query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Why cars don't have built in breathalyzers to prevent drunk driving. | [
"Because it'd be weirdly invasive to try and force people to buy cars with what amounts to a monitoring system and it wouldn't be effective; you can't police everybody full time and make sure nobody tampers with it to deactivate it or give false readings."
] | [
"In short, Mothers Against Drunk Driving lobbied to bump it up in an attempt to reduce drunk driving accidents."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why is there such thing as activation fees? Where does it originate from? | [
"Originally, it was because there was a cost to set up a product or service. It wasn't all instant or quick and easy to do like it is now - getting a phone set up or programmed took time and certain knowledge, or involved a lot more physical work to properly install and program a SIM card or the like. For other thi... | [
"The answer to your question differs very greatly depending on where you live."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
When I lick my skin and smell it, why does it smell sort of like bleu cheese? | [
"Bacteria on your tongue. Go brush your teeth."
] | [
"I have some synesthesia related to having an Autism Spectrum Disorder. So some senses looks like colors to me anyway. These might not relate or make sense. Red is the feeling of sharp metal against your skin, the smell of rust, the sharp feeling that you get when you chew tin foil. It tastes like iron and sweat. Y... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why does a federal court mediate this Tom Brady deflategate case if its a disagreement of league rules and bylaws. | [
"Because the players union is suing the league. Courts are the ones who get involved when lawsuits are filed."
] | [
"He has been accused of multiple instances of violence towards women. None of them led to a trial, because in most cases the police and DAs decided there was insufficient evidence to file charges. The NFL conducted its own investigation and concluded there was \"substantial and pervasive\" evidence he had violated ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Is it legal to domesticate any critter as household pets? | [
"It depends on, among other things, where you live. Even within the same country, rules can differ from region to region. For example, in New Mexico, it's legal to keep a domesticated skunk if you have a certain permit and follow certain rules. However, if you go to Minnesota, they are not legal as pets no matter w... | [
"In some countries, you can! But there are several reasons for why it would be illegal. 1. An exotic pet that posses little immediate risk to human life can still get loose and cause damage to crops/wildlife. 2. The animal is a protected species. 3. It has been ruled that such an animal would not thrive as a pet. 4... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How can a "lazy" dog finish 7th in a 1/2 marathon, competing against humans? Aren't bipedals much better at traversing longer distances? | [
"If I'm not mistaken dogs can be pretty good at covering long distances so long as it's not too hot. Humans main advantage to their stamina is being able to keep cool by sweating. That may not be the only reason but it may help you understand the logic behind the dog competing in a marathon during the winter"
] | [
"Yes it takes more energy to run with 4 limbs vs 2. This is one reason that humans are such good endurance sprinters. Being able to run 15+ miles non stop is fairly uncommon in the animal kingdom, where as humans in good shape can do that fairly consistently."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving? | [
"It was never about celebrating being fed by the Native Americans. It was and is a celebration of thanks for the year's harvest and bounty. Yes, today it is largely about family and friends getting together. As the only major secular holiday it's my favorite one. I would imagine a Canadian would answer much the sam... | [
"Many people decorate for Thanksgiving (fall wreaths on doors, fall/turkey/pilgrim decorations put out). They also decorate for Easter, 4th of July, memorial day, veterans day, St. Valentine's day, St. Patrick's day, and due to the fact that many towns have festivals on Labor day you can say that they decorate for ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What happens to wax in a candle after it burns away? | [
"When you burn wax it (mostly) turns into carbon dioxide and water. Most of the mass is carbon that ends up in carbon dioxide. Neither water vapor nor carbon dioxide will bother you much if you breathe them in."
