once you recycle the fibers, they aren't as long as the fibers are originally found. So they're shorter than they ori...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
1k7pn7
why do people fund and produce movies if most of them don't turn a profit, and some are huge losses?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1k7pn7/eli5why_do_people_fund_and_produce_movies_if_most/
{ "a_id": [ "cbm72zo", "cbm747a", "cbm7oi0" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "they don't fund them for the losses, they fund them in hopes that it'll be a mega hit. The movies that bomb in the theater they will make money back on DVD sales / Rentals and pay per view revenue. ", ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/budgets.php" ], [] ]
2hzz2i
html5 gifs
How are they able to take up so little space while being able to provide the same, if not better, quality then the original GIF?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2hzz2i/eli5_html5_gifs/
{ "a_id": [ "ckxixsd", "ckxjg9v", "ckxmsgs", "ckxne67" ], "score": [ 24, 65, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "Gifs uses multiple images as frames to show animation. HTML5 only replaces the pixels that were to be changed...", "Because they're *not* GIFs. They're videos that use better...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
6n8ds8
why does the usa, one of the richest countries in the world, use a lower voltage than pretty much the whole rest of the developed world?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6n8ds8/eli5_why_does_the_usa_one_of_the_richest/
{ "a_id": [ "dk7hv68", "dk7kbxz" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "One of the disadvantages to being a rich country is that you are often the early adopters of new technology. But replacing the early standards as improvements are made is not easy or cheap. You do see this in other areas as ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3qtkl9
how cold would earth be without our sun, and how fast would it drop to this?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qtkl9/eli5how_cold_would_earth_be_without_our_sun_and/
{ "a_id": [ "cwi7dt1", "cwi7eg1", "cwi7v1l", "cwi82d0", "cwibgdk", "cwice4q", "cwiis95" ], "score": [ 32, 4, 12, 2, 2, 8, 2 ], "text": [ "I saw a documentary about that once.\n\nOf course, around 8 minutes after the sun disappeared, it would get sudd...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rltpH6ck2Kc" ], [], [], [], [], [] ]
3fzlfz
how exactly does the airplane toilet work?.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3fzlfz/eli5_how_exactly_does_the_airplane_toilet_work/
{ "a_id": [ "cttf274", "cttfiv2" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "I know how old C-130 bathrooms work. \n\nStep 1: Pee into bucket.\n\nStep 2: Empty Bucket \n\nRepeat for #2", "When you go to the potty on a plane you press the flusher which makes all the wee wee, doo doo, condoms, drug...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2mr89i
why did we go to the moon so many times?
It seems massively inefficient. Was it just to piss off the Russians?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mr89i/eli5_why_did_we_go_to_the_moon_so_many_times/
{ "a_id": [ "cm6u67y" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "The primary purpose for the Apollo missions was science. In particular to answer the following questions:\n\n* How old is the moon?\n* What is it made of?\n* How was it formed?\n* Was it once part of Earth?\n* How stable is it;s orbit?\n\nTo answ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
bf79si
if chinese letters represent meaning instead of pronunciation how do they write foreign words like air conditioning or computer?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bf79si/eli5_if_chinese_letters_represent_meaning_instead/
{ "a_id": [ "elbf5ui", "elbknsw", "elbmcjm", "eldgrfr" ], "score": [ 28, 8, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "They represent both meaning and pronunciation. So when expressing a loan word, proper noun, or brand in Chinese, you would ideally find characters that convey the sound and meanin...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://blog.tutorming.com/business/brand-names-in-chinese" ], [], [], [] ]
9n7ofv
why do some things sound better in our head but don't when spoken out loud?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9n7ofv/eli5_why_do_some_things_sound_better_in_our_head/
{ "a_id": [ "e7k9jbl", "e7kagcc" ], "score": [ 3, 2 ], "text": [ "I'm not quite sure what you're asking. But I'd venture that it's because while thinking your words aren't constrained by the physical aspects of speech, so it is possible to think of a sentence that flows well in your head, ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
bt93v3
why specifically does the northern part of africa have desert land? i’m assuming it’s on the same geographical level as other countries that have no desert at all?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bt93v3/eli5_why_specifically_does_the_northern_part_of/
{ "a_id": [ "eov94u6", "eovaogl", "eovax5s", "eovc45o", "eovdk1c", "eovdrxr", "eoxfioh" ], "score": [ 3, 3, 21, 5, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "You don't have to assume you can look at a map. Most areas around the same latitude as northern Africa have simil...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
28u3px
why is legalizing marijuana good for america or bad.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28u3px/eli5_why_is_legalizing_marijuana_good_for_america/
{ "a_id": [ "ciehnth", "cieiczx", "ciej013" ], "score": [ 3, 4, 2 ], "text": [ "If people are buying from regulated retailers, then they're not buying from shadey back-alley dealers who will want to peddle other, more harmful stuff. ", "Decriminalizing it will take a huge strai...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
26spzs
how can we eat leafed vegetables when we can't digest cellulose?
How come we can eat leaves of some plants but others like grass would make us sick?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/26spzs/eli5_how_can_we_eat_leafed_vegetables_when_we/
{ "a_id": [ "chu396t", "chu3q3n", "chu3tym", "chueadp" ], "score": [ 10, 3, 7, 2 ], "text": [ "What we eat and can't digest comes out the other end, as naturally as the day is long.", "Some plants have lower cellulose amounts. The ones we can eat are less cellulose-rich...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
3zd5k4
if diamonds aren't rare and intrinsically worthless, which gemstone isn't?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zd5k4/eli5_if_diamonds_arent_rare_and_intrinsically/
{ "a_id": [ "cyl6dx5" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "Any kind of diamond may not be particularly rare, but natural gem-quality diamonds (with high clarity & weight, & correct colour) are still quite rare.\n\nIt's hard to say that diamonds (or any other type of jewellery) is worthless, because p...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2we6rs
why does obama always say isil instead of isis?
