Split (4)

train · 91.8k rows

q_id stringlengths 6 6	title stringlengths 3 299	selftext stringlengths 0 4.44k	category stringclasses 9 values	subreddit stringclasses 1 value	answers dict	title_urls listlengths 1 1	selftext_urls listlengths 1 1
5mpal9	Why is it brighter outside at night went it is snowing?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5bdz6", "dc5e3y1" ], "text": [ "The light emitted from the moon reflects off the snow instead of being absorbed by less reflective colors.", "Snow has some of the highest albedo (reflection coefficient) of all materials. A higher albedo means more light is reflected than absorbed. W...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mpdop	Why does orange juice from Tropicana taste different from Simply Orange if they're both 100% Orange Juice?	I've taste tested both of these. They taste different, despite both saying 100% Orange Juice with no preservatives or additives. Neither has pulp, and both bottles were bought on the same day.	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5cye7", "dc5d949", "dc5gx8g", "dc5m422", "dc5u1u8", "dc5wmyt", "dc5lgmm", "dc5c7r2", "dc5rip7", "dc5powl", "dc5qbo1", "dc5lpjr", "dc5l484", "dc5o1cy", "dc5ontt" ], "text": [ "Back in the day--maybe pre-1990s?--year-round fresh (not fro...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mpick	Why are most circuitboards green? Does it make a difference if its any other color?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5g44d", "dc5kn5r", "dc5mflx", "dc5k8js", "dc5qbxw" ], "text": [ "The green is the colour of the solder mask, which is a layer on top of the yellowish fiberglass base and the copper traces. Green is a nice contrasting colour with the traditional white of the silkscreen, which...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mpkoy	Can someone explain why a Government deficit is made out to be so bad, especially since it appears that most Governments are running them?	As a follow up, who owns all of the debt? If private citizens own it in a certain country, would that ownership somehow balance out the debt of their own country?	Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5fb6l" ], "text": [ "Government debt is complicated, but I'll try my best to ELY5. When the US government spends more than it takes in, it issues treasury bonds to help cover the cost. Anybody can buy these bonds. Citizens, banks, foreign governments, even the US government (more on this la...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mpqi3	What is that clicking sound in your ears every time you swallow something?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5fy6k", "dc5ivba", "dc5klyv", "dc5ugsb", "dc5l91o", "dc5t5ue", "dc5vr90", "dc63lws", "dc5v9lc", "dc5twrq", "dc5u82n", "dc5u7fj", "dc68sg2", "dc5om7x", "dc5ytj3", "dc68ymi", "dc5uvqf" ], "text": [ "There is a tube that connects ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mprf8	Why do bread items always heat up so quickly in the microwave compared to any other food item?		Chemistry	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5j734" ], "text": [ "Additionally, bread doesn't have a lot of mass compared to its size. It is more like a sponge when you look at its structure. So when you compare its size and weight to \"non-hollow\" food, you need little energy to heat it up." ], "score": [ 5 ], "text_urls...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mq0ag	Why does a weak am/fm radio signal result in a consistent static/fuzzy sound while a weak satellite radio signal results in intermittent high quality sound?		Physics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5gzw6", "dc5h3ev" ], "text": [ "The simple answer is that AM/FM is an analog signal, which you can \"kind of\" pick up. Think of analog as a scale of 100-0 with the quality increasing or decreasing as you move from the transmitter. Satellite radio is a digital signal. Think 1 or 0. It's...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mq14r	Comcast and the hate surrounding them		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5hbgi", "dc5iszo", "dc5ikz3", "dc5i0sp" ], "text": [ "They are often a monopoly and have really bad customer support. So their prices are too high for what you get and when there is a problem with their equipment it's hard to get them to fix it. Basically have to take a whole da...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mq41s	What causes that "sinking heart" feeling when extremely sad?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5mg23", "dc5jxtv", "dc5r8pw", "dc5n4a3", "dc5nldt", "dc5nrsq", "dc5o3ib", "dc5q0jz" ], "text": [ "Doctor here, prepare for disappointment (that's how I start all clinic visits, btw). The disappointing thing is that this isn't well understood. That said, there are...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mq9hv	Why does Greenland have more Ice than Iceland and vice-versa? [Other]		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5ioe2", "dc5jg8d" ], "text": [ "Oh i know why Greenland is called Greenland! Erik the Red was exiled there from Iceland. He wanted to develop the Island more with communities and people and such. But it was a rather barren icy place, so he called it Greenland in order to attract more pe...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqa54	What causes the "hairs on the back of your neck to stand up" feeling, even when just imagining/reading something scary.	Also, why is this feeling usually accompanied by a strange sensation in your stomach?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5k40q" ], "text": [ "It's a response to danger. The different parts of your brain can be very bad at communicating with each other, so the bit of your brain that responds to danger (which evolved very early and is close to the brain-stem, and therefore very powerful) doesn't know that the d...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqe3m	- Why is it that after a night out drinking people often wake up relatively early and refreshed?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5k12i" ], "text": [ "Alcohol is a depressant which your body is trying to fight. As the depressant wears off your body is still pushing the opposite way with adrenaline. The result is like trying to push back against someone who suddenly stops resisting: you fly forward. Your body suddenly ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqeqt	How did banks keep track of legitimate withdrawals before the electronic age?	It seems that the old paper savings booklet banks used in the past would have made bank withdrawal fraud extremely easy. How did banks protect themselves against exploits back in the era before electronic banking? And how did your savings information get propagated between various branches of the same bank or even wors...	Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5k215", "dc5ka88", "dc69ddn" ], "text": [ "The savings booklet was just your personal record. The bank's record was the final say in the matter. Keeping track of deposits and withdrawals before electronics was easier because there was a paper trail and things happened more slowly. E...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqk5c	How do scientists predict, down to the exact degree, what the temperature will be for the next week?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5pc6s" ], "text": [ "They will generally use high-resolution, regional weather models. These are essentially computer programs that solve a set of equations that aim to represent the physics of the atmosphere and ocean. These equations are extremely complicated so these models are also very...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqlla	What causes a beer belly?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5urc4" ], "text": [ "Beer is a sugary alcohol. It is also grain based. Sugars are processed in the liver, and when it is over saturated the sugar stores in fat cells near the liver. This type of adipose fat is specifically located in the belly and lower back, as well as around the liver i...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqn0c	when a person has an electric shock that travels along their nerves, does the electricity travel the same way as normal nervous signals?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5l55p" ], "text": [ "Good question. When a nerve encounters a stimulus (such as pressure) proteins on the nerve cell's membrane called transport channels open, basically letting in some positively charged sodium ions. Once it reaches -55 millivolts, the membrane begins to depolarise at a ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqo0c	Why does Pi have infinite digits?		Mathematics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5l1bx" ], "text": [ "Pi is an irrational number. By definition of irrationals this means that is can't be represented as the result of a division between two integers, i.e. there are no whole numbers x & y such that pi = x/y. One property of the irrational numbers is that if you try to writ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqrvv	Why the definition of an integer is independent of the number base used?		Mathematics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5lstb" ], "text": [ "The proper definition of integers relies on the natural numbers. The natural numbers are defined using the following basic definitions: * 0 is a natural number. * Every natural number x has a single successor S(x). * 0 isn't the successor of any natural number. This aut...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqse3	Why cold Surfaces stop the tingling feeling in your hand	Like the tingling feeling you get when you sit on your hand, what makes cold surfaces stop this feeling and how does it work?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5lu04" ], "text": [ "Because when you sit on your hand you loose blood flow and when you touch something cold blood rushes to that area to keep you warm." ], "score": [ 3 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mqxco	How does a plan detect that missiles have been 'locked on'? What does this mean?	Is it just something they have in movies or does it happen in real life? If so, how does that work?	Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5n5pu" ], "text": [ "A lock-on is an act of focusing the sensor system on a single target so that the target can be automatically tracked. With the sensors in our case being the missile's seeker. Now, in case with an infrared missile such as an AIM-9 Sidewinder, FIM-92 Stinger or R-73, ther...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mr03v	Why do movies and TV shows use old phones and odd-looking texting and computer platforms?	Please excuse my possible misuse of terminology, I'm not in that field. I dont understood why in 2016 some movies and TV shows still use flip phones. Thanks in advance.	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5o0ea" ], "text": [ "This varies a lot. The props department is often tasked with finding phones for the actors. Buying new phones is expensive, especially since the phones is going to get abuse on set and might not survive. They also need to disguise the phones so you can not determine the...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mr5d6	Why are houses in older communities so spaced out in age, compared to newer neighborhoods?(US)	For example, you can see one house built in 1920, next door one built in 1950, and next to that one built in 1905. Nowadays every house in a neighborhood is usually built within 1-3 years of each other. Is it because people used to buy and build their houses independently, and not through a planned community?	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5uddk", "dc5pymg" ], "text": [ "Many older neighborhoods started out with much larger lots for each house. As time went on the lots were divided up and newer houses built on the new, smaller lots.", "Most neighborhoods built after the 1950s, ie subdivisions in the suburbs, are built...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mr754	How do waterfalls freeze?	If the water is continuously falling at a rapid pace, how does it get a chance to freeze? Question Inspiration: URL_0	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5pcsx", "dc66zum", "dc5yo3o", "dc6baeu" ], "text": [ "It has to be very cold, for a long time. Most people know moving water can't freeze, but in real life scenarios, there's always a spot where water comes in contact with a solid surface (The rock or ice) that momentarily bring...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mr87n	What is Obama Care?	Why would it be a bad idea to repeal it without another 'care' plan in place?	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5p09r", "dc5u8v6" ], "text": [ "Obama care refers to the Affordable care act, which changed a few things about American healthcare. The whole act was extremely long, and covered many aspects, which is why it took a long time to draft and pass and take effect, and is beyond the scope for...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mr8yc	Why paramedics in the United States are paid relatively little, given how vital their jobs are.		Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5q32i", "dc5wfox", "dc5zz24", "dc6136v", "dc5yfkj", "dc5zy5p", "dc5p50z", "dc608yk", "dc62r4f", "dc5v6fw", "dc61iek", "dc5p1tg", "dc5pnoa", "dc5rbai", "dc60jmy", "dc61qla", "dc63i3u", "dc64p5p", "dc614ck", "dc667ar", "d...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mrdij	How can the universe create itself?		