query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
How do gas turbine engines work? | [
"All internal combustion engines work on a very simple principle. Suck, squeeze, bang, blow. Turbine engines suck in air, squeeze it between spinning blades, ignite fuel, and then blow it out of the back. The spinning blades compress the air between stationary blades. When air is compressed, it gets hot. With enou... | [
"Raw fuel is dumped in to the exhaust pipe and is ignited to create the thrust. If you are interested in jet engines and How they work, here is a cool YouTube channel about jets, their working and maintenance of them _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Have there been any good Dictatorships in the past? If not, why is the idea of a country ran by a dictator usually condemned? (in other words, why are pretty much all Dictatorships bad?) | [
"Augustus Caesar and come of the later Roman emperors ran highly effective states (if without much in the way of political freedoms). Dictatorships tend to be bad as a rule because (a) bad rulers can't tolerant dissent, so a bad leader is more likely to move towards dictatorship, (b) most dictators came to power mi... | [
"Why do you assume communism is bad? A lot of real world examples of communism have failed because of one person grabbing power. Many, more knowledgeable then me, argue this is not true communism."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
how does the Pythagorean theorem work? | [
"The proof that I find easiest is [this one](_URL_1_). There are two big squares, with sides equal to a+b. Inside the big a+b squares, there are four identical right triangles of sides a, b, c. We can arrange those four triangles in two different ways. On the left side, we arrange the four triangles so that there's... | [
"Trigonometry! Someone would stand a certain distance away from the peak of the mountain. Knowing the distance from the mountain and the angle from where they stood to the peak, they were able to figure out the height. Most students do calculations just like this in high school math class. Your teacher just may not... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why can't you divide a number by 0? | [
"Because you can't divide anything by zero. If I give you 20 beans and as you to divide them into two groups, you can do that. Or four. Or five. If I ask you to divide it so there are zero groups, well, you'd look at me funny because you can't make zero groups out of something. There always has to be at least one g... | [
"10/5 = 2 2 * 5 = 10 So you see you are basically asking what number will multiply by the number on the bottom to get the number on the top. Since every number times 0 is zero it's impossible i.e. 10/0= ? because no number times 0 is 10."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Physics:"
} |
What is an RPG (role-playing game)? | [
"No, Call of Duty isn't seen as a role playing game. The big reason is because those playing a role playing game have at least some decision making in the direction the game takes even if it has a predefined end point. In Call of Duty you just have separate missions to take part in and the games are basically on ra... | [
"There are people who are professional game designers. They get paid to make the rules for games. source: I run an MMO company (Goblinworks) and we make an MMO (Pathfinder Online)."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How does a choke on a carburetor work, and why is it necessary? | [
"A carburetor is a calibrated device that delivers a set amount of fuel per unit of air passing through it. Cold engines need a richer mix (more fuel per unit of air) to start up. The choke closes to block some of the air from entering the engine to richen the mix and allow the engine to start."
] | [
"Lets start with how an engine works. You have pistons which compress gasoline and then it gets ignited. The explosion drives the piston back, which cause a different piston to compress gasoline. But when an engine is stopped you can't compress the gasoline. Modern cars have when is called a Starter Motor, which is... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What are the legal/tax differences between civil unions and marriage? | [
"Some states have civil unions that are marriages in all but name; others have differences that vary by state, and still others have limited domestic partner benefits/protections. The main constant is that - because of DOMA - all federal taxes (income, estate, etc.) are assessed as a non-married couple. You can liv... | [
"It's not \"illegal\". That is, it's not something that you can be arrested for. But from a legal standpoint, marriage is nothing more than a legal contract. And in places where gay marriage is not legal, same-sex couples cannot obtain the licence necessary to become married."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why do critic reviews and fan reviews tend to differ so greatly in media such as TV, movies, and games? | [
"Because they're reviewing different things. It's basically the difference between a professional and a layperson. This *is* simplified, but you can apply it to, say, cars. A regular person will see a car and go \"Wow, that thing's so sleek and shiny and goes fast!\" and a professional mechanic will say \"That car... | [
"Because for whatever reason, western society has become more accepting of depictions of violence than it has of depictions of sex. You see the same thing in films, TV, book, and other entertainment media."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why do people sleepwalk? | [
"There's a part of your brain that paralyzes you when you fall asleep. It blocks every signal that your brain tries to send to your muscles. That part is unsynced or damaged in people who sleepwalk. Oftentimes the person is also able to look around, espond to stimuli and do complex tasks like talking or making them... | [
"why do we yawn when we read about yawning?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why does it feel faster traveling home then traveling to a certain location? | [
"I'm from Long Island NY. A month ago I went to visit my friend at American University (which is in Washington D.C). The ride there felt pretty long. The ride back didn't seem nearly as time consuming. I think it's because on the way there I didn't know any of the places we were passing. On the way back I would see... | [
"In basic terms, it's one or the other, but not both. You can go on vacation in Hawaii or in Florida for thanksgiving break, but you can't go to both. Do you have a particular context in mind? Logic? Statistics or Probability?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do movie studios opt for CGI when it seems like practical affects would be cheaper, easier for actors to work with, and preferred by audiences? | [
"Because CGI generally does look better the reason alot of people think practical effects are better is because we only notice bad CGI"
] | [
"You can hire people to replace the writers and most of the time still come up with a decent product. Replacing the actors is much more noticeable to viewers and really changes the feel of the show even if the writers remain the same."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does acupuncture work? | [
"There is no sound evidence suggesting that acupuncture works for anything other than as a placebo."