] | [
"They are coated with a petroleum or tar substance which is what burns. Here is a fun experiment: get a metal tray and some cotton balls. Try burning a cotton ball. Now dip one is rubbing alcohol and light it. Burns hot and fast, eh? Now smear some Vaseline on one and light it. Now it burns a long time. Kind of soo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Science:"
} |
If LASIK eye surgery is proven to correct eyesight, why hasn't it caught on and put the glasses/contact industry out of business? | [
"1. it is far more expensive than glasses 2. children are rarely good candidates and lots of them need glasses 3. they slice your eye open with a scalpel. 4. then they shoot lasers into your eyes. 5. some people like wearing glasses (even if they dont really need them) 6. it cannot correct all vison problems ... | [
"Wearing glasses with the wrong prescription or wearing glasses when you don't need them does NOT in any way damage your eyes or make your eyesight worse. At most you'll get a headache. This is just one of many medical myths that won't go away."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
why it only takes a minute to recharge a car battery when you need a jump start but phone batteries and lap top batteries take hours. | [
"you only need enough charge to turn the motor over for a jump. then the alternator kicks in and charges the battery the rest of the way while the motor is running. edit: i knew it draws charge from the other vehicle, but doesn't it also charge your battery a small amount also. i usually let it sit connected up for... | [
"It's an old method when most devices used nickel batteries that had a memory charge. Thus, if you didn't fully charge it the first time each the afterwards you would get less and less charge. That means instead of many hours of use each charge you get a few because you didn't charge it to it's full capacity the fi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why when hyper-ventilating does it help to breath in a bag? | [
"When you're hyperventilating you're essentially blowing off too much CO2, leading to respiratory alkalosis, which means your blood's pH is too high (acting too much like a base), which in turn has all sorts of negative effects since you need a very specific pH range for a lot of very important proteins and enzymes... | [
"There is a muscle in your body called the diaphragm, which moves your lungs to make you breathe. Sometimes, your diaphragm will spazz out involuntarily when your breathing pattern becomes irregular, usually causing a quick breath of air and the noise you usually hear. Drinking water, holding your breath, and getti... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about Science:"
} |
What causes photos of screens to look so bad? | [
"It's called the moire effect. Cameras have pixels, and those pixels are arranged in symmetric rectangular grids. Displays have pixels, also arranged in symmetric grids. When those grids perfectly align, the image is fine. However, if the grid is off a little then camera pixel A sees display pixel A and a little bi... | [
"You are use to seeing yourself mirrored, when you see yourself in a picture it looks off, uncanny. Alternatively, your camera could have some kind of weird filter applied."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it harder to control your bladder than your bowels? | [
"Urine is produced constantly and in greater amounts than faeces. Plus it's a liquid, and the muscles that are supposed to control it get weaker, like any muscle as you age. The shape of the colon means that there's more room for poop to build up, so it's less urgent than your bladder, if it's full, its coming out.... | [
"- Your body learns to control its bladder - Your body learns to respond to signals of the bladder At first you wear diapers, so your body doesn't have to learn, but once you take those off, your body will slowly learn to control the bladder muscles as well as signal your brain that it's time to wake up and go pee"... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why is Ford's stock (~$30) significantly cheaper than Nissan's stock (~$1,100)? | [
"Prices of individual shares are not as relevant as the overall market cap of the company. Share prices can be driven downward by having stock splits, which most companies do when the per share price becomes high."
] | [
"> Why is the British Pound worth much more than the USD, when it seems like the equivalent goods cost the same face value amount? They don't. Box of cornflakes at Walmart: $3.28. Box of Cornflakes at ASDA, UK subsidiary of Walmart: £2.65. £2.65 = $4.52"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What do people mean when they say a console has a different architecture than another console? | [
"If you're doing computer science, you probably have some awareness that certain computer components go together, while others don't. For example, Intel processors have to go in a motherboard with a compatible socket and chipset, as do AMD processors. These different 'architectures' also deal execute different inst... | [
"PC ports have to run appropriately on many, many different types of hardware unlike when a game is developed for a console."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about videogame development:"
} |
why are movies still released in theaters? | [
"Because going to the theater is an experience. You go with a group of people, you are watching a screen much larger than you could ever own with a sound system far superior to what you could ever own. Yes you can watch the movie online in your home, or buy it on Blueray or via your cable but you cannot replicate t... | [
"What about when trailers say this is the number one movie in America before it even comes out?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why do kids that come from poor back grounds have kids earlier in life on average? | [
"Ain't nobody got time for kids when starting a career. Poor people tend to have jobs instead of careers. That and we like to fuck a lot."
