q_id
stringlengths
6
6
title
stringlengths
4
294
selftext
stringlengths
0
2.48k
category
stringclasses
1 value
subreddit
stringclasses
1 value
answers
dict
title_urls
listlengths
1
1
selftext_urls
listlengths
1
1
abbmxh
How do games/apps that run at 60 FPS measure time to the hundredth of a second?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "ecz1mzf", "ecz20l4", "eczazg6" ], "text": [ "Most modern engines can separate FPS, which is the visual representation, from engine logic timing. Games that do not split this logic often have locked FPS to make sure you don't get weird behavior. Need for Speed was locked at 30 FPS and ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
abchzu
Why does video static make the video bitrate worse?
I've always noticed that whenever I'm watching a youtube video or twitch stream where for whatever reason the screen goes to static (usually in a video game) all other things in the video on top of it become very blurry as if the video has a very low bitrate. However as soon as the static stops the quality goes back up...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "ecz8zmn" ], "text": [ "Imagine the video is of a plain blue screen with say a red ball moving across it , the data sent doesn't need to change to much except to change the next lot of pixels around the ball, now if it's say black and white static, all the little black and white specks need to...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uetbc
how do masks work and are they any better than simply covering our faces with a piece of clothing?
Just wondering how effective surgical masks are at preventing particles from being inhaled. Are surgical masks really effective at preventing the spread of bacteria? (I mean you can still feel the air when inhaling and exhaling) How effective are masks at preventing inhaling woodchips and pollutants given they are freq...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtjr4b1", "dtjrp5v", "dtjv95l" ], "text": [ "Most bacteria isn’t technically airborne but is rather spread by small droplets of water that you exhale. That’s what your run of the mill surgical mask is designed to block, if you are dealing with a true airborne pathogen you need to wear...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ufthi
Why do you see scientists use electron microscopes for small bugs when normal microscopes can even see cells?
I remember seeing something about how an electron microscope works on this subreddit, and ever since I saw that i have been wondering why scientist use electron microscopes to see bugs when normal microscopes can see cells. I would also like to know if this is the only thing this technology is used for. Ex: URL_0
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtjzxll", "dtk1kbd" ], "text": [ "That electron microscope shot is zoomed out far so you can see what you're looking at. 80x is barely any zoom, they can get beyond 10,000x with a well prepared sample which is far beyond an optical microscope. [This is a far better demonstration of it's c...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uhs6r
Why don’t we harvest spider silk if it’s so strong?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtke09m", "dtkf676", "dtkgi22" ], "text": [ "This is going to sound crazy but.. There's this particular farm where they inject goats with spider DNA. This causes their milk to produce silky web after processing. Let me find a link because I sound like I'm taking crazy pills. URL_0", ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uj3zd
Why did putting toothpaste on scratched discs back in the day work?
Okay, so back when I was a kid, when the PlayStation 1 was around, whenever a disc stopped working because of scratches my mum would always say put some toothpaste on it, wipe it down and try again.... well from the numerous times I tried it, it worked 100% of the time... also in the PS2 days... worked every time. Well...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtkmeku" ], "text": [ "Its a very mild abrasive. So in short it can polish the scratches on the disk making it slightly smoother and the laser able to read it again." ], "score": [ 6 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ujx0q
Why does a phone camera flash twice before actually taking the picture?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtktisf", "dtkwb98", "dtkx0fn", "dtlbpo8" ], "text": [ "> When you press the shutter release, aTTL flash will fire a pre-flash before the actual shot, the camera will then measure the pre-flash with the ambient light level to calculate the power needed in the actual flash for the ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uk9kh
Why is a computer with 2 or 4 fast processors better than one with 100 or 1000 slow ones?
EDIT: Thanks for the answers. I learned that GPUs *are* many, many specialized processors.
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtkwgjl", "dtl523e", "dtkxgwd", "dtkwkl5", "dtkwqnr" ], "text": [ "It depends on your needs. If your task can be split up into many smaller parts and processed without care of other pieces, then you can use 10000 cheaper smaller CPUs. This is the basis of distributed computing...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ukktz
Why does FM radio sound better than AM?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtkza6b", "dtl2kq2", "dtlctub", "dtlkdsm", "dtl1gje", "dtkzapr", "dtl67t3", "dtm5ylx", "dtlakhq", "dtleuze", "dtlmntj", "dtm4ya2", "dtm3268", "dtlgd4s" ], "text": [ "FM and AM manipulate radio waves in different ways (frequency versus amplit...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ukmtg
Why video games cost so much to create?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtkziln" ], "text": [ "Licenses for the engines and other assets. Many designers, artists, modelers, riggers, testers, etc. A building for everyone to work in. And increasing demand for more features, better graphics, etc." ], "score": [ 4 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uktvd
Why does YouTube not let me rewind ads?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtl29as", "dtl2c0t" ], "text": [ "If you could use the regular seek bar, most people would skip to the end of the ad (never mind the Skip Ad *button*; it's a different function, and it's not always present). YouTube doesn't want you to do this. It was easier to disable user control of the...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ukwjw
Why don’t the speakers at loud concerts cause feedback in the singer’s mic?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtl2eix", "dtl7lwo" ], "text": [ "Firstly, because there’s a sound engineer making sure it doesn’t. Mics that people sing into live at a loud venue are directional: they pick up sound way more from the direction they’re pointed. The concert speakers are positioned in front of the singer, ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ul8ww
How do doctors amputate limbs?