] | [
"Reikei is the belief that you can channel healing energy into people via touch and use this method to cure diseases and ailments. It doesn't work. It's hogwash."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How come we can multiply by zero, but we can't divide by it? | [
"It helps to think about what division actually means. If I write, say, 6 ÷ 3 = 2, what do I mean by that? Well, I mean that, if you multiply 2 by 3, you'll get 6. In other words, 6 ÷ 3 represents \"the number that, when multiplied by 3, gives you 6\". Obviously there is only one such number. But with zero, you run... | [
"Starting with just the counting numbers (1,2,3...), everything is easy But then subtraction comes along and people say, what happens when you take a bigger number from a smaller number? So we invent negative numbers. Then, later we start using division, it's mostly ok, but what happens when we divide two numbers t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Mathematics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text about Mathematics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Title ll of net neutrality. How could ISP's benefit from having control of internet speed on certain websites and apps? | [
"They would get the power to censor as they see fit (we don't want you to visit site X, so we'll just restrict all data flow to and from it) and they would get the opportunity to add extra fees - an example would be to limit data speeds to the point where streaming becomes impossible, and then they'd charge you ext... | [
"Net Neutrality was what we had before the Cable Company Fuckery started. It's a good thing, not a bad thing. it just means that all traffic across the Internet is treated the same, and big companies don't get to charge extra for special treatment."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we get the feeling that someone is watching us? | [
"Couple of things. First our brain isn't 1 thing. It is multitude of processes that works together. Sometimes brain gets confused resulting in your having \"supernatural\" experiences. One of the minor being feeling of being watched. If your brain can't rationalize your senses, you get those feelings."
] | [
"Why would you think there are any? Have you been to them?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
what actually goes on in clown school. All I know is it's hard to get into, but what is the benefit, and what do the clowns learn? | [
"Circus clowns perform a variety of functions, including comedy, filler between major acts, incorporating and communicating with the audience, slapstick routines, stunts, improv, prop comedy, etc. It's like a mixture of improv school and circus school."
] | [
"They are very much encouraged to be this wild and enthusiatic.Most shows have someone \"warm up\" the audience before tapping. As for the guests, remember, most are professional performers, have done these shows for years and know the drill, it's all an act."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can children sleep through being lifted out of a car and carried inside, whereas I would wake up immediately if someone lifted me out of bed? | [
"Maybe because the person picking you up isn't 10 times your size so it wont go with the same ease?"
] | [
"It's a common misconception about the nature of sleepwalking. I couldn't tell you where the myth started, but it's based on the idea that \"if they got where they are safely, you don't want to interrupt their sleep.\" The fact of the matter is, it is always safer to wake a sleepwalker. My mother used to sleep walk... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
The science behind a tandoori oven | [
"the structure is basically a chimney. the heat from the coals creates an upward draft which adds more air and basically makes the coal burn even hotter. the heat is concentrated in the small space and insulated by the vermiculite so it doesn't escape sideways but only upwards."
] | [
"Because triangles are a stronger shape than rectangles, so they can better contain the power of the delicious sandwich flavors. The flavor leaks right out of a whimpy rectangle."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How come I can't downvote comments in some subreddits? | [
"In a subreddit, the admins can change what it looks like. Some subreddits want to promote a positive environment by getting rid of the down arrow. However, this doesn't mean the ability to use it is gone. If you do some fancy computer stuff you can still use it. (Using your browser's JavaScript console, and maybe ... | [
"Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Front is the top posts of your subscribed subreddits, and all is the top posts of all subreddits."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How does a Nuclear Submarine operate for decades using nuclear material that is the size of a human fist according to the Captain of a Nuclear Submarine? | [
"That's the amazing thing about nuclear power; energy density. You can extract tremendous energy from a very small amount of material because you are literally converting mass to energy. Unlike most forms of power generation that just rearrange atoms, nuclear power rips them apart and uses the resulting energy to d... | [
"Am I right in thinking the UK's Nuclear weapons were built with US assistance? Is the same true of France?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
What is a memristor? | [
"A memristor is a piece of an electrical circuit that remembers how much current has passed through it, and in which direction (within limits). In the future, we might be able to use memristors to make switches and memory for computers that are better than the kinds of switches and memory that we have at the moment... | [
"Are you asking how a wheel works ?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
does temperature effect how long a smell lingers? If so what causes it to linger in the cold/heat longer than the opposite? | [
"Yes. Temperature has an effect on the existence and motion of smells, the warmer the temperature, the more \"active\" smell molecules are (smell molecules are basically a gas given off by the smelly object). This means that smelly things are smellier when they are warmer. As for lingering, that is impacted more by... | [
"Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air and water is a good thermal conductor so when its cold water is cold and hot water gets as well. So when its cold and humid it will feel colder than when its dry because of the moisture in the air. It also has the reverse effect hot days will feel worse when it's humid... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph about Science:"
} |
Why do apples turn brown so quickly where the inside is exposed? | [
"When an apple is cut (or bruised), oxygen is introduced into the injured plant tissue. When oxygen is present in cells, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes in the chloroplasts rapidly oxidize phenolic compounds naturally present in the apple tissues to o-quinones, colorless precursors to brown-colored secondary produ... | [
"The skin of the fruit has a waxy coating that makes it hard for bacteria and fungi to get at the sugary juice inside. Once it's juiced, there is nothing protecting it and it has to be kept cold to slow the growth of microbes."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Food and Beverage:"
} |
Is kissing a natural or learned behavior? | [
"Of 168 studied cultures around the world, less than half practice kissing in a romantic-sexual way. It is definitely not a natural universal behavior. There are numerous cultures that find it utterly disgusting. _URL_0_"
] | [
"Because love is really just a chemical reaction in your brain, and a potent one at that. Love: It's a helluva drug."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Social Sciences:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Social Sciences:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do Republicans only require 1,237 delegates for a nomination while Democrats require 2,383? | [
"Because there are 2,475 delegates at the GOP convention and 4,766 at the Democratic convention. The number of delegates really isn't important -- what's important is the percentage of the total delegates they get, because both parties require a majority of the delegates to become a nominee."
