q_id stringlengths 6 6 | title stringlengths 4 294 | selftext stringlengths 0 2.48k | category stringclasses 1
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ke8n1k | - What happens when my device is fully charged? | What happens when my device is fully charged? where does the charge send it’s power? Does the phone slowly let it go and charge back up? has plagued my mind forever! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg0zhqt",
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"text": [
"The charge controller in the phone stops charging the battery and just chills with the power supply connected and not doing anything.",
"The current that the phone draws from the wall/USB charger is reduced to only supply power that the device uses. T... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kenjgx | How did people teach the first code to machines before code existed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg3jzn1",
"gg3jbe7",
"gg3i5yt"
],
"text": [
"The first big computers did not execute code from storage as we see it today, the very early ones were \"hard wired\" meaning that the hardware was wired to do only one thing, no code required, you program it by connecting relays together i... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
keolct | How do online petitions work? Are they effective? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg3omta"
],
"text": [
"A bunch of people \"sign\" a petition asking for X thing to happen, by basically upvoting it. Then the person they are attempting to get a response from either responds to it, or they don't. In general they're not effective. URL_0 for example has had very successful pet... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
keqhcw | Why do camera’s and other technology dictate how big of an SD card you could use? | I recently bought a dash cam and it says the biggest sd card it will take is 32gb, why is that, why can’t it be whatever you want? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg40kg7"
],
"text": [
"The technology of the Secure Digital (SD) format has changed a number of times over the years, similar to how there’s several kinds of USBs too. Originally, there was SDSC (Secure Digital Standard Capacity) which maxed out at 2 GB. Then came SDHC (High Capacity) which c... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
keqywi | Why are there different terminal emulators? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg432s2"
],
"text": [
"The same reason there are different text editors. They all have different features. The shell itself can be the same, but what of I want to change my text size, color, etc? What about multiple windows, tabs, etc? What about the look. and feel of the window itself, does ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kevi92 | Why does an internet connection suddenly become weak and then the other day normal again? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"gg4rk4l",
"gg4zm75",
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"gg4rov9",
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"text": [
"Vast possible reasons. - network overload - one node being temporarily taken down or out of reach (maintenance, roadworks, damage) - isp in partial maintenance - your own modem mal... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kezorc | How is Gasoline made from oil? | I searched and I have not been able to find the answer to this. What is done to crude oil to refine it into gasoline? I wasn't sure what category would be better chemistry or earth science. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg5fe8p"
],
"text": [
"Basically it is boiled in a distillation column. Oil is a mixture of chemicals, and a distillation column basically heats something at different, increasing temperatures and collects the different substances that boil at those temperatures."
],
"score": [
18
]... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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kf2p1r | How do circuits work? (protons, electrons) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg5x9w0",
"gg5x8wu"
],
"text": [
"An electrical circuit is just electrons moving from one place to another (usually the same place they started). Components connected to the circuit can make use of this flow of electrons (also known as electricity) to do work.",
"The protons in a soli... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kf7wfp | Why do LED headlamps have a red light? | Title is self explanatory. I just bought a headlamp from Energizer and was just wondering why they put in a red light mode? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg6u30b",
"gg6wl7y",
"gg6u87p"
],
"text": [
"Red light does not ruin your night vision. You have rod cells and cone cells. Cone cells detect color. Rod cells are for night vision, and they do not detect red light as well. This means that they are not saturated by red light, and so the... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kf8bkp | Why do CPUs and GPUs need fans and intricate cooling apparatuses, and where is the heat coming from? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg6vfk2",
"gg6vdkw",
"gg6w30v"
],
"text": [
"Electrical resistance. They get hot for the same reason the heating elements in an oven do. However, there is an additional factor involved. Calculation is, on a fundamental level, a form of work. You're flipping physical bits from one to z... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kfd82k | How exactly does it work when a movie is remastered to 4K when sometime may have been made over a decade ago? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg7r6am"
],
"text": [
"Old school film cameras had a ridiculously high resolution. Cheap cinema projectors never displayed them at anywhere near their full potential, but the original master recordings are easily capable of modern high resolution. So they just got the original masters and tra... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kfdd8s | DNS Trust Anchors/Keys - How does it work? Should I be using DNSSEC? What are the pros/cons? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg83lc4"
],
"text": [