Do they cut off and cauterize a little bit at a time or do they just chop that bitch off and do it all at once?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtl4qso", "dtlddwq", "dtl4okz" ], "text": [ "Kind of depends on the type/level of the amputation. Typically you identify the major nerves and vascular structures and tie them off, followed by cutting all the soft tissue with the bone being last.", "Yeah! I can finally answer somet...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7umce6
With as far as technology has come, why can't we stop robocall telemarketers and number spoofing?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtle2gd", "dtlf0t2" ], "text": [ "As far as technology has come, they keep figuring out new ways to do it! Cat and mouse, cat and mouse.", "The telephone network was built on a premise that the system where the call originated is outside your local phone company's control so the phone...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ument
How do planes avoid collisions above the Atlantic where there is no radar?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtleuk3", "dtleyyn", "dtlf118" ], "text": [ "There are airplane “highways” usually separated by 10 000 ft. East you fly odd (ie 30 000ft) and west you fly even(ie 40 000ft)", "planes have their own radar plus the pilots have windows and, as others point out, there are standard fli...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uorxy
How does FM Synthesis work (e.g. sound chips like the Yamaha YM3812)
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtm6ecr" ], "text": [ "you may like this video - URL_0 FM Synthesis in the context of the YM3812 had a few available voice channels for oscillators. The samples produced are eventually fed into a digital analog converter that creates a stream of voltage varying very quickly into an amplifier ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ur20v
How does "Log in with Facebook/Google" work?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtmfh04" ], "text": [ "It doesn't. You log in with Google and Google acts as a trusted individual to the website, vouching for your identity. In simplified terms this is what happens: 1. You press \"Log in with Google\". 2. The website goes to Google, and says \"Hey, I have a person who wants...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7urmbh
How does a mobile phone "try" to find a signal?
Most of us have had a phone eat up a ton of battery when we were in an area with bad coverage because the device was working to find a signal. Isn't the antenna on it just passively receiving available cell signal? Could you make a stereo use more power by having it "try" to find a better signal on a radio station?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtmjuj1", "dtmykmv", "dtmw5vr", "dtmwhtc", "dtmwqqc", "dtnbwy3" ], "text": [ "A mobile phone generally does a couple of things when it is just kinda lounging around: 1. It has to tell the world where it is - this is so that the tower can route incoming calls to the phone. ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7utkmy
Why some computer programs output text like "1 connection(s)" even though they clearly know the count?
On multiple occasions, I have noticed Windows report numeric information along with the plural form of the accompanying noun in parenthesis. If the actual count is known, why can't the developers make the extra effort to actually compute which of the two forms (singular or plural) they should output?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtn1t48", "dtn2elv", "dtn23t5", "dtn0q28", "dtn7m3t" ], "text": [ "Partly it's laziness on the part of the developer, but it's also because getting plurals correct internationally is a lot of work. Let's say your program needs to be translated into 20 languages. In English we ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uuiaf
Why does the glass on newer phones like the Pixel 2 and iPhone X feel soft to the touch?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtnay7j" ], "text": [ "The oleophobic coating. Maybe they use a higher quality coating. Every device has this coating. Its to prevent finger smudges." ], "score": [ 7 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uumf6
What are vacuum tubes on amps? Do they actually do anything?
I've been looking around for a amp and everyone is recommending one with vacuum tubes. I'm confused if they do anything, or if they're just there to look cool. What do they do vs digital? How does it work?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtnbhnc" ], "text": [ "Vacuum tubes predate transistors, and act as amplifiers. Both work on the basic idea that a small current, your audio signal, can proportionately regulate a large current, from the wall outlet, for example. How they both achieve that are very different. Transistors, whi...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uuzpa
How are cars in Google Maps perfectly positioned and photographed when the Google Map car moves?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtne7di" ], "text": [ "You've seen photos from sporting events, right? Of athletes while they're moving? You just take the picture very quickly." ], "score": [ 5 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uvdti
in terms of video games, what exactly does AAA mean?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtng0n3", "dtng5cu" ], "text": [ "It's a general term used to describe high budget games made by big name studios. For instance, the Mass Effect series, GTA, Red Dead Redemption, Call of Duty, etc. Typically people have higher expectations of these games because of the amount of money bei...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uvfvb
Cell phones connect with each other via wireless signals but how does a cell phone connect with a land line
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtngmcp", "dtngonm" ], "text": [ "Cell phones actually connect with cell towers via wireless signals. Cell towers are tied into the land line infrastructure. For two cell phones to communicate, the call has to be routed over the land line to the nearest tower and then transmitted back to ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7uw4a3
Compared to talking in person, why can two people talk normally on the phone but video chatting is so awkward and interrupting each other?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtnm5hl" ], "text": [ "Body language might be a factor. When you are sitting face to face with a person, subtle clues about how they are feeling, or what they are intending to do may be more visible. For example, you may see and hear someone take a big inhale when they prepare to begin speaki...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7v3l6v
The difference between UHD 4K, Super UHD 4K, Dolby vision, HDR.