] | [
"Just a personal opinion but i think it's mostly true. Children learn from their parents' actions and inactions. A child with a parent who eats junk food all the time is more likely to eat junk food all the time. A child with a parent who is absent (especially due to running away instead of death etc) is more likel... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Sociology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Sociology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
what are those lines and bumps on hard palate(roof of the mouth)? | [
"Googled your (almost) exact title, first result is a wiki article: > On the anterior portion of the roof of the hard palate are the rugae, irregular ridges in the mucous membrane that help facilitate the movement of food backwards towards the pharynx."
] | [
"It's made by salivary glands, inside your head. As it's made, it flows through special ducts, into your mouth. EDIT: you have several saliva glands, all around the mouth and jaw. A big one behind your whole jaw and teeth area, one all the way under the mandible, and one sort of tucked into the interior/underside o... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why Dick Cheney is a "war criminal", and worse than other Bush-admin politicians who also pushed for war. | [
"People consider Dick Cheney a war criminal, because there was no evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This was the whole basis for entering and bombing Iraq. Also, Dick Cheney was the Chair and CEO of [Halliburton](_URL_0_) which is the largest US military defense contractor. No conflict of interest th... | [
"He started a completely unnecessary war by invading Iraq. (The American public is complicit in it, in that they allowed it to happen, but it was W's idea.) Morally speaking, this was worse than anything ISIS or al Qaeda has done to us."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do our eyes get crusty in the morning? | [
"Tear ducts produce tears regularly to clean and lubricate the eyes. Overnight, this often builds up and dries leaving you with crusty eyes."
] | [
"Because when you rub your eyes, presumably with your hands or fingers, you're putting dirt, oil, and germs into your eyes making them more irritated. Next time use something clean like a napkin or tissue."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the post about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the post about Health and Physiology:"
} |
How is it that the President can have the authority to authorize a nuclear attack but not a travel ban? | [
"He actually does have the authority to implement a travel ban under section 212(B) subsection F of the immigration and nationality act. _URL_0_ \"Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he... | [
"If there were such a requirement, it would effectively mean that the military or the government can restrict who can be elected president. That doesn't sound like a good idea."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why are Android application updates as big as the size of the app, while on Windows/steam they are very small? | [
"Android apps are packaged and treated as a single unit whereas on steam it is installed as a series of files. So on one hand you replace the whole unit (so technically you do reinstall the whole app), on the other you can replace individual files."
] | [
"The exe you download is usually not the game itself, but is an installer. It sets up a bunch of stuff including a program that updates itself. Almost never is a game a single file, even on Android or iOS devices. On the iOS side for instance you have a single file for the app called an .ipa file. It is actually a ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does cling film sometimes stick to the plate, bowl etc. and other times don't? | [
"Static electricity. That's the cling in cling wrap. Remove all the electrons from it and it looses that magic. Learned this from Mr. Wizard. The OG science guy."
] | [
"The aluminium foil helps the pan to not get burnt food stuck on it. It doesn't really make a difference to the way the food cooks. Aluminium isn't as good a conductor of heat as copper, but it's better than steel. Unless there's a lot of air pockets, it won't make much of a difference. Lasagna has lots of things t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why is the major axis of paper/text documents vertical, while the major axis of human vision is horizontal? | [
"Because written lines that are too long make text hard to read. The longer the line, the easier it is for you to lose track of where you are when you have to wrap back to the other side to continue a sentence. You'll tend to accidentally start re-reading the same line, or skip over the next line, more frequently t... | [
"We expect pictures to be rectangles, as that ha been the most common shape of images for centuries. Mona Lisa and other famous paintings mostly are rectangles. Also the bases we have used for text (papyrus scrolls, books, sheet paper, computer displays) are rectangular, as it is more handy to have rectangular shee... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Where do you find the number for pay phones? Like in movies a boss would call the exact phone you’re walking by on the street. | [
"At one point in time, pay phones had a little strip above the keypad which had its phone number. That’s just my memory of them from childhood. I don’t know that I’ve touched one as an adult. As for someone just magically knowing the number of the phone you’re walking by; probably the same way they know where you a... | [
"As I recall, communications companies also have celebrity type accounts, where the number is hidden to those without clearance, so it's not like bob the customer service adviser can simply look up \"Angelina Jolie\", find her number and then ring her to let her know where he'd like her lips, etc."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
What exactly do vitamins do? | [
"Vitamins are chemicals and your body runs in a multitude of chemical processes. Aside from the proteins and fats you get from food, vitamins are the chemicals that are necessary (though in much smaller amounts) for other chemical processes to occur. Being different chemicals, the different vitamins do different th... | [
"Sunlight is needed to start a process in your body which makes vitamin D. So vitamin D actually isn't a vitamin."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
what are all the clowns? | [
"Random strangers who are trying to amuse themselves and get attention by creeping out other random strangers. It happens every few years. One guy does it, it gets such a reaction and press coverage that other people just hop on the bandwagon. All they want is for people to talk about them and give them attention (... | [
"Related: what happened to the similar but different term Lakonia?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why can't I use my smart phone to call or text solely on a WiFi signal? | [
"Some companies do offer that service, it's just not very common. (Republic Wireless does calls/text over wifi, though I have never used them.)"