"Your question is not ELI5 and honestly I don't think there's an ELI5 that will ever cover this, in any case I'll give it a go. DNSSEC applies public key cryptography to validate resolved queries. This does not hide the content of the request, it merely guarantees that t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kfdjv3 | How Archaeologists date pottery | I watch a lot of shows like Time Team and whenever the archaeologists find shards of pottery, they hurriedly show the piece to an expert who then proudly proclaims that it is 12th Century Italian. I was wondering how they are able to be so certain about date and origin. I mean logically they should be able to tell the ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg7x5ox"
],
"text": [
"Different methods but pottery goes in and out of fashion and as the methods change they give the pottery's unique property's. Just did a dig in lancaster pa and found a peace of thin back glaze stoneware. After finding it i was able to instantly date it because it match... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kfffel | How did people of the past discover the SI unit meters? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg87u72",
"gg87uus",
"gg8557s"
],
"text": [
"They didn't \"discover\" it--a metre is an entirely arbitrary unit of distance that was made up many years ago. As said by deep\\_sea2 it was originally defined as a fraction of the Earth's circumference--nowadays it's defined in terms of t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kfl0ja | How come when something is left on the TV for too long it sort of “burns” into it? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg93qeh"
],
"text": [
"Depends on the type of TV. In case of OLED or plasma, each pixel consists of 3 individual lights (red, green and blue can make all colors, FYI).As with a \"normal\" lamp, it will have a limited lifespan, over which it slowly gets dimmer. If a bright image is displayed f... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kfnwe3 | How can someone wealthy and high-profile make it so there is not a single photo available of them online? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg9hgvk",
"gg9tps0",
"gg9mpp4",
"gga8g7g"
],
"text": [
"Is an advisor to a government bureaucracy really a “position of national recognition” though? There’s *thousands* of lobbyists and advisory people in DC, and you probably can’t name any of them. People who grew up before the ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kfovts | If we have strong enough encryption algorithms that would take 100s of years to crack, why do major cyber attacks continue to happen? | Shouldn’t government agencies and Fortune 500 companies have everything behind this “impenetrable” encryption wall? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gg9nj95",
"gg9nocj",
"gg9nzoh",
"gg9ns03"
],
"text": [
"Your information security is only as strong as your weakest link, and in the case of these most recent attacks... That weak link is humans. People are idiots and don't take security measures seriously. They are too lazy to pi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kfrzay | Why is it that a fresh install of a Linux distro consumes way less RAM than a fresh install of Windows 10? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggaa24g"
],
"text": [
"Most Linux builds are going to be lighter than Windows because they don't ship with built-in compatibility for millions of devices, they aren't running a bunch of background services that you may or may not need, and Windows generally also does more to preload resources... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kfssp5 | What is HTTP/2 & how is different from HTTP/1.x? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggalwi0"
],
"text": [
"Http2 supports streaming content, binary framing instead of text, and multiplexing connections to both sides can send at any time, nonblocking. It also supports pushing data directly to the client. It's like comparing morse code on a single wire to dialup internet. We f... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kftrnc | How is it that phones differentiate between fingers touching the screen and material objects? | So yeah, in my immense procrastination efforts for my exam, I was sitting with my pen and poking it at my phone. Why is it that when I try to operate my phone with a pen it will not work, but when doing it with my fingers it works seamlessly? How does the phone know that it is human fingers operating the screen and why... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggamsrl",
"ggan896"
],
"text": [
"Explanation: Your fingers conduct electricity and are capable of completing an electrical circuit at the point of contact. Certain objects can also do this, but many do not, hence why wearing certain kinds of gloves, for instance, won't manipulate the scr... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kfwfxl | Why does the youtube algorithm not recommend me similar Videos to those I am watching for almost 10 years but those i click on in 1 night when I’m drunken | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggb551c"
],
"text": [
"YouTube’s (or any company’s) aim is to keep you on their platform for as long as possible at a time. The algorithm that YouTube has developed recognises the patterns and behaviours of users and will suggest videos that it thinks the user will click on. Over time the alg... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kg144n | I heard that putting magnets near your/a phone is bad for it. If so why? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggbwrwo",
"ggbxb8y"
],
"text": [
"They probably won't. Magnets will mess up magnetic storage media, like hard disk drives, tapes, and floppy disks. But your smartphone doesn't use magnetic storage media, it uses solid-state memory which is unaffected by magnets. There probably won't be an... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kg26dt | How does a team of different artists keep their art consistent? | For instance, in Cyberpunk 2077 [they had dozens of artists working on the cityscape.]( URL_0 ) Yet it all meshes together perfectly, from a layperson's view. In terms of colors, shapes, and lighting. * \-I assume they would do something like making sure they use the same color palette. But how many colors would that b... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggc2vw9",
"ggc2ncf"
],
"text": [