I just bought an LG Super UHD 4K tv and when I watch Netflix it says it's playing in Dolby vision. What exactly is that and what does it mean in terms of my tv. Thank you
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtpc68q", "dtp8p5i", "dtpmo1b", "dtpmzr9", "dtplyfe", "dtq3clp", "dtq3qd5" ], "text": [ "UHD is a standard resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. This is the next step up from FHD (Full HD) which has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and HD which has a resolution of 1280x720 p...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7v63eq
How come when you put earphones in your nose and pop your ears you hear the music in your head?
With a question like this you may as well treat my like I'm 5 too, but I'm genuinely curious. If you keep your mouth closed and pop your ears if feels like the music is in your mind, why does it do this?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtpwky9", "dtpwwb0" ], "text": [ "Our hearing apparatus consists of the external ear (which is our floppy ear pinna and ear canal) and the ‘internally hidden’ middle ear, and internal ear. Normally, the sounds from outside is transmitted from the external ear then towards the eardrum into...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7v6gog
How do airlines get your checked luggage on the right plane when there is a short layover?
I know they scan the barcode and that tells them what plane and stuff, but what is the process that happens that gets the bag from one plane to another, accurately and on time? And yes I know it’s not ALWAYS accurate. But it is very accurate.
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtpvpef", "dtq1wnh", "dtpur5w", "dtqnsu8" ], "text": [ "They usually sort it at the departing gate. They know which luggage needs to be taken out first. That information is sent to arrive airport. They also compartmentalize the bags. Ie, belt, terminal 1, terminal 2, etc. So this ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7v8vr7
Why does a pc have to be significantly more powerful than the console it tries to emulate?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtqlo9k", "dtrf8c1", "dtqddlr", "dtqfnrx", "dtqnanp", "dtqtksz", "dtqrop5", "dtqdhdb", "dtrghsa", "dtqutff", "dtqsscv", "dtrb84k", "dtrc4pc", "dtrbfi0", "dtqq4dn", "dtqv1bi" ], "text": [ "Quite simply, because you are adding another ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7v9f77
when people say you are “sucking up the bandwidth”, what does this mean?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtqhjmr" ], "text": [ "think of the internet like a giant pipe from your house. How big the pipe is is the bandwidth. So the more bandwidth you are using the less other people can use." ], "score": [ 11 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7va755
How is data transmitted through cables?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtqnrwl" ], "text": [ "Depends on what kind of data and cable! There are many protocols but I guess the general concept is pretty much that one device controls whether there is a voltage or not (if it’s digital) and another device can detect it. There are some protocols (like hobby RC servo s...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vbhu6
Why do online video streams suddenly freeze but work again immediately after refreshing the stream?
I have a fast as shit connection yet whenever I watch love sports the streams will often work great for a period of time then freeze. If I refresh my browser the stream works great again for another period of time. I don’t understand.
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtr2zbi" ], "text": [ "Your browser and the provider of the stream talk to each other via a continuous connection, which is initialised when you load the page and press play. This is a constant back and forth between the video service saying “I’m sending you this data, did you get it?” and yo...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vcqe1
How are chip-readers more secure than magnetic strips?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtrb7lq", "dtrb6zz" ], "text": [ "It's not necessarily the reader, but the card itself. In an eli5 sense, a magnetic stripe says \"I am X\" when swiped. It is extremely easy to create a copy of the card that also says \"I am X\". A chip card, when read, initiates a conversation like \"If ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ve1yk
how does finger print reading under the glass work and how is it so accurate?
When I saw the vivo smartphone coming out, the first thing I wondered was how this was possible. How can this technology go through glass and how is it so accurate? All finger prints are different, but the differenses are really small I assume. Which technology do you use to distinguish them? I hope you guys can help m...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtrjydf" ], "text": [ "It will work on OLED screens as they don't need a backlight to display the image like LCD screens, instead they have thousands/millions of individual pixels that can change colour. In between the pixels are tiny gaps allowing the sensor to be behind the pixels and look ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vex1h
What's the purpose of unicode characters like Zalgo?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtrrc58" ], "text": [ "It depends on the particular character. The most common way of creating Zalgo-style text is just adding a bunch of combining characters with normal latin characters to produce latin characters that have lots of random stuff attached to them. Look at an example like \"Z̢...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vg7l8
Why exactly does the government want to privatize 5G networks?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dts30a5" ], "text": [ "To control it, and turn it off if people get too interested in having \"civil liberties\"." ], "score": [ 4 ], "text_urls": [ [] ] }
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vhrdx
How can an ISP censor or alter web pages if they're encrypted via SSL/TLS?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtsd65k" ], "text": [ "Even if the ISP can't read the contents, the origin and destinations are still possible to read. The ISP may choose to ban specific IP addresses, or inject messages into non-secure parts of a communication (like an advertisement that was sent without encryption and plac...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vibbj
Why can’t you click the iPhone button when the phone is dead?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtshim1", "dtshqwv" ], "text": [ "I assume you have a newer iPhone. On older ones, the home button is a physical button (like the power/lock button) that can be pressed when it's off. New iPhones: that's not actually a button! It's a touch-sensitive area that provides \"haptic feedback\":...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7viqfz
Space Freezing
So, if depictions and movies are true: if a human is tossed into space and freezes upon contact, why don’t other things freeze in space as well (human in spacesuit, satellites, rockets, the flag we “put on the moon”, etc.)?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtsl1tv", "dtsl5h6", "dtslwxu" ], "text": [ "> So, if depictions and movies are true There's the problem right there: they're not true, those aren't accurate depictions, and a human tossed into space wouldn't freeze upon contact.", "Freezing is the process of a liquid turning into...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vj5g7
How do audio cassette tapes play different tracks depending on Side A or Side B?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtsoy7j" ], "text": [ "Take two strips of paper. One one write banana. On th eother write orange. Rotate the strip with orange 180 degrees and put it directly under banana. Like this: banana ǝƃuɐɹo This is how it works but with magnetic tape, the old read heads only read the one half. Flippin...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vnfwx
Why does it cost money for a video game developer to have breakable items in maps that they create in a game?