Physics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5quu9", "dc5r00k", "dc5q7ii", "dc5zweg" ], "text": [ "They don't make any claims to know how the universe was created and definitely not that it created itself. They've laid out the scientific theory that at one point in time, our universe was concentrated into a high density, h...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mrfeq	Why do erasers fail to fully remove pencil marks?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5qs16", "dc5wacf", "dc5y9kr", "dc5xbo5" ], "text": [ "Pencils grind a layer of graphite onto the surface of the paper. Erasers work by rubbing off that layer of graphite. But since the surface of paper isn't even, it has little pockets, the eraser may not be able to get all the ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mria7	What causes that "sick" feeling when you see your crush with someone else?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5yu3a" ], "text": [ "Emotional pain is interpreted the same as physical pain in the brain. Body releases adrenaline in a fight or flight reaction, just like with physical pain. In that state of mind, your body's focus switches over from digestion and relaxation to escape or fight. Muscles t...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mric5	How does eating lots of fatty/fried foods lead to sore throat?	After eating a bunch of deep fried stuff last night, I woke up to a dry and sore throat. How does this work in our body?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5sahe", "dc5r2h2" ], "text": [ "Have you considered that perhaps you are getting a cold?", "What exactly was the deep fried stuff? Fatty foods often leave an oily feeling in people's throats, which is probably somewhat lubricating. There's a good chance you were eating SALTY fried s...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mriti	What is that 'beep' sound that submarines make in movies ?	Every time there is a cutscene and a submarine shows up on the screen there is something beeping. I always wondered what makes that sound.	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5rly2", "dc5u4t6" ], "text": [ "The beep is a sonar ping. Sonar = SOund Navigation And Ranging Yes, in the movies submarines ping all the time. This is not how they work in reality. Submariners call their work \"the silent service\", as they spend all their time sneaking around stealthi...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mriwh	How do pharmacies have almost all medication in stock in such a small area?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5rgjz", "dc5tirc", "dc69yos", "dc5rcy1", "dc65hqk", "dc6a57l" ], "text": [ "Despite what you might think there aren't as many common medications available. Also, pharmacies only need to keep enough of any given medication in stock as long as they get frequent shipments e...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mrlp3	Why and how you need to clean out your ears?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5tk6n", "dc5xuq0", "dc5yhwz", "dc6ixmg" ], "text": [ "Everyone is different, so some may never have to clean out their ears and some have to regularly. I get large buildups in my ears of I do not clean them regularly. I used to think it was normal until I met my former SO. She n...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mrne2	What is that whistling sound when an old TV turns on?	When an old TV turns on, I (and some of my friends too) sense a whistling sound somewhere inside the head. I, and one of my friends in particular, also sense similar whistles while being near electric equipment - I recall hearing screens, lamps and my router scanning for wireless networks (the whistle was synced to the...	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5s5ae" ], "text": [ "It's the vibrations of the flyback transformer that is responsible for the horizontal deflection of the electron beam that creates the picture. You can figure out the approximate frequency by thinking like this: There are 525 lines drawn on a television and the display ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mrpl9	Why are some allergies so common, like peanuts?	It seems so random that certain things are so commonly allergies while others aren't.	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5u8x8", "dc5xh98", "dc6neq1" ], "text": [ "Because parents have made peanut allergies more prevalent by not giving peanuts to their kids because they're scared they have a peanut allergy.", "It is a bit random. Basically, the immune system is always on the hunt for invaders....	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mrrxu	Why do clothes hung up to dry take over 8 hours to dry when my swimsuit is completely dry an hour after I leave the pool?	(With me still wearing the swimsuit but not drying myself with a towel)	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5t86v" ], "text": [ "The swimsuit is made of special fabric that absorbs as little water as possible. There is water between the fibers, but none inside them. Some clothes will dry quickly, but the nice soft snugly clothes have cotton or wool in them. Those fabrics absorb water into the fib...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mrtfo	what's the difference between brown sugar and "normal" sugar?		Chemistry	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5vikr", "dc5tpdq" ], "text": [ "Brown sugar is actually white sugar, however they add in about 2% unrefined molasses for colour and flavour. 'Organic' sugar does not receive milk of lime in the refining process (the step before the product is turned into white sugar), which leaves in br...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5ms120	What is the law/loophole that requires/allows North American TV advertisers to flash blocks of unreadable text at the bottom of their ads?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5yrkd" ], "text": [ "The FTC has a clause on their small business [FAQ]( URL_0 ) which describes the requirements around disclosures. An interesting snippet reads: \"Although **there is no hard-and-fast rule about the size of type in a print ad or the length of time a disclosure must appear...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5ms5qv	Why are all of the most-viewed videos on sites like PornHub currently incest related? [NSFW]		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5wjpe", "dc5x4ke" ], "text": [ "I am no expert but, people tend to want to satisfy their curiosity and that includes delving into the taboo.", "Porn companies are like any other form of media, they copy what seems to be doing well. A few years ago it was all about parodies along the...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5ms858	Why do some people/countries deny the Armenian Genocide?