"Well when they say \"a team\" they mean multiple people doing different jobs. Some people make the scenes. Some people make the lighting. Some people animate the characters, so on and so forth. Within those smaller groups they break down individual parts ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kg4cjc | What exactly happened with this Solar Winds hack, and how worried should I be/what should I know about this? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggcfy47"
],
"text": [
"You know how you automatically get windows updates and they install on your computer without you really doing anything, and you don't mind because they're from Microsoft so you trust them? Imagine if a bad actor could impersonate Microsoft, and they write a piece of mal... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kg4fvq | How exactly does the reduced framerate of the animated film "Into the Spiderverse" make the animation so much better to look at? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggcg1ic"
],
"text": [
"Each frame stays on the screen twice as long, so every frame makes more of an impression on the viewer. Mentally, it’s easier to process everything because it’s slower. Also, the movement, especially in action sequences, feels a bit more exaggerated and powerful. There’... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kg7jls | When you restart a PC, does it completely "shut down"? If it does, what tells it to power up again? If it doesn't, why does it behave like it has been shut down? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggd3tpf",
"ggd4qcf",
"ggd1h7n",
"ggd04o6",
"ggd5575",
"ggd8emv",
"ggd83k3",
"ggdm3sn",
"ggcui50",
"ggd8f3a",
"ggd6td8",
"ggd964i",
"ggd1yrt",
"gge3wcd",
"ggd8oma",
"ggdta5i"
],
"text": [
"ELI5 answer When you restart a PC, it does no... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kg7q13 | how do piracy bugs in video games work? | I was watching a WatchMojo video talking about the different video games that put a bug in their code that work essentially mess up the game for or call out anyone who downloaded it illegally (graphics mess up, unable to complete the game, etc). But how does the initial code for the legitimate game “change” (I guess?) ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggcw6kp"
],
"text": [
"They utilize some verification method to check if the game is a legitimate copy, inside that method they can set a variable to true/false then create code paths later in the game that depend on that variable. For example: isLegitimate = false if (GameVerificationMethod(... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kg8iyl | For games that are in development for long stretches of time (like cyberpunk - 8yrs), how do developers deal with advancing technology? | Or are games like Cyberpunk or Red Dead just made with early-mid 2010’s tech? Edit: to clarify, development didn’t actually start 8 years ago, but rather the game was announced 8 years ago. Thanks to the commenters for letting me know! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggd0gor",
"ggd3hzv",
"ggd2pfc",
"ggd78g9",
"ggd99v3",
"gggdyd8",
"ggdb7md"
],
"text": [
"They just keep updating the graphics and other bits to match. Which is why cyberpunk doesn't run properly on the older consoles despite having been originally intended for them.",
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kg9y2r | How does digital artists tie their rare art to the NFT tokens? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggdc27p"
],
"text": [
"It's essentially like creating a digital \"print\" of your artwork, then encrypting it so that it cannot be copied, and only opened by the person with the key. Here are proper instructions on how to get it done. URL_0"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgae5s | Why do phone cameras always zoom in when switched to video? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggdgp43",
"ggdgsxh"
],
"text": [
"That is most likely the image stabilization. The camera itself still records the same image, but the camera software focuses on a certain point of the image and keeps that steady, despite your hand moving. That means that the edges get cut of while consta... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgfns1 | Has gun design plateaued? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggeazi3"
],
"text": [
"Does striker-fired mean anything to you? How about double stacked magazines? How many polymer 1911s do you see out there? Lots of improvements in the field, such as less moving parts and simplicity in design overall."
],
"score": [
5
],
"text_urls": [
[]... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgft4r | What are “Website Cookies” and why are they everywhere these days? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggec64r"
],
"text": [
"A \"cookie\" is a small file that a website places on your computer to store information for later use. Like if you go to the McDonalds website, they might use a \"cookie\" to remember what city you live in so the website can check that cookie and know to default to sho... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgjss6 | how do iPhone "Measure" app works so well while I'm constantly moving my hand? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggfa47l"
],
"text": [
"I think It maps the surrounding, creates a digital reconstruction and then outputs the distance you asked for from that model. It uses the stereo-image from the cameras and the information about movement from the accelerometer to determine what it sees and where it is."... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgldz9 | Why is turning off my PC from the plug bad? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggfjqbd",
"ggfjjqs",
"ggfq64n"
],
"text": [
"Its the difference between getting knocked out and going to sleep. When you go to sleep you take actions, like laying down and slowly slipping into sleep. When you get knocked out, you can only hope you dont fall too hard.",
"Turning of... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgojmc | Why does the volume of the radio in the car raise itself when you start going faster? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggg3sni"
],
"text": [
"This is a deliberate design feature on newer cars. It's supposed to account for increased noise from the engine, road, and air resistance. My car actually overcorrects a little bit and I wish I could adjust it, but it's a nice thought."