I saw this in Overwatch when Jeff Kaplan said in an interview that it costs money to have pots that shatter in their new maps and other things like balloons that blow up
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dttlchb", "dttl1x0" ], "text": [ "Because people don't work for free, and it takes work to make those breakable pots happen. It's not like the developer just says \"let things break\" and it just magically happens, people have to go in, write the code for breakable items, debug that code,...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vom7a
How does the tech behind the deepfakes work?
Recently heard about this controversy. Worried about the possible damage this could cause outside of fake porn. Curious to know how this works and how far this could go.
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dttyl09" ], "text": [ "The only person who could probably explain in very high detail would be the creator of that application of machine learning, but the high-level overview as I understand it is that the machine learning algorithm gets fed millions of frames of a particular face, then gets...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vp13t
What does it mean for a song to be well mastered/mixed?
How can you tell from listening to a song, if it's well mastered or not? How does a badly mastered song sound like?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtu2nnw", "dttyn6q" ], "text": [ "So, there are 3 major steps in creating the sound of a record. 1) Recording. When you actually put a mic in front of a guitar (piano, singer, etc.) and capture some audio. And/or when you synthesize some sounds directly. 2) Mixing. When you take all the r...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vq72f
Why do old forums have 2 or 3 words or phrases in every post linked to seemingly unrelated websites, usually to sell things?
I see this all over the place on older forums when searching various issues. Do the old website owners sell the website for advertising? How does something like this work?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtu88oh" ], "text": [ "It's a type of advertising that was being pushed a little over a decade ago and it didn't go over well. Over time advertisers pushed newer types of ads (like autoplay videos) so it's mostly legacy websites that still have it installed. On a technology level most of them...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vq86b
Why are three pin plugs better than two pin plugs in terms of safety, and why?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtukunc" ], "text": [ "The ground (the third prong) is a failsafe that appliances and tools can use if they want to. If you have a power tool in your hand and something shorts out inside and electrifies the casing or something else touching you, you would get shocked. But if the tool was desi...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vs1ql
How do stethoscopes work?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtur6bd" ], "text": [ "They are the simplest thing in the world. Try rolling up a newspaper and listening through it. Sound is intensified*. Stethoscopes are just a more precisely engineered version of that. The sound waves decay much less when separated from the rest if the air, due to lack ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vtwo8
What is the kernel of an operating system?
For some background, I am currently a graduate EE student. My research deals with implementing countermeasures to thwart software attacks in C/C++ (e.g. buffer overflows, format strings, etc.). My advisor mentions the Linux kernel often when talking about our work, but I still can't understand what he means by it. What...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtv43v7" ], "text": [ "The BIOS/UEFI is firmware, i.e., it is in a ROM on your motherboard. It's the first program to be executed and it will load the actual operating system in memory (RAM) usually from your hard disk (or SSD now). UEFI is the \"new enhanced\" BIOS. Usually written by the mo...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vuky3
How will the Tesla Roadster orbiting the sun be affected by being in outer space? What would happen to the tires? Paint? Any liquids inside?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtv9tmh", "dtv8uw5" ], "text": [ "I predict it's red paint will be bleached white before it completes its first orbit past Mars.", "I know this doesn't answer your question, but the car was most likely modified. Wheels locked in place, liquids drained, etc. Possibly the engine taken o...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vuq92
Why internet companies don’t match upload speeds with download speeds.
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtv9ufl" ], "text": [ "Because that would be a waste of bandwidth for most users. Your common internet user is a consumer of the internet, they are watching videos, browsing websites, and downloading things. The average user is not hosting a website, uploading lots of things, etc. So they set...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vvd83
How does Netflix acquire shows?