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc5xenn", "dc5xgti" ], "text": [ "If I remember correctly if they recognize it as a genocide, they have to compensate the recognized group. As well as the fact that they may not like them.", "Turkey is an important country that sits at a highly strategic spot and buys lots of goods fr...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mscdj	how do countries repay their debts ?	If almost all countries are indebted and they can't repay their debts, why not just start from scratch with 0 debts for everyone ?	Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc64qjt", "dc61pr6", "dc5xw6u", "dc65fye" ], "text": [ "> If almost all countries are indebted and they can't repay their debts Your premise is wrong. While most countries do have some level of debt, they can pay it off. There's nothing \"bad\" about debt, unless you can't afford ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5msdr5	Why it feels so good to scratch rashes, poison ivy, bug bites, etc. if it is not a good thing to do.		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6j8r8", "dc5ya24" ], "text": [ "There is a natural small release of \"good feeling\" chemicals in the brain when you scratch anything. This came about through evolution. If you have a mite or dangerous parasite your itching will kill it or at least it is worth a shot is what your brain ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mshk4	How could the universe not be infinite?		Physics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc605nt" ], "text": [ "If the Universe has positive curvature then it will be finite. Having positive curvature basically means that giant triangles will have the three angles summing to more than 180 degrees. (Negative curvature means the three angles of giant triangles will sum to less than...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5msloi	What happens to particle movement below absolute zero?	So recently i read an article about how scientists were able to achieve temperatures below absolute zero. So i know that at abs. zero particle movement is halted. What happens below abs zero?	Physics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc610e9" ], "text": [ "What does absolute zero really mean? --- The belief that 0K impies that all motion stopps is a popular misconception. Quantum mechanics tells us that bound particles cannot have an arbitrary amount of energy. Instead, they can only hop between energy levels. And the low...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5msrqg	How is the US Intellegence community fundamentally different from when they were so confident of WMD in Iraq?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc68jr4", "dc625yo" ], "text": [ "They weren't confident of WMD in Iraq. The administration goons pushing for war were knowingly lying.", "First of all, the intelligence analysts looking at American cyber-security and those looking at international weapons capabilities are students of...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mssue	What's a byte (gigabyte, megabyte) made of and how big is it?	I feel like this requires a lot of explaining but if anyone can explain basically just what any little byte is made of, how large it is, and how it can exist without changing the weight of a hard drive...or does it?	Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc621vs", "dc647tk", "dc62gyr", "dc6henx" ], "text": [ "It's not \"made up\" anything in particular. It's just a concept. A byte is a string of eight bits, and a bit is just a binary digit. A number. And it doesn't make much sense to ask \"what is a number made of, and how big is ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mstn1	If I call a friend from far away, how does my call find it's way to his/her cellphone?	How is the path of celltowers and lines determined?	Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc63gmz", "dc6f7ml" ], "text": [ "It's all connected together. Kind of like the internet. When your phone is turned on and connected, the tower is constantly checking in. It'll \"ping\" your phone like \"whaddup, 999-555-5555, you still there?\" And your phone is all \"sup tower, yah I'm ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mstsg	Scientifically, how do some medications lead to weight gain or weight loss?	What do medications change in the body or brain to slow or speed metabolism or increase or decrease hunger?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc67bk5" ], "text": [ "They influence factors like metabolism, appetite, subconscious activity (neat) and decrease water retention" ], "score": [ 3 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5msvgt	How were scientists able to film and capture the stages of childbirth before/during the 90's?	For example, biology/human anatomy classes in school where the teacher puts on videos for the class to watch. These videos are sometimes really old, and with technology not as advanced as it is today, how did they go about to capturing these videos and pictures?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc62far", "dc62bbd" ], "text": [ "Using cameras to capture the light and film to record the images. You do know that cameras existed for quite a while prior to the 90s, right? The technology for cameras may have improved but they still work by pointing them at what you want a picture of a...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mswoe	Why do far away things appear small?	This might be the dumbest question I've ever asked in my entire life, but I don't have a real answer to it other than "shut up that's a stupid question." If something is 10 feet tall, why can't it appear to be literally 10 feet tall everywhere? Why does it look 5 feet tall further away? It's not like the photons that a...	Physics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc658ir", "dc62nf8", "dc62obx" ], "text": [ "Draw a line from each rod and cone in your eye, through your lens and out into the world. Your field of view is composed of anything that intercepts those lines. These lines expand outward in a cone shape (because your eye's lens is convex)...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mt0w7	Why do you get a headache the day after a night of crying?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc63uty" ], "text": [ "From what I remember learning, it's very similar to a hangover. You become dehydrated from dispelling so much fluid out of your eyes. You tense up while crying, so the blood vessels in your head become strained. So if you don't drink water after a crying spell you essen...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mt2uc	Buddhism	What is the goal of Buddhists? What are the central topics of Buddhism? Basically, tell me everything about Buddhism. I got attracted to the philosophy/religion after watching a YouTube video. This may help me with my depression and anger issues. Please have a detail response. I'm basically a novice, so all information...	