],
"score": [
9
],
"t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgoxmt | What's the difference between 3G, 4G, 5G and LTE? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggg61r0",
"gggd1zt"
],
"text": [
"3G, 4G, and 5G are different generations of mobile phone radio technology. Each one has faster data transmission. The hardware and radio band and waveform are different for each. LTE is an advanced version of 3G that’s nearly comparable to 4G but not tech... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgploo | How does a microphone work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gggagsv",
"gggbmfy"
],
"text": [
"In simple terms a microphone has a pice of thin material(diaphram) much like your eardrum, and that material has a magnet attached to it with a coil of wire wrapped around the magnet. When the compression waves that we interpret as sound impact the thin m... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgrxvb | Why are solar panels blue instead of black that absorb light? | I know this is kinda dumb question, im just really curious why | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gggmpms",
"ggixv5u",
"ggh1zfg"
],
"text": [
"There are two types of solar panels. One is black (monocrystalline) and the other is blue (polycrystalline). The blue ones are less efficient as you suspected, but are easier and cheaper to make.",
"I don't think this question was answe... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kgtl2n | Why do the refresh rates on computer monitors seem to always be 144hz or a multiple of 60? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggh4o5m",
"ggi1hkr"
],
"text": [
"TV broadcasts in the US are 60Hz, so monitor refresh rates are usually something that divides nicely into this. The 144Hz thing is because people took displays that were 120Hz and overclocked them to get the highest possible refresh rate with that hardwar... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgu1x6 | If my password manager can detect and save passwords from apps/sites, how can I be sure other apps won't do the same thing? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggh6bv6",
"ggi6azw",
"ggig89n"
],
"text": [
"You can't, generally. Any program you install can do just about everything you can. As such, the main methods of defence against apps misbehaving are a) don't install things if it can be avoided, and b) use open source software where possib... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgvr3e | Why does emulating xbox and playstation games require a very good hardware? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gghgxkd",
"gghibxu"
],
"text": [
"The general rule of thumb is that the hardware needs to be 10 times as powerful as the system you're trying to emulate.",
"Games developed for consoles are programmed to take advantage of the very specific hardware those consoles use. So using other h... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kgvshu | how we know we can trust the web browser with our usernames and passwords? | The browser sees all the logins we make, with websites, usernames, and passwords in plain text. How do we know it isn’t remembering them and sending them back to the mother ship? It’s possible someone would inspect the code of open source browsers and make a noise if they found something, but even then most people don’... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gghhzj4",
"gghitbj",
"ggi7iej",
"gghxmrd"
],
"text": [
"This is actually a pretty good question. Bottom line is, you can’t. Most browsers are closed source, so you can’t “know”. But there are security researchers who are always watching what software and how it communicates lookin... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kgw3go | What is Perlin noise? | I've just heard about this stuff, and somehow it is used both for generating randomised numbers and also in 3d graphics for movies and video games. As well as various other things. I'm a bit mind blown and confused | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gghpmxj",
"ggilugd"
],
"text": [
"It’s a way of generating “random” gradients that are still relatively controlled. This makes lots of random-ish natural things look more realistic: fireballs, forests, landscapes, plants, etc. You don’t want true random for that type of stuff, like TV sta... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kgw7f4 | How do network monitoring systems like SolarWinds work? | ELI5: How do network monitoring systems like SolarWinds work? What is network monitoring? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggi7krb"
],
"text": [
"Let's say you have a company intranet. All your workers' computers are hooked to it, and it's not connected to the Internet. You have lots of servers with websites of proprietary company information, and everything is cool. But, all those workers wish they could watch c... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kgx5ze | How certain are we that wireless headphones (Bluetooth) are safe for long term use? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gghryig"
],
"text": [
"Bluetooth uses radio waves to transmit signal. Radios have been around since the 1890's and we have yet to identify any health issues related to exposure to the wavelengths used. Not much is certain."
],
"score": [
4
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kh0n0p | - Why do we notice a misspelling AFTER sending a text and not before, even when we proofread it once or twice? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggiqbww",
"ggidxsk"
],
"text": [
"I have noticed that while in the program I'm using (email, text, word, whatever) if I look at it too long, my brain anticipates what is expected but not what's actually there. If I copy it into a different program, or change the font style or color, my br... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kh1pq5 | Why do the ‘Network’ or ‘Internet’ status LED’s on a router keep blinking randomly, even though the connection is perfectly stable? | Apart from the other Wireless LED’s, the one titled ‘Internet’ and having a globe next to/ under it always keeps blinking in an entirely random sequence. Is it somehow related to the data being transmitted through the cable? Or is it related to the bandwidth usage at that specific time? Or is the Internet really just t... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggik22w",
"ggika8e",
"ggip4uy",
"ggirt83"
],
"text": [
"Even when idling, your router is constantly exchanging signals with the internet. It is my understanding that the blinks you refer to are single packages being sent or received. the pattern can be whatever the maker chooses, ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kh2for | How do computers delete data? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggiomt2",
"ggipiet"
],
"text": [
"Nothing is truly deleted. 1s and 0s are rearranged. This is how data can be recovered. When you uninstall something, the physical area (sector) on your storage device is tagged as open for writing new data to. If that sector hasn't actually been rewritten... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kh4fdv | How does e-Ink actually work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggj2cwm"
],
"text": [
"You make millions of tiny bubbles that act sort of like pixels, like a sheet of microscopic bubble wrap. Now you fill every bubble with fluid and some charged black ink particles all suspended in it. Then you lay a grid of electrically-conducting material underneath it ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kh7m1s | How are cyber hackers identified? | Reading about the recent solarwinds security breach has made me wonder how these cyber hackers are identified. The hack has been described as sophisticated and extensive, if a cyber hacker is this good my intuition leads me to believe that the hacker would be able to hide their trail or mask their identity. How are the... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggjmp5t"
],
"text": [
"There's a number of ways to trace the source of an attack. I'll give a few examples. 1. The hackers take credit for it. Hackers are often vain and leave telltale calling cards in the systems they hacked just for kicks. Or they release the information they stole on the w... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kh93dq | How do EMP’s work? | I am aware the an EMP is an Electro Magnet Pulse and that it disables electronics, but I am unaware how it messes with electronic objects. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggjvlw2"
],
"text": [
"It's a pulse of magnetism. This induces currents in wires it moves past, using the dynamo effect. These currents are not what the circuit is designed for, and high currents can easily harm delicate electronics."
],
"score": [
12
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
khc3ds | . How does the mobile phones calculates or reads the battery percentage as I think batteries are just a small biscuit of chemicals like Li-ion, Li-polymer or soemthing else. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggkcr57"
],
"text": [
"A battery is like a balloon. You charge it up like you’d fill a balloon with air. When it’s full, it’s at a higher pressure than before. Then when it’s being used, the air escapes and the pressure decreases over time. Eventually the balloon is empty of all its air and i... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khc8xf | How does file compression/zipping works? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggkdv38",
"ggkeboi"
],
"text": [
"Files are just long strings of numbers, fundamentally. A lot of those numbers are repeated. What compression algorithms do is they basically take bits of these files and they convert them from raw numbers to instructions, kind of like a paint by numbers. ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khd8ni | In firearms, what’s the difference between flint lock, cap lock and percussion? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggkjnga",
"ggkjvg6"
],
"text": [
"All these weapons work in a similar way. You load gunpower into the muzzle with a ball/bullet on top. Then, you find a way to ignite that gunpower and propel the ball. There are different ways to ignite that power. A flintlock uses a piece of flint as an ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khdrnn | What exactly does defragmenting a Windows PC’s hard drive do, and how is it beneficial to the system? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggknr2l",
"ggkl8qq"
],
"text": [
"Mac's don't need to be defragmented. It comes down to how the files are stored. Windows likes to write files right next to each other. Then if a file grows it has to be split up (because it's sandwiched by 2 other files). This can cause slow reading since... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khe1o7 | how did the WWII Enigma Machine work and how did they break it? | i've always wondered about this but all of the articles that try to explain it completely fly over my head, especially since i have no background in coding/cryptography/whatever subject it is. any kind soul willing to simplify it a bit? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggkms7l",
"gglna7q",
"ggkvift"
],
"text": [
"*I have left out some details, like the reflector and the Kriegsmarine's extra wheels, plus a dozen things that I'm sure I've forgotten. If you have questions or think I've left out something interesting, please ask and I'll do my best.* **... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
khfzof | How does "Learn 'x' while sleeping" work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggkvkyg"
],
"text": [
"It doesn't. Your brain doesn't register any new information while you are asleep. However, while you can't *actively* learn something during sleep, it is still good for learning new stuff. Sleep helps the brain get rid of waste, make your short-term memories long-term a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khgczt | why do library apps have due dates for digital books? | If you download your local library app here in the states; you can check out a vast amount of books/movies/music. Why do they have a due date if you get a book? It is digital. It isn’t hurting anyone if it’s “checked out”. If you don’t finish it before your date you have to recheck it out and lose your place in the boo... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggkwi1y",
"ggkwrjq"
],
"text": [
"Because books are protected by copyright. So the library can't just give away \"free books\": it would be a crime. The library is allowed to lend a limited number of digital copies of a book: digital books are treated like kind of physical books by the la... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kho3ng | Why do some websites create a quiet buzzing noise in some speakers? | For me this is only the case for very few websites (far above 90% of the cases i recognise are on wikipedia). It is very quiet and i am sure a lot of people (esspecially above a certain age) wouldn't even hear it. Those Websites don't have any videos or anything else going and also it does not happen with any browser e... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggmf033"
],
"text": [
"Probably your graphic card is adding static to your computer and your soundcard takes it. Are these webs mainly white or have bright colours? Try browsing images in different apps to see if happens there too."
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kho7ea | Do individual gas stations set their own prices or is it all controlled by head office? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggm5pfs",
"ggm6744"
],
"text": [
"Generally they set their own, but corporate gas stations may define the markup. For example. Two gas stations run by the same corporate office may be charged a different price for their gas from the distributor as one station is farther away from the refi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khpnio | If camera lenses are circular, why are pictures/videos rectangular? Is there extra parts of the photo we cant see? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggmdw6k",
"ggmdzyy",
"ggmj517",
"ggmetnt"
],
"text": [
"The sensor that is inside the camera is square/rectangular. That is what is seen in your viewfinder. You can go into different types of sensors, but they’re all square/rectangular. The lenses being circular help with grip to ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khppwg | How do developers create multi-platform games that look completely the same? Do they start from scratch for each platform? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggmeayt"
],
"text": [
"They make games that run on a game engine. The game engine serves as a translation layer and is what is made to fit on each platform. The game will therefore look relatively the same with certain features available if the platform supports it. If this isn’t done correct... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khrc6o | What technical reasons would a game released in 2020 and aimed at high-end PCs have to struggle with save files that are larger than 8 MB? That seems like an awfully paltry file size nowadays. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggmoryn"
],
"text": [
"It has nothing to do with high-end PCs or being aimed for them. It's a software issue, a guess that comes to mind is that in their testing they never had save files that big, and believed that there isn't enough data to store to warrant needing to address a file potenti... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khrpa3 | What keeps you from playing a game you refunded but still have downloaded? (referring to STEAM) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggmq7r1",
"ggmql8o",
"ggmqzdn"
],
"text": [
"It's DRM-blocked. You have the files on your hard drive, but you can't launch the game. You need a crack to do so and at this point it's the same as piracy",
"Games you download through Steam are programmed to check with Steam every tim... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khxie6 | How does 3D printing work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggnraah"
],
"text": [
"Like a fine-tipped glue gun aimed by a highly precise robot, building the object in question in layer upon layer but instead of melting glue it’s melting plastic."
],
"score": [
4
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
khynfh | Could someone explain how Amazon's and other like online Superstores are able to carry out one day delivery or even a few hours automatically? | Like is it done by a software which performs calculations with the delivery address, warehouse address and driver availability or something? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggny8qb",
"ggo0l8v"
],
"text": [
"Order goes to which ever regional hub that is closest to the destination. All automated. AI, queries inventories of its gigantic infrastructure than queries backlog and available carriers. Once fc is picked the order is dropped into that facilities pick s... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
khzsjn | [Netflix, PrimeVideos, Hotstar, etc.] Why does rewinding back, and forwarding again from where you rewinded the video, need to be buffered again? | If you rewind a video on any of these platforms from, say 5:20 to 2:35. Considering you've already watched that part of the video, so it's already buffered, so it should already be in the cache/cookies. But if you again jump forward to, say 4:46, the preloaded portion of the seek bar resets to 4:46 along with the curre... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggo3z7e",
"ggo5stx"
],
"text": [
"Part of the answer is that the people who own the content REALLY don't want \"streamers\" to be able to easily keep the media they stream. So the amount of the video file that your device keeps in memory is as little as possible for smooth playback, and t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
ki2fn3 | What slows down computers and phones over time and why won't a memory clear restore them to their former glory? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggohww8"
],
"text": [
"The hardware does not get worse, slowdowns happen because of software changes or just your own expectations causing a placebo effect. If you continue to update software then new versions are harder to run. This is because new computers have excess power to be able to ru... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
ki4qip | Any people good with tech. What's the difference between I3 I5 I7 etc, and the 'gen' number ie. 10th gen, 9th gen etc. Same thing or not? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggov9dt",
"ggosgpe",
"ggorx21"
],
"text": [
"So ‘I’ followed by number is more the performance band while the gen is to indicate how recent. So I3 will always be lower than I5 but an 8th gen I3 isn’t as good as it’s 10th gen counterpart?",
"In general i9s are more powerful than i7... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
ki5k6m | How do Image editing programms improve the sharpness of an image? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggoyt81"
],
"text": [
"There aren't any pixels missing. A 10MP image always has that many pixels. Focus is usually the main issue, however, every picture is inherently a little less sharp than it could be due to the process of taking a picture (too convoluted for an ELI5) Sharpening an image ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kiaibt | if blu-ray disk only has the capacity to store 25gb how can ps4 and Xbox games be 50+ gb? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggpo6p9",
"ggpqu80",
"ggpo4m0",
"ggpoux1"
],
"text": [
"Dual layer blu ray discs have approximately twice the capacity of single layer discs, and if I am not mistaken, the standard allows triple and maybe quad layer discs.",
"It's 25 GB per layer. You can have two layers in a ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kibawo | why do old (black and white) movies apear to play faster than modern ones? | So when you watch an old movie it seems like its in 1.25 speed or higher, or at least thats what i observed, why is this? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggpth2w",
"ggpu5bn"
],
"text": [
"URL_0 > I assume you are talking about older 8MM films. They were shot at 18 frames per second, which is slower than the current video standard of 30fps or film at 24 fps. So when the older film is played back on equipement designed for faster frame rates... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kicy2m | How does a computer hack “look” Russian or Chinese or whatever? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggq6pwb",
"ggqh6ud"
],
"text": [
"I could give you a stack of books without giving you the authors. And you could, could by reading the books, examining and comparing the writing patterns, style, formatting of chapters (etc. Etc.) figure out which books are from the same author. For hacks... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kie2e4 | Why are large batteries just many small ones connected together? | I recently saw a video where a garage is making an electric car. They ended up using thousands of AA batteries all strung together. Also, I saw a photo of a D battery without the case: just 4 smaller batteries tied together! Why aren't large batteries larger? Why must they be composed of many smaller batteries? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggqalsp",
"ggqahzm",
"ggqitbn"
],
"text": [
"Batteries use a chemical reaction to produce a voltage. The voltage produced is almost entirely the result of the chemicals used. Using more of those chemicals doesn't get you a higher voltage So in order to get a higher voltage you need to... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kif1ek | Why are people in family portraits and photos from the 18th / 19th century so serious? | If you take a look, most of them are not smiling. Why is that? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggqgzo0",
"ggqga0n"
],
"text": [
"A few reasons: - It was a time consuming process, and it is easier to hold a serious expression perfectly still for long periods of time (any movement would ruin the picture) - It was viewed similar to having your portrait painted, so people adopted simil... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kij16i | how something like "the library of babel" could even exist ? | the library of babel is a website that have every possible written book that existed and doesn't exist yet ,it have trillions and trillions of random generated books but i didn't understand how it is possible to make such a thing ? making Quadrillions and trillions of books i mean what computer that can handle doing th... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggr4942",
"ggr4b5c"
],
"text": [
"That website is actually cleverly coded. It doesn't actually have everything stored. It generates pages based on searches.",
"The computer did not generate all of them. The pages are generated on the fly using a deterministic algorithm given the chamb... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kip4g2 | What determines the range of Bluetooth devices? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggs4he6",
"ggs7kw9"
],
"text": [
"The power available to each of the devices to send the signal is the principal factor. Both linked devices need to communicate in two directions, so one high powered and one low powered device are limited to the range of the least powerful. Interference f... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kiye40 | How the heck do school computers take forever to start up and my one is instant? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggtizhw",
"ggtjuih",
"ggtj9e1",
"ggtk74w",
"ggtn13w"
],
"text": [
"Schools have to buy lots of computers without much money, so they buy cheap computers. Cheap computers are slow. No one on Reddit can tell you anything specific about your particular computer without seeing it.... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kizakd | If cinematic trailers for games look so good why are full-length animated movies with similar quality not so common? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggtqp9x"
],
"text": [
"In a sense, they kind of already do; Superhero movies, for instance, are often entirely CGI save for the actors and maybe a few set pieces and props. Everything else is 'animated'. As for why they don't use that to create people, well; why spend months overworking your ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kizfyk | How does the speed at which I press a key in a digital piano changes the sound volume? | In regular pianos I think that there is a hammer that strikes the strings, but how does it work in a digital keyboard? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggtrp6i",
"gguo8t0"
],
"text": [
"There are pressure sensitive switches under or behind the keys. The feedback from these switches tells the processor to play back the piano sound at a quieter volume. Most will actually play back a different recording, as the timbre of a gently pressed ke... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kj3aw9 | why is signal strength displayed as negative decibels, for example "- 50 dB"? | I see such measurement everywhere - cellphone antenass, router strength, etc. Shouldn't signal strength be displayed as a positive number? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggudz56"
],
"text": [
"* Decibels are a relative measurement. * They need some sort of reference. * When you are talking about broadcast signals, you use the full strength broadcast level as the reference. * Naturally any broadcast signal will lose some strength on its way to the receiver. * ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kj7h5e | Those Tesla Charging stations... are they free? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggv4d1w",
"ggv4hmn"
],
"text": [
"Some are free, some you pay for. I believe most electric vehicles have options for charging from a regular 120v 20A outlet if needed, just takes longer to charge.",
"Supercharging has been included with some Teslas as a perk. For those that it wasn’t ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kj96pp | When you delete an app on your phone to free up space for any task why do you sometimes not have enough space to perform that task or redownload the app you just deleted? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggvhgyv"
],
"text": [
"When you delete something on your phone it doesn’t actually empty all the space right away, just makes it stop showing up, and the empty storage might also be scattered around a bit. Restarting your phone should sort everything out"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text_... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjauuv | why electronic devices slow down with time | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggvp1ox"
],
"text": [
"1. As computer hardware gets faster, software tends to adapt to use this better hardware. Old hardware gets left behind and newer software isn't well optimized for use on older hardware. 2. Hardware deterioration from heat cycles. Computers can heat and cool down many t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjch7k | how come if you record a high quality video and take a frame out of it to use as photo it becomes low quality? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggvx5o7"
],
"text": [
"Because when you watch it with the other photos closely next to eachother it blends in with the other photos but a single picture is in movement and looks blurry."