This is something I've always been interested to learn but never seem to be able to find any good answers; Does anyone know how Netflix actually acquire shows? For instance, there's the whole Cloverfield sequel but no original thing going on. Sometimes there will be a series that only starts from like, series 4-7 but n...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtvdey0" ], "text": [ "The same way that all television stations do. They either buy the rights to broadcast a show from those who own the show (how they get most movies and tv shows), or they purchase the show in its entirety (netflix original is the label they use) for distribution within a...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vvehv
Why can't the Internet be made completely secure
Specific networks or transmission/reception has an increased level of security, example for banks or governmental bodies. Why cannot the entire Internet be made secure in the same manner?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtvfmel", "dtveger", "dtvllit", "dtveh7u" ], "text": [ "There is always a trade off between security and usability. Take for example a login to a webpage: This list goes from low security - high usability to high security - low usability 1) only put in your username 2) put in your...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vvmdx
Why do some tracks on CDs have "negative time" before the actual track starts playing at 0:00?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtvfxf3", "dtvi4ro", "dtvjgc2", "dtvowjo", "dtvjoz9", "dtvkjzc", "dtvnzbj", "dtvmqv1", "dtvpue2", "dtvld6z", "dtvnmjh", "dtvomma", "dtvrel4", "dtvvwon" ], "text": [ "The CD has a table of contents which lays out the tracks, where they are lo...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vw36e
What does "bit" mean, in reference to Encryption? i.e 4096-bit encrypted
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtvi3xm" ], "text": [ "It refers to the size of the encryption key. A bit is a single binary digit - 0 or 1 - so 4096 bits means there are 2^4096 possible encryption keys. A naive approach to breaking the encryption would be to try every possible key, so you'll have to try 2^4096 different ke...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vwjxj
What is the difference between an active and a passive radar?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtvm2f4" ], "text": [ "> What is the difference between an active and a passive radar? An active radar actively sends out radar pulses which it listens for the return signal from. A passive radar does nothing but listen for the return pulses from other radars. It is really as simple as the de...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vx0aa
What are drivers?
And how do they differ from other software or programs on my pc?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtvpu9h", "dtvtfv7", "dtw0mmc" ], "text": [ "I assume you mean computer drivers. They are instructions on how to interact with a particular kind of hardware. For example if you have a keyboard and a button is pressed it will send a signal to the computer, but how would the computer kn...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vx6en
What are they using all that supercomputers for?
I know they use it for calculations about space and some military stuff of course. But what is the other usage?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtxc6mc" ], "text": [ "A lot of them are used by various world governments to do the things you said. A lot of them are also used in academia to solve problems. Weather patterns for example, is one of these problems that are based in Newtonian physics (that is, “normal” physics like what goes...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vyad1
how does A.I. learn?
I get that you reward the system for accomplishing a goal, but then isn't the programmer still ultimately controlling what happens?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtw14gj", "dtw2uxk", "dtw1xj3" ], "text": [ "That depends on what you mean by \"control\"; Consider that programmers of non-AI programs still introduce bugs and unintended behaviors all the time. We're dealing with complex systems that are difficult to predict all the time in computer...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7vybqw
How is an IP address 4 bytes?
From my understanding, 8 bits=1 byte. 1 byte is equal to 1 character. How is an IP address equal to 4 bytes if there can be more than 4 characters of numbers? If an IP address is 20.30.1.4 wouldn't that be 6 bytes? Thank you in advance!
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtw1jec", "dtw15db", "dtw1ni0" ], "text": [ "1 byte isn't equal to 1 character in all applications, it just so happens that ASCII uses an 8-bit encoding to store characters in a binary form. an 8-bit binary number is simply a number in binary with 8 digits; when converted to decimal, ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7w0a7u
Why do some screens' colors get distorted when viewed from extreme angles?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtwjg4f" ], "text": [ "The crystals in some types of Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD for short) are carefully aligned in a way that's the best from viewing from the front. That's the \"TN\" type. If you're viewing from an angle, the light isn't shaped in the way that it should be, and that cause...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7w113b
what an API-key is and how to use it
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtwoshp" ], "text": [ "API key is a key (just like a key to your front door) that identifies you. without API key, the system will either not respond or not give you full access to its capabilities. just like if you didn't have the key to the apt building, you can still get in the first front...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7w1zb6
How does a computer determine when a syntax error has been made?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtwx02b" ], "text": [ "Syntax errors are found at compile time while it's trying to understand your code and make assembly. They're easier to see in a language like C that requires semicolons. Let's take the following example Int x=2; Int y; If(x==2) { y=4 Else { y=7; } There are two issues i...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7w3b64
GIF File Size Increasing Instead Of Decreasing, Why?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtx7fk9" ], "text": [ "My best guess is that resizing is making the image more complicated. Imagine a hand-drawn 128 x 128 image of the American Flag. The whole image contains just 4 colors: red, white, blue, and black (for the background). This image will compress extremely well, because the...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7w7dwy
Why does iTunes check for updates IMMEDIATELY AFTER installing updates?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dty2v9r" ], "text": [ "When you're releasing a new version, you only test a certain amount of versions back for upgrade paths. It takes resources to try and test more and more versions. As a result, you start dropping the single upgrade support and relying on the system to help the user get t...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7w8pg5
How do high speed (slomotion) cameras work. If you are filming 1,000,000 FPS wouldn't that mean your fastest shutter speed is 1/1,000,000th of a second, how do the cameras get enough light at that quick of a shutter speed?