] | [
"They are nominated by their state parties. So, for example, the California Democratic Party has a state convention, where they nominate what delegates and alternates they want to send to the National Convention. There are also \"Superdelegates\" - you may remember hearing about them during the 2008 election. Thes... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What exactly does "dying of natural causes" mean? | [
"Its just a saying really. \"Old Age\" is not the killer, Pneumonia or heart failure is usually what does the guy in. However, as we get older our bodies get less and less able to fight off things like that. Our hearts get weaker, our bodies get less efficient and so on. So really \"dying of old age\" is a polite w... | [
"Well, there's always a specific medical reason why someone died, but when you're just talking, it's usually enough to say \"he died of old age\" to get the point across that it wasn't something like cancer or AIDS that did him in."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why would a twin at sea level age faster than a twin on a tall mountaintop? | [
"Time is relative to speed. The faster you go the slower time appears to go from your perspective. That's why there's a universal speed limit of the speed of light, because the closer to the speed of light you travel the slower time seems to pass. If someone is at the top of a tall mountain then as the world spins ... | [
"Cruising altitude is relative to sea level, which does not change. The plane measures it by air pressure, which gets thinner as you go higher, and doesn't really change whether you are flying over an ocean or a mountain."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can someone explain the principle and or workings of entropy ? | [
"Take an egg. Throw it at the ground. It broke. Now, put it back together. Make a fire. Don't add any more wood. Let it burn forever. Were you able to do either of those things? Do you think anyone can? Do those things sound reasonable? Entropy is all around us. We're all familiar with it, it happens all the time."... | [
"I think you will have to define your question a bit more. Are you generally asking us to explain correlation and translation of pressure and forces?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How do reflex sights work? | [
"Reflexes work by reflecting light off of a curve lens. In relation to the shooters view point the reflected light would always provide and accurate area of target. Basically, if you are looking at the sight from an angle, as long you can still see your target in the sight, the curved nature of the lens would still... | [
"When you say night vision do you mean how do night vision devices work or how humans/animals see at night?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do I have to worry about how much data I'm using on my phone but not on my desktop? And why can't I get the same deal for my phone? | [
"Your phone's data is coming from an expensive cellular network. Your desktop or laptop is using your inexpensive home network, probably DSL or cable. You can't get the same deal for both because they are two different delivery systems. I don't know what a good analogy is -- maybe restaurant prices vs room service... | [
"My guess is because they make a lot of money on people going over on their data. For this reason they wouldn't want to make it unlimited for any fixed rate."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why do eyes have color? | [
"Our skin, hair, and eye colour are determined by melanin levels. Melanin is pigment that is also responsible for tanning. For example, lighter-skinned people have less melanin than darker-skinned people. People with Albinism, however, have no melanin/pigment. Freckles are an example of concentrated melanin in one... | [
"Why do you have so many lips and chins?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Biology:"
} |
With Snowden revealing all of this compromising information why does it seem as if nothing really is being done about it? And if something was, who would be to blame? | [
"Because no matter how much we hate the NSA spying on us, it doesn't affect our lives in any meaningful way. I have food on my table, a roof over my head and a pay check ( also many guns) Until most or all these things are taken from me, my life isn't affected"
] | [
"In the United States, most people didn't realize (more like not pay attention or didn't care) of the scope of surveillance that was done on citizens in the United States, in the name of security. The governments of the world realize that the United States spied on them (maybe not on the level of scope that they di... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why does it seem like there is so many cases of police brutality/abuse/misbehaviour in the US compared to other developed countries? | [
"Well nobody's mentioned the war on drugs, so I will. The answers given by others so far are correct, but the war on drugs has also contributed to the level of violence in this country. By criminalizing behavior that would be much better treated as a mental health issue, we have created an industry of gangs and ou... | [
"Most European cops don't carry guns because there's a lot less guns there compared to America, where the citizenry are armed to the teeth. Also American cops are just generally more aggressive here. It's not just shootings. There's more police brutality of all kinds in America than in Europe."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does Euler's formula actually work? | [
"It would help if you gave us some sense of where you're starting from. Do you know how e is defined? Are you familiar with complex numbers? DeMoivre's theorem? When I'm teaching I need to know who my audience is and what level they're at."
] | [
"Derivative and integral are inverses; that means that the derivative of an integral is the original function. Why do you think that couldn't be true?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
How come you never see any jacked golf players? | [
"No, the opposite. Hitting the ball far comes from flexibility and technique. Basically the longer your back swing, the faster your head (golf club head) speed, and assuming you contact the ball square, that will result in wicked length. If you're all jacked with muscle, you can't rotate enough to get the needed sp... | [
"You need to go look at more photos of penises if you think that is true!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Biology:"
} |
Why is Palestine seeking statehood through the UN such a bad idea? | [
"It's harder to abuse people if you have to admit that they have sovereign rights."