] | [
"Because they can't control who connects to your wireless router."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
What is arbitrage and how do arbitrageurs make money? | [
"an arbitrage opportunity is one in which an investor can make a risk-less profit by exploiting price differences in different markets for identical goods. widgets go for $1 in abcville and for $2 in xyzville. you go and buy 100 widgets in abcville for $100 and *immediately* go and sell in xyzville for $200 and sec... | [
"Yes, you can do this. It's called Forex (foreign exchange) trading. But currency exchange rates tend to be volatile enough that it's very difficult for an individual to make any money from it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why are the connections for the vent in a clothes dryer so frustrating and seemingly inefficient? | [
"You are tackling this as a novice. The experienced people have done it scores of times and it is much easier for them. But I agree with you. Purchasers of appliances should know before had just how difficult installation is. But we do not see that information presented to us. A lot of electronic equipment has beco... | [
"Different types are good for different things. Some are very easy for a person to do by hand, some are very easy for a machine to do. Some are meant to be screwed in or out repeatedly, some are meant to be screwed in and then not move again. Some are intentionally rare to be a minor level of protection against peo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why (on imdb) does it have some cast members roles as their role, then as their name in brackets? | [
"> Chloë Grace Moretz ... Cammie (as Chloe Grace Moretz) First entry = her name as listed on IMDB. Second entry = her role Third entry = how she was credited in the movie. Notice how the first entry and third entry are different - the first has ë, not e. Sometimes the change is more drastic, depending on how that... | [
"However their part is listed in the film credits, usually. So if they are actually part of a group that got numbered, say Thug #1, #2, #3, they'll list themselves as such. Larger groups of extras such as in fight scenes might just be bunched up under a single heading like \"Orc Extras\" and so the actor would list... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is there such a strong assumption online that Sweden has been culturally destroyed by immigration? | [
"The country is accepting more refugees *per capita* than others, so it really is changing the nature of the population more rapidly than the newcomers can be assimilated. And their culture is very different indeed. Some Swedes do think it's going to wreck their country."
] | [
"Has it? Or is it just that reports of it have been more prevalent. Has the spread of Islamic extremism contributed? Israels foreign policy?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why is gun control such a controversial topic in the USA when the rest of the world sees it as a no-brainer? | [
"I think part of it is a fear that if the govt takes away one right, even if having that right causes extra deaths and danger, what's to start them from taking others like free speech or free religion. Taking the right to bear arms is viewed as the beginning to a slippery slope"
] | [
"I don't understand the argument that people have which is usually along the lines of 'people are breaking the law by murdering people so how will more laws help'. The evidence is plain to see in all of the countries were guns are banned. Fewer guns mean less chance for gun violence. The problem is is that gun cul... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why does a song sound different when you hear it on the radio compared to listening it on e.g. a CD on the same speakers? | [
"It's mostly dynamic range (how loud or soft something can get). We measure changes in volume in dB. Our ears have a dynamic range of about 120-130 dB, so we can hear the difference between loud and soft pretty well. Commercial CDs have a dynamic range of 96dB, which is close enough to the human hearing to be comfo... | [
"I have not experienced this. Maybe it is something subjective to yourself? I listen to music on the same HiFi system that I use for movies. Both sound equally great. Can you provide a specific example of a song in a movie? I'll stream the movie then play it via Spotify or Tidal and listen closely."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text about Science:"
} |
Why isn't an asteroid wobbly like jello? | [
"I just saw a talk by Neil Degrasse Tyson on this issue. Asteroids are non-Newtonian solids. The may very well behave like jello. They might be a hard, solid rock, but they may also be a collection of small rocks that are held together by its own weak gravity. We simply don't know with any given asteroid."