ELI5 how high speed cameras work
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtyj9pn", "dtyedlk" ], "text": [ "As others said we blast the area with light and/or crank up the gain on the camera. If you look close you'll often see the slo mo images are grainier than the other video sources because the sensor is struggling to capture the light. Source: I'm a profess...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7w8r0t
With today's technology why is it so hard to make counterfeit coins or counterfeit bills?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtyepzo", "dtyey4r" ], "text": [ "The same answer - today's technology has been used to make bills much more difficult to counterfeit. High value bills have dozens of countermeasures - from the paper, the ink, the printing techniques, etc. - all designed to make it difficult and expensive...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wa7sp
Would it be possible to put solar panels on top of the trailer of a driverless electric semi to where it would be able to constantly recharge itself and make the trip non-stop
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtyr9eq", "dtyrys2", "dtyr85n" ], "text": [ "Yes, it's likely possible. It's going to come down to how efficient you can get the solar panels/motors and how well you design the vehicle. However, it would be very, very slow. You couldn't even maintain a walking pace because solar panel...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wa9ed
How is source code kept from the public?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtyud3x", "dtysemq" ], "text": [ "In a nutshell, program source code isn't everywhere. A program gets compiled from source and turned into a binary format. That is what gets installed and distributed when you download a program. The source is typically only used to compile the program onc...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wde4o
How is a vending machine able to know the differences of how much a bill is? (like 1's, 5's, etc)?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtzhc7d", "dtzf5c4", "dtzj6v7", "dtzi2s0", "dtzjk13", "dtzkpe6", "dtzgkqg", "dtzkxd3", "dtzp15f", "dtzlj0q", "dtzr9ix" ], "text": [ "I actually know quite a bit about this. My best friend writes the code for the optics that go into machines lime this an...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wfpvh
How does skill-based matchmaking work in multiplayer video games?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "dtzz4z8" ], "text": [ "The algorithm can vary from game to game. One that I'm familiar with is he [Glicko]( URL_0 ) system which assigns players values which go up or down depending on the rating of the other players and the outcome of the game. If you are the underdog and win, you gain more ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wjeid
How could we stay on the same radio tune when we are driving?
The Doppler effect (or the Doppler shift) is the change in frequency or wavelength of a wave for an observerwho is moving relative to the wave source. How could we stay on the same radio tune when we are driving?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du0ttja", "du0tuh3" ], "text": [ "The doppler effect does effect the radio, but not enough to mater. An FM station doesn't transmit on exactly one frequency. It spans a range of 100 to 200 kHz (depending on where you are) So you might think that 100 Mhz. In reality that is where the trans...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wkk00
How do you record your TV screen when playing PlayStation while at the same time filming yourself playing games like the YouTube vloggers do?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du12ljx", "du12n5t" ], "text": [ "To capture the TV screen, you would use what's called a capture card, such as [this one]( URL_0 ). Your console output goes in one end of the card, and the other end of the card goes out to the TV. A third connection runs to a computer where it can be rec...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wm9p4
Newton’s method of successive approximations to find the square root of a number
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du1jh3l" ], "text": [ "For a nonlinear function, f, it is usually impossible to solve an equation of the form f(x) = 0. Despite this, solving problems of this form is of great interest for a variety of applications in math, science, engineering, etc. These solutions are called \"roots\". To c...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wnt9e
Why is natural gas an energy source but hydrogen gas and fossil fuels are considered forms of energy storage?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du1rn9j" ], "text": [ "Both natural gas and fossil fuels are considered to be energy sources, because we can extract them from the Earth and then burn them for energy. Hydrogen is not considered to be an energy source, because we can't go out and just dig some up. We have to make it, usually ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wolvm
Is a regular audio file with sounds larger than an audio file of the same lengths without sounds?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du1y0yy" ], "text": [ "To a degree, it would depend on the format of the audio file. If it is a file type that allows for compression, then something with no sound would be highly compressible, and have negligible size, whilst the version with audio would be less compressible and so be bigger...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wq83d
ultrasound imaging for cancer
Due to recent events in my life, I'm curious about ultrasound imaging. How can they tell the difference between a malignant tumor and a benign one? How do they decide wether or not to do a biopsy?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du2d3z8" ], "text": [ "The ultrasound will provide clues to the size, shape, and density of tissue, such as a tumor. Using Doppler technology (think storm forecasts), your medical team can gain information such as blood flow. Depending on your body and symptoms, your doctor might schedule sev...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wviui
Why do some CD-ROM Discs Warn you about NOT playing track one in your CD Player?