] | [
"Why is the US so upset over the labeling of US treatment of Native Americans as a genocide?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why does buying stuff (non-essential) make us happy? | [
"It depends on what kind of stuff you're buying, but essentially, it's because products are advertised as lifestyle components rather than things. E.G. You're not buying a Mercedes Benz, you're prestigious and the envy of others. You're not buying Prada sunglasses, you're chic and classy. You're not buying TOMS sho... | [
"But people of all ages like toys too! Cars, electronics, handbags... It's just that we only call them toys when kids like them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do predictive text/autocorrect seem hell-bent on using typos you made one time a month ago? | [
"If it doesn't catch the typo, or if you make the same typo multiple times, it will add a new word to your phones dictionary (which is designed as a way to always be improving your autocorrects). Most phones will let you access the dictionary of new words that have been added, so you can go in, find the typo, and d... | [
"Because you already know what you are trying to say, and instead of actually reading what is there your brain fills it in for you with what you intended to say. Pro tip: proof your own work by reading it backwards word-for-word and you'll find a ton of those mistakes also."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Do fat people keep eating because they are still hungry, or do they eat past their natural hunger-level? | [
"As a physician's perspective, it is because they are still hungry. When you continue eating past your natural hunger level, stomach adapts to the change by increasing its size, thus capable of eating more food, = more calories. this cycle goes on until the eating capacity is so big that they get easily hungry. (Pl... | [
"Because it doesn't take long for your body to break down the food you eat and store it or prepare it for waste. Especially if you eat a high carb meal as carbs are the fastest to break down. Once your gut is done breaking things down and sending it to your bloodstream and organs, your stomach tells your brain its ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Health and Wellness:"
} |
People say prostitution is "recession-proof." How is this true? | [
"I was living in Las Vegas, working in a casino during the 2007 crash and subsequent recession years. Prostitution is not recession proof. I worked the night shift and saw plenty of hookers getting desperate for business over that three year period. Dropping prices, dropping standards, and worst of all, dropping sa... | [
"Outside of outright dictatorships, a country's laws usually reflect the sensibilities of its population. So a better question might be, why are many people against prostitution? It's because it's viewed as unwholesome, something that good people don't do, and exploitative toward women."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why is depression a thing, but the opposite isn't? In other words, why is it chemically possible to be depressed, but you never hear of people who are chemically so happy that basically nothing bad can get them out of the state of euphoria? | [
"That would be [mania] (_URL_0_). It is not an exact mirror image, but states of heightened emotions, energy, decreased need for sleep and hyperactivity do exist and they present with several different disorders. (Bipolar tends to be the best known one)"
] | [
"One common reason is a mental condition known as \"bipolar\" or \"Manic depressive disorder\". Think about the best you've ever felt. Ever. That's what people with this condition feel like on a normal good day: great days go up from there. Now think about the worst day you have ever had. That is what people with t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Before we saw the Earth for the first time in space, how did we know what our continents and lands looked like? | [
"Cartography is a very complicated issue. That's why the old maps sometimes look a bit off. Once navigational instruments were perfected (compass, sextant, telescopes, -cartography is closely related to astronomy-), it was very \"easy\" to position coastlines on a map. [This map](_URL_1_) is ~ 900 years old, you ca... | [
"We don't have any pictures of the Milky Way from the outside. If you see an image it is either an artistic interpretation or a picture of a different spiral galaxy. That said just because we are stuck in it doesn't mean we don't know what it looks like. We had very accurate maps of the earth before we ever went t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about astronomy:"
} |
Where do the profits from pro american/armed services bumper stickers go? If The One Fund's helped out the victims from the Boston Marathon, do those profits from bumper stickers like "America no. 1" help out veterans/army/navy/ect? | [
"Unless stated specifically when you buy it that profits go to some cause, the profits go to the person or company selling the bumper sticker. It's no different if you buy a shirt with an American flag on it from Walmart, Walmart has no intention of giving away the profits."
] | [
"The point is to raise awareness about the problems of ptsd and veteran suicide, the actual push-ups are inconsequential. Money to help veterans are raised through donations and product sales on their website."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why are cell phone bills so expensive? What are we actually paying for? | [
"You're paying what the market will bear. That's basically the answer. Sometimes people complain about the markup on cell service (\"it costs almost nothing to transmit my texts, but I have to pay $10 a month\"), but this kind of thinking forgets (1) the service provider has very, very large capital expenses above ... | [
"They want to be able to sell you a tethering service for an additional fee. Cell companies are not in the business of providing you a service, they're in the business of taking as much of your money as possible while doing the least amount of work. **TL;DR** Because fuck you."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are treats so effective with dogs? Aren't they made of the same ingredients as regular food? | [
"You can use anything as a treat, even his regular food. It's not the food that's important to your dog, it's that it's a reward. I knew of a dog trainer who use cheese squares, to train this giant Russian whatever the fuck/tiny horse of a dog. He'd get 100 bits out of one slice."
] | [
"Dogs and cats have different nutritional needs than humans; they can't get what they need from eating our scraps. Also, it's bad for their teeth - gives them terrible plaque and tooth decay. Eventually it effects their heart or other major organs, and they end up living shorter lives. Please feed quality pet food.... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
If almost every country on Earth is in debt, who are we all borrowing from? | [
"This is a great question. In fact, it's been asked many times. Check out some of the answers that exist so far, and if you still have questions, feel free to ask: _URL_3_ _URL_2_ _URL_0_ _URL_1_"
] | [
"They can be in debt by being given money on the promise they'd give slightly more money back in the future. They owe money to other countries, people, companies, and other parts of their own government. They are paying interest to the people they owe money to. If they don't pay their interest or they don't repay t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does salt water from the sea turn into fresh water like in rivers and so on? | [
"When seawater evaporates, the salt does not evaporate with it. Hence, the rain is freshwater."
] | [
"Salt is found in all kinds of rocks around the world. As rivers run past these kinds of rocks, they pick up the salt and carry it to the oceans. The reason oceans are so much saltier than the rivers is because the salt has nowhere to go once it reaches the ocean. The only way water can leave the ocean and get back... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about Geology:"
} |
what determines hangover severity? | [
"Easy answer is hydration level. You could have drank more water before or after. Food intake before drinking comes in. Sugar content of your drinks."