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc65dhx", "dc64pv5", "dc65mut", "dc643fm", "dc65nx8", "dc67nia" ], "text": [ "the core of Buddhism is that you are a human being who is driven by need. the need for money. the need for material things. the need for happiness. the need for fulfillment. your entire life, you...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mt5jc	How do illegal Immigrants live in the US.		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc653v1", "dc64yd6", "dc69ynh" ], "text": [ "Regardless of their status, every child in America has a legal right to a K-12 education. There was a supreme court case that makes it illegal for schools to require anything only a legal citizen could obtain (social security number) or inq...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mt8hb	How much does illegal immigration really affect the United States?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc65sly", "dc65loh", "dc65hc3", "dc6aygv" ], "text": [ "Honestly its not a \"huge\" issue but it does need to be addressed. Most people accuse Illegals of taking jobs and utilizing social programs without paying into them, which is mostly bs. For the most part the jobs they take a...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtbf3	Why do we feel extremely disoriented after waking up from a nap, but not as much from a regular night's sleep?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6b7fc" ], "text": [ "From my understanding, this is due to REM sleep cycles. When you sleep, your body goes through 90 minute Rapid Eye Movement cycles. Near the middle of these cycles, you go into deep sleep, where most of your dreams are. So when waking up after a full night, you have alr...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtepd	Why do we get tired?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6i2a8", "dc6jkpa" ], "text": [ "Because that's how the laws of physics works. In order to make your arms move, for example, you need energy. There's no way of making something move without using energy. And energy is not infinite. When we use up too much energy, we feel tired, because t...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtepj	Why is a horse's height measured in hands?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc68ukx" ], "text": [ "In a word: Tradition. Horse-related occupations (racing, breeding, etc) tend to be very traditionalist and old-fashioned, so they still use the old-fashioned measurements." ], "score": [ 3 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtfto	Why do names of electronics often end in a seemingly random number?	E.g. naming a vacuum cleaner something like the suckmaster-4000, or something equivalent. Are these X number of thousands actually signalling something specific in the technology or is it simply a marketing gimmick?	Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc66wui" ], "text": [ "model naming is completely marketing. there's no rule you're required to follow. most owners of your existing model would like to buy one with a number that's bigger than the one they own." ], "score": [ 6 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtg7e	Why do so many people have a penicillin allergy during childhood?	A nurse who treated me a few months ago asked what I'm allergic to and when I said penicillin, she said that a large number of people are allergic as children but can grow out of it. I'm just curious why the allergy occurs in such young children and how can an adult be tested to see if they are still allergic?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6ff3p", "dc69uej", "dc6pnbh", "dc6altw" ], "text": [ "Several recent studies have shown that 90+% of folks with reported history of penicillin allergy are not allergic when tested. This probably happens for three reasons: 1. Common side effects of medication and infections may b...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtj2d	Why do certain foods (i.e. vanilla extract) smell so sweet yet taste so bitter even though our smell and taste senses are so closely intertwined?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6aogk", "dc6bs7j", "dc69wo2", "dc6az7b", "dc6p0cw", "dc6mcp2", "dc69xp5", "dc6ld9m", "dc6ce8j", "dc6j8y8", "dc6jy3v", "dc6ig5z", "dc756m5", "dc6oipz", "dc6kabq", "dc75eq0", "dc6cm83", "dc73n52", "dc6l6tw", "dc6k2kn", "d...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtjec	Did the Greek Bailout anyhow affect Germanys economy?		Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc68mq9" ], "text": [ "You are mildly mistaken. Unlike US, most European bailouts needs an underlying security. So Germany has to pawn assets in order to give the money to Greece. The European Central Bank can only buy assets and thus the quantitative easing (buying bonds). The balance sheets...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtlk0	Why does a mathematician receive only a $1 million prize for solving an extremely difficult problem that he devoted decades of his life to solve, but an athlete who throws a ball around a court or football field for an hour receives many times more money?		Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6891o", "dc68o80", "dc686wp" ], "text": [ "supply and demand. There are not many people who will pay to watch a math mathematician work. There are many people who enjoy sporting events enough to pay to watch either via broadcast or even more to watch in person, and even more to be c...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mtygc	Why do you have to refrigerate drinks made with powder?	So I had this jar of pink lemonade mix, the kind where you just add quarts/liters of water and then shake it up to turn it into lemonade. On the side it said to store the drink in the fridge. My question is why is it required to store the drink chilled post mix, but fine to store the powder itself in a cabinet?	Chemistry	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6bu3x", "dc6h16m" ], "text": [ "You refrigerate it so bacteria don't grow in it (or at least, are very slow to do so). Bacteria cannot grow in dry sugar powder because they require moisture to live and reproduce. But a lot of water with some sugar is an excellent environment for bacteri...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mu2du	When you poke a hole in your vein (e.g giving blood) why does it not keep bleeding under your skin?	Like obviously it bleeds a little but it seems like it would continue to bleed under the skin like any other place you would poke a clean hole through. Does it just close up really quickly?