] | [
"All planets in our solar system orbit in the same direction (counter clockwise if you look at it from the earth's northpole). This is becuase the planets (and sun) formed from one big disk of dust and debris that was spinning counter clockwise. Once the matter in the cloud clumped up to form planets and moons, the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Physics:"
} |
why is it it so hard to create a weapons system that can intercept an inter continental ballistic nuclear missile? | [
"They're traveling so fast you'd have one shot at it. It's more of an accuracy issue than being able to do it."
] | [
"the military would know in seconds of a hostile missile launch because there's satellites pointed at the areas of the world. whether or not they'll tell YOU as a civilian is a different matter. flight time for an intermediate range nuclear missile from a offcoast submarine launch would be under 30 minutes. so ca... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What safety measures are on gas tanks to prevent them exploding when a car is on fire? | [
"Usually seal them so oxygen cannot get to the gas and contribute. On a science note, gasoline vapor is explosive and flammable, not so much liquid gasoline. So as long as the gas is condensed into a liquid and kept contained, it's quite safe. Which is also why you should never take the nozzle out of the tank if t... | [
"For one, it's not regular gasoline. Jet fuel is extra potent. And another, once the plane crashed, it wasn't just banged up-- it was obliterated. All the fuel was open to the air. So any that got close enough to the running engines' heat ignited, starting the chain reaction leading to a huge fireball. There have b... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
If we are not designed to eat meat, why did so many ancient people eat meat? | [
"We are physiologically designed to eat meat, but not exclusively meat, as part of a balanced diet. I'd be more worried about an appeal to nature being used as a legitimate argument in a philosophy class."
] | [
"It’s very possible. And despite what others are saying: There is no need for nutritional carbohydrates. The body can make as much glucose as it needs from other energy sources. There is no need to eat the whole animal. The fact that peoples which have a traditional diet of all meat tend to eat the whole animal jus... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why are most people left or right handed? What stops us from all being ambidextrous? | [
"All of these responses are terrible. They are all guesses, none of them explain why a toddler shows a preference, or why ambisinister is also a thing. However, this question has been asked several times before (although the ELI5 entries are similarly useless): _URL_0_ _URL_1_ _URL_2_ _URL_3_"
] | [
"You are not, in fact, a left hander. There are 5(!) different types of handedness. In order of how common they are, you have Right Handed, Left Handed, Cross Dominant, Ambidexterous, and Ambilevous. You are the same type I am, the third, Cross-Dominant. Like you I used to think I was left hand, but I am not and... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage about science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about science:"
} |
Why is everything that touches raw meat contaminated, but the cooking utensil I'm using is okay to use from start to finish? | [
"I always assume that cooking utensils AREN'T safe to use from start to finish. About 2/3rds of the way through cooking, I usually switch to a new (clean) spatula. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I've done that for probably 20 years. Not sure it's really necessary, but as long as I'm going to running the dishwasher be... | [
"Are you asking about spinach in particular or vegetables in general? Spinach and other greens are noticeably worse for E. Coli because they're harder to wash bacteria off of than say, a carrot, and they're less likely to be cooked before eating than other vegetables, such as broccoli. Cross contamination is reall... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why do some online magazines/articles not have the date? Why do some of them hide it? | [
"I feel that the suggestion you provided is already a good answer but I will just say that not including a date also allows them to repost it to the top of their feeds without looking like they are reposting."