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjkv7i | how does a CPU work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggx9bar",
"ggx8w9d"
],
"text": [
"CPUs can be sort of likened to digital and ridiculously tiny versions of relay logic. Inside is pretty much millions and millions of switches, and everything a computer does is boiled down to mathematics that can be run through these switches, using binar... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjln06 | people and/or companies that "sell people's data", what does that mean exactly? like what exactly are they selling, and who's buying it and what do they do with it after purchase? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggxd665"
],
"text": [
"Your data includes: products you’ve looked at or bought online. Websites you’ve visited. Where you live, work, eat. Physical stores you’ve visited. How much you make. Who you pay your mortgage to. Who you are related to and your friend groups. What type of car you drive... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjqbo1 | the return function in programming | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggy7iwp",
"ggy7f1i"
],
"text": [
"Say you tell someone to go take a look in the fridge. If that was a function, its return would be them telling you what's inside the fridge after looking. If the function had no return, they'd still go look in the fridge, but wouldn't tell you anything. N... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjr2nd | how do advertisements(pictures and video) have the power to load and play at almost any internet or wifi speed but the actual picture or video you want to see buffers to the point where I lose interest in the whole thing and skip it | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggydcxq"
],
"text": [
"The image you want is located on the site's server, as you'd expect. Advertisements, on the other hand, are loaded from third-party servers, usually a network of them spread over a wide area. Knowing that their ads will load independently of the stuff you're actually lo... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjrf53 | How do hydrogen fuel cells work? | I recently saw Canadian Pacific Railway is building a prototype hydrogen fuel cell powered locomotive. I understand how electrolysis separates oxygen from hydrogen molecules, but how do actual fuel cells work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggydj55"
],
"text": [
"Basically, it burns hydrogen and oxygen (which creates water), but it does so through a special membrane that will allow hydrogen's nucleus (a single proton and maybe some neutrons) to pass through, but not the hydrogen's electron. This creates a charge imbalance, which... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kjs82x | How did they do transparent Marley in the Christmas Carol from 1938¿ | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggyiyde",
"ggyiyzm",
"ggz7r6n"
],
"text": [
"There’s a theater truck called “Pepper’s Ghost” that is used to create transparent phantoms in a live stage environment. It’s currently rather famously used in Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride. What you do is have the stage area and then angle... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjslu3 | Why does the power come back on for a few seconds after the power goes out? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggymmlw",
"ggyw4co"
],
"text": [
"There are automated breakers on power lines that will retry a couple times If a tree branch falls and briefly bridges the power lines then the breaker will trip removing power, but then a couple seconds later it'll try again and let power back through, if... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kjvzne | How are games ported to other platforms, e.g. PC to PS5? | Also as a game developer who wants to make a game available on all platforms, what platform do they usually start with or is there a "master version" that is then adapted to each platform? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"ggz7fpu",
"ggzhikv",
"ggz6n87"
],
"text": [
"# What's A Platform? A \"platform\" can be roughly defined by a combination of hardware and software. The hardware (e.g., CPU, GPU, chipset(s), ...) mostly defines the performance as well as what computing features are available (you may ha... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kk2ei4 | How does game optimization for different platforms work? like what do they change to make things run more smoothly on console or pc? | I'm not really sure how things are being done differently on other consoles. It would seem that just generally downgrading the graphics would do that but that feels like a dumb solution. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gh02ufu"
],
"text": [
"Different hardware does the same thing, but I'm a different manner. In simple terms let's say you're trying to get to the number 9. You have a Funbox that does 4 and 5, and a Gamestation that multiplies 3 and 3. Let's say you build a game so that it prefers to use 3*3. ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kk2vdu | How do plugged in electronics take only as much power as they need? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gh03vxy"
],
"text": [
"Think of mains power like the water in a tap. The water can only flow if there is a path for it to flow. Opening, closing, or limiting the path, the device controls how much current flows."
],
"score": [
19
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kk428p | why do phone automated systems and hold music STILL have extremely bad sound quality? | I would assume with today’s technology companies could make these sound crystal clear and not like someone was hired to record these with a tin can and a piece of string | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gh0ho74",
"gh0bpyy"
],
"text": [
"I know you've been answered - but a picture is worth a thousand words - here's a Tom Scott video about it - URL_0",
"Call quality in general might be considered \"bad,\" but it's just an effect of the system it's built upon. We don't *need* to have cr... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
kk4r29 | Why are some old sound effects used so much? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gh0en2e"
],
"text": [
"Mostly because they are free. Think of them like stock photos but for sounds. Its easier and cheaper to use public domain sound effects than record new ones."
],
"score": [
4
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kk9i84 | Why are downloads always sooo much slower than your supposed download speed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gh19p6a",
"gh1adqq",
"gh18d11",
"gh18jep"
],
"text": [
"Lots of people are glancing over the real reason . Remember that your download speed is measured in megabits per second. Not to be confused with megabytes. If you speed test your connection at 100 megabits per second that wor... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kk9rol | Why is it that products made 50+ years ago seem to be so much better than their modern day counterparts? (i.e. Fans, shaving razors, knives etc.) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gh19mqq",
"gh1degt",
"gh19ttm",
"gh1apo3",
"gh1alw1",
"gh19txk",
"gh19yxj",
"gh2fbvi"
],
"text": [
"I don’t think they necessarily are. It’s just the ones that have lasted to the modern day are the ones you probably handle. All the low quality stuff broke decades a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
kkb3ai | Why do so many websites like Google, Microsoft, etc. separate the email and password screens? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"gh1hpeb",
"gh1hkq6"
],
"text": [
"Also worth noting that for microsoft in particular, for the office web apps and email, having a split login screen also allows the user to be redirected to the appropriate login page if they are logging in with an organization's email address. (If you typ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
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