] | [
"peoples blood pressure is lower when they first wake up. this makes them more sensitive to the cold."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why is it called music 'theory?' Is there actually anything theoretical about it? | [
"Theory != guess. Think of theory in it's scientific terms, where it means something more akin to \"describing how/why things work they way they do\""
] | [
"Not really an explanation, but here's an interesting way to put it: Pre-modern: This is the truth. Modern: We can find the truth. Post-modern: There is no such thing as truth."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do banks get to charge 20% for credit cards and I only get 0.01% for a savings account? | [
"how exactly is that unfair? it is *their* services that *they* are providing for *their* price. they are allowed to do it because they are a business and are allowed to make profit and charge their customers for their services"
] | [
"They use your money. They lend your money to others, the others pay them interest, and they keep 100% of that profit minus the 50 bucks."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How was it decided that Leap Year was necessary? | [
"The earth circles the sun in 365 days and six hours. The extra time could be calculated by using star positions relative to the earth, or by tracking the earth's position over time. Because the extra six hours was (basically) annoying, it was stashed until enough six hour units were stored to add another day."
] | [
"You know that the calendar is just an arbitrary date, right? We could just as easily call this the 47th of Wiggle. In fact, we know very well that we *have* skipped days when the Gregorian calendar was adopted."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do firefighters discover the cause of the fire? | [
"Through having fought a lot of fires themselves, often. Dogs and sniffer machines that can detect an accelerant are frequently used. Fire char from where it began helps them locate the starting point. Also, police type interviews of witnesses and looking at the history of a building ( and it's owner) all are thing... | [
"Why do people get hurt in house fires? Can't they just walk out of the building?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is the perspective in Russian animation so different from Westernized animation? | [
"This style is paper cut out animation. The characters are cut out of paper and laid flat on sheets for each frame of animation. Generally, Disney or HB painted the characters on clear celluloid laid flat over a glass or card background. _URL_0_"
] | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do so many people lack the discipline to follow through with things like new years resolutions? | [
"Usually resolutions are very vague, or general. \"I'm going to lose 50 lbs this year!\" isn't as concrete as \"I'm going to walk a mile every day\". Those who make the latter resolutions probably stick with them more often."
] | [
"Ideas and goals are easier to achieve when you think about the work being in the future. That's why often people will do this exact thing before they go to bed, set high loft goals for the next day then wake up the next morning and realize the amount of work and effort that needs to go into realizing it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why is brown bread considered healthier than white bread? Is it healthier? | [
"White bread is heavily processed, and isn't very good for you. Brown bread varies, some are essentially dyed white bread but the kind with all the seeds in it are very good for you."
] | [
"Potato bread has more calories than white bread, but is also higher in protein which can help you feel fuller longer. Potato bread is higher is sugar, but also has more complex nutrients like niacin which can help you convert food into energy. Depending on the brand, both of them are pretty sugar rich and nutrient... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
I work in analytics, my cousin is getting a PhD in philosophy. I say the answer to this question is #2, and she says the answer is #5. Using logic, who is correct, and why? | [
"It can't be 2, because then 4's \"one of the above\" would be a valid answer, but 2 says that none of the below are correct answers. 5 works."
] | [
"That's a great question nobody actually has an accurate, or probably even inaccurate, answer for. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong and totally missed the news!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
why aren't anti vaccine parents held liable when they cause outbreaks of preventable desieses? | [
"One of the first obstacles to overcome would be proving that the outbreak wouldn't have happened at all had it not been for the negligence of these parents. Because the infection could have started with or spread through vaccinated kids, its impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Furthermore, holding peopl... | [
"Bubonic plague has not \"disappeared\"....it is still very much out in the wild, it just doesn't effect people as much anymore *because of modern medicine and vaccines*. That is the entire issue with the \"anti-vaccine\" crowd. They spread their misinformation and misunderstanding to people and think that just bec... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why do many men enjoy watching porn where the male actors have gigantic penises? (NSFW) | [
"Because I can relate to them. It helps if they are handsome and athletic too. Most porns are to my liking because of this."
] | [
"Most of the positions you see in porn allow for a clear view of penetration. But many of those positions are awful for women wanting to achieve orgasm. That's why female orgasms are relatively rare in porn. Good sex involves lots of kissing and skin to skin contact, not having the girl do squats on top of you unt... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How are photons their own antiparticle? (Without they annihilating other photons or self-annihilating) | [
"A photon is has no charge which is why you could consider a photon its own antiparticle. They can annihilate each other and create an electron-positron-pair, or even more massive particle pairs if energetic enough (remember that energy and momentum must be conserved). Usually photons just go past each other and d... | [
"Scientists don't predict antimatter to be present in any significant quantity in the Universe. This is actually a very important problem in physics. We expect that at the Big Bang, matter and antimatter should be created in equal parts, and therefore annihilate with each other leaving nothing. The problem is, ther... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Physics:"
} |
If we need UV-blocking sunglasses/sunblock to protect ourselves from the sun, why wouldn't leaving a clear bottle of water in the sun sterilize the water? | [
"It does. The SODIS method is a way to use clear 2-liter bottles and sunlight to make water safe(r) to drink, very useful in third world countries."
] | [
"Temperature control. Once you get outside the atmosphere, there is nothing to dampen the effects of sunlight/moonlight. No clouds, no atmospheric diffusion, no nothing. Now, I'm sure you've gotten into a dark colored car on a hot day. Ever seen what happens to, say, a cellphone or a bottle of soda that's been left... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why won't the US fight a War on Mental Illness a la drugs/poverty when such an effort is sorely needed? | [
"We did in the 70s and the program was gutted over time. Probably to make room in the budget for the war on drugs."
] | [
"Drug use/addicition has remained constant despite drug war funding skyrocketing _URL_0_ We've accomplished nothing with drug prohibition other than to create multi-billion dollar criminal organizations. I'd call that a failure."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why do companies 'throw away' good food as opposed to give it away for free? | [
"If people knew they could get food for free simply by waiting, not a lot of people would pay for food."
] | [
"Banks are a business like any other, and want to make money. Why give all your profits to consumers?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What is a Social Security Number? | [
"It's a unique ID number assigned to every person when they are born, it's the number by which the government keeps track of you as an individual since things like names are not very unique at all (John Smith, etc)."
] | [
"Only if the federal government let it. See: American Civil War"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What's the difference between dopamine and serotonin? Is there a difference? | [
"Short answer, yes, they are different but they have many similar functions. While both are neurotransmitters (or more specifically, neuromodulators), dopamine is more involved in movements and thinking, while serotonin is more involved in emotions."
] | [
"> People get Parkinson disease due to loss of Dopamine That's not true. There's a *correlation* between the two, but we don't know it's the cause. It might be that whatever causes Parkinson's *also* causes the damage to dopamine receptors. Also, depression is linked to serotonin and norepinephrine, not dopamine. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why are gems valuable? | [
"They're pretty, rare, and associated with wealth and status. Some gems have unique properties which have industrial uses, such as diamond's hardness, or ruby's staying-the-same-shapeness, but mostly it's just \"ooh, shiny\"."
] | [
"What do you want to know about them exactly?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
What is a second mortgage and how does it work? | [
"A second mortgage is basically a home equity loan. If you have a mortgage on your house, the home equity is the difference between the value of your house and what remains to be paid in the mortgage. For example, if you have a $100,000 house and you still owe $60,000 on it, the home equity is $40,000. That's the ... | [
"The bank sends you money every month, depending on the terms you work out and based on what your house is worth. Then, the bank owns the house when the last person on the contract moves out or dies. Then they can sell it and get their money back. Hope that helps. And this isn't universal, but it's my general under... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Is it feasible to put a severely damaged/cut limb into a bucket to reserve blood instead of using a tourniquet to cut off blood flow? | [
"No. Your heart never really pulls a suction on your circulatory system. Even the return path for low oxygen, high carbon dioxide blood is under a positive pressure relative to the atmosphere. Blood would go into the bucket from the arteries, but the veins wouldn't be sucking it back up."
] | [
"> If they have cut in to someone, wouldn't blood still be flowing to that part of the body? Yes, there is still blood flowing to that part of the body, but the blood flow is often stopped in some way by using a tourniquet or a arterial clamp or a tie. In the areas where this cannot be done, or hasn't been done yet... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What makes old people smell like old people? | [
"Their cells are busy dying. Also, they do not bathe as often as you or I might, since it has become a much more difficult and risky proposition, since getting in and out of a tub or shower might literally mean the difference between life or death. A fall at their age can be fatal. Laundry is also a chore, so their... | [
"> Why do we like the smell of our own farts... Whoah, buddy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about Psychology:"
} |
What do the values of the Dow, Nasdaq, and S & P actually mean? | [
"The Dow, Nasdaq, and S & P all represent an aggregate of publicly traded companies. If you were to take the total amount of shares a company has, and multiply it by their share price, that is the current value of that company. Therefore, if you take a bunch of companies and aggregate their stock price, you can d... | [
"The Dow is an index of 30 stocks. It used to be just NY Stock Exchange listed stocks, but they began including NASDAQ stocks, too, 10 or 15 years ago due to rising importance of tech companies. The NASDAQ is an index of companies listed on the NASDAQ exchange. Companies going public have the choice of which exchan... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why can states allow minimum wages that are below the federal minimum wage level? | [
"States with lower minimum wages like Arkansas $6.16, Georgia $5.15, Minnesota $5.15, and Wyoming $5.15 only apply to businesses that are not subject to the regulation of the FLSA. Generally, a business comes under the regulations of the FLSA if it has $500,000 or more in annual sales, or if the employees work in ... | [
"Minimum wage in the US is a little complicated. There's the federal minimum wage, which no state can go under, and then each state can set a higher minimum wage if they choose. So, while the minimum wage is only $7.25 per hour in Indiana, it's $9.47 in Washington State. Outside of the UK and Canada, I don't think ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Can you die from a broken heart? | [
"Unless you mean cardiomyopathy or heart attack, not technically. That being said, depression and anxiety, especially when severe, can cause a plethora of negative effects on your physical health, including contribution to heart disease and high blood pressure, which may result in a heart attack or stroke. So in a... | [
"Is your hand bigger than your face? You might have cancer"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about Health:"
} |
What are Ayn Rand's books/beliefs about and why do people seem to either love or despise her? | [
"Going to try to write this answer without being biased. The people that love her respect how outspoken she is about her capitalist beliefs, and how well she portrays it in her books. She is on the extreme end of Libertarianism, and there are better comments in other threads that explain what that is. The people t... | [
"I think it's because a lot of his films intentionally flub some of the information and interviews that he presents in order to play directly into what the far left already believes about the right and far-right. Moore has stated himself that his films are leftist propaganda, and as such it is customary to twist de... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why do humans take so long to mature from infants into adults unlike other animals? | [
"The human pregnancy is hugely flawed, we give birth after 9 months because that's the biggest the fetus can grow in order to be given birth to. Animals don't have this problem and so they give birth to young that can walk, feed themselves ect pretty much right from the moment they're born. So the human fetus is un... | [
"Human bodies were formed by evolution. Evolution is determined by natural selection. Natural selection means nature likes traits that help you survive to have babies. This means everything in the human body either keeps you alive long enough to reach sexual maturity, or helps you produce babies once you have reach... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about biology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment about biology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
how is boiling a live crab not considered animal cruelty? | [
"I could be wrong but I believe they die in a matter of seconds. Also nobody really cares either way (most people) because they are delicious and it never crosses anyone's minds."
] | [
"You think opening their veins is the humane way ? Why would it be more humane than putting them \"to sleep\" ? Plus it's waaaaay more messy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment about Law and Justice:"
} |
Financially speaking, how do some people just drop everything and go travel the world after college? | [
"I did this after college by taking a job overseas. Lots of people teach English abroad, for example. I was paid reasonably well, and they paid for my travel abroad. Once I was in another country, I traveled to countries nearby at my own expense. It was more affordable than doing it from the U.S."
] | [
"Think about it this way; what if I asked you to uproot your entire life, leave your work, leave your house, friends, family. Can you afford to do this? Can you get a new job elsewhere? It's a lot easier to stay for most people."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we usually only breath through one nostril at a time? | [
"Do we? I don't feel like I do. I feel like I utilize both nostrils when I breath. Am I wrong?"
] | [
"> Are they able to close off their airways while they eat or do they have a separate process ? They close off their airway while they eat, much like how humans close our airway when we swallow. Get a cup of water, hold your breath, and take a drink while holding your breath. This is something you can do perfectly ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Where did the terms 'ho' and 'pimp' come from? | [
"['Pimp'](_URL_0_) is a late 16th century word, possibly deriving from the french word 'pimpant' (meaning alluring in seductive dress). Around 1785 in London, the word was first seen in text in the [Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue](_URL_1_) and meant \"A male procurer, or cock bawd\". In the 1970's, media attention... | [
"In Britain an old nickname for a penis was \"whistle\". A common phrase was \"how about you blow my whistle\" as asking for a \"blow job\". Over the last two centuries \"Blow job\" stuck around while naming your dick \"whistle\" didn't."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do people get gold fronts/grills? | [
"there is a culture of flashiness and bravado in alot of poor urban areas. you could say that its a way of \"proving\" your identity as a gangsta, baller, what-have-you, because gansta and baller attitudes are what is accepted in these cultures. It displays wealth and status, like eperman said, and serves as an int... | [
"Why do you have so many lips and chins?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about Biology:"
} |
What is the difference between the US Senate and House of Representatives? | [
"A Congressman in the House represents the interests of individual districts where you live. A Senator in the Senate represents the interests of the state at large. The reason we have two chambers is because the Framers were concerned with balancing out the power between the states. If we only had the House, then t... | [
"The main reason is because of the religious background of the United States."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why do doctors/etc. squirt out the contents of a syringe before administering it in movies/television? | [
"Actually I do this daily. You need this when you are making a measured injection of some sort of medicine like insulin. Its not so much the air in the veins which could possibly be trouble, but instead to make sure the bubbles isnt messing up your measurement. I have a dog who needs exactly 4 ml of insulin a shot.... | [
"Your veins and arteries aren't \"completely full\". They are able to constrict and dilate, similar to your pupils. This is what causes high or low blood pressure. So yes, there is room in your blood vessels to inject things. Please don't inject things yourself. See a doctor or a nurse and get advice before playing... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Would a simultaneous double punch (both fists) deliver the same mechanical force as a single punch by the same person on average? | [
"I'm no physicist but I would think the single punch would have more power, depending on how it was executed. A lot of the power behind a punch comes with being able to rotate your core at the same time as rapidly extending your arm. A double punch would negate this as all you would have is the force behind rapidly... | [
"The force of the punch is related to the distance the boxer is able to accelerate his fist. Just imagine a powerful punch that starts with the punching fist far back and also the boxer taking a step forward as he punches. So moving closer to the opponent means it is harder to throw hard punches. If you end up hugg... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why were the "fappening" photos so effectively removed from the internet when other, more offensive and harmful, images remain? | [
"All the rich and famous peoples lawyers just threatened websites with expensive legal action, they arent gone, they just arent explicitly displayed anywhere."
] | [
"I don't know for certain but I would guess because it is a lot harder to identify what is and isn't construed as revenge porn. How would Google even know if it was real deal or just some legit porn being advertised as \"revenge porn\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why is it that I enjoy listening to a song I like on the radio more than I like on my phone/personal music player? | [
"There's an element of good luck to it, or serendipity. You feel like the universe is doing you a little favor. Also, if a song is on the radio, or a movie you like happens to be on TV, you know on some level that you're part of a larger audience. It becomes a sort of rudimentary version of a communal experience, w... | [
"So people can choose to repeat a single song, or repeat an entire album, library, playlist, whatever. Some people like to just listen to the same song over and over again, I guess."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Music:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Music:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it easier to wash dishes with hot water? | [
"The hot temperature combined with soap helps to dislodge grease which may have congealed onto silverware and plates. Grease becomes less viscous as it is heated and thus easier to wash off."
] | [
"For: wash off pesticides, dirt. Against: why the hell would there be anything against washing your fruit."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why does the return trip feel faster than the trip to the destination? | [
"Well son, I don't think that is always the case but.... Remember when we went for ice cream and you were so excited you couldn't wait to get there. It seemed like it was gonna take forever, right? Then on the way home you were just relaxing and not thinking so much about ice cream any more, then suddenly you're h... | [
"Tough to tell, but if your flight leaves right on time, you'll be somewhere over the western Czech Republic."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why does cabin pressure change during a flight, and not stay the same? | [
"To keep the air inside the cabin at sea level pressure would require planes to be much stronger (and heavier). Letting some of the air out reduces the strength needed to prevent leaks, and it's still enough air to keep the people alive inside."
] | [
"The higher the temperature, the less density the air has and the less lift the plane gets from it. In other words, the hotter it is, the longer the runway you will need. There are charts for every plane that says lot long the runway needs to be at different temperatures. The charts typically stop at around 120 deg... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
in economics, how does inflation work? | [
"The money supply represents all the available 'working value' in an economy. By increasing the money supply, you can't change the 'real' value of the work, but now that you have more tokens representing the same economy, each token is worth less. Let's look at an economy of 10 people, and a money supply of 1000. ... | [
"I found this article on [Forbes](_URL_0_) explaining the situation. So my question is then Why all the fuzz about trade deficit when its clearly not as straight forward as comparing Import vs Export?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does a rocking motion facilitate sleep? | [
"I imagine that it has something to do with the development of an unborn child in the mother's womb. In what way is it comfortable to sleep? - in darkness, in warmth and with rocking motions, three attributes of the inside of the uterus. You spent the first nine months of your life sleeping inside of there. It's on... | [
"Could it have something to do with sensing the presence of a liquid first before sensing its temperature?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Physics:"
} |
Why can't I build a custom cellphone when I can build a superior laptop or computer for cheaper than most name-brand equipment? | [
"You CAN actually. Good luck figuring out how to get the OS on there though."
] | [
"If you buy a high end PC, you pay roughly the same as a Mac. The difference is that Apple doesn't make low-end products."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does it take so much time for the death penalty to actually kill said person? | [
"Because it's a little... permanent. The proper steps have to be taken to ensure that the person you kill has actually done what he's been convicted for. It's already a barbaric practice, don't need to add even more innocent deaths to it."
] | [
"Kinda related question: What are the first records of a last meal being offered to those about to be executed?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Law and Justice:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Law and Justice:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do soccer players always seem to overreact to injuries? | [
"Everyone seems to be talking about flopping, so I'll address another point instead. When you are running at near full speed, and are exhausted from a long game of running around, even a very slight hit can be enough to throw you off balance. In many situations it's actually safer, physically, to just fall to the... | [
"The referee has to watch everything in real time and can't tell if a player is diving easily. Unless the referee is 100% certain, then he cannot take any action. Even when you watch a reply for a player falling over, its very hard to tell if the player in question deliberately threw themselves to the ground, espec... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why does Iowa always choose the presidential candidate? Why don't we switch states up for every caucus? | [
"Iowa doesn't choose the presidential candidate. In fact it's only about 50/50 even at predicting the outcome of the primaries. It is however the time that we see actual vote results for the season rather than polling data. This generally leads to a big shift in campaigns. Donors can flood in or dry up depending on... | [
"Unlike parliamentary elections, the dates for US elections are known in perpetuity. After this election, the next one will be in November 2020. So there is nothing stopping people from campaigning for that election now. Here's something you have to remember: the 2016 election doesn't officially start until the Io... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why is there a separate security code on credit cards? If the three extra digits make it that much more secure, why not just make the number three digits longer? | [
"In the olden days, credit cards were often not scanned with the mag strip, because the equipment was still too expensive for smaller retailers. What they did instead was use a carbon paper and a roller machine to take an imprint of the front of the credit card with the numbers. This was commonly part of the receip... | [
"The store would take your credit card number, you would sign the receipt saying you authorized the use of your card for X amount. Either daily or weekly they would take that receipt you signed to the bank, the bank would give them their money and charge you for it. Security was interesting back then, everything f... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
The concept of spin as it pertains to particle physics. | [
"Think about the *state* something is in. For example, a car can be traveling at 10 meter/second. It is in this *state* of traveling at such velocity. Now, some states (like the velocity example above) are continuous in nature, i.e. the car might as well be traveling at 9.98, 9.99, 10.01 meter/second and so on. On ... | [
"A mathematical description of the spaces where string theory is valid."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the argument about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why can paper only be folded 7 times, no matter the size of paper? | [
"Contrary to popular belief, this isn't true. The thing is, though, that the number of sheets on top of each other and therefore the total thickness that has to be folded increases exponentially (see u\\random_username456's answer). This means that you need a really, really big sheet of paper to begin with if you w... | [
"You are actually contracting one side of the object and expanding the other. The edge inside the fold is squished, making it smaller, and the edge on the outside is stretched, making it longer. To see this in action, take a paperback book and make an arch with it. You'll notice that the pages inside the fold seem ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Old school graphics explanation. I need clarification please. | [
"You have a grid of 320*200 pixels. That's 64000 pixels. Each pixel is either on or off, so you need 1 bit per pixel, for a total of 8000 bytes You also divide the screen into 8*8 color cells. Each color cell has 64 pixels, so there are a total of 1000 color cells. Each color cell has a foreground and background co... | [
"Please explain this post like I am 5 years old."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do some trucks have a sign on the back that says "Work vehicle. Do not follow." What is the point? | [
"Construction areas can be confusing, especially at night. People have a habit of following dump trucks off the pavement into the work area because the truck is well lit, visible, and moves like he knows where he needs to be. Source: I drive gravel trucks for a road crew in the summers"
] | [
"Because red zones are for \"emergency vehicles\" and police cars are considered to be emergency vehicles. Also, who's gonna give them a ticket? The police?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do peoples faces turn red when nervous or embarrassed? | [
"Generally when you're nervous or embarrassed, you probably feel like you're in a high-pressure situation. The body responds by releasing adrenaline and increasing blood flow which causes your face to redden and your heart to pound."
] | [
"The butterflies sensation is caused by a lack of blood flow to your stomach. It is a result of adrenaline being released because you are nervous. Different people have different nervous reactions. I dont get butterflies, but my legs get shaky. Some people get sweaty palms. Everyone is a bit different in their resp... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does one's hair become white as one ages and why does it happen to individual hairs at different stages? | [
"As we get older, our follicles stop producing pigment. It occurs in different people at different times, in different locations, for different reasons. The primary factor is aging, and the scientific consensus is that all humans will only grow grey or white hairs if they live long enough. Actually, the absence of ... | [
"The hairs don't stop growing at all; the hairs in places other than your head fall out more often than the hairs on your head, so they have more time to \"live\" and grow for longer. There are disorders where hair on other parts of the body grow too fast and make people have a sort of \"fur\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is the point of a "D" grade in colleges? | [
"Some majors will accept D grades for non-essential classes, like if you're studying journalism and you get a D in organic chemistry. You need no functional knowledge of organic chemistry to do your job as a journalist, so the major may be forgiving if you do poorly in that particular class."
] | [
"How would you define \"winning\" a presidential debate?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
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