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6dnab" ], "text": [ "Your blood contains a clotting factor that causes the blood to clot and close the hole. The hole is really very very small os this can be done quickly and easily. Plus after the hole is made, the phlebotomist typically tells you to apply pressure, which closes the hole ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mugn5	Why does the throat become so dry when laying in bed/sleeping?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6hve0" ], "text": [ "Generally because you are sleeping with your mouth open which dries out the mucous membrane. If you don't believe me, try keeping your mouth wide open and breath in and out for an hour and tell me how your throat feels." ], "score": [ 5 ], "text_urls": [ ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5muj9p	why is it that some animals recognize themselves in the mirror, and some do not?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6meis" ], "text": [ "It actually takes quite a bit of brain power to have a concept of \"self,\" and an even greater amount to recognize that this animal you see in front of you is actually not an animal but a visual representation of yourself projected on front of your eyes. This is not so...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5munjo	Why tint car windows? Is this purely cosmetic or for privacy reasons?	No flair as I am in mobile.	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6hgbs", "dc6k5uk", "dc6j7ox" ], "text": [ "cosmetic, privacy, and it also keeps the car cooler, and prevents sun damage to the interior of the car.", "Texas checking in. Without tint on your car windows you will in all probability catch on fire.", "Keeps UV rays from damagin...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5muus6	Since I'm bald, do you still need to take my temperature on my forehead or would anywhere on my head work?	Wife and I both think it could be anywhere on my head, is it just convention that we all use foreheads instead of the back of the neck or somewhere else?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6soxv" ], "text": [ "It sounds like you are talking about a temporal artery thermometer. When you take your temperature, do you swipe it across your forehead from around center to around your eye level? If so, that's it, and it is intended to be for your forehead only. It is measuring the t...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mv4m0	what is happening when we "pop our knuckles"		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6l8pd" ], "text": [ "When you “crack” your knuckles, or any other joint, it expands the space between your bones, creating negative pressure that draws synovial fluid into the new gap. This influx of synovial fluid is what causes the popping sound and feeling when you crack a knuckle" ], ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mv5ag	Why do people sometimes get runny noses when they eat?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc7je2r" ], "text": [ "It's called 'gustatory rhinorrhea' - in some cases a reaction to spicy foods which are an irritant; in other cases, like if your nose runs no matter what you're eating, its a mistaken stimulation of the nerves running to your nose that create mucous - the nerves that co...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mv81t	Why will the sun set 15 minutes later in two weeks, but only rise 6 minutes earlier?	The above timelines are for NYC, but presumably it's a similar trend elsewhere.	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6th2z" ], "text": [ "The earth orbits the sun in an ellipse which means it moves faster when it's closer to the sun. This makes the sun appear to move fastest across the sky in January and slowest in July. If you stick with pure sundial time (noon is when the sun is highest in the sky) then...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mva0f	Where do viruses go when they are quarantined, but not deleted?	How are they kept in the computer without further damaging the machine or running?	Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6q4wc", "dc6o2xd" ], "text": [ "Most anti-viruses do it very similarly. Here's what Symantec/Norton anti-virus does: 1. Load the malicious file into memory. 2. Encrypt it with a simple algorithm. (Something similar to subtracting 10 from every byte. So if the virus's code looked like KL...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mvbuu	Why some drunks are mean and violent? What physiological/chemical change occurs in their body after they consume alcohol that makes them violent?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6n6ce", "dc6ocx8" ], "text": [ "Alcohol has many effects on the mind and body. The most famous is obviously that it reduces inhibition. Inhibition is your self-control, the voice that tells you \"don't do what you're thinking about doing, it's probably not a good idea.\" So some get d...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mve0c	When you win a free game on a Pinball Machine, why it makes that loud popping sound?	Hello, I've love pinball machines and they always seem to have one thing in common. When you win a free game, either matching those numbers at the end or hitting the replay score at the end, why does that loud popping sound happen? Does something in the hardware to let the machine know you won a free game? First time p...	Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6nqaf" ], "text": [ "Supershooter here, I was the first United States National Pinball Chsmpion. The loud noise is a mechanism located at the top inside of the back glass part of the machine. This makes a loud noise to let everyone know a game has been won. In old game rooms, it was loud to...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mvfb9	If the FDA (US) so strictly vets new drugs for safe use on humans, why then do TV adverts contain so many warnings against side effects?	The United States Food and Drug Administration is responsible for vetting and approving new drugs slated for human use. With such a massive amount of efforts being conducted at the federal level ($4.7b in FY14), why then do new drugs for treating simple things, like acid reflux, seem to cause more problems than they tr...	Chemistry	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6oyia", "dc6nu7d", "dc6pb1f" ], "text": [ "Possible side effects aren't guaranteed side effects. You may get one side effect, or maybe another, or probably none at all. Drug makers are required to advertise all possible side effects that occurred in their clinical trials. Those tria...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mvhtm	How do they make bleach "splash-less"		Physics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6p6jn" ], "text": [ "Description on amazon for the first brand of 'splash-less' bleach I searched for says 'thicker formula' which would make it flow slower out of the bottle, and less likely to splash." ], "score": [ 3 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mvk5p	In video games, why killing people and violence is ok, but sex and nudity is still controversial?