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why people who self harm find that it helps then manage their emotions short term. | It is an outlet for some people who are struggling. It also can be very focusing/calming for people with bipolar . Rushing thoughts and extreme emotions can be very difficult to handle if you're chemically imbalanced . Pain can also be pleasure or bring feeling to someone who is lost, depressed, and/or apathetic. If yo... |
When big corporations, or any business or institution, get fined for millions, or even billions, of dollars, where does it go? Who gets it? | If it's the result of a lawsuit. It goes to the plaintiffs . If it's the result of a government bureaucracy fine, it goes into the government's coffers.It goes to the relevant party. That changes depending on the jurisdiction that imposed the fine, and what exactly the fine was.Whoever the wronged party was. Some examp... |
How do people move large peices of furniture into high-rise apartments? | Typically there is a "moving elevator" which is larger and has larger doors than the ordinary elevator, and requires a key and scheduling to use it.I lived in a tall apartment building. The answers are: You might amazed how often large pieces of furniture that LOOK like one piece actually can be taken apart into two or... |
how come the celebrity in the threesome gag order was given the option to take out an injunction whereas some stories are just printed? | Everyone has the "option" to take out an injunction. However it's quite expensive, you need good lawyers working on your behalf, and crucially you need to know that a story is going to be printed *before* it goes to press. In general when "celeb scandal" stories get printed in the press, that's the first the celebritie... |
Why does extra water flow out of the spigot when I undo the knob at the end of a shower? | Because when you pulled the knob up at the start of the shower, there was water left in the spigot from when the flow was cut off. |
Why do chickens lay eggs all of the time, while many other birds only do so once a year? | Selective breeding has led to chickens who produce way more eggs than wild birdsBiologist here! Chickens are neat little birds. The main reason why chickens lay many eggs is because humans have bred them to lay large numbers of eggs whether or not fertilization occurs. This is actually pretty common among egg laying re... |
If somebody born with intact vision were never exposed to light for a large chunk of their early years was suddenly exposed to light, would they be able to see? | I don't know of any accounts about exactly what you are describing but there are some parallels in people whose sight has been restored or improved through medical procedures. The answer from those experiences is yes an no. They can see immediately. As in there is a signal getting to the brain. They could tell you when... |
Why is silicone one of the key components of modern computing? | Silicon**e** is a plastic. Silicon is the mineral that makes up much of glass and sand. When purified, it acts as a semiconductor. A semiconductor is a material that will only pass an electrical current if another electrical force is applied to it. Semiconductors can be used to build transistors. You can think of a tra... |
Why is it that almost every book has the tag "New York Times Best-Seller"? | Also, hundreds of thousands of books are published each year, but you're most likely to come across the most popular ones which thus make it onto the NYT Best Seller List.I think you probably need to read more books that are not on the front table of Books a Million. Most books do not have that tag. |
Why are human's teeth so crappy? | Most cavities, rot, and the like are actually modern problems. With a diet low in sugars and carbohydrates, which were uncommon until modern times, teeth rarely have problems. The crooked thing is just a cultural bias and an aesthetic choice rather than a medically motivated procedure.Because tooth rot doesn't kill som... |
How does subway roast bread within 15 seconds? | The ovens they use are not just big toaster ovens like you have at home. They are kind of like a toaster oven/microwave hybrid. You get a nicely toasted outside without completely drying out the bread. |
Why does it cost so much to use phones to communicate overseas where if I use the internet there is no price increase? | You're right. It's a con. The communications companies are sending all that data, both internet and voice, over the same wires anyway in many cases. It's historically traditional to charge more for long-distance calls, so they can get away with it even though it doesn't make sense anymore. Just like how text messages c... |
How are fingerprints so unique that each persons is different? | First of all that's not a scientifically established fact, just a working assumption based on a relatively large sample. Now, for your question. It basically comes down to the fact that the amount of possible configurations is many orders of magnitude larger than the amount of living humans, coupled with the high varia... |
How long does adrenaline last? | This is complicated. Technically speaking adrenaline lasts your entire life. Even resting humans have some Epinephrine in their systems & almost every organ in the body has binding sites. Surges can be short term like crap that guy just punched me in the face, to long term such as in PTSD. People suffering from panic d... |