I was cruising YouTube when I found this and it really got me thinking, how can CD-ROM data harm your CD player? [Here is the video that got me thinking about this]( URL_0 )
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du3hmbb", "du3hoyg", "du3hrnx", "du3k78d", "du3iul8" ], "text": [ "The warning isn't about breaking anything. It's just that some CD players will try to play the data as music and make awful noises.", "Playing the data track through speakers results in some really loud and...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7ww6k4
Why do books always have 1-2 blank pages at the end?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du3mcld", "du3md1n" ], "text": [ "The page of a book is actually a portion of the sheet that is printed, and then cut up. So imagine that the press uses a sheet that it cut into 16 pages (that is, cut eight ways, front and back). If you have a 78 page book, they are going to use five shee...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wwdjf
How can old games be put into resolutions like 4K and 1080p or maxed at 60fps?
I've watched a few videos of people playing games like Goldeneye on emulators at full HD at 60fps, which I know the N64 was not capable of. So how is it done?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du46dt3", "du3ss9y", "du3q81i" ], "text": [ "Imagine I describe to you how to paint the flag of France: * Paint a blue band that covers the left third of the canvas. * Paint a white band that covers the middle third of the canvas. * Paint a red band that covers the right third of the ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wwtx7
What exactly is Firefox's Webrender?
I've been hearing stuff about it on reddit (specifically r/firefox) and since I can't find any simple explainations about it I was hoping someone could break it down to me. What exactly is Webrender? What makes it so good? And will it push firefox past chromium when all the bugs etc. are fixed and optimized?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du3uro2" ], "text": [ "The idea is to use the GPU(graphics card) more in the creation of what you see on the screen from the html code. How it is done can be in part explained at URL_0 The reson to do it is to render web pages faster with less CPU usage. In most case when you can code a progr...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7wzxp7
How do missile lock and missile lock detection work?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du4eyqb" ], "text": [ "For the aggressor the pilot orders the missile to start seeking a target. This sets the IR tracker in the missile to look for heat signatures with-in its view. If it finds a heat source it will lock the seeker head onto that target and set off the 'growl' that you hear ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x1hm1
What's an Afterburner? How does it work?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du4qbos", "du4qkd1" ], "text": [ "An afterburner dumps fuel into the hot exhaust from a jet engine. This results in significantly more power from the same size engine, but isn't fuel efficient. This makes it useful for fighter jets that want small super powerful engines but don't care abo...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x29ok
Machine learning calculations and Nvidia Volta Tensor Cores
I'm reading about Nvidia Volta and machine learning for a project I'm doing and I don't really understand what they're talking about when it comes to Tensor Cores. The [paragraph]( URL_0 ) "what are tensor cores" is what I'm referring to. & nbsp; Edit: More specifically, I don't understand what "matrix" is.
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du4wry1" ], "text": [ "This paragraph? > Each Tensor Core provides a 4x4x4 matrix processing array which performs the operation D = A * B + C, where A, B, C and D are 4×4 matrices as Figure 1 shows. The matrix multiply inputs A and B are FP16 matrices, while the accumulation matrices C and D ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x3tsi
what does resetting a router actually do and why is that the most common internet fix?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du59wx3", "du58w8j", "du5gusn" ], "text": [ "Your in-home router usually does a few separate jobs. First, it literally routes data: from one computer to another in your local network, and between your local network and your ISP's network (and on to the internet). Second, it provides l...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x4lyx
What does "living closer" to a game's server actually mean? E.g. USE, USW, EU, OCE
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du5fqf4", "du5fmpi" ], "text": [ "Your \"ping\" that is sometimes reported is the total milliseconds it takes for your network traffic to go round trip to and from the server. Essentially, if your ping is 60 milliseconds, that's how long it takes for your computer to tell the server \"Hey...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x5bym
What "hashing" a password means and why it is hard to decrypt them
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du5l8ss", "du5le08", "du5m4i6", "du5leoh" ], "text": [ "Have you ever had corned beef hash? Imagine trying to back calculate a cow.", "Hashing a password is basically like dumping a strawberry (the original password) in a blender with a bunch of other fruits and then using the...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x673e
How do Captchas work?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du5su1b" ], "text": [ "They are theoretically unreadable by Bots, so answering them proves you are not a Bot. This is important because there is something that hackers do called Brute Force. It basically sets a Bot(a kind of program) to keep trying a numerous lists of passwords, that is why a...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x8n3n
Why do Lithium Ion batteries lose their ability to maintain charge after many cycles of charging?
Is this due to a chemical reaction? Perhaps Lithium escapes as a gas?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du6cecf" ], "text": [ "It is due to several things. The most important is physical. During charging/discharging lithium atoms move from one electrode to the other. The lithium goes into tiny pores in a sponge like electrode, but when this happens the sponge swells up. Repeated swelling and sh...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x9s4c
What about how 80's movies look makes it that you can immediately tell it was made in the 80's?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du6l25t" ], "text": [ "Its everything you mentioned and more. There are technological reasons like the cameras, lenses, film, that are period specific. Then there is artistic choices such as the background, the outfits, the shots used, the pacing, the dialogue, etc that goes in trends." ], ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x9tum
How can Facebook know my thoughts and conversations but not be able to tell (and suspend the account) when a Nigerian man is pretending to be a hot American girl from Denver?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du6k8rf", "du6kn48", "du6m0g9", "du6m3sz" ], "text": [ "Facebook only cares about using you to generate revenue. Apparently that Nigerian scammer is profitable somehow.", "Like Twitter and other social media apps, it is not in Facebook's immediate self-interest to try to remov...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7x9wr1
How do electronic thermometers work?