I've never understood why this happens and no one I've asked knows.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2we6rs/eli5_why_does_obama_always_say_isil_instead_of/
{ "a_id": [ "coq0eb3", "coq0hnm", "coq0n9e", "coq0pku", "coq3cwv", "coq3q4v" ], "score": [ 28, 10, 5, 102, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "The State Department picked ISIL a their name before it was rebranded as ISIS. In order to avoid continuosly changing the name to w...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
1mb9ox
how are we able to perform experiments or gather data on things in the universe that are so far away?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1mb9ox/eli5_how_are_we_able_to_perform_experiments_or/
{ "a_id": [ "cc7j1qd" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "We can't perform direct experiments, but we *can* see things that are far away. And we can make predictions based on what we see, or combine that with other bits of science. For instance, we know that different elements have different emission ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
6ztdg8
- why do all the cows lie down when it's about to rain? how can they sense this? coming from indiana, i was surrounded by farms and cornfields, so i saw this all the time. if you drive past a farm and all the cows are lying down, you can guarantee it's about to rain. what's the explanation?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6ztdg8/eli5_why_do_all_the_cows_lie_down_when_its_about/
{ "a_id": [ "dmxvr31" ], "score": [ 29 ], "text": [ "Cows are more likely to lay down when they get cold, as rain fall is preceded by a drop in atmospheric pressure-- it gets colder before the rain. Cow lay down as the storm front approches, giving the illusion that they lay down for the rain, whe...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
9dl4mk
when older men piss why does the stream stop and go so frequently?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9dl4mk/eli5_when_older_men_piss_why_does_the_stream_stop/
{ "a_id": [ "e5iag9j", "e5iatf4" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Older men have weakened internal muscles which are used to force urine out, so it causes stop and go urination.", "It's a symptom of an enlarged prostate which is common in older men. As the size of the prostate increase...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.webmd.com/men/prostate-enlargement-bph/features/enlarged-prostate-bph-complex-problem#1", "https://www.emedicinehealth.com/enlarged_prostate/article_em.htm" ] ]
8voji8
what happens to non-perishable or preserved food after it has been stored for over 200 years?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8voji8/eli5_what_happens_to_nonperishable_or_preserved/
{ "a_id": [ "e1p6jli", "e1pcbzf" ], "score": [ 10, 3 ], "text": [ "Honey pretty much never goes bad. Bacteria and stuff cant survive in or on it, so honey left sitting in a tomb 6,000 years ago is just as safe to eat as honey harvested today.\n\nAlthough the dust wont be great for you and ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
53nyje
what happens if your appendix bursts in space and need surgery?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/53nyje/eli5_what_happens_if_your_appendix_bursts_in/
{ "a_id": [ "d7upc31", "d7upnpi" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "You're fucked. There is a device in development called Aqueous Immersion Surgical System that can make it possible but there hasn't been any info on it since 2012.", "Shipboard surgery used to be much more successful tha...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2nxgjz
how is dean karnazes "the ultramarathon man" managed to run 300 miles with no energy intake?
While Dean Karnazes is also known for achieving 50 marathons in 50 U.S. States in 50 days, which is something I could believe (not easliy but still i can live with it), I think its physically impossible to run 300 miles ( aprox. 480 km) in 80 hours without sleep or energy intake. Just by seeing it as the Law of Conserv...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2nxgjz/eli5_how_is_dean_karnazes_the_ultramarathon_man/
{ "a_id": [ "cmhsq46", "cmhswol" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "Who says he didn't eat?\n\n_URL_0_\n\n > 11:22 p.m. \n\"I ate some fresh berry pie, but I think I needed something with more salt. Yesterday I had a burrito and lots of trail mix, granola, and almonds. I have a variety of ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/far-out" ], [] ]
3sm1gt
why doesn't burj dubai crumble and break from swaying 10-20 meters at the top?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sm1gt/eli5why_doesnt_burj_dubai_crumble_and_break_from/
{ "a_id": [ "cwyh38f" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ " > “What they’ve done on the Burj Khalifa deliberately,” explains Garber, “is keep introducing changes to the shape of the building with height so that the flow pattern can’t organize itself. It’s almost like you have several different buildings ...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/124/confusing-the-wind-the-burj-khalifa-mother-nature-and-the-modern-skyscraper" ] ]
l31zf
why macs boot up way faster than pcs.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/l31zf/eli5_why_macs_boot_up_way_faster_than_pcs/
{ "a_id": [ "c2pcxeq", "c2pd0oc", "c2pcxeq", "c2pd0oc" ], "score": [ 3, 2, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "It's basically the design of the OS. Imagine you own a lot of toys that you like to carry around when you go for sleepovers with your friends. But your friend doesn't have so many ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
1lbxyz
why are papercuts so painful?
Why are they so unpleasant compared to larger injuries, such as scrapes or bruises?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1lbxyz/elif_why_are_papercuts_so_painful/
{ "a_id": [ "cbxoi63", "cbxqtpr", "cbxruit", "cbxt35b", "cbxtwry", "cby1jvm", "cby4tsk", "cbycdow" ], "score": [ 856, 23, 9, 52, 7, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Paper cuts are often very shallow, but cut through many pain receptors. Because of how s...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://neurobonkers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/3d-homunculus.png&imgrefurl=http://neurobonkers.com/2010/07/31/a-review-of-sorts-of-the-emotiv/&h=390&w=376&sz=54&tbnid=KbSN1FDIbbaYHM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=84&zoom=1&usg=__CcME-rjVGMnC5E0...
ajc8rn
why can’t humans see all wavelengths, and what causes them to be harmful?
If visible light is the only wavelength we can see, and is harmless, why can some wavelengths damage the skin such a ultraviolet?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ajc8rn/eli5_why_cant_humans_see_all_wavelengths_and_what/
{ "a_id": [ "eeuandg", "eeuaou6", "eeueacd", "eeuhj6i" ], "score": [ 7, 4, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "We can't see all wavelengths because our eyes evolved to see underwater, and the visible spectrum is the only spectrum that could penetrate the ozone layer and large bodies of wate...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
17q1x3
can you please explain the whole "horse meat in meat" debacle? i've had horse meat and it was yummy.
Is it just because people thought they were eating cows? Any health-related implications?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/17q1x3/can_you_please_explain_the_whole_horse_meat_in/
{ "a_id": [ "c87svtd", "c87sxqg", "c87vygy", "c87wpmu", "c87z7zx" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 3, 7, 4 ], "text": [ "Meat is subject to a large number of federal regulations having to do with food safety. That something foreign - in this case, horse - could creep into the s...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsemeat#Sweden" ], [], [], [] ]
29q4rr
why we don't have a base-10 time measuring system, and if it would be possible to create one.
Seems like it could be made to be more accurate then the current system of random intervals. Is there anything stopping us from making a base ten system?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29q4rr/eli5why_we_dont_have_a_base10_time_measuring/
{ "a_id": [ "cine7r1", "cine8gz", "cineazz", "cinf16e" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "Culturia inertia. Also, time works pretty nicely, they're not random at all. 24 hours divides into 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12. 60 minutes divides into 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20 and ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_time" ], [] ]
c8p84i
when you take a sip of water, why doesn’t it diffuse through the cell membranes in your mouth on its own?
When I tried it, it didn’t work, lol. So my question is, why doesn’t that happen, even though if you pour water on your skin, it will dry after some time. Is it because the type of epithelial cells is different? Or is this type of diffusion a much different process from water drying on your skin?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c8p84i/eli5_when_you_take_a_sip_of_water_why_doesnt_it/
{ "a_id": [ "esoj11x", "esoj3rh", "esox8on" ], "score": [ 11, 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Water drying on your skin is mostly an evaporation process not the water diffusing into your skin cells. \nSome water does enter your cells in your mouth but they aren't really designed for that purpos...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5zd8dg
how are clubs and other social gathering places allowed to have "ladies night" without people pulling out the discrimination card?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5zd8dg/eli5_how_are_clubs_and_other_social_gathering/
{ "a_id": [ "dex5csh", "dex5dnr", "dex5ja4", "dex6r7r", "dexcm05" ], "score": [ 2, 8, 3, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "People pull the [discrimination card](_URL_0_) all the time. But it has to be done each time as it is a civil matter, not a criminal one.", "People can pu...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/features/2011/should_ladies_nights_really_be_illegal_an_excerpt_from_richard_t/week_1/should_ladies_nights_really_be_illegal_an_excerpt_from_richard_t_1.html" ], [], [], [], [] ]
4zxdc8
how is lag compensated in fps games?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4zxdc8/eli5_how_is_lag_compensated_in_fps_games/
{ "a_id": [ "d6zicgp" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "There are a bunch of ways but one way is for each client to predict the future movement of other players. For example if they are moving forward assume they do until the next updated location.\n\nThe server then tries to resolve different ideas o...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3737qg
leninism.
Keep it brief.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3737qg/eli5_leninism/
{ "a_id": [ "crjb4pp", "crjgky9", "crjgwpv" ], "score": [ 29, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "The working class can't emancipate itself, therefore an intellectual vanguard is necessary: the party. The party has to stay in power and guide the society toward communism with dictatorial powers. Onc...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1l6y72
the future of data cables- currently metal, is the future optic fibres? how does data travel through both?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1l6y72/eli5the_future_of_data_cables_currently_metal_is/
{ "a_id": [ "cbwbdab" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Data travels through metal in electric impulses, which are moving electrons.\n\nData travels through optical fibers in light impulses, which are moving photons.\n\nCore networks in most developed countries are already based on optical fibers. Th...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
7e1hfm
why do ads load first, rather than the content of the site itself?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7e1hfm/eli5_why_do_ads_load_first_rather_than_the/
{ "a_id": [ "dq1rbl1" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "Because the site gets paid for how many views on the ads they get. Therefore add content is more important than the actual content. Sites prioritize this to make sure they get paid essentially." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
a0p2q7
how do power plants synchronize their ac phases?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a0p2q7/eli5_how_do_power_plants_synchronize_their_ac/
{ "a_id": [ "eajrsj4", "eaju3xp" ], "score": [ 2, 3 ], "text": [ "Think of it as synchronizing wall clocks. Everyone but you has a wall clock running and everyone’s clock agrees with everyone else (except you). Your clock runs at the correct speed (frequency) but the time (phase) is wrong....
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1b8r8u
what causes the difference between a dream and a nightmare?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1b8r8u/eli5_what_causes_the_difference_between_a_dream/
{ "a_id": [ "c94n1je", "c94nahk", "c94r8nb" ], "score": [ 2, 14, 2 ], "text": [ "The question is a little confusing, did you mean \"What factors cause a dream or nightmare?\"", "A more appropriate question would be \"what is the difference between a bad dream and a nightmare\" ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4954892&page=1#.UVWsKleUVOw", "http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=more-than-just-a-bad-dream" ], [ "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GH-inRcedU" ] ]
2cxyu1
the situation right now in iraq and why obama is ordering airstrikes.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cxyu1/eli5_the_situation_right_now_in_iraq_and_why/
{ "a_id": [ "cjk6w39", "cjk6yum", "cjkcgn5" ], "score": [ 19, 6, 2 ], "text": [ "To expand on the comment below me - There is a group of about 40,000 people (Christians) that ISIS is threatening to kill unless they leave. ISIS essentially has these people surrounded and they are li...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliphate" ] ]
1nvln1
how do those batteries tell you how much is left in them when you push the sides with your fingers?
I'm talking about these: _URL_0_ There are two places on the battery that you touch, and then the bar lights up to show you what percentage of the battery life is left.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1nvln1/eli5_how_do_those_batteries_tell_you_how_much_is/
{ "a_id": [ "ccmh7q9" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "When you push the two places they connect to the + and - of the battery and form a circuit through a resistor. The resistor heats up a different amount depending on how charged the battery is. The display you see is thermochromatic - that is it...
[]
[ "http://i.imgur.com/zI2tKhm.jpg" ]
[ [] ]
98km2a
why does placing certain adjectives in a different order sounds weird?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/98km2a/eli5_why_does_placing_certain_adjectives_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "e4gou4w", "e4gowfo", "e4gp4b9" ], "score": [ 2, 2, 8 ], "text": [ "It's called adjective order. It's something almost everyone does without realizing it and we all learn it from hearing other people speak as we learn to talk at a young age. \n\nHere's an article that g...
[]
[]
[ [ "www.google.com/amp/s/dictionary.cambridge.org/amp/british-grammar/adjectives-order" ], [ "https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/adjectives/order-of-adjectives/" ], [] ]
rkpls
what is really happening when i "jump" a dead car battery?
Bonus: Why should I connect the black clamp to whatever a "ground" is instead of the dead battery?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/rkpls/eli5_what_is_really_happening_when_i_jump_a_dead/
{ "a_id": [ "c46lfgr", "c46lq1n" ], "score": [ 12, 26 ], "text": [ "You're using the other car's battery to provide the energy needed to start your car. If your alternator works, then you can let your car charge the battery up again as normal, and it should take a half to three quarters of...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2wgszt
why do car batteries die after 1 night with the lights on, but can last for years otherwise?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2wgszt/eli5why_do_car_batteries_die_after_1_night_with/
{ "a_id": [ "coqonk7", "coqou7a", "coqsbvs" ], "score": [ 42, 4, 4 ], "text": [ "They do not die in the sense that they are broken. They are just empty.\n\nUsually, the battery is recharged while you are driving the car, thereby converting chemical energy from your fuel into electr...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
30phlk
what causes the prolonged choking feeling when i swallow a tiny amount of something the wrong way.
I mean, its in the same place it would be if I swallowed it normally. So why does it feel so different.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/30phlk/eli5_what_causes_the_prolonged_choking_feeling/
{ "a_id": [ "cpuldmg", "cpuo27l", "cpupwlb" ], "score": [ 79, 3, 5 ], "text": [ "After your swallow things, there are two tubes they can go down. One is your esophogus. This is the good one, and it leads to your tummy. The other is your trachea (tray-kee-ya), also called a \"wind...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
3l72oi
if one were to stop time would light stop moving (since it's a wave) or still "shine" (since it's also a particle)?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3l72oi/eli5_if_one_were_to_stop_time_would_light_stop/
{ "a_id": [ "cv3phwb" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Light itself is invisible anyway, and would stop moving.\n\nHowever, you would still be able to see. We don't see light, we see what light reflects off, so you would be able to see what light has reflected off, as the wave is still travelling thr...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3ehfyl
why was the senate able to completely change the name, subject and contents of the h.r. 644 bill after the house had already passed the original bill but not this completely different one?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ehfyl/eli5_why_was_the_senate_able_to_completely_change/
{ "a_id": [ "ctezty5", "ctf0lvy" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "It's a common tactic for a bill the Senate would never pass anyway, but they want to pass something else.\n\nSee, there's something in the Constitution called the \"Origination Clause\", which states that revenue bills must ...
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dxv21/eli5_how_could_the_house_of_representatives_just/" ] ]
1oxod2
why do waiters/waitresses immediately take away your menu once you've ordered?
There may be a totally obvious reason for this, but i have always wondered
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1oxod2/eli5_why_do_waiterswaitresses_immediately_take/
{ "a_id": [ "ccwnndl", "ccwnrqo", "ccwo9zk", "ccwou5j", "ccwp8tc" ], "score": [ 5, 2, 2, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "So you have open table space. ", "Restaurants only have a certain amount of menus. They need to take those after you've ordered so other customers can ord...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [] ]
3ffw6f
how hard is it for a horse to carry a human? and what would be the equivalent for a human?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ffw6f/eli5_how_hard_is_it_for_a_horse_to_carry_a_human/
{ "a_id": [ "ctoarv5" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "From what I've found (this site: _URL_0_) it looks like an average horse can easily carry about 240 pounds. It can carry up to around 360 pounds with some effort, and over that only with considerable strain.\n\nSo a horse carrying an average-size...
[]
[]
[ [ "http://www.horsesciencenews.com/horseback-riding/how-much-weight-can-a-horse-carry.php" ] ]
9sd46g
why do drinking fountains have two separate jets of water that combine to form one arc?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9sd46g/eli5_why_do_drinking_fountains_have_two_separate/
{ "a_id": [ "e8ntwna", "e8o3cdj", "e8o99ul", "e8oaau5", "e8oig2i", "e8oivw7", "e8oydsc", "e8plpjn" ], "score": [ 5669, 1640, 356, 43, 617, 80, 6, 6 ], "text": [ "Two separate small jets running parallel with each other produces a less chaotic...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [ "https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/770/why-do-some-water-fountains-produce-two-streams-of-water-that-merge-into-one/" ], [], [], [], [], [] ]
bb2hxx
why do kids like toys so much? and why do they prefer cartoons over regular shows? i understand that they probably won't be able to understand documents or regular (inappropriate) tv shows, but is there something about their psychology that makes them susceptible to liking big colorful things?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bb2hxx/elif_why_do_kids_like_toys_so_much_and_why_do/
{ "a_id": [ "ekfww47" ], "score": [ 13 ], "text": [ "A childs brain is more maleable. The neural pathways are still being formed. The colors and sounds of a cartoon are easier for a kids brain to engage with as colors and sounds are some of the first neural pathways built.\n\nToys help kid's brain...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
879zis
why does splashing cold water on my face calm me down?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/879zis/eli5_why_does_splashing_cold_water_on_my_face/
{ "a_id": [ "dwba4a9", "dwba79l" ], "score": [ 5, 2 ], "text": [ "That's the [mammalian diving reflex.](_URL_0_) Basically, it forces your breathing and heartbeat to slow down, which resets your psychological state.", "The [diving reflex](_URL_0_) is triggered when your face makes cont...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalian_dive_reflex" ], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diving_reflex#Bradycardia_and_cardiac_output" ] ]
2bziup
why is it that my newborn kitten can learn to use the litter box in a day but my little brother poops in his pants till he is 2?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2bziup/eli5_why_is_it_that_my_newborn_kitten_can_learn/
{ "a_id": [ "cjafako", "cjafcxc", "cjafi2n", "cjafwmh", "cjagith", "cjany5k", "cjaqg32", "cjar1ne", "cjar2us", "cjatfz4", "cjaz4xo", "cjazpza", "cjb41ak" ], "score": [ 33, 88, 34, 16, 3, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 2, 8, 3 ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
c0ami6
how come we don't notice a difference (e.g. in centrifugal force) between standing at a geographical pole and standing at the equator?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c0ami6/eli5_how_come_we_dont_notice_a_difference_eg_in/
{ "a_id": [ "er36dyy", "er3721t" ], "score": [ 27, 9 ], "text": [ "The centrifugal force at the equator is about 0.3% of gravity. We could “feel” it, in the sense of being able to measure it with sensitive enough equipment, but it’s not enough for people to notice the difference.", "Be...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
mqzap
cybernetics
What is it and why do we need it?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mqzap/eli5_cybernetics/
{ "a_id": [ "c338bdz", "c338bdz" ], "score": [ 2, 2 ], "text": [ "DAE automatically think of Starcraft?", "DAE automatically think of Starcraft?" ] }
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2p5fyd
why are some terms more politically correct than others?
For example "colored people" vs. "people of color", things like that, that seem to mean the exact same thing, but one is more correct?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2p5fyd/eli5_why_are_some_terms_more_politically_correct/
{ "a_id": [ "cmtjfn9", "cmtji90" ], "score": [ 5, 3 ], "text": [ "when terms become mainstream, some people use them mockingly, or with a negative context. over time people defined by those terms feel verbally violated or harassed more often than not when they hear it. they no longer feel ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1s3pcm
why / how does common table salt sterilize wounds and make water boil faster?
Found nothing related, expand my mind reddit.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1s3pcm/eli5_why_how_does_common_table_salt_sterilize/
{ "a_id": [ "cdtl3og", "cdtlkfd" ], "score": [ 3, 8 ], "text": [ "Salt actually makes water boil slower, by raising the boiling point. The water takes longer to get to the higher boiling point, but your pasta cooks faster because the water is hotter.\n\nAs for why that happens, chemically ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
41d77s
why did we skip 3k tvs?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/41d77s/eli5_why_did_we_skip_3k_tvs/
{ "a_id": [ "cz1fvf6", "cz1ghvb" ], "score": [ 5, 18 ], "text": [ "In 2013 MSI did a 3K laptop. \n\nOn my personal point of view (working with video) if you have a platform that supports \"more\" why not use it. The technology is there but it will take time to adapt for everyone so I think...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2nmttu
if principle photography is done and a teaser trailer is out, why wont the new star wars be in theaters until next december?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2nmttu/eli5_if_principle_photography_is_done_and_a/
{ "a_id": [ "cmezpnr", "cmf0yqt" ], "score": [ 23, 7 ], "text": [ "Post Production. This is when all of the CGI, sound mixing, editing, scoring and much much more is done.\n\nAdditionally, they're will probably be reshoots. Therefore, the one year gap gives them plenty of cushion time."...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
3m842d
why did vw fake the emissions tests in their cars? (does compliance cost more, does it make the car less efficient, etc.), what is/are the advantage(s) to not meeting emissions standards?
Thanks for the clear answers!
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3m842d/eli5_why_did_vw_fake_the_emissions_tests_in_their/
{ "a_id": [ "cvcsgw0", "cvct58l", "cvctv2z" ], "score": [ 8, 3, 2 ], "text": [ "There's long technical explanations but here's the short and sweet version.\n\n1. Not meeting emissions requirements provided better fuel economy. (More miles driven for the same amount of burned fuel.)...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
8ljn0q
why is it necessary to have incredibly specific writing formats like mla or apa? why can't there be in universal format?
Why does there have to be many specific ways of formatting papers/bibliographies. Simply stating a Url or book title is enough for most people. I feel like these formats make things unnecessarily convoluted
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8ljn0q/eli5_why_is_it_necessary_to_have_incredibly/
{ "a_id": [ "dzfzx3f", "dzg10jz", "dzgay8d" ], "score": [ 40, 17, 2 ], "text": [ "There's a great XKCD comic that sums this all up.\n\n_URL_0_\n\ntl;dr: Nobody wants to cede theirs to the 'better standard', because they all think they're the best.", "The point of a citation or ...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://xkcd.com/927/" ], [], [] ]
1av35f
why is it rude to acknowledge that someone is fat?
I'm not talking about going up to a stranger and saying "you're fat!", but when someone (friend, SO) asks if you think they're fat, why is it rude to say "Yes, you have some extra fat"?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1av35f/eli5_why_is_it_rude_to_acknowledge_that_someone/
{ "a_id": [ "c9107dl", "c91099k", "c913o1u", "c914jms", "c916qpm", "c918c4j" ], "score": [ 6, 10, 14, 3, 2, 4 ], "text": [ "Fat is not an acceptable form of being.", "If you're giving them an honest answer?\n\nThey know they're overweight. They seek emot...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
7w973b
are we lighter during the night due to centripetal force from orbit?
And heavier during the day? How big is this effect in comparison to Earth's gravity and tidal forces?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7w973b/eli5_are_we_lighter_during_the_night_due_to/
{ "a_id": [ "dtyinzv", "dtyrmgy" ], "score": [ 8, 3 ], "text": [ "It would be the opposite if there is any fluctuations as at night the gravitational pull of the sun is also pulling you toward the earth while during the day the sun would be pulling you away from the earth ever so slightly....
[]
[]
[ [], [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_force" ] ]
7w8pg5
how do high speed (slomotion) cameras work. if you are filming 1,000,000 fps wouldn't that mean your fastest shutter speed is 1/1,000,000th of a second, how do the cameras get enough light at that quick of a shutter speed?
ELI5 how high speed cameras work
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7w8pg5/eli5_how_do_high_speed_slomotion_cameras_work_if/
{ "a_id": [ "dtyedlk", "dtyj9pn" ], "score": [ 8, 11 ], "text": [ "Lots of ligths, bigger lenses to capture more ligth and mostly lower resolution, so u can add the ligth hitting multiple pixels next to each other", "As others said we blast the area with light and/or crank up the gain ...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2ne9jo
why is freedom of speech disallowed in the u.s. for supporters of isis, yet is commonly accepted to be a fundamental right for advocates of other extreme groups?
2 Minnesota men were just charged with supporting the Islamic State terror group. Yet the U.S. isn't charging supporters of others on it's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (HAMAS, Hezbollah, Real Irish Republican Army, etc.). Furthermore, most everyone criticizes the Alien & Sedition Acts as a violation of 1...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2ne9jo/eli5_why_is_freedom_of_speech_disallowed_in_the/
{ "a_id": [ "cmct6xq", "cmct8mv", "cmctb13" ], "score": [ 2, 11, 3 ], "text": [ "Speech inciting riots or seen to be encouraging violence or terrorism is not protected by the right to free speech because it puts others at risk.\n\nAs an example, if you were to go into a theater and...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
cyuz4j
is your immunity stronger after recovering from a cold?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cyuz4j/eli5_is_your_immunity_stronger_after_recovering/
{ "a_id": [ "eyuc31b" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "You're proof versus that particular strain, yes. But the rhinovirus mutates very rapidly. Which is why you'll probably catch cold again next season." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3dn03o
what is lucid dreaming really like? do you actually see everything like in real life? can you feel everything?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dn03o/eli5_what_is_lucid_dreaming_really_like_do_you/
{ "a_id": [ "ct6p498", "ct6pik1", "ct6r4ta", "ct6rgdw", "ct6rxsf", "ct6rzl8", "ct6sapt", "ct6skc4", "ct6ss0j", "ct6tym2" ], "score": [ 53, 3, 2, 25, 5, 7, 2, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "In my expreience is dreaming but aware that yo...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
5is41n
why do companies care about their shareholders?
I know that companies go public to get funding for projects or if they are broke. You often read on the internet (especially in connection to videogames) that companies to certain things to make their shareholders happy. But why do they care? They already got paid. I know that shareholders have a limited say in what ...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5is41n/eli5_why_do_companies_care_about_their/
{ "a_id": [ "dbak8o6", "dbaktv7", "dbalhax" ], "score": [ 13, 5, 2 ], "text": [ " > But why do they care? They already got paid. I know that shareholders have a limited say in what the company does, is that why?\n\nShareholders elect the board of directors. The board of directors ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
57zbv6
how the hell did we make transistors so small?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/57zbv6/eli5how_the_hell_did_we_make_transistors_so_small/
{ "a_id": [ "d8w5uct", "d8wbpkg" ], "score": [ 4, 2 ], "text": [ "Determine efforts by many extremely intelligent and clever people. The main process is lithography, where light is used to cause chemical reactions and then tiny structures are etched into material. By etching layers away se...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
1w6pfe
endorphins
What are they made of? How are they stored? What exactly triggers their release? And how can I manipulate them to my advantage?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1w6pfe/eli5_endorphins/
{ "a_id": [ "cez6umd" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "They are morphine-like chemicals (endorphin is a contraction of \"endogenous morphine)\" found in your brain. they are released by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus when you are in pain or stressed to temporarily block fear and pain.\n\nYo...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2sl4lw
why do cops sometimes give out warnings rather than tickets, and why is it legal to do so?
I've never been the beneficiary of a "warning" rather than a ticket, yet I know plenty of people who have talked their way out of a ticket. What gives?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2sl4lw/eli5_why_do_cops_sometimes_give_out_warnings/
{ "a_id": [ "cnqhz39" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "Cops aren't required to arrest everyone for every minor violation of the law. They're allowed to use their personal judgement for minor infractions, especially when there is no victim or material damage (ie - a speeding ticket).\n\nThe purpose o...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
62297g
how did people chew foods like meat before we cleaned our teeth?
Wouldn't the earlier hunter-gatherer societies have trouble eating tougher foods if their teeth were falling out?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/62297g/eli5_how_did_people_chew_foods_like_meat_before/
{ "a_id": [ "dfj4m6i", "dfj4ow9", "dfj5pup" ], "score": [ 3, 8, 4 ], "text": [ "There are ways to clean your teeth naturally without abrasive toothpastes.\n\nGnawing on bone would have been common, as would have chewing on certain roots and tree barks (which is how a LOT of tribal ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
5of2kh
why are fish kept on ice vs being put in a fridge
Basically wondering why fist markets use the ice approach vs putting them in the refrigerator. Is it just to show that they are fresh?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5of2kh/eli5_why_are_fish_kept_on_ice_vs_being_put_in_a/
{ "a_id": [ "dciuy83" ], "score": [ 10 ], "text": [ "Ice is cheap, and fish are fine with the concept of getting their outsides wet. You can't sell steaks on ice, because the outside of a steak is the insides of a cow and it's not supposed to get soaked in water. Fish live in water, so they are ...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
4y42lr
flicker fusion threshold
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4y42lr/eli5_flicker_fusion_threshold/
{ "a_id": [ "d6ktiws" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text": [ "\"Flicker fusion\" is the name for a quirk we've observed in human vision. If a light is flashing on and off, we tend to notice. However, if we speed up the rate that we're toggling the light, there will be a point where it's flickering so fast t...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
2qk23i
why do off-brand foods taste so different than brand foods of simple (one ingredient) items, i.e. grated parmesan cheese?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2qk23i/eli5_why_do_offbrand_foods_taste_so_different/
{ "a_id": [ "cn6seip", "cn6vfr1" ], "score": [ 4, 4 ], "text": [ "Because theses items are made on different and cheeper ways than the brand ones, like the cheese (Age, milk quality, etc).\n\nAnd, in the way of a lower cost, some items can be synthetic flavored to taste like cheese, but it...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
abf7nn
the weather today is 20'celsius, there are no clouds in the sky and have been none all day - the sun is out. last week there were no clouds in the sky too at this time of the day and it was 35'c. why does the sun not feel as hot today?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/abf7nn/eli5_the_weather_today_is_20celsius_there_are_no/
{ "a_id": [ "eczyx95" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "The direct sunlight you get is only part of the situation. What you also feel is the warmth of the atmosphere covering you.\n\nThe Earth is unevenly heated by the sun. The sunlit and dark sides of the Earth have different temperatures, but th...
[]
[]
[ [ "noaa.org" ] ]
5o2bw3
what does "±" symbol mean?
[deleted]
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5o2bw3/eli5_what_does_symbol_mean/
{ "a_id": [ "dcg47tv", "dcg49kw" ], "score": [ 2, 6 ], "text": [ "It *should* mean \"plus or minus,\" but that doesn't really make sense here (how could someone have minus 16 years of experience?).\n\nI'd be willing to be they meant \"approximately,\" which is generally ≈ or ~, depending o...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
2fv6rl
the benefits of buying a used car vs a new car
I am in the market for a new car. I am looking at cars and leaning towards more of a new car. My dad is telling me that getting a used car would be better long term. This is the first car I will have any input in choosing and would like to know some pros and cons to new vs used.
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fv6rl/eli5_the_benefits_of_buying_a_used_car_vs_a_new/
{ "a_id": [ "ckd1hyn", "ckd1kf1", "ckd1ufs", "ckd222x" ], "score": [ 4, 2, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Used cars are cheaper, but older. You can expect to have to put money into repairs at some point. New cars will have a warranty. They will last longer. A new car is likely to have ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [ "http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/pictures/million-mile-club-the-worlds-longest-lived-cars" ] ]
102kzl
why don't polar bears get cold in snow?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/102kzl/why_dont_polar_bears_get_cold_in_snow/
{ "a_id": [ "c69uuad" ], "score": [ 7 ], "text": [ "There's a number of reasons. Their blood vessels aren't as close to the surface of their skin, they have fur, they're warm blooded and they have layers of fat in the right places..." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
am7uka
if light from the andromeda galaxy tookbillions of light years to come to earth, would this mean the galaxy is closer to us than seen?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/am7uka/eli5if_light_from_the_andromeda_galaxy/
{ "a_id": [ "efjzfa6", "efjzm7z" ], "score": [ 6, 3 ], "text": [ "It has indeed been in motion since the version you are now seeing.\n\nYes, as it happens, Andromeda is moving toward us at something like 400,000 km/h so it's now a bit closer than what we see.", "Yes and no. \n\nLight f...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
e8nssq
when a band is recording in a studio and everyone has on headphones, what are they listening to?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e8nssq/eli5_when_a_band_is_recording_in_a_studio_and/
{ "a_id": [ "fadd5ij", "fadd63r", "faddx6m" ], "score": [ 15, 8, 6 ], "text": [ "They're listening to themselves. It's easy to lose track of just your own instrument/voice in all that noise, which means you could start playing slightly incorrectly and you might not notice, which co...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
1mnbjq
why every british tv or radio show i've ever heard of is on the bbc.
Don't they have other channels?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1mnbjq/eli5_why_every_british_tv_or_radio_show_ive_ever/
{ "a_id": [ "ccaswy3", "ccat8hz", "ccatp4g", "ccauxde", "ccavwq5", "ccaxdea", "ccb2scj" ], "score": [ 46, 16, 5, 22, 7, 11, 2 ], "text": [ "Yes, we have lots of channels. However, the BBC puts out a lot of original programming, and is also unique in ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [], [], [], [] ]
d7vdlr
why particle accelerators exist, and what exactly do we benefit from them?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d7vdlr/eli5_why_particle_accelerators_exist_and_what/
{ "a_id": [ "f14xl4z", "f14xuqp", "f14xzf2" ], "score": [ 3, 5, 2 ], "text": [ " > Why particle accelerators exist\n\nBecause humans make them. To accelerate particles. Because otherwise where would we get the really fast particles we want on demand?\n\n > what exactly do we bene...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2he18q
why is academic writing so impossible to understand?
I'm not sure if this is necessarily an appropriate question for this sub, but I'm curious for all you scholars out there (particularly the published ones): why make scholarly writing so difficult to understand? I'd like to think I'm not especially stupid--I'm working on my master's (albeit in music performance rather t...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2he18q/eli5_why_is_academic_writing_so_impossible_to/
{ "a_id": [ "ckrswym", "ckrtpan", "ckrv52s" ], "score": [ 3, 5, 2 ], "text": [ "I'm not sure what you're missing here. Listen to Smetana's *Die Moldau* and get back with me ([Link](_URL_0_)). Perfect example of what Zuckerkandl was talking about.\n\nBasically Zuckerkandl is referri...
[]
[]
[ [ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTKsHwqaIr4" ], [], [] ]
8msfvg
why does a car steer with its front wheels, while an aeroplane steer with its tail rudder?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8msfvg/eli5_why_does_a_car_steer_with_its_front_wheels/
{ "a_id": [ "dzpzabh", "dzq0342", "dzq1znc", "dzq2ujq" ], "score": [ 2, 3, 6, 3 ], "text": [ "From what I know (I'm no expert), the front wheels of small planes, like Cessnas, are connected with rudder pedals, that's why when they're turning, the rudder is turning too, but ...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
vhulz
coronal mass ejections
I tried the wiki page on them, and I understand that they're basically caused by opposing magnetic fields on the suns surface. What I'm mostly curious about is the effect on the earths atmosphere. The wiki page said it can cause "disruptions", but didn't go into much detail. What does it do to the atmosphere? Does it e...
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/vhulz/eli5_coronal_mass_ejections/
{ "a_id": [ "c54parn" ], "score": [ 2 ], "text": [ "The most obvious thing they do is create incredible auroras near the poles as the charged particles pass through the upper atmosphere. \n\nAs far as damage, basically they can wreck satellite electronics, irradiate astronauts, and theoretically c...
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3sjtlv
why are people entitled to go on strike?
It just doesnt make sense to me. Everyone, it might seem, reads their employment contract before signing it. You know exactly what you sign up for and what you are going to get paid. Recently, a lot of people in different companies around Germany have went on strike. Why would you be allowed to force your employer into...
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sjtlv/eli5_why_are_people_entitled_to_go_on_strike/
{ "a_id": [ "cwxtnur", "cwxtq9e", "cwxtyvh", "cwxvsp8" ], "score": [ 6, 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "Generally people strike because their pay has been dropped, or their working conditions have changed. Or, when they signed on to the job, they were not made fully aware of what was...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]
bzf2re
what is the difference between meat and muscle?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bzf2re/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_meat_and/
{ "a_id": [ "eqryksp" ], "score": [ 4 ], "text": [ "There is no difference. Meat is muscle tissue.\n\nThere are other things on a typical \"piece of meat\", though. Fat, cartilage, sinew (the tough stuff between meat and bone). But the meat itself is the animal's muscle tissue." ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
3cm83k
why don't these magnetic "free-energy" devices work?
It's 2AM so it's random YouTube-time. How come these magnetic free energy devices like [such](_URL_0_) are called out as fake?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3cm83k/eli5_why_dont_these_magnetic_freeenergy_devices/
{ "a_id": [ "cswumiq", "cswuzon" ], "score": [ 7, 2 ], "text": [ "If you notice in the first few minutes of the video the charlatan is moving the magnet back and forth. \nHe's adding energy to the system. \n \nIn the last segment of the video he's actually made a pretty clever dev...
[]
[ "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqG-TL0WnjE" ]
[ [], [] ]
64fitt
why some tv adverts/commercials have dubbed over voices?
I don't know if this happens elsewhere but in the UK it happens a lot and it can be really annoying.
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/64fitt/eli5_why_some_tv_advertscommercials_have_dubbed/
{ "a_id": [ "dg1qaty", "dg1qsdy", "dg2c1cx" ], "score": [ 4, 3, 3 ], "text": [ "(I assume you mean dubbing over the voices of someone you are seeing speak on screen? not dubbing a narrator over a shot.) This actually happens way more than you probably realize. A lot of big budget...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [] ]
2k90uv
when banks say that you can take a picture of a check and send it to them instead of going to the bank itself, how can the bank tell whether or not it's a valid check?
explainlikeimfive
http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2k90uv/eli5_when_banks_say_that_you_can_take_a_picture/
{ "a_id": [ "clj1obk", "clj1t51" ], "score": [ 4, 7 ], "text": [ " > how can the bank tell whether or not it's a valid check?\n\nThe same way that they tell that a physical check is valid: They reconcile the check with the issuing bank. After all, it's possible to forge a physical check,...
[]
[]
[ [], [] ]
5q139w
what is the reasoning behind the us constitution so adamant about checks and balances and separation of powers, yet lawmakers are the ones who get to appoint and select the only people (judges) who could hold them accountable?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5q139w/eli5_what_is_the_reasoning_behind_the_us/
{ "a_id": [ "dcvgg29" ], "score": [ 5 ], "text": [ "They don't select the judges. The president chooses the judges, the Senate confirms them. Perfect balance of power. It takes the executive and the legislative to put someone on the judiciary. " ] }
[]
[]
[ [] ]
d5mxxm
why does the body store more food as fat than water as fat if you can survive longer without food than water?
explainlikeimfive
https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d5mxxm/eli5_why_does_the_body_store_more_food_as_fat/
{ "a_id": [ "f0muhdr", "f0muivl", "f0my5kv", "f0mydeq" ], "score": [ 5, 4, 2, 2 ], "text": [ "During animal’s evolution, water was generally available to find and drink with relative ease; if not, you were probably somewhere you wouldn’t have been able to be born in the fir...
[]
[]
[ [], [], [], [] ]