] | [
"What you are talking about bugs me to no end. Most of the time those news articles fail to capture all the nuances. They are published on scientific journals like Nature. Use Google Scholar to search for information instead of just Google to find what you are looking for."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
how does drinking diet coke make me fat if it has zero calories and is a liquid like water? | [
"As /u/kuckbaby correctly notes, Diet Coke **will not** make you fat on its own. You saw yourself that it's got zero calories (or, rather, something like 0.1 of a calorie). The concept, though, is that it *influences* your other food choices, so you're more likely to get sugary/oily things, and **those** products w... | [
"First off, there aren't really any foods that are zero calories. We drink things that have zero calories because we like to taste good things but not get fat. As for filling you up, water has zero calories, but after a half gallon, you don't feel like eating, do you?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why do dogs lick humans? | [
"I'm fairly certain they are interested in the salt buildup on your skin. If you get them a salt rock they'll lick once or twice instead of constantly."
] | [
"You ever seen a cat? They lick it clean. Is that what you want?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why when we photograph the sky from earth do we see millions of stars that are lightyears away but every picture I have seen taken by astronauts in space the sky is black and starless? | [
"It's purely incidental. You can find plenty of photos taken by astronauts where the stars are quite visible. You just don't see very many, because most photos are taken while a well-lit object is in the foreground of the shot, like the Earth, a spacewalking astronaut, or a piece of the ISS. Under these conditions,... | [
"Most of those pictures are real. The ones that aren't real are pictures of the milky way shown from an outside perspective. Those are educated guesses of what our galaxy looks like based on the stars we can see from earth and observations of other galaxies."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about science:",
"pos": "Represent the document about science:",
"neg": "Represent the document about astronomy:"
} |
Why do some communities Trick-or-Treat on the day before Halloween? | [
"For safety mostly. If you get a lot of people to Trick-or-Treat the day before you end splitting the number of people up over two days instead of everyone trying to do it all at once. Also, it allows parent's to take really young kids out without having to worry about asshole teenagers because most of them will be... | [
"Many people decorate for Thanksgiving (fall wreaths on doors, fall/turkey/pilgrim decorations put out). They also decorate for Easter, 4th of July, memorial day, veterans day, St. Valentine's day, St. Patrick's day, and due to the fact that many towns have festivals on Labor day you can say that they decorate for ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What's the difference in lifestyle between someone who is 'monetarily rich' and someone who is 'asset rich'? | [
"If I inherit a huge house, I may be really rich in assets, but I'd still have no money to spend cos this is an illequid asset, meaning that it would take me a while to find a buyer and get a good price. If I inherit a bunch of stocks or gold etc, I can sell them slowly (or quickly, depending on the market price an... | [
"The Middle Class is a socioeconomic class between the wealthy and the working poor. There's no exact boundary because your standard of living can vary, but it's the group of people who are making enough money that they don't have to live paycheck-to-paycheck just to keep up with their bills, but not so much that t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
What are the main differences between existentialism and nihilism? | [
"Existentialism: Life doesn't have a preexisting meaning, so you are free to create your own. Nihilism: Life is meaningless."
] | [
"Analytic philosophy focuses on science and logic, considering things like the philosophy of maths. Continental philosophy focuses on social and psychological philosophy, such as the meaning of life, existentialism, Marxism, etc. The former is most dominant in English-speaking countries, whereas the latter is more ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can't I use one credit card to pay off another? | [
"You can. Credit card companies assess a fee for paying off other credit cards. If the fee is less than your total savings from going from a higher-interest card to a lower-interest card, it might make sense to do this. You cannot use one credit card to make the payment on another credit card, though. That's called... | [
"The zip code typically has to match the one associated with your credit card, which has to be associated with your actual address if you want to be able to get the card."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Working class opposition to unions. | [
"In many cases it simply comes down to fear. For example, my father's place of employment tried to unionize. Management started rumors that they wouldn't be able to afford it if a union came in and would have to shut the sawmill down."
] | [
"The tradition is in farming/agriculture. Child labor :)"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence about Education:"
} |
X-rays and Gamma Rays can pass undisturbed or almost, a lot of substances. Regular lenses can bend visible light. what kind of lens, if any, can bend X-rays or gamma rays? Or how do you focus those rays? | [
"Astronomers use a conical (incidental) lens to focus high energy light such as x-ray and gama-ray sources. The \"lenses\" are mirrors shaped into elongated funnels than rather than common glass lenses. The light reflects off the surface of the funnel shaped mirror at an obtuse angle and into the sensor."