Why Does Windows Constantly Say it Needs 'Urgent' Updates and When it Restarts We Don't Notice anything Different / Better? | The urgent updates are security patches. Windows owns the vast majority of the PC market, which means they also get the vast majority of the virus maker market. Every time a virus maker exploits a security vulnerability or writes a new virus and Microsoft find out they patch the hole or add the virus to windows defende... |
Why is graphene not mass-productible? | Well, it probably is, we just don't know how to yet. The current leading method is to peel layers away from graphite using adhesive tape so yeah, we just haven't really gotten a *great* way to do it yet. Definitely not one that can be commercially scaled. |
Why aren't dogs repulsed by any smells, for example feces, while humans are? | Dogs are indeed repulsed by some smells. I generally let me dog smell anything I have in my hands if she seems interested in it, and I've seen her violently pull away from my alcohol soaked lens cleaner wipes. When it comes to things like poop and pee, dogs smell it because it would be a valuable tool in hunting or soc... |
Why is it that when you suddenly get up after lying down on a couch (not sleeping) it feels like you just got hit by a flashbang. | Blood isn't getting to your brain fast enough due to gravity causing pooling of blood in your lower extremities. It's called [orthostatic hypotension]. It can be caused by a number of different issues . The ways to prevent it depend on why you'd getting it in the first place. See a doctor. |
Why is Edward Snowden still in Russia when South American Countries have offered him Asylum? | Most countries on the way to those South American countries won't allow Snowden to land there, even temporarily. A flight similar to Russia - > China - > Mexico - > Ecuador could be difficult because Mexico might grab Snowden and give him to the US, or the US might intercept his plane over international waters and forc... |
Why do we feel tired instead of energetic after sitting for hours in a plane? | The same reason car trips tire people out, the constant vibrations mean your muscles are constantly making tiny adjustments or are isometrically engaged to keep things in place Edit, however blood moves through the veins mostly by movements of large muscles, that's why you can get DVT on long plane trips, this lack of ... |
If the founder of APEC was Australia, why is America the leader of APEC? | APEC includes many members besides Australia. Just because Australia was the creator doesn't mean that they will always be the head of it. |
Why does it seem that all the millions donated to charity has done nothing? | Lots. It could cost a whole buncha lots. But also, let's talk about "it". There are 2 things we're talking about: 1) money to help alleviate the symptoms of whatever problem it is, and 2) money to get at the root of whatever problem it is. If it costs X number of dollars to feed out-of-work people for a week, then unle... |
If electrical signals from the brain travel at hundreds of miles per hour, how come emotions can feel like they're slowly spreading across the body? | The simple answer is “we're not really sure.” You're combining neurology with psychology, and all of that with biology. We're still trying to figure out how the mind and consciousness work, and as far as the point about feelings spreading across the body, that's just chemical reactions. Most of those in the body are mu... |
What is the difference between sugar, refined sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, etc | So, sugar comes from sugar cane . Once the sugar cane is harvested, it gets sent to the mill, where they crush it, squeeze out all the juice , and then they boil it to drive off the water. Once enough water has been driven off, the sugar starts to crystallise out. But because the juice isn't just pure sugar and water, ... |
When it asks what your race is on a form, why is Hispanic/Latino asked as a separate question? | IIRC, it's because Hispanic/ Latino is an ethnicity, not a race. We're technically considered white. Edit: *I'm* technically considered white. Fuck, people, if one person said that Hispanics can be black fucking everyone said it. You can stop flooding my inbox with the same godamn thing. |
Is it illegal to dumpster dive? | Depends on the relevant state and local laws. Since you gave zero information, you won't get a relevant answer. |
Why are there so many posts about how much better the Boston Police are than the LAPD? | The LAPD has long had a reputation for brutality and incompetence. The OJ Simpson trial, the Watts Riots, the Rampart Division, the NOI shooting in the 60’s, Daryl Gates, Rodney King,etc.. As of late, there has been speculation that the Charles Dorner case was handled poorly by the LAPD and they screwed up his capture/... |
If your skin is an organ, why does it get itchy but your internal organs don't? | because they're meant to be itchy, being itchy has its purpose, and the urge to scratch an itch has its purpose, internal organs don't need to be itchy because they can't be scratched |
When it comes to action movies, what makes the concept of fighters wearing business suits so appealing to watch? | There's a few aspects to this trope. First is that a business suit is actually quite a restrictive garment, so being able to kick ass while handicapped in such a way makes it seem more impressive. Second is that a suit gives the impression that the wearer is a professional. That this is business to the character, not s... |
How saying "a curry" makes sense. | "a curry" - probably shorthand for a plate of curry, or some other singular portion of curry, such as a 'serving\' of curry, a \'bowl\' of curry, a \'pot\' of curry, but the point is that it's a nonspecific but nonarbitrary amount "some curry" - an arbitrary amount. So you could easily imagine the following conversatio... |
What are those curly earpieces the FBI and Secret Service agents have on, and why do they opt for those despite it sticking out like a sore thumb, rather than something more discreet? | You actually nailed it when you said they are obvious. Obvious security is meant to be obvious to discourage actions. This is also why, particularly the secret service directly protecting major persons, have that distinct Secret Service look, you are intended to notice them, to discourage you from attacking. They also ... |
How do gears work? | gear A has 4 teeth. gear B has 8 teeth. forgot for the moment how the teeth actually interact, just pretend to grip. imagine a spot, say at the 3 oclock position. for every revolution of A, 4 teeth rotate past that spot. now gear B is at the meshing spot. A has revolved 1 turn. 4 teeth have gone past the spot. when eac... |
Why do republicans only need ~1,000 delegates to win the nomination while democrats need ~2,000? | Because they use slightly different systems with different numbers of delegates. Remember that this isn't a "Democrat vs Republican" contest yet, this is actually two **totally separate** contests to choose a candidate for each party. There's absolutely no reason they even have to follow a similar format - the Republic... |
How does circulation cool down a room | It doesn't. Simply turning on a fan will not lower the temperature of a room - it may slightly raise it, actually, because of friction generating heat in the moving parts of the fan. Moving air *feels* cooler, though. Your body is constantly losing heat to the air around you. But air isn't a perfect conductor of heat, ... |
How did E=mc^2 become such a well known equation when the vast majority of people don't know what it means? | I remember it from an episode of the animaniacs. They suggested that acme can look like e=mc2 when written backwards. |
What makes something considered a terroist attack | 1. It is intended to instil fear among a certain group of people.2. It ultimately has a political, religious or ideological motive.3. It's usually indiscriminate, the victims innocent. In some cases, who the victims are is less important than the number of victims. Of course, very often people use the word "terrorism" ... |
The Italian Justice System Particularly With Amanda Knox | The short of it is 1) a verdict is only final once the Supreme Court rules on it and 2) either the prosecution or defense can appeal. Edit: also, jeopardy attaches when the verdict is ruled final by the Supreme Court. These retrials aren't violating Italy's idea of double jeopardy. |
why is it ok to fall in love with an animal or your child instantly, but should be longer with fellow adults? | Because you don't get to choose whether that child is yours, so there is no point in waiting to decide if you want to love it. With animals you haven't yet chosen to adopt, it is actually a good idea to slow down. |
What social system would be ideal and good for everyone if not capitalism, and is it even possible to move away from it? | Some sort of capitalism and socialism is probably the best bet. Capitalistic in the sense that there *is* reward for innovation , and socialistic in the sense that everybody's basic needs are guaranteed no matter what. The problem is finding the right balance so that we get some of the benefits of capitalism but the ro... |
Why is Internet Explorer such a terrible browser and why does MS not try to fix it? | In addition to the other answers here, the newer versions of IE actually *have* gotten a lot better, especially in terms of layout standards and efficiency. Five years ago you essentially had to create an entirely separate stylesheet just to make your website look presentable at all in IE compared to Chrome, Firefox, S... |
Why did Mark Twain hate the writings of Jane Austen so much? And should I know if my writing is as bad instinctually? | Austen is actually an incredibly *good* writer, whose style unfortunately is now very antiquated. [This blog post] suggests Twain was being sarcastic, and actually appreciated Austen. But Twain was a sharp critic of overly flowery language -- and Austen wrote at the apex of the era of "less direct is best" writing styl... |
Why do digital computer games cost the same or sometimes more than physical copies? | The expense of the disc and art is relatively minor. Keeping brick and mortar stores happy by not massively undercutting them is also a thingThe price of most anything is based less on the actual cost of production and more on the price people will actually pay. Whatever a consumer is willing to pay to maximize profits... |