IIRC mercury thermometers work as the liquid changes volume with temperature, what about electric ones?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du6jzj7", "du6kkux" ], "text": [ "Thermo resistors that change their resistance based on the temperature. If you know the current and the voltage you can find the resistance.", "Cheap domestic ones use a \"thermistor\" that changes electrical resistance with temperature. For more accu...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xcor6
What is the mechanism for slow sound? Or sound in a slow motion video.
So in a slow motion video you take 600 pictures in a second then in playback you show them one after the other at the rate of 60 pictures per second, thus creating the slow motion. How does this work for sound? What is the mechanism for capture and playback? In my mind, since sound is a wave the closest analog for slow...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7nwkd" ], "text": [ "Destin from Smarter Every Day did a video on this not that long ago. I'd actually been curious about it, myself. URL_0 Turns out, as others mentioned, slowing down audio ends up sounding like garbage. The \"slowed down\" audio in slow motion vids is all the result of cr...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xd61j
Fog computing vs Mist computing vs Edge computing
Hey there. Anybody able to describe in ELI5 way those 3 concepts along with examples and connections between them? Thank you in advance!
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7h95i" ], "text": [ "These concepts aren't too difficult to understand once broken down to their basics. Note, everyone views these definitions as being something different. Edge Computing: This is when you put compute resources at the edge of your network. The purpose of edge computing in ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xd66a
How does Machine Learning (ML) allow one to teach a computer simply by providing it with sample data?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7cbt5", "du7crgs" ], "text": [ "The sample data contains examples of inputs and correct outputs. Feeding many thousands of such examples through a learning system enables it to extract the abstract links between the input and output and basically \"learn principles\". That in turn enabl...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xehu9
Why do things always look farther away on a camera?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7qpjc", "du7o7c0", "du7pwj1", "du86fhv", "du7sn6f", "du8cw15", "du80iin" ], "text": [ "It basically all depends on the lens you're using. Most cameras that we use, such as those on cell phones, have a relatively wide field of view. The wider your lens, the further aw...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xeinv
Can someone please explain the logistics behind 2nd day shipping versus overnight shipping?
I send out a lot of packages for my company and noticed there is a dramatic drop in the price for sending something 2nd day vs overnight. For example, from Baton Rouge, La. to San Jose, Ca. will cost $80 overnight vs $35 2nd day. Why can the 2 day be offered for so much cheaper when the package essentially takes the sa...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7oj5v", "du7oj7f" ], "text": [ "It comes down to speed and bottlenecks. If a package can wait a few days before being delivered, it can take its time. If it has to take a particular flight, and that one is over loaded, it can just wait. Packages can build up for a day or so and then be ...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xf3om
Why do developers make the recoil in video games like CS:GO and Fortnite not go directly in the middle of the crosshair? Why do they spray around the crosshair instead?
Probably not the usual ELI5 post :/
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7tft5", "du7t70t", "du7tgbq", "du7tsns" ], "text": [ "because real gun recoil goes all around, not in just one axis. it depends on many chaotic variable like where the buttstock is on your shoulder the moment the recoil force is transferred into your body.", "Well, CS: GO is...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xfbb6
How does facial recognition recognize me when my face is bruised/swollen?
I tried searching but couldn't find a specific answer. I fell on the ice like an idiot and yesterday and busted up my teeth, lip and nose. I have a big spot of road rash (for lack of a better term) on the left side of my lip, it's very swollen, black eye, and my nose is a little cut up/swollen. Yet my laptop had no pro...
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7w5fd" ], "text": [ "Facial recognition uses measurements of parts of your face that don’t move. Like the corners of your eyes, the point of the nose, distance between nostrils, and the angles between these points. Swelling is unlikely to cause errors, a broken nose that isn’t reset will. I...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xfhvg
- Why when watching HD movies is the dialogue volume so low and the background noises (score, explosions, etc) so loud?
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du7yfj8", "du7xhx1", "du8ci9a", "du8csiy", "du8hxsq", "du86ain", "du8m963", "du8jc0y", "du8sldw", "du8sugs", "du8pbv0" ], "text": [ "Having a high dynamic range (the difference in volume at reference amplification between the lowest whisper sound and th...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xgezx
question about 2pac hologram.
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du88bgx" ], "text": [ "The \"hologram\" was actually just a modern version of an old stage illusion called [Pepper's Ghost]( URL_0 ). An angled transparent reflector (in this case a thin sheet of mylar) was used to make a projection coming from one angle look like it was sharing the same stag...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]
7xihcy
difference between iPhone jailbreaking and Android rooting
Technology
explainlikeimfive
{ "a_id": [ "du8k8pz", "du8huyt", "du9okft", "du8x31x" ], "text": [ "As said before there's no real difference. Just like you have multiple accounts on a computer with different access levels that is true on your phone as well. Think of it as the difference between a customer at a store who ha...
[ "url" ]
[ "url" ]