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6ph0q", "dc6qbf5", "dc6x2lq", "dc7fugk", "dc6sdkh" ], "text": [ "Because of your culture. In comparison, here in germany it's the other way around. We're more lax on the sex and nudity, but violence, gore and the like get the boot.", "Video games are largely a USA center...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mvxcn	Why haven't we switched from copper to fiber for all our video and data connections (hdmi,DisplayPort, USB, etc)?	Optical audio (TOSLINK) demonstrates that the technology is there. Bandwidth limitations would be a thing of the past. so why haven't any of the new standards implemented this?	Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6rxh2", "dc6rov0" ], "text": [ "Because copper is far less fragile than fiber, and is adequate for almost all applications. I mean, sure, you could have a fiber connection to a portable hard drive, but it won't be any faster than USB3 because the line speed is already greater than the d...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mvy0t	What exactly makes a mathematical argument 'rigorous'?	Title. It might be embarrassing to ask as a 3rd year student in university, but I was hoping someone could clarify what the actual distinctions are that separates rigorous arguments from non-rigorous ones.	Mathematics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6t2ki" ], "text": [ "I took a few theoretical math courses as an undergrad and grad student, and my general idea is that you need to explicitly state your intuition and any relevant theorems and their relevance. Avoid using words like \"clearly.\" Even if you're thinking that word, there's ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mw1r2	How does electricity know not to go a route where it can't get back to the negative terminal?		Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6sl0o" ], "text": [ "It doesn't \"know\". The electrons don't move because there is not pathway. When you hook up a battery or some other voltage source, not only are electrons pushed one way, but positively charged areas that can accept electrons are created going the other way. For short ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mw3sv	Why all the companies are now investing in the United States; for example, Fiat?		Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6t105" ], "text": [ "Trump proposed that if companies leave the US he will create a strong border tax. If companies start investing in the US it means they will not have to pay this Tax or maybe they will be exempt from it. Hence why ford just backed out of Mexico and a 1.something billion ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mw6df	Why do we have to learn "some" things in school even though we wouldn't need/use it in the future?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6tha1", "dc6tlz3" ], "text": [ "A lot of learning in school is more to teach general problem solving skills and giving a wide breadth of knowledge even if it isn't particularly deep in any particular topic. For example, after a certain point, you won't use a lot of particular math con...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mwbo3	What would deep space look like to the naked eye?	light years away from any star, would space mostly look black or would it be just stars in every direction?	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6v3fx" ], "text": [ "If you are in interstellar space like halfway between here and alpha Centauri, it would look pretty much like a normal clear moonless (and planet-less) night sky. Without the atmosphere getting in the way the sky view would be a lot clearer, but looking only with your e...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mwd4a	Why is there no "Metric vs Imperial" equivalent with how the world measures time?		Mathematics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6usmu" ], "text": [ "The use of a 24 hour clock relates back to the Ancient Egyptians (and relates to why there are 60 minutes in an hour). Thanks to documented evidence of the Egyptians' use of sundials, most historians credit them with being the first civilization to divide the day into s...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mwh1t	Voice Recognition		Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6vsqr", "dc6w21u" ], "text": [ "Well, generally speaking people associate a face with a voice over time. I can recognize my friends voices without even seeing them. It's a learned thing. Just like with the electronic stuff. It's learned. The speaker picks up on your voice by asking you ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mwres	Before I try making one, what's so bad about a cheesecake cracking?		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6xg2y" ], "text": [ "It is not bad. Cakes and such are made to look delcious as well taste like it. When it's smooth it may look more delicious to some people." ], "score": [ 4 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mws78	Why does one get a weird and somewhat unusual feeling when coming back to their home after a long trip ?	Do you all know what I am talking about? When you go on vacation or a trip away from your home for about a month or more and then you return back to your home, you get an unusual or a sort of "weird" feeling. Your house smells different when you walk through the door and it seems kind of unfamiliar. This weird and unus...	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc72r6k" ], "text": [ "I don't know for sure, yet it seems rather obvious to me. Normally, when you are not on vacation, you wake up in the same bed, in the same house, and that is the place that you spend most of your time in. When you've been on vacation for a while, your brains have adjust...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mwsz3	Why are there so many different USB Cable connectors?		Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc6ygtn" ], "text": [ "Alright, going down the list of the ones that you have probably seen, there are a few more. The most common type you see is USB type A. The thin rectangular one most likely in the side of your computer. This was the original design of USB, however it should be noted tha...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mx1n9	What causes some adults to be attracted to children?	Is paedophilia normal or a psychological disorder and why?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc76agq", "dc70ewd" ], "text": [ "> What causes some adults to be attracted to children? We haven't figured that out yet. > Is paedophilia normal or a psychological disorder and why? Long semi-tangential stuff To answer that we really need to lay down what exactly these mean. What exact...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mx3y4	How are trade agreements like NAFTA and TPP considered bad deals for the U.S. Economy?	Is it simply jobs lost by Americans to cheaper labor overseas? Wouldn't Americans prefer not to have these low paying jobs, like for example maybe a Nike shoe factory worker?	Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc70j3o", "dc6zg3i" ], "text": [ "This is very complicated and not all economists even agree on the basic facts. Moreover it's very difficult to seperate the effect of NAFTA from the effect of other macro-economic things happening at the same time, like automation. That said, economists a...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxb1a	Where do currency symbols come from?	I guess with the Euro Symbol it's easier because of its relatively recent introduction, but still: I unterstand the "E", but why two horizontal lines? Much more of an enigma is the Dollar sign to me. Nowhere in the word appears an "S", and even in the original "Taler" there's no "S". And again the two lines. Can someon...	Economics	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc77jh3", "dc70p8y", "dc70oxx", "dc7c3gw", "dc7m7ug" ], "text": [ "The pound sign, £, is a stylized capital letter \"L\". It stands for \"Libra\", which is Latin for \"pound\", in the sense of weight. The British pound [in sense of currency] used to be defined as a pound [in t...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxftc	How are qubits more efficient than normal bits?		Technology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc74mg9" ], "text": [ "I had to create an account just so I could explain and discredit the \"faster than light\" reply. Nothing that we know of travels FTL. Anyway. Consider the average classical computer. Every bit has two states, 1 or 0. Just like a light switch. It's either on or off and ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxg7d	Do viruses and bacteria have a colour?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc71jl1" ], "text": [ "Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe viruses are too small to reflect visible spectrum light. So, in essence they are colourless. However, whether it be for aesthetic detail or visibility they are pseudocoloured to what ever is appealing or appropriate. Bacteria on the...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxg9j	How are the brains of domesticated animals different from the brains of wild animals?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc7c58x" ], "text": [ "But behaviorally animals can be more or less likely to domesticate. Wolves, for example are social animals and so integrating into a mutually beneficial situation with another species is more likely. Cats can be, too, but I don't know if that was true of the domesticate...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxjni	Why does your body temperature increase when you're nauseous and or vomiting?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc7250c" ], "text": [ "Body temperature doesn't increase because you're nauseous or vomiting. It rises so it can kill the intruder, like bacteria. Vomiting happens so the body can get rid of the bacteria. I assume the main reason for vomiting is that the body tries to get rid of the material ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxm7p	Why is it recommended that you replace your contact case every three months, instead of just disinfecting?	Would boiling or dishwashing not be adequate methods to prevent risk of infection?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc73xvm" ], "text": [ "My degree is in microbiology, not optometry, however I can see the reason they would recommend this. Not all bacteria are easily killed by means of boiling. In fact, for nearly every means of disinfecting bacteria we have, there are some bacteria to which it does not af...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxw0c	How are hoarding and OCD related?	I'm not trying to offend anyone here but am just wondering because i saw someone on this thread URL_0 mention that hoarding can be a consequence of OCD.	Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc74l7c", "dc7fcdq", "dc78j4b" ], "text": [ "Hoarding is an obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD basically makes your brain do a lot of very incorrect If-Then statements. \"If I leave the house without doing my ritual, something bad will happen!\" and that type of stuff. Hoarding is p...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5mxz6j	How do birds feet not freeze?		Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc7k6ia" ], "text": [ "[This]( URL_0 ) is a pretty good description for why they don't freeze. In a nutshell, bird's feet are little more than skin, bone and sinew, and their blood flows so fast that it doesn't have time to freeze in the first place. Their circulatory system is also set up to...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5my064	Would taking 2 hour naps throughout the day help as much as sleeping 8 hours at once ?	If you were to take 2 hour naps throughout the day instead sleeping 8 hours at once would you still get the same benefits of sleep, or is sleeping 8 hours at once more beneficial ?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc77l0z" ], "text": [ "If you are thinking about Polyphasic Sleeping, then it depends. Sleeping multiple times a day for a couple hours at a time will technically leave you with more time to do things throughout the day. However, you won't end up with the same rest as those who sleep througho...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5my0wl	Why do pandas behave so seemingly different from other bears?	Topic. Has captivity domesticated them to some extent or?	Biology	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc75u4c" ], "text": [ "They are pretty distant from the \"normal bears\" (brown, black, grizzly, polar), in taxonomy terms. All are members of the Ursidae Family, but pandas are a unique subfamily (Ailuropodinae), genus (Ailuropoda), and species (Melanoleuca)." ], "score": [ 6 ], ...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]
5my1q2	How are so many different movies able to claim they are the "#1 Movie in America"		Other	explainlikeimfive	{ "a_id": [ "dc75mmj", "dc77ph2", "dc7juna" ], "text": [ "There are many different categories they can claim to be #1 for. Comedy, animation, art house, etc. They just don't mention how specific the category may be.", "There are a number of ways that it could be determined, and they'll pick an...	[ "url" ]	[ "url" ]

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