How do you measure the length of a national highway, a river, the railway tracks between two stations or the boundary between two states or two nations? | You would typically use a GIS to accurately measure the distance of the features. Presumably these features have been collected as digitized vectors, similar to a CAD system only on a larger scale. These data exist for free from several government organizations; i.e. _URL_0_ An easier less accurate way would be to meas... |
How are we still speculating about and uncovering tombs from Pyramids we explored almost 100 years ago? | Not the same pyramid - Tutankhamun was not buried in a pyramid. Same tomb, though. No one noticed the "ghost" doorways because they were bricked and plastered up. It wasn't until the recent high-res scans that tiny differences and cracks in the walls were noticeda large part of this comes from us having the inclination... |
Why is it acceptable to display the confederate flag. | It doesn't symbolize slavery, it symbolizes rebellion. People who fly it generally do so because it represents the rights of the states over the federal government, and general down-south values mixed with some anarchist sentiment. The meaning of a symbol is dependent on who uses it, and why. |
What is the quickest way to build credit? | Get a credit card, from a bank, not a retail store , with reward points if you can get it , use it *exactly* like cash, and pay it off in full every month. Never carry a balance. There are also reporting services that you pay your bills through. They report your payment to the credit bureau. These are great for buildin... |
What happens when we bruise? | basically its blood from where your skin/tissues were compressed to a point they "popped." the blood that comes out is the bruise, which is why theyre deep red/purple to start off with, but as it oxidizes slowly and heals turns more brown/yellow. |
Why, when I stand up quickly, can I no longer see anything? | Blood is dropping out of your head as you stand up suddenly. It takes a moment for your circulatory system to recover. |
Why are some chemical names different from their symbols/formulaes? | Potassium: When it was discovered, there was an argument over whether it should be called "potassium" or "kalium" . Scientists in Britain and France called it "potassium", but German, Dutch and Scandinavian scientists called it "kalium". But they all had to adopt the same symbol, so that there would be no confusion, an... |
Do musicians and filmmakers have a say in how aggressively pirating their work is prosecuted? | Copyright enforcement is rarely criminal. It is almost always handled by civil courts--which means that your rights are enforced as stringently as you are willing to put in the time and effort. The most strict enforcement usually comes from artists who hire someone else to it for them. Industry groups like the Recordin... |
Why do so many people think they drive better while drunk? | Because they're idiots attempting to justify driving drunk. The most common excuse that I 've heard is "I pay more attention when I'm drunk because I know I'm drunk." And that's a bullshit excuse that has no basis in reality. Ultimately, it's about wanting to party and then get home conveniently, instead of planning ou... |
whats that greenish thing on my eye when I wake up, and why is there? | If you are referring to 'eye-boogers', they are called rheum. It is the gunk left over from evaporated tears that are constantly cleaning your eyes. Blinking helps to push tears off the eye and down into your sinuses, but while you sleep you aren't blinking, so the fluid builds up where it drains . |
Why do animals experience pain differently from humans? | Animals don't experience pain differently than humans. You are just familiar with wimpy humans. Here is an example of a different type: _URL_0_ |
Why do musical notes look like they do? | Well, our modern system got its start about 1,000 years ago by this guy names Guido d'Arezzo. He was an Italian monk during the 11th century and he developed his system as a way to help him teach chants. He pioneered the idea of placing the notes vertically on a staff to represent pitch. Over the years, we've added mor... |
- Why is out of state tution almost double the price of instate tution? Why is there a difference in price? | State universities are funded by state taxes, so in-state residents have already paid taxes toward the university's operation while out of state people have not. |
Why ketchup bottles are typically clear while mustard bottles aren't. | Most commerically sold mustard has a preservative called Preservative 202, which is not present in ketchup. When the preservative comes in contact with a plastic bottle for an extended period of time at room temperature, it creates a slightly green residue, which is just mustard, with a little bit of a green tinge. The... |
Why are people trying to make bionic limbs to be similar to what they had before/what is normal? | Maybe they don't want that? I imagine if you lost a limb all you want is that functionality back. To be as "normal" as possible. People with missing limbs are still very much stigmatized in a lot of situations and having an enhanced, yet abnormal limb would just emphasize that they are different. Then there are technic... |
How do deaf people learn to speak? | If a deaf person can form normal words in a way that is comprehensible, that means that they either A) were no born deaf or B) are not completely deaf. People who are 100% deaf from birth cannot learn the proper mouth movements to create normal human speech. |