] | [
"Photons pass through glass because they are not absorbed. And they are not absorbed because there is nothing which \"absorbs\" light in visual frequencies in glass. You may have heard that ultraviolet photons are absorbed by glass, so glass is not transparent for them. Exactly the same happens with X-rays for whic... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Physics:"
} |
If fast and slow metabolisms don't really exist, how can some people eat all day and not get fat? | [
"Fast and slow metabolisms do really exist. Everyone is on a spectrum that changes as you age, get ill, etc so there is not just fast and slow but there are difference in peoples metabolisms."
] | [
"Because those foods contain vital fats and sugars that humans need to survive. They only become bad for you when you eat too much of them and aren't burning enough calories to offset them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How does scaling to 1440p work?(upscaling/downscaling from 1080p/4K) | [
"If downscaling, you take every 4th pixel to get from 4k to 1080p. If upscaling you make up pixels to go between the existing pixels. This is done typically by averaging the nearby pixels. Obviously 1440 isn't a perfect fraction of 4k, so the math is a little more complicated, but the process is the same."
] | [
"If it is truly only a 720p TV, they it isn't displaying anything at 1080p. It's most likely downscaling the 1080p signal to 720p"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why do we (humans) need our food clean and cooked while animals can just eat their food raw and not get sick? | [
"You can eat raw food, but it has to be right after the kill, otherwise bacteria begins to spoil it quickly."
] | [
"We probably can. When animals hunt and kill other animals and eat their raw meat, it is extremely fresh. This is safer than the 'raw meat' we see at butchers or supermarkets which have had a chance for more bacteria or microbes to enter the meat. Also, other animals' immune systems are suited to eat the meat raw, ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why cant we feel our organs rubbing against each other? | [
"You sure as shit can when you have a kidney infection, such an eerie fucking feeling. Like bouncing water balloons with nerves attached that send shooting pain when you move...never again do I want to feel my organs."
] | [
"I think it's because there isn't as much blood in ur hands because the warmth is needed in more important organs, so there is less protection around nerves?? I'd like to know if I'm wrong though"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about Science:"
} |
Why is contact lens solution so friggin' expensive? | [
"It's a sterile product that people are putting in their eyes. Lots of liability if someone gets an infection."
] | [
"Does the US version have high fructose corn syrup in it? Seriously, Americans but that shit in EVERYTHING. It's naaasty."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Food and beverage:"
} |
Why are Lollipops called Lollipops? | [
"In some old dialects, \"pop\" means \"to slap\". And \"lolly\" means \"tongue\". So, essentially, \"slap the sweet on your tongue\". It's not entirely certain if this is the real origin or not, but it seems highly probable, given that a sweet on a stick lets you do exactly that."
] | [
"Wait, we clap now. What happened to throwing feces?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why do gymnasts peak in their teens? | [
"Female gymnasts do, not males. It's because when girls go through puberty, they tend to get taller, grow breasts, get bigger hips, and gain fat (not necessarily *get* fat, just gain more fat). And all of this happens without really adding much muscle strength. So you might find a 17 year old girl with a boyish phy... | [
"I'm no expert, but look how much athletes have improved in the past 40-50 years alone."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
the reason why internet is so expensive for North America | [
"Crony capitalism allows internet providers to jack up prices."
] | [
"Because the internet was designed to survive s bucket holocaust and something as juvenile as shutting down a site is useless. Also, laws vary. The United States isn't the only country that hosts websites"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Mao's infamously catastrophic "Great Leap Forward" | [
"Living in China now, and though I knew about both of these events, reading about them again and thinking about the Chinese friends I have now, it makes me very sad. Mao is still on the currency and I just find it to be a huge contradiction. Chinese people love him, but his incompetence is legendary and very sad. e... | [
"The majority of deaths during Mao Zedong's reign happened due to famine, caused by a failed economic campaign (the [Great Leap Forward](_URL_0_)). The deaths caused by Hitler were a deliberate, systematic attempt at exterminating entire populations."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How planes such as the BF109 could shoot through the propeller | [
"The guns firing mechanism is linked to the engine. It only fires at a time when the prop isn't in front of the barrel of the gun."
