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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6waony | why is velcro so loud? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6waony/eli5_why_is_velcro_so_loud/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"When Velcro is taken apart there are many stiff plastic hooks being straightened until they release a loop of thread at which point they snap back into a hook with a tiny sound. A large number of those hooks all snapping back at once can be fairl... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3g6rhf | how can someone be immune to poison ivy at a young age but then lose their immunity when they're older? or is this just a myth? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3g6rhf/eli5_how_can_someone_be_immune_to_poison_ivy_at_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"ctvgjiw"
],
"score": [
2
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"text": [
"Allergies can be acquired. Many allergic reactions don't occur the first time you're exposed to your allergen. In order for your body to produce an \"allergic reaction\" the anti-bodies for your allergen must exist already, which means you've ha... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3497u2 | does fire burn faster or slower in extreme cold? | After looking up the [fire triange](_URL_0_) me and my collegue disscused this a bit.
Would a Fire (or a match) burn faster or slower in extreme cold? At 0 Kelvin could there even be a fire? We were just not sure how to bring the "heat" into the equasion.
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3497u2/eli5_does_fire_burn_faster_or_slower_in_extreme/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"You need to clarify what you mean here. Is this 0 K surroundings? Or the fuel itself is at 0 K?",
"Fire is a reaction between a fuel and oxygen. For it to happen the two molecules have to come in contact with eachother. ... | [] | [
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_triangle"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5gamuq | the concept of "flow state" that athletes experience. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5gamuq/eli5_the_concept_of_flow_state_that_athletes/ | {
"a_id": [
"darcr1h"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Never heard about. But I can correlate the expression with the feeling of when having rehearsed so many times a fast song in an instrument, and being so fluent, you get in a state of concentration, like a hypnosis, you get to a stare of not think... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
13zpzd | how do they make decaffeinated coffee? | I would really like to know. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/13zpzd/how_do_they_make_decaffeinated_coffee/ | {
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"c78kgzz",
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248,
10,
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"text": [
"Hoboken N.J. used to have a large Maxwell House coffee plant- some of you long time New Yorkers will remember there used to be a huge neon sign visible acr... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
7k3nae | how does the human body convert the chemical energy from food into the electrical energy needed to power our muscles? | I know very little about biology, but I'm not aware of any tiny biological turbines within our bodies that can somehow convert chemical to electrical energy. So how is the conversion made? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7k3nae/eli5_how_does_the_human_body_convert_the_chemical/ | {
"a_id": [
"drbcl25"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
" > I'm not aware of any tiny biological turbines within our bodies that can somehow convert chemical to electrical energy.\n\nYou're sort of on the right track, but have things the wrong way 'round. Electricity itself isn't used to power our bod... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATP_synthase",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organelle",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenosine_triphosphate"
]
] | |
8og10u | what is spirituality exactly? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8og10u/eli5_what_is_spirituality_exactly/ | {
"a_id": [
"e0323g2"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"I think it is a very personal thing for a lot of people, I cannot talk for everyone but I can talk for myself. Growing up my famiky were highly religious (christian) we went to cherch every Sunday and for multiple events in the week but as I grew... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
do8jz3 | how does an electric guitar produce sound? | An acoustic guitar has the empty part to have the sound waves resonate like any other instrument, but an electric guitar doesn’t. How does it produce sound from just the strings? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/do8jz3/eli5_how_does_an_electric_guitar_produce_sound/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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5,
3
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"text": [
"The strings is generating the sound in both electric and acoustic guitars. However in the acoustic guitar the sound is amplified by the resonant cavity which provides an impedance match that helps the e... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
39jhs7 | is there a bernie sanders like candidate every election, or is this something special that reddit and some of the populace is running with? | I remember that Al Gore had a big *hopeful* following when I younger - too young to take much notice- and he has since been glorified by shows like Futurama (for example) and other media. My question is whether or not there is a glorified person that gets a lot of minority attention every election that seems like some ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/39jhs7/eli5_is_there_a_bernie_sanders_like_candidate/ | {
"a_id": [
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"cs3y57q",
"cs3y6c1",
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"score": [
6,
7,
2,
17,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Every Presidential election generally has a ton of people running, some of those candidates appeal to a small(er) niche segment of the ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1svu1d | eli 5: if the whole point of nuclear weapons is to serve as a deterrent, why do countries such as israel keep them secret? | Someone said that nuclear weapons have kept the peace as they serve as a deterrent, but if that's the case surely you'd want to let it be known that you have them?
Why do some countries like Israel go to such lengths to keeps theirs a secret? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1svu1d/eli_5_if_the_whole_point_of_nuclear_weapons_is_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"ce1q136",
"ce1q24y"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Israel doesn't go to any lengths at all to keep theirs secret. They don't want to formally admit they have them, because then they're subject to all sorts of international treaties regulating nuclear activities.",
"It al... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
mkh5u | how vision works. | Do your best. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/mkh5u/eli5_how_vision_works/ | {
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"score": [
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2,
2,
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2,
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"text": [
"Light enters your eye. At the back of your eye you have nerve sensors that are effected by the light. That nerve sensor sends an electri... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
a8uf6d | what a sundog is and how they're formed? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a8uf6d/eli5_what_a_sundog_is_and_how_theyre_formed/ | {
"a_id": [
"ecdu1w2"
],
"score": [
3
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"text": [
"Sundogs are bright spots that can sometimes be seen to the left and right of the sun, typically when it's near the horizon. They're caused by flat-edged hexagonal ice crystals. The ice crystals act like a prism, deflecting and separating the li... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Rainbow1.svg/1280px-Rainbow1.svg.png",
"http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/atmos/imgatm/halo22.gif"
]
] | ||
1ipade | why do mobile web browsers reload data so frequently? | If I open multiple pages on my phone, and then scroll through them, why do I see a fully loaded web page for a moment before my browser reloads it? Also, same idea with YouTube: why, after watching a full video, can I not restart the video without reloading it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ipade/eli5_why_do_mobile_web_browsers_reload_data_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"cb6py6r"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Mobile devices have much less RAM than a regular computer (Typically 512MB to 1024MB vs 4-8GB). In addition they usually don't have any swap space to store data currently in RAM that isn't being used.\n\nThis means that mobile browsers have to th... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
e104by | how does alimony work? how is it calculated and what are the reasoning behind it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e104by/eli5_how_does_alimony_work_how_is_it_calculated/ | {
"a_id": [
"f8kge5o"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Alimony is a monthly payment one spouse (historically the ex-husband) has to pay the former spouse (historically the ex-wife) to support the ex-spouse. It's a thing because in the past, women only worked in very limited fields, and most women wer... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
3as8pf | what is dmca & why do some torrent sites not have certain movies? | i was on a torrent site (just being curious and reading the forums innocently) And someone asked why a certain movie was no where to be found, when it was extremely popular. People responded because of DMCA.
I have no idea what that means or how it is related? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3as8pf/eli5_what_is_dmca_why_do_some_torrent_sites_not/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"DMCA is a law in the US.\n\nCopyright holders can send takedown requests to websites which mean they have to remove the content. If they think they have a legitimate right to host the content the website (or whoever posted it to the website) can ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2dfkib | what is the difference between grammar and syntax? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2dfkib/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_grammar_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjozuzk",
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"text": [
" > Grammar is a (occasionally the) set of rules for the organization of meaningful elements into sentences;\ntheir economy, in one sense of that word.\n\n > There are two basic varieties of grammar; al... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/3484/whats-the-difference-between-syntax-and-grammar"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
1puuhl | in detail, how do sperm actually come in contact with the egg in a woman? | I mean, I know the man has to ejaculate into her vagina. But can someone explain exactly how the sperm gets to contact the egg? Does the man have to push the semen up through the cervix? Can gravity simply bring it into the cervix? Is it possible for it to get past the cervix if neither the man, nor gravity forces it i... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1puuhl/eli5_in_detail_how_do_sperm_actually_come_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cd6at5b"
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"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Semen have little tails that they whip back and forth madly to swim through the fluid in the vagina and cervix. The man just shoots them in the general direction of the egg and the little buggers will seek it out on their own."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
e74ob6 | how do bullet classifications work? i’ve seen 5.56, .44 and 50 caliber in video games but i have no idea what any of these numbers represent or how it works. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/e74ob6/eli5_how_do_bullet_classifications_work_ive_seen/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Well some are in mi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50_BMG#/media/File:Rifle_cartridge_comparison.jpg"
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[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dznjhy/eli5_how_are_ammunition_sizes_chosen/f89jye4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x"
],
[],
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3n4mvh | why do some stores have rotating employee schedules? | My girlfriend works at Starbucks and she has to check each week to see what shift she will be working. It could be the opening shift, middle of the day, or closing shift. I'm wondering why that style of scheduling would be preferable to having certain employees hired for specific shifts. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3n4mvh/eli5_why_do_some_stores_have_rotating_employee/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvkqkjo",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Because generally there is going to be some shifts that people do not like taking, and finding people to fill only that shift will be incredibly hard. So they either have to work understaffed (not a goo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
xiz0g | entropy, and how it relates to evolution | I have seen opponents to Evolution cite entropy as a reason why evolution cannot be true, i.e. "a closed system will not move toward order, it will always move toward disorder." I read the [FAQ](_URL_0_.) version of a counterargument to this in r/evolution and became quite lost when reading this _URL_1_. I understood t... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/xiz0g/eli5_entropy_and_how_it_relates_to_evolution/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5mre0p",
"c5mw7ks"
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"The whole story is:\n\nThey suggest:\n\n 1. A closed system will not move toward order, it will always move toward disorder.\n 2. Earth is a closed system\n 3. Earth couldn't move towards \"order\", so evolution is false\n\n... | [] | [
"http://code.reddit.com/wiki/help/faqs/evolution#Thetheoryofevolutionviolatesthesecondlawofthermodynamics",
"http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CF/CF001.html"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1tg32g | are dollar stores losing money every year due to inflation? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1tg32g/eli5_are_dollar_stores_losing_money_every_year/ | {
"a_id": [
"ce7ke0o"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"No, the quality of the crap they sell just gets shittier and shittier. China will always be able to pump out cheap toxic garbage that folks will/have to buy.\n\nIt's a shame really."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
57g316 | the differences between efforts in colonizing the moon vs. mars. | title. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/57g316/eli5_the_differences_between_efforts_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8rnhof"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The main difference is that the moon has no appreciable atmosphere and no reasonable expectation of us being able to engineer one so colonies will always need to be airtight. \n\nMars has an atmosphere but it is quite thin and too high in carbo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4pbe3e | how does remortgaging your house provide you with money? | So my girlfriend is going on holiday and she told me that her parents had to remortgage their house to pay for it. How does this process free up money for them use? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4pbe3e/eli5_how_does_remortgaging_your_house_provide_you/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
12,
8,
7
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"text": [
"The house has probably gone up in value in the years since they bought it. Let's say they bought it for $200K five years ago. They may have made a downpayment of $10K and borrowed $190K. Today the hous... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4s6ohr | why do mausoleums and in-the-wall graves not smell like decay? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4s6ohr/eli5_why_do_mausoleums_and_inthewall_graves_not/ | {
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"score": [
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20,
4,
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47,
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"text": [
"In some mausoleums, at least, they'll bury a body in the ground for a few years- long en... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
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[],
[],
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2mhby9 | why do some actors get an 'also featuring' or 'starring' in film titles separate to other actors | I have wondered this for a while, in some films all the main characters names will appear and then another main character will come up as also featuring or starring when they aren't doing roles more important than anyone else.
Why is this? Is it some kind of contract agreement? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2mhby9/eli5_why_do_some_actors_get_an_also_featuring_or/ | {
"a_id": [
"cm472zr",
"cm47gtg"
],
"score": [
4,
3
],
"text": [
"everything you see in the final result is because of a contract line.\n\nif you're a big enough shot actor, you get to ask for \"my name shows up 1st\" \n",
"Yes it's contractual. Who gets what billing (where in the li... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
76de7g | how do we know how much gold has not been mined yet? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/76de7g/eli5_how_do_we_know_how_much_gold_has_not_been/ | {
"a_id": [
"dod5u6z"
],
"score": [
19
],
"text": [
"Think of an orchard, we know that it is 1000 Sq ft, and we can measure how many oranges are on one square foot of the ground in several different spots, then average those numbers and find out how many oranges we have in each square foot of the... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
bow2vj | mirrors | I don't understand how certain particles arrange in such a way as to reflect the light hitting it the way mirrors do. When I say: "mirror" I mean any reflective surface, water, glass, etc. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bow2vj/eli5_mirrors/ | {
"a_id": [
"enlg1jx",
"enlpbet"
],
"score": [
4,
3
],
"text": [
"This is a fun question because a proper answer requires a dive into quantum mechanics! But the ELI5 is that when light hits the mirror, it causes the atoms to wiggle around at nearly the same frequency of the light wave and ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4wpex8 | if the big bang theory is true, why is the observable universe smaller than the actual universe? | I could be mistaken! But if the BBT tells us that the entire universe was at one point infinitely dense everywhere, why isn't the entirety of existence within our light cone?
| explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4wpex8/eli5_if_the_big_bang_theory_is_true_why_is_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"d68uhrp"
],
"score": [
12
],
"text": [
"The analogy to think of is an ant walking on the surface of a balloon.\n\nThere is a limit to how fast the ant can move. In our analogy, that is the speed of light - the fastest that anything can possibly move.\n\nBut when we blow air into our b... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
4jtg6b | why does cooking things using different sources of heat (i.e. pan seared, grilled, smoked, oven roasted, etc.) produce different tastes? | I've noticed that people always say the food tastes better, or at least different when cooked (grilled) outside or when camping (over an open flame), and I agree, but I don't why it that's true. Does it have to do with what is being burned to create heat, radiated vs conducted heat, temperature, or something else entir... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4jtg6b/eli5_why_does_cooking_things_using_different/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
120,
6,
11,
43,
3
],
"text": [
"There are two classes of reason. In the first case, of which smoking meat is the best example, *material from the heat source winds up in the food.* Barbe... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction"
],
[]
] | |
2cs2y7 | how do minimum-wage workers afford to live in major cities like london? | I make a semi-decent wage and live in London (£23K) and still have to be careful with my money.
How can somebody who earns minimum wage (£6.31 for the UK) possibly survive? Rent/mortgages/transport/social lives are all obscene in London and that's assuming they don't have dependents. I know the London living wage is s... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2cs2y7/eli5_how_do_minimumwage_workers_afford_to_live_in/ | {
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"cjihcp2",
"cjik7tb",
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"score": [
11,
11,
2,
4,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"USA here.\n\nIn the USA we have something called section 8 housing. Which is a govt program that allows people who make under the pove... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3uws6i | what are some valid arguments in favour of the proposed bombings on islamic state targets in syria by the united kingdom? | I'm doing a little bit of research on differing views and have been wondering what some different arguments in favour of the airstrikes proposed by the United Kingdom on Islamic State targets. Simple terms for a simple soul like me please. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3uws6i/eli5_what_are_some_valid_arguments_in_favour_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxie4n6"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"It honestly won't make a difference either way if the UK decides to blow up a few targets that the US would have blown up anyway. Maybe it will make British people feel like they are contributing, and I guess that's good."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
d0xy8b | why do these ufc fighters have weird ears? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/d0xy8b/eli5_why_do_these_ufc_fighters_have_weird_ears/ | {
"a_id": [
"ezf4skv"
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"score": [
16
],
"text": [
"It's called Cauliflower ear, and it's caused by being repeatedly hit in the ear\n\nCauliflower ear, also known as perichondrial hematoma or wrestler's ear, is a deformity of the ear caused by trauma. Cauliflower ear occurs when blood pools in yo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1p0h6y | why did rim/blackberry make bbm for android and ios? | Isn't one of the main reasons people had Blackberries was for BBM? How are they making money off of this? They aren't charging for the app or the service. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p0h6y/eli5_why_did_rimblackberry_make_bbm_for_android/ | {
"a_id": [
"cd1z91q"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"There's 4 major ways that an app can make money. So far BBM hasn't implemented any of them that I know of, but maybe they plan to do so in the future.\n\n1) Pay up front - they haven't done that and probably won't since not as many people will do... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
15ifo9 | why do my eyes randomly need to space out? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/15ifo9/eli5_why_do_my_eyes_randomly_need_to_space_out/ | {
"a_id": [
"c7mq0g6"
],
"score": [
12
],
"text": [
"Hold your arm out in front of you. If you're strong, maybe put a bit of weight in your hand.\n\nGot it out there? Not too difficult, right?\n\nJust keep it held out there, nice and level.\n\nIs it getting more difficult? Might even hurt a bit.\n... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
a69vs9 | how do linguists research pre-written languages like proto-indo european without any evidence? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a69vs9/eli5_how_do_linguists_research_prewritten/ | {
"a_id": [
"ebt58r7",
"ebtbhe0"
],
"score": [
6,
30
],
"text": [
"They basically try to reverse-engineer the languages that developed from it, assuming it was a thing. Basically we see what we’ve got with languages now, and how some are more similar than others, and we link them based on ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
31xp2v | how do words end up with a different meaning. when the language is the same but you live in a diffferent region | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31xp2v/eli5_how_do_words_end_up_with_a_different_meaning/ | {
"a_id": [
"cq5zlif"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Languages evolve a lot like life does! You might speak \"the same\" language, but you're separated over large distances so little differences start to arise and not get spread among everyone.\n\nLets imagine people in Chicago call manhole covers... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4ch64x | why do you see the patterns you see after ingesting psychadelics ? | I'm wondering why people see the same type of patterns they see after having taken some sort of psychadelics like LSD, mushrooms or 2CB.
[Example1](_URL_1_), [example2](_URL_0_), [example3](_URL_2_).
| explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ch64x/eli5why_do_you_see_the_patterns_you_see_after/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1i7qyp"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"What your eyes see and what your brain perceives are two very different things. You brain processes the information your eyes receive, and fills in a lot of the blanks. For example, if a friend says hello and you only see them out the corner of... | [] | [
"http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/294923/slide_294923_2397846_free.jpg",
"http://assets2.motherboard.tv/content-images/contentimage/no-slug/43d5441befdcac5ea149303820dab4f1.jpg",
"http://watermarked.cutcaster.com/cutcaster-photo-100242961-Inca-Maya-Background-Pattern.jpg"
] | [
[]
] | |
5taq6f | how does insurance billing work in a multi car accident (10+ cars)? | Being it snowed a foot here recently and resulted in a 25 car pileup it got me to thinking, how does insurance deal with that? Does it just pay you like your at fault or what? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5taq6f/eli5_how_does_insurance_billing_work_in_a_multi/ | {
"a_id": [
"ddlff2q",
"ddlfx7y"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"I was the middle car in a five car pile up. Only the person who caused the chain reaction was charged (she was texting). My insurer tried to hit her insurer, only to discover that she wasn't current and didn't have coverage ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
3zwyta | why can't we yawn through our noses? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3zwyta/eli5_why_cant_we_yawn_through_our_noses/ | {
"a_id": [
"cyps7bo",
"cypsha4"
],
"score": [
7,
2
],
"text": [
"You can. Have you never had to yawn in a 1:1 meeting with your boss?",
"Because yawn by definition means: \n\n > to involuntarily open one's mouth wide and inhale deeply due to tiredness or boredom.\n\nA yawn through the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
ekh5oo | how do bookmakers calculate odds in play? like how do they decide what odds to give on a certain person to score or an event to happen in such quick time? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ekh5oo/eli5_how_do_bookmakers_calculate_odds_in_play/ | {
"a_id": [
"fdb3vij",
"fdbeu4e",
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"fdc963n"
],
"score": [
21,
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26,
276,
23,
19,
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"text": [
"Tons of research and statistics into how things went in the pas... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
dh8r6z | how can traumatizing events lead to sexual fetishes related to the trauma? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dh8r6z/eli5_how_can_traumatizing_events_lead_to_sexual/ | {
"a_id": [
"f3k71e2",
"f3k92te"
],
"score": [
13,
3
],
"text": [
"Fetishes in the psychological world are an interesting topic. Generally you can trace a fetish back to a specific incident because effects on people vary depending on genetics and their response to stress. However one confo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
4hg729 | how come we can send probes / satellites into space without much protection while theres a huge amount of space debris? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4hg729/eli5_how_come_we_can_send_probes_satellites_into/ | {
"a_id": [
"d2phyn6",
"d2pi1qr",
"d2pib6b"
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"score": [
6,
2,
6
],
"text": [
"Because space is REALLY big, and debris is spread out over such a large volume of space, impacts are very unlikely.\n\nIf you're talking about man-made debris in Earth orbit, most of it is tracked and t... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html"
],
[
"http://www.space.com/29512-mars-mission-radiation-nasa-challenge.html",
"http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wstf/laboratories/hypervelocity/mmod.html",
"https://youtu.be/RlphfLO3MYA?t=20"
]
] | ||
9np8g8 | why is it that we even feel emotions? what is it that allows us to feel love and then conversely heartbreak? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9np8g8/eli5_why_is_it_that_we_even_feel_emotions_what_is/ | {
"a_id": [
"e7nz5ok"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"You could chalk it all up to hormones and chemicals, they're certainly part of the equation. We can measure and track the biological changes in people as they experience different moods. \n\nSome people believe all emotions are some sort of a hol... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5c505g | why do we sleep in the same bed as our partner? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5c505g/eli5_why_do_we_sleep_in_the_same_bed_as_our/ | {
"a_id": [
"d9tojn7",
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"d9twcjt"
],
"score": [
107,
11,
16,
2,
5,
17,
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],
"text": [
"Sleeping together provides warmth, security & the opportunity for sex. Additionally,... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3v3fg2 | would un-polluting beijing's air be feasible or has it simply gone to far? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3v3fg2/eli5_would_unpolluting_beijings_air_be_feasible/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxk0hid",
"cxk14e0"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"No, as China shifts away from coal and enacts more anti-pollution policies (which it has been doing), the air should eventually recover. The infamous London smog is now (mostly) gone, after all. \n\nIn fact, in 2008, when Ch... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3dcwz7 | what triggers the start of claustrophobia? | I've always encountered friends and family members where some say they had as far as they can remember and some say it was triggered by an event in their life. But the question is, what really triggers Claustrophobia? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3dcwz7/eli5_what_triggers_the_start_of_claustrophobia/ | {
"a_id": [
"ct3zljy"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"This is really impossible to answer. Phobias trigger for different reasons in different people. For some people actually experiencing the situation can trigger the phobia (they were locked in a small room at one point and experienced that as dist... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
eao5jy | is your brain able to tell the difference between quiet sounds that are close by versus louder sounds that are far away? | For example sometimes I'll be driving and I'll hit the brakes at the exact same time a plane goes over head and for a Split Second it sounds like the Roar of the engine of the plane is coming from my brake pads. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/eao5jy/eli5_is_your_brain_able_to_tell_the_difference/ | {
"a_id": [
"fav47r7"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"Yes. There was a paper a few years back that identified the region in the brain the helps compute how far the origin of a sound is. And it was different than the region responsible for telling differences in intensity (loudness). I believe it was... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/06/13/1119496109"
]
] | |
3budmd | how come when you lose a large part of your skin, they'll remove skin from other parts of your body to graft in its place? isn't it redundant, cause you'll just have no skin there instead? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3budmd/eli5how_come_when_you_lose_a_large_part_of_your/ | {
"a_id": [
"csplre8"
],
"score": [
8
],
"text": [
"Great question - and the answer is actually a little different depending on how they graft it. \n\nIf the graft is thin - meaning they're just putting a thin layer of skin over the wound to protect it and promote faster healing and recovery, they... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
bqv6c0 | why do governments want a low inflation rate instead of no inflation at all? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bqv6c0/eli5_why_do_governments_want_a_low_inflation_rate/ | {
"a_id": [
"eo86p4o",
"eo879ef",
"eo8g4sn"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"No inflation is an unstable point, and deflation is very bad. So a little inflation provides a buffer against measurement uncertainty and other possible miscalculations.",
"Inflation means you can ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3sgzng | how can it be illegal to take pictures or videos of animal abuse inside of a slaughterhouse? | Why is the government protecting this behavior? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sgzng/eli5_how_can_it_be_illegal_to_take_pictures_or/ | {
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"cwx40yw",
"cwx4alt",
"cwx6lmi",
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"score": [
12,
11,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Breaking into private property, illegally recording information, and then using that to damage the reputation and finances of private individuals is generally frowned upon. What ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2fiuvs | why are there 4 bases in dna? | I know in DNA we have adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. But why did we evolve in such a way that 4 was the "most efficient" way?
So why 4 as opposed to 6, 8, 10, etc? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2fiuvs/eli5_why_are_there_4_bases_in_dna/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck9ne8p",
"ck9nmj9",
"ck9nw1x"
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"score": [
5,
3,
3
],
"text": [
"It just so happened that those particular 4 chemicals fit together in a way that strings of pairs of them can form a double helix that protects the information stored by their order. ",
"The 4 bases... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
5x0xqr | on 9/11, what effect caused the area of impact on the north tower to look more burnt and widespread as time went on? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5x0xqr/eli5_on_911_what_effect_caused_the_area_of_impact/ | {
"a_id": [
"deegwur"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Because it was getting more burnt and widespread as time went on. The building was on fire. And it was an office building, full of paper, carpet, and a lot of other flammable stuff that caught fire as the fire spread. Although heat rises, flam... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1r1ael | david blane's card trick where the card the victim guessed ends up in pocket, wallet, etc. | It's a pretty amazing trick where he hands a real deck to the victim, has them do random nonsense (move deck around, split deck, etc.) and then asks them to pick a random card. The card then appears in the victims wallet, under their watch, or in their pocket. Also would like ice pick through the hand with no blood exp... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1r1ael/eli5_david_blanes_card_trick_where_the_card_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdil0gr",
"cdil17t"
],
"score": [
10,
2
],
"text": [
"The mark, if real, would likely have been reverse pick pocketed before the trick. Slight of hand can explain how he knew the card to put in. He shows a real deck, has them cut the real deck, then fidgets with his hands, sh... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
63vx3e | why do americans buy drinks for home consumption in small containers but large packs? like 12-pack of 330 ml soda cans or 24-packs of 500 ml water bottles? | I get that you want smaller single serving container for school or work but why Americans do that for stuff to drink at home? I've seen countless American TV shows and movies where people have dozen or more Coca-Cola cans in the fridge, same goes for water.
But the orange juice they buy comes in 4.5 liter jugs!? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/63vx3e/eli5_why_do_americans_buy_drinks_for_home/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfxelyh",
"dfxep7z",
"dfxywrl"
],
"score": [
12,
6,
3
],
"text": [
"For convenience; you don't have to get a glass, pour a drink, remember to put the glass back in the sink or dishwasher, wash the glass, etc. \n\nAlso, carbonated beverages keep their carbonation long... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1rzst3 | how urls work in areas with non-latin alphabets | I tried google and reddit search, but I couldn't find quite what I'm looking for: How do URLs work when primary keyboard function doesn't feature the Latin alphabet? Cyrillic, Greek, and Arabic all use different characters, but what about Asian languages that operate vertically? And also, which came first: relative ... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rzst3/eli5_how_urls_work_in_areas_with_nonlatin/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdsiirc"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"All non-latin keyboard layouts have the ability to input Latin letters, mostly because of the Latin dominance of Berners-Lee's standard URI scheme. The latin may be identifiable by different coloring on the keyboard. As far as linguistic dominanc... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
7o9p5n | if an item is made in aus and then sold in usa, why is it cheaper in us than aus? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7o9p5n/eli5_if_an_item_is_made_in_aus_and_then_sold_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"ds7vvhk",
"ds7w67t",
"ds7wb27",
"ds7wqoo"
],
"score": [
2,
4,
3,
2
],
"text": [
"It could be you're just shopping at a particularly expensive store. Was it that expensive everywhere you have looked?",
"maybe due to the inflation of prices. since there is a ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
2odx41 | why does a repeating sequence of notes sounds different depending on what note i start on? | If, on a piano, i play A-B-C-A-B-C-A-B... And so on, why does B-C-A-B-C-A ... Sound completely different, despite being the same pattern starting on a different initial note? Why does my brain make the first note i play seem more "dominant" on each playthrough? And why does the music sound different, despite essentiall... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2odx41/eli5_why_does_a_repeating_sequence_of_notes/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmm7g9h"
],
"score": [
20
],
"text": [
"Congratulations! You just discovered different musical modes. If you pick C as your \"tonic\" and go up to the next C, the sequence of whole and half steps results in something called a Major Scale, or Ionian mode. If you start on A, you get a M... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
49vr4z | why we still don't have a practical 128bit computers, that we cold use at home? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/49vr4z/eli5_why_we_still_dont_have_a_practical_128bit/ | {
"a_id": [
"d0v9on3",
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"score": [
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Very simply, there just isn't any reason to. Right now 64bit does way, way more than we can utilize. It'd be like if you had a giant aquarium, right, and it only had like 3 fish. You are standing there ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.space.com/26078-how-many-stars-are-there.html"
],
[]
] | ||
3jpd69 | how are newspapers made so quickly? | How do they get all the stuff for a newspaper a day? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3jpd69/eli5how_are_newspapers_made_so_quickly/ | {
"a_id": [
"cur88ov"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"The newspaper editing industry usually runs from 12noon to 2am. They collect all the information from the people all throughout the day thanks to their people around the city/nation/world who keep feeding the editors postable stuff. This then goe... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
fnlf4g | what is bad about companies buying back stock? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fnlf4g/eli5_what_is_bad_about_companies_buying_back_stock/ | {
"a_id": [
"fla47n8",
"fla4b4r",
"fla4opg"
],
"score": [
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"In a vacuum it's not good or bad, just a process companies go through to pass profits back to shareholders. The shareholders *are* the owners and profiting from the ownership is the entire point, so it... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1yz2dx | why aren't jurors allowed to talk about a court case, yet the media can publish details about a court case in the newspaper? | I don't get why that is. When I was at court as a juror, I wasn't allowed to discuss the case with anyone at all, yet I read the newspaper and every day I see details of court cases. Could anyone shed some light? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1yz2dx/eli5_why_arent_jurors_allowed_to_talk_about_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfp1kvy"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"IIUC, the fear is not so much that you spill details on the case, but that you are influenced by people from outside the courtroom."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
6zpbqb | what are the little holes on plugs for? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6zpbqb/eli5_what_are_the_little_holes_on_plugs_for/ | {
"a_id": [
"dmwzyjm",
"dmx01dq"
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"score": [
3,
6
],
"text": [
"They're detents to keep the plug in the wall\n\nThe socket has a pair of blades that the plug slides into. At the deep end of each blade is either a bump or a flap that matches up with the holes on the plug to keep them from... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2390t5 | why does my camera take rectangular photos (horizontal vs. vertical orientation) even though the lens is circular? | Couldn't it just always take a square picture? I wonder this mostly because people seem to aesthetically find vertical photos and videos irritating. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2390t5/eli5_why_does_my_camera_take_rectangular_photos/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgunp13",
"cgupecx",
"cgut6ib",
"cgutu3z"
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"score": [
18,
8,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Because the sensor, or film, is rectangular. \r\r ",
"So many answers. Here are some:\n\n- First off, there are cameras which take square pictures. But most don't.\n- Movie... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.photomuse.org/media/database/00254.jpg"
]
] | |
akrg9n | what did england gain by issuing the balfour declaration? | (I think) I understand the intent of the declaration, just not the timing. Britain had been at war for 3 years, was there a quid pro quo that necessitated the timing? According to some sources, Rothschild was asked to draft the letter himself so it seems a bit theatrical. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/akrg9n/eli5_what_did_england_gain_by_issuing_the_balfour/ | {
"a_id": [
"ef7v97h"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"simplified:\n\nThe timing was simply at the culmination of a long process begun when Britain joined the war as part of the overall policy question of what would happen to the various components of the ottoman empire once toppled. The actual proce... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3qakl8 | are flexible people less durable? | Most objects when used to the point that they are easily bendable, become less durable because of the strain put on them.
Does that same theory apply to a humans flexibility? Do flexible people brake more easily? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qakl8/eli5_are_flexible_people_less_durable/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwdqri9"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I'm interested in any actual research on this, but I'd like to point out that so far the answers aren't really answering what I think is the spirit of the question. \n\nStretching before you're warmed up is an entirely different topic. I believe ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
41utey | why can't we genetically modify mosquitoes so that they won't bite? | Why can't we prevent malaria and other diseases by genetically modifying mosquitos so that they do not need to suck blood from organisms for sustenance? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/41utey/eli5_why_cant_we_genetically_modify_mosquitoes_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"cz59q08",
"cz59vrl",
"cz59vwm"
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"score": [
11,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Because:\n\n* There are billions and billions of mosquitoes in the world and we would need to alter every single individual (or at least kill every single one we didn't alter) which is basically imposs... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1q5dbo | why are blueprints called blueprints? | I guess I could probably ask Google this, but would rather refer to the hive mind | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q5dbo/why_are_blueprints_called_blueprints/ | {
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"text": [
"I typed in \"why are blueprints called blueprints\" into Google. It had it's own box above the search results that said.\n\n > In the early 1940s, cyanotype blueprint began to be supplanted by diazo prints, also known as whiteprints, which have b... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
8otl4s | why do robocallers and telemarketers still exist? if they are so universally despised why is it not illegal or how can it be prevented/penalized | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8otl4s/eli5why_do_robocallers_and_telemarketers_still/ | {
"a_id": [
"e05zebz"
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"score": [
2
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"text": [
"They are banned unless you give the company consent beforehand. It's just virtually impossible to enforce these rules.\n\nMany calls come from outside the US. Even those that come from within are costly and difficult to pursue and are pretty low ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
31id3p | was africa always in a bad position economically and agriculturally? or was this famine, drought, disease and poverty caused by europeans? | I am just curious as to how this would have occured. What was africa like before white people came? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31id3p/eli5_was_africa_always_in_a_bad_position/ | {
"a_id": [
"cq1tzbb",
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"text": [
"Economically the banks fucked them over by giving them a massive loan to set up their international trading, knowing full well the whole of Europe and America was going to undercut them and basically cut them out of world tr... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
4cimg3 | why don't space suits more closely resemble scuba diving suits? | Looking at the spacex designs - _URL_0_
The deep ocean requires heating, oxygen supply, and other life sustaining features. It's less bulky, easy to move around in, etc. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4cimg3/eli5_why_dont_space_suits_more_closely_resemble/ | {
"a_id": [
"d1imwly"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Space suits have to seal a pressure differential, with positive pressure inside and vacuum outside. Ambient pressure diving suits have to seal against water leakage, but not at any significant pressure differential. Atmospheric pressure diving su... | [] | [
"https://www.reddit.com/r/Gundam/comments/4chvbr/"
] | [
[
"http://nuytco.com/products/exosuit/"
]
] | |
7xuho3 | how does the equation for a pendulum bob period? | Hello everyone! So I am doing a science lab on pendulums in grade 9, and it is assessed on our ability to write lab reports, but I became interested in the subject. So while doing the lab we observed that the angle at which you dropped the Bob does not impact the amount of oscillations done in 30 seconds. I was trying ... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7xuho3/eli5_how_does_the_equation_for_a_pendulum_bob/ | {
"a_id": [
"dube3dk"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"Ignoring friction, there are two forces acting on the pendulum bob. One is gravity, and the other is the tension in the string. The total gravitational force on the bob is equal to the mass of the pendulum times the acceleration due to gravity (w... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Isochronous_cycloidal_pendula.gif",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_harmonic_motion"
]
] | |
7jig5p | how do explosions work? and do different material explode harder than others? | Take gunpowder in cartridges for example. Would the velocity of the bullet decrease/increase if another kind of explosive powder/alchemical was used instead? And noticeably so? If say one would shoot through an iron breastplate, would a less explosive matter make the bullet stop in the breastplate while another would p... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7jig5p/eli5_how_do_explosions_work_and_do_different/ | {
"a_id": [
"dr6lx2z",
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"score": [
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3
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"text": [
"Explosions are extremely fast chemical reactions that release large amounts of energy. Some of them release more energy or explode faster. I don't think a gun could withstand the pressure of most modern explosives inside the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdxWtteSst8"
]
] | |
9yuwx1 | how do video game display mechanics work? | On my PC, FPS shooters (COD BO4) get's between 90 and 110 FPS. I understand how the eye works and all that Jazz.
What I really want to understand is how things are updated FROM the PC side. How often is my characters information / position etc updated. By having powerful hardware I get the 110FPS, but is it actuall... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9yuwx1/eli5_how_do_video_game_display_mechanics_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"ea48k8r",
"ea48v5n"
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"score": [
7,
3
],
"text": [
"This is highly dependant on the game.\n\n & #x200B;\n\nOne semi-common option that some developer's do is tie the updates to the framerate (and lock the framerate when they do that). In those cases, you won't get a higher FP... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
zcasq | what is the point of making youtube videos not available on mobile? is there some benefit of doing this? | Edit: Sorry I'm getting back to this late. Thank you for all of your answers. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zcasq/eli5_what_is_the_point_of_making_youtube_videos/ | {
"a_id": [
"c63g2z9",
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"score": [
14,
8
],
"text": [
"Some mobile devices don't have ad support, people like getting paid for *their work.",
"There is a 10 year history here of the RIAA (Sony, Universal, Warner, etc) getting burned by the openness of the Internet. \n\nMob... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
a28u8d | why does cold weather cause plants to lose their leaves/die? do plants have metabolisms that are slowed down in the cold? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a28u8d/eli5_why_does_cold_weather_cause_plants_to_lose/ | {
"a_id": [
"eaw5qb4"
],
"score": [
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"text": [
"It's usually not the cold weather, it's the lack of sunlight. In the winter, as the days grow shorter, there is less light for the leaves of the plant to collect and turn into energy. Having the leaves costs the plant energy and if they aren't co... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
dabts8 | why do people have outerwear for their upper body (e.g. jackets, coats, etc.) but not for lower body/legs? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dabts8/eli5_why_do_people_have_outerwear_for_their_upper/ | {
"a_id": [
"f1oj7lp",
"f1ojc6w"
],
"score": [
2,
4
],
"text": [
"There is less blood-flow to the legs, so the blood reaching them doesn’t affect the core temperature of the body so much.",
"What about snow pants and rain pants? Although upper outerwear is alot more commonly used."
]... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
67671c | why would the us have the best funded and best trained soldiers in the world still need to hire mercenaries? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/67671c/eli5_why_would_the_us_have_the_best_funded_and/ | {
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"text": [
"Mercenaries are sometimes cheaper depending on the operation. They are also 'displaced' from the central government's chain of command and influence, meaning that operations carrie... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2197ob | if the black box aboard mh370 is the most likely to have survived in the event of a crash, why are countries barely attempting to use instruments that can locate it. | I read that the U.S. Navy is sending an instrument that can detect the black box's ping even if it is 6000 meters below the water. Considering that: this has been such a large event, that the search has been on-going for over 2 weeks and that the transponder on the Black Box has a limited life, why is the search for th... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2197ob/eli5_if_the_black_box_aboard_mh370_is_the_most/ | {
"a_id": [
"cgatc37",
"cgatl0q"
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"score": [
2,
7
],
"text": [
"Covering the entire search area is equivalant to driving each and every road in the entire United States while listening for a beeping noise miles away from each road.\n\nWhere do you start? Which roads do you drive first? ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2014/03/mh370-us-navy-prepares-black-box-locator/"
]
] | |
11g3ln | why do many songs have the same four chord progression? | Uncountable songs all have the same progression - pop, indie, classical, you name it. This goes back to *at least* Pachabel.
Is there something scientifically/theoretically special about these chords together?
Are our ears just used to that progression and tend toward it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/11g3ln/eli5_why_do_many_songs_have_the_same_four_chord/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
2,
5
],
"text": [
"IIRC there have been scientists who have done studies that said people like to hear things that are familiar. Like stuff they've heard before. It triggers a dopamine reaction. Dopamine is a chemical in your brain that makes ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFeN2HZz5Bg",
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOhGPY4DrF4&feature=related"
]
] | |
4mj54s | why do some animals reject their young if they are exposed to human scent? | I don't understand why animals will risk their lives to protect their young but that maternal bond is seemingly dissolved if the offspring gets a whiff of human scent on it. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4mj54s/eli5_why_do_some_animals_reject_their_young_if/ | {
"a_id": [
"d3vvh5b",
"d3vz83t",
"d3w43yg"
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"score": [
247,
11,
20
],
"text": [
"This is a common misconception perpetrated by your mother to keep you from messing with baby birds. While it is true that some animals will eat their babies after trauma. You touching them doesn't q... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
a1kh6f | how do tax returns/refunds work in canada? | Hi everyone,I'm 17 and I just got a part time job but I have no idea how taxes work, I work in a federal job part time and this stuff is all confusing to me, who is eligible to file a tax return? What are they and why are they given out? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a1kh6f/eli5_how_do_tax_returnsrefunds_work_in_canada/ | {
"a_id": [
"eaqiiyn"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"If you’re working and getting a paycheque, you need to file income tax. Early in 2019 (Feb - Apr) you will get a T4 and you will use that to file your taxes."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
7pq2ex | with all the wireless signals going around (mobile phone data, digital tv, text messages, phone calls, etc), how do they not interfere with each other? | Also how does a wireless signal find the receiving device? When I'm driving in my car and streaming media, how does the signal keep up? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7pq2ex/eli5_with_all_the_wireless_signals_going_around/ | {
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"score": [
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
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[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/january_2016_spectrum_wall_chart.pdf"
],
[
"http://www.women-inventors.com/Hedy-Lammar.asp"
],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.lastmilegear.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/United_States_Freq... | |
4s9pwz | how do internet speed upgrades work? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4s9pwz/eli5_how_do_internet_speed_upgrades_work/ | {
"a_id": [
"d57naqv"
],
"score": [
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],
"text": [
"You have to seperate 2 different elements:\n\n* technical upgrades\n* contract upgrades\n\nI will start with **contract upgrades** as it is easier.\n\nUsually your speed is not limited by technology, it's limited by software. Your user/modem/acc... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
emq7cw | what is os-level virtualization? | All articles I read are too high level for me. I want to understand this term to be able to understand what Docker does. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/emq7cw/eli5_what_is_oslevel_virtualization/ | {
"a_id": [
"fdq9757"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"In regular virtualization one physical server runs multiple instances of an operating system to keep users and their actions separate.\n\nIn OS-level virtualization, one *operating system* has multiple self contained partitions to achieve separat... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
5ld1ko | how are pop-up and generally annoying web ads viable? | Go to a news website, or any website in general, and you get bombarded with pop-up ads, ads that start playing videos automatically, etc. - how is this intrusive advertising even remotely beneficial to the advertiser anymore? It seems like this type of advertising would do more harm to their brand than help. Do they ac... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5ld1ko/eli5_how_are_popup_and_generally_annoying_web_ads/ | {
"a_id": [
"dbusu9z",
"dbuynrr",
"dbv03h1",
"dbvdmwo"
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"score": [
13,
4,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"The same reason you get viagra and penis pill spam in your email.\n\nSome people are unbelievably stupid and willing to spend money to prove it.",
" > It seems like this type ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammarly"
],
[
"http://www.pajiba.com/think_pieces/a-transparent-attempt-to-explain-the-economics-behind-running-a-popculture-website-and-the-need-to-run-intrusive-advertising.php"
],
[]
] | |
28ryh2 | why can't buying a car be as simple and pleasant as buying any other commodity? | Why can't car dealerships be similar to other retail establishments? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28ryh2/eli5_why_cant_buying_a_car_be_as_simple_and/ | {
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"score": [
5,
3,
7,
2
],
"text": [
"Because car salesmen work on commission. The more you spend, the more they make. Getting you to buy just a couple of extra things can mean thousands in commission for the salesman.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
56a2qu | what roles do central banks, commercial banks and/or banking system play in capitalism? | Googled. Some pages don't even list banks/banking with capitalism. Some say banks/banking are the heart of capitalism. Confused. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/56a2qu/eli5_what_roles_do_central_banks_commercial_banks/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8hl5md"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Capitalism as a general concept isn't really relevant to the question. Central banks set interest rates (basically). Commercial banks are retail banks, so they sell financial services to the masses. The banking system on the whole is known genera... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
bbmiww | what are the implications/pros and cons of having an economy built on a few big businesses vs many smaller businesses? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bbmiww/eli5_what_are_the_implicationspros_and_cons_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"ekjs5an"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"There is no hard-and-fast rule for this. In theory, a bigger business can take advantage of [economies of scale](_URL_0_) and use their large size/market share to deliver lower prices.\n\nHowever, in a market that has a small amount of competitio... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economies_of_scale"
]
] | ||
1jzq0y | why do most countries in the world prefer parliamentary(unicameral) systems vs. congressional (bicameral) ones? | why does virtually all of Europe, Japan, most of the middle east, and even France who is a Republic prefer this Parliamentary system against a Congressional one? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1jzq0y/eli5_why_do_most_countries_in_the_world_prefer/ | {
"a_id": [
"cbjvgdz",
"cbjw34t"
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"It's more representative. Works a lot better for minor parties. Could be more difficult to govern. Trying to build coalitions amongst the varying parties can be difficult. Of course the US government is running like absol... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2erkt2 | why is it socially acceptable to boil lobsters alive? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2erkt2/eli5_why_is_it_socially_acceptable_to_boil/ | {
"a_id": [
"ck2982o",
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"ck2b344",
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"score": [
4,
2,
3,
3,
3,
2,
2
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"text": [
"Because when they are dead and left uncooked, they become poisonous and make humans sick",
"because how you ki... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3qzakk | why does leap day have to be feb 29 (why can't we subtract that day from other months)? | Weird enough that February already only has 28 days while other months have at least 30, then we have to add the leap day to that every 4 years. Why? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qzakk/eli5why_does_leap_day_have_to_be_feb_29_why_cant/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwjkgmr",
"cwjktnx"
],
"score": [
3,
10
],
"text": [
"When Julius Caesar came into power, there was a 355 day calendar. Every few years, a leap month was added to correct for changes in the dates when seasons began. This extra month was February and it was even shorter back ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
9moqtn | how would me turning off faucets in between brushing, taking shorter showers, etc help with water conservation? in other words, can the little things done in the home actually make an effect? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9moqtn/eli5_how_would_me_turning_off_faucets_in_between/ | {
"a_id": [
"e7g53m0",
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"e7g5lgq",
"e7g60ke"
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"score": [
2,
2,
3,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"I mean... yes. I stopped washing my clothes with my own water and dryer, the electricity and the water bill went down noticeably. It took us more time and mor... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hl=en-us&ei=PqC8W-jkBMLwsQXf45SQCA&ins=false&q=average+water+consumption+per+person+per+day+by+country&oq=average+water+use+per+person&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.1.1.0i71l5.0.0..45654...0.0..0.0.0.......0.Ihb1_NxXfUA#imgrc=ClqxLfY7sXz9MM... | ||
1t2i01 | how come people can "feel" like they're being watched? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1t2i01/eli5_how_come_people_can_feel_like_theyre_being/ | {
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"score": [
4,
493,
35,
50,
21,
2,
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/",
"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9989623/Feeling-of-being-watched-hardwired-in-brain.html",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopophobia",
"SocialAnxietySupport.com"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.csicop.org/si/show... | ||
5br8ui | why do we say "mister/madame president" but not "monsieur/madame president"? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5br8ui/eli5_why_do_we_say_mistermadame_president_but_not/ | {
"a_id": [
"d9qns71"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Probably because in English, \"Madam\" has a formal quality that \"Mrs.\" doesn't. \"Mrs.\" particularly is a married name, implying her name is secondary to her husband's (which she probably took). Usage, I'm going to guess perfectly seriously, ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1rwfhg | how can companies like mozilla make profit by providing open-source software like firefox, if its code is available to everyone to view and edit? | How can you make profit by engaging your business in open-source software? It looks like that's profiting from community (suckers?) that builds and improves the code?
Thanks for the answers! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1rwfhg/eli5_how_can_companies_like_mozilla_make_profit/ | {
"a_id": [
"cdrnz8d"
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"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"The critical thing to understand is that a business built around open source software does *not* usually want to make money from the software itself. Instead, they have a different product that benefits in some way from the existence of the free ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2up8l8 | how does the mercenary business work? is it a legal enterprise? | I know there are private military contractors like Blackwater. How does all that work? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2up8l8/eli5_how_does_the_mercenary_business_work_is_it_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"coaer0g",
"coaer3c",
"coafao7",
"coan5cf"
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"score": [
3,
10,
3,
6
],
"text": [
"Blackwater is a grey area. They claim to be a private security firm and totally deny that they are mercenaries.\n\nMercenaries are illegal under article 47 of the geneva conventio... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
2rblin | when girls exercise, why do our abs feel cold even when we are sweating? does this happen to guys? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2rblin/eli5_when_girls_exercise_why_do_our_abs_feel_cold/ | {
"a_id": [
"cnedd1g"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"I'm a guy and this happens to me from time to time.\n\nWhen you exercise your body is focused on pumping blood to the muscles that you're using. So if you're running your body wants to get blood to your legs. While your body is focused on getting... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
5fm995 | how do other planets affect ours? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5fm995/eli5_how_do_other_planets_affect_ours/ | {
"a_id": [
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2,
3
],
"text": [
"Not a thorough answer, but the Sun comprises 99.8% of the mass, meaning the planets only make up .2% of the mass, with Jupiter and Saturn making up most of that. Jupiter acts as a shield against asteroi... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://i.imgur.com/FTE4Ly9.gif"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
ev0xj6 | why do marshmallows harden? | Does this have to with the sugar crystalizing?
I read something about it being the gelatin, but this also happens with vegan marshmellows, whose binding agent is (i think:) carrageenan.
many thanks | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ev0xj6/eli5_why_do_marshmallows_harden/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"It dries out. Most food has some water content in it. When we seal the bad it keeps most of the water in as the air in side reaches and equilibrium with the food for moistness level. When we leave a bag open suddenly there is a whole lot more air... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1pg3n0 | who exactly is jd power and association? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1pg3n0/eli5_who_exactly_is_jd_power_and_association/ | {
"a_id": [
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3,
11,
2
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"text": [
"And how the hell can they hand out awards like candy",
"You pay them to give you awards. \n\nTheir awards mean nothing. ",
"Jd Power and Associates is a marketing research firm that claims to b... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] |
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