How do transmissions and clutches work? | A transmission is, at the most basic level, a gearbox that sits between the engine and driveshaft^ to multiply or divide the engine's output. It uses gears to multiply or divide the force and speed of the engine. 1: The driveshaft simply transfers energy to the back of the car. No need to think much about it in this ex... |
For intel processpors,what do the numbers mean in the name? | i3 2 cores + hyperthreading smaller cache and doesn't run as hot i5 4 cores with no hyperthreading , better on board graphics i7 2-8 cores + hyperthreading, more cache and improved onboard graphics i7-x000 x is what generation the CPU is here's intel's guide_URL_0_", 'the number after the i tells you how good the proce... |
Why is it that gas stations decide to open next door to another gas station? | Location. You usually place such things close to freeways and high-traffic areas. Zoning. You don't want to put a gas station near housing though this does happen more nowadays, but there are still restrictions. Because of that, they can only be built in some areas. Factor that all in with traffic patterns, similar pla... |
Why does the volume on my TV seem to be infinitely louder when music plays than when there is dialogue? | It's the same thing as ads. They compress the sound of action scenes and ads to be the maximum volume they can, whereas dialogue is way quieter as it is dynamic, going from whispers to yells. The loudest sound dialogue ever is is generally only for a second, where as for an ad/action scene is constant and way more noti... |
- Why do cars have a button to switch off traction control.. | Because there are certain situations like being stuck in the mud, snow, or sand where traction control hinders the process. |
Why isn't physical pain or emotions considered one of the 5 senses? | Because the idea of "the five senses" is super, **super** outdated, and is not considered to be in any way an accurate representation of our actual senses. We have *way* more than five senses, including a sense of balance, a sense of proprioception , hunger, thirst, etcThe "five senses" are pretty much total bull. It's... |
What causes raindrops to be different sizes | The other answers are not correct. Its a function of the updraft in a cloud. Raindrops are heavier than air, so they fall, but smaller drops are more easily supported by rising air. In perfectly still air, you can get a misting fog that blurs the line between "cloud" and "rain". A moderate rain shower will have an updr... |
Why is a handheld GPS able to function without having to use a data network, while a smartphone is required to have a data network connection. | Your phone shouldnt need data for gps. It needs data to get an up to date and accurate map so it can show where you are on that map. A gps device just reads pings that are broadcast from satellites. It uses 3 or more satellites to compute its position. The device doesnt have to communicate to the satellites.The handhel... |
How exactly do glaciers move? | Both. Ice is still a bit plastic. That's the scienc-y word for "it's not 100% totally hard". So it slides down on a bed surface, in the process being squished a bit but also polishing the surface it slides on. That's why the granite domes of Yosemite are so smooth, by the way. Now when it goes over steeper drops or aro... |
Why has there been such low US dollar inflation considering Quantitative Easing? | A whole generation of economists is holding it's breath and waiting for the answer to this question. If you had surveyed a lot of economists in 2009 and explained that we'd do 5 years of Quantitative Easing, I suspect you'd have had a very strong consensus that the result would be widespread price inflation. The fact t... |
Why the veins in are body are not symmetrical | It is quite normal, even identical twins have different vasculature. This is because arteries/veins develop over time while growing in the womb and there is a random element to this. The main arteries and veins are more set in stone but the development of arterioles and smaller veins really doesn't follow a pattern at ... |
How is Luxottica allowed to own such a huge market share? Why aren't anti-trust lawsuits filed against it? | Having a large market share doesnt automatically make you illegal. If netflix had 95% of the streaming media business it wouldnt be punished for that. Even being a Monopoly isn't illegal. The only thing that is illegal is using said advantage to make sure new companies cant compete at all. So things like immediately bu... |
Why is it that water at boiling point boils food, yet, oil at boiling point fries food? | Water at the boiling point is 212 degrees near sea level. Oil at the boiling point usually explodes into flame, but at lower temperatures doesn't burn and is hot enough to brown things. Water in the food boils and the resulting steam keeps the oil from soaking into the food, so while water at 350 degrees under enough p... |
What does Russia gain from invading Crimea, and do you think the UK/US will intervene with the 1994 treaty? | There are probably a few things but the first one that sprung to mind was a good strategic position on the black sea and a way to isolate Ukrainian trade. Sevastopol, already houses a Russian naval base which is home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet and is one of the most significant Ukrainian ports. In a grander strateg... |
Why do sharks, being predators, have eyes on their sides? | They eyes front for predators rule only seems to apply to land creatures. On land, the things that you need to see are usually near the ground. You don't need to be able to see what is directly above or below you. Fish do. Having eyes on the side of your head lets you see above and below much better than having your ey... |
If I'm thinking of a song, are my brainwaves moving at the frequency of the notes? | The thing about brains is that there's always a lot of stuff happening all over, such that it's hard to tell what's going on at any given point. Getting useful data from them usually requires a lot of averaging; the colorful brain scans you often see really only represent slightly increased or decreased activation. In ... |
[META] Could we get subscripts? | Good idea, thanks. It *_has_* *`been`* implemented. I'm gonna leave this thread open for a little while so that people can see it. |
Why is it we can listen to a song we like continuously for a stretch, and eventually end up hating it? | "Familiarity breeds contemptVariety is the spice of lifeAbsence makes the heart grow fonder" Humans have long noticed that new things are exciting; old things grow dull. I'm sure there is a complex brain chemistry explanation, where such and such chemical stopped being produced. But it all boils down to old things beco... |
How do cities/states/countries quantify their amount of revenue from tourism? | Most countries produce what are called "tourism satellite accounts" which use a methodology to allocate certain portions of the output from various industries to tourism. There's actually an OECD manual on how it works. _URL_0_', "Tourists spend money. Compared to residents they spend more money. When you travel, you a... |
what is obama loan forgiveness Program? | It's an option for college grads/students to lower what they owe back for their loans. There are specific options, of which you are better off finding them online. Generally, if you are employed by the government or a not-for-profit organization, you can qualify to have chunks taken off of what you owe. One option my f... |
What will the legal status of marijuana be if it is taken off of the Schedule 1 Classification | That would depend on whether or not it's moved to another DEA schedule. If it's Schedule II or Schedule III, it can legally be prescribed. If it's not on any schedule, then possession and use would not be illegal under federal law. But then there are still state laws. |
How come I need more torque if a pipe joins another pipe at an angle, than if the pipe was straight? | Im intrigued by the potential of this question but you need to give a more clear explanation of the mechanism |
Why is the US and Cuba now starting to be friendly again? | Because most of the generation that cared is dead, and as a term limited president, he is free to do stuff like this with limited political consequences. Also, with Jeb Bush and Mark Rubio two of the stronger GOP candidates, it is likely Florida would not be going to the Democrats this election cycle anywayThe main rea... |
In the context of the internet and site like Reddit, when Someone uses the term "meta" what specifically are they referring to? | Meta-cognition is cognition about cognition. Meta-Linguistics is language about language. Meta-Philosophy is philosophy about philosophy.Self referencing. It's where you start talking about the discussion or the group, instead of the topic. So, a meta discussion for /r/explainlikeimfive would be about where's the borde... |
Could muscle memory be considered a form of artificial instinct? Why or why not? | A key criterium for instinctive behaviour is that it is not based on prior learning, while muscle memory is based on learning from many repetitions. |
Why don't microwaves kill bacteria that causes foodborne illness? | It does kill a lot of bacteria if you heat the food up enough, but a lot of the ill feeling from food poisoning is based on the chemicals the bacteria release instead of just the actual living bacteria. If the world ends and you need to eat a bunch of rotten old meat microwaving it will make it so it won't give you an ... |
If the camera lenses are round, How is the picture we see square? | In digital cameras, the sensor the light shines on is rectangular, and in a film camera, there's a rectangular window through which the light passes to expose the film. |
How do surgeons reattach severed body parts? | As a guy who has been through this process, wolfmater is correct. I cut off my right hand in a work accident and my surgeon reattached everything. Ligaments, veins, the whole nine is anchored back down into your body. I had dozens of internal sutures removed that were used. The main issue is getting your nerve endings ... |
What happens physiologically when adults pee themselves in fear? | This is not just in TV and movies, but is well documented in war and other stressful situations that trigger a fight/flight response. The last thing you body needs to deal with when it's fighting or fleeing is managing urine, waste, and half-digested food. So it releases hormones and signals to let loose what it can so... |
Why does most of Europe still smoke so heavily and regularly? | Europe is a diverse continent, and I would advise against generalising in this way. If you look at the 2015 smoking rate tables [here] , you can see that, compared to the USA , there is less smoking in Denmark, and in several countries the figures aren't a lot higher : Ireland, UK, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Swi... |
How the affordable healthcare act will cover contraceptive. | The act will remove co-pays and deductibles from contraceptives. Beyond that, you will be paying whatever price you would normally pay for a prescription medication. It gets a bit silly if the employer is religiously opposed to contraception, since the employer will not be required to provide contraceptive coverage, bu... |
Why do some wind turbines not spin, even if there's enough wind to turn the blades? | Typically those turbines are out of commission due to routine maintenance or a failure. As far as selling electricity, there is a little bit of that, but not much; typically demand is more or less constant regionally, so if you're producing extra electricity then everyone around you is too. Since electricity decreases ... |
In terms of polygons in animation and video games, why are triangles used more often over other shapes? | Because triangles are the most fundamental polygon. You need a rectangle? Just put two triangles together. You need a hexagon? ~~6~~ 4 triangles. But you can't make hexagons from rectangles. The problem with this is that it can only do shapes with straight lines. If you need curves you need to use something other than ... |
Why do doctors always seem to take your blood pressure, regardless of why you went in the first place? | Blood pressure and temperature abnormalities can indicate problems. It's just a routine systems check.IIRC, heart disease is the western worlds biggest killer and a blood pressure check is a prime indicator of heart problems that is trivially easy to do and non-invasive to boot. I am one who benefited from a simple pul... |
Reddit's Obsession with Implying Laughter | I want to believe it's because we consider ourselves the most literate of all social media. We write it, so that you can say that you were entertained having "read it". We are also not limited to a mere 140 characters, thus reducing the possibility of a misunderstanding . When you don't need to purposefully shorten wor... |
How do companies like Coke gauge the effectiveness of their advertising when it’s everywhere and people buy their products anyway? | I can't be arsed to find the link, but Coca Cola apparently chose a small target city in the US and stopped all local advertising as a test, and saw a decline in sales. It validated the fact that advertising is required to keep the brand in-your-face, lest someone else come along and steal the short attention span of t... |
Why do scalp and muscle massages feel so much better when someone else gives them to you? | The current understanding as to why it doesn't feel good when we try and massage ourselves is linked to a feature of the brain called "efference copy". Basically the brain cancels out or ignors certain signals in order to operate more efficiently or effectively. Have a look at the definition: [here]', "And, I'm no scie... |
How a modem and router work, why they are separate, and which one do (if not both) do I need to upgrade to get better speed? | On mobile so I'll keep this brief and excuse my grammar. The modem takes an analog signal and digitizes it and vice versa. This is how you get a signal from the copper cable coming into your home. These need to be updated a lot less frequently than a router but make sure you're at least on DOCSIS III. Your router is li... |
Why any person in front of a judge must take an oath regarding God ( "so help me God" ) irrelevant of religion | Many venues give an option to make an [*affirmation*] instead .In the UK at least every effort is made to provide witnesses with the appropriate holy book to swear on, or if the witness has no faith, they are allowed to affirm.In my experience as a prosecutor, affirmation had no affect on whether witness is believedI l... |
How come, when driving on a road, it seems like dark patches/reflections are up ahead but they fade out when they get close enough? | So, when you combine air of different temperatures and light, you can get an interesting illusion. When light moves from air into another mass of air that's a different temperature, it can actually change direction. So on a hot day, the air is hot but the air right next to that boiling asphalt is *hot as heck*. So what... |
Why is it easier to whistle after licking your lips? | Not a lubricant, a sealant. It's the same principle behind moistening a suction cup before trying to stick it onto something. When your lips are dry, they don't fit together as perfectly. There are tiny nooks and crannies that can let air pass by. When you try to whistle, air escapes through these and messes with your ... |
The Buddha's 'Flower Sermon'? | In short, the transmission of wisdom through experience instead of words. Flowers mean things, in general: beauty, spring and impermanence, but specific flowers can mean specific things. I can tell you the correct answer for the sound of one hand clapping, but that isn't the right way to teach it. The important part is... |
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