] | [
"While the AA fire appears to \"miss\" the planes, those flakk guns are really sending large shells into the air, which then proceed to fill it with shrapnel. With as delicate as even a \"armored\" plane is, they really didn't respond well to have many many small bits of metal making a mess of their engines, contro... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why our federal court system handles NFL punishments? | [
"* NFL players have contracts, covering, among other things, discipline * Brady has a dispute over his contract, whether it's valid, and whether it was followed * Handling contract disputes is one of the main things courts do * High-value lawsuits between citizens of different states go to federal court"
] | [
"The NFL isn't a court of law, so ordinary rules don't apply. The suspension is about public relations and the league's public image, and Ray Rice will probably be back on the field once the furor dies down."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did infantry equipped with muskets deal with the loud sound of a musket during a battle. | [
"Same way we did in Afghanistan: They sustained hearing damage. In the heat of combat you don't really realize how bad it hurts your ears. We never wore ear protection in country because it was uncomfortable and made you less situationally-aware."
] | [
"Colonial era guns were wildly innacurate and took too long to load. The only effective military technique was to form three lines of men, with one line firing, one reloading and one taking aim in the general direction of the enemy. One change to the status quo was the introduction of the rifled barrel. Now instead... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about history:"
} |
Why do your fingers "prune up" when in the water for a while? | [
"Actually, I read about this. People with damaged nervous systems don't prune up so it's not just a physical reaction to absorbing water. It's supposed to make it easier for your hands to grip things while wet."
] | [
"Because you weren't moving and gripping things (at least not much) while you were asleep. So your muscles are colder and more stiff because of the lack of movement. However once you do start moving, and your muscles warm up, you'll be able to do things normally. This is the same reason as to why your legs or arms ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does time seem to go by faster when you are drunk? | [
"Time flies by when you're having fun. And don't forget: Having fun isn't hard when you have a library card."
] | [
"Because when you're a kid, a year is a larger portion of your lifespan than when you're, say, 50."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Rock climbers, how do camming devices work? | [
"they redirect force to increase friction due to their shape. you compress one and shove it in a crack - when you try to pull it out, the pulling force cause the cams to press outward against the sides of the crack. The more weight you put on it, the harder it tries to stay put."
] | [
"I think how it works is that as you climb up, you attach anchors in the rock at the point that you're at, but you need to climb above the anchors that you've put in in order to place more, meaning that if you do fall, you're starting above your last anchor, and when you hit the end of the rope it's probably going ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why are there no top caucasian sprinters in running but many in swimming? | [
"Caucasians tend to be wealthier which means that they have more access to pools, lakes, and the like which means they are more capable of training for swimming competitions. To be a top athlete you have to train from a very young age and if you do not have access to the training environment, which most inner city... | [
"Tanika and Tianna Jamison kicked some ass but they had acccess to a pool, a \"rich sport\". Basketball, soccer, baseball even football are \"poor sports\" and attract lower incomes. Currently lower incomes are black or hispanic though in the 50's low income was Jewish. Jews dominated basketball. Current trend is t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why is the crust of a hearty hunk of bread considered the most nutritious part, when the inside is composed of the same ingredients? | [
"For the most part, this is just a widely perpetuated myth. It's mostly just something parents tell their children so the kids will eat the crust because children are notoriously picky eaters. There's some *minor* evidence that there's a few exotic nutrients that are more prevalent in the crust but it's a recent st... | [
"As opposed to \"enriched\" which means they strip out everything that gives it a darker, inconsistent texture and then add back in a few vitamins to partially replace the ones they leached out. Generally speaking, whole-grain things are a bit better for you."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
how did most teachers come to be female when historically women got less education than men? | [
"Traditionally, up until the middle of the 19th century most teachers were male. That's because most formalized teaching was for older students. Around that time, the concept of elementary aged education grew. Because it was for younger children, there was a perspective that it was considered women's work, as it wa... | [
"Because trades aren't highly regarded in public perception. Despite the cat they can also be highly paying jobs they're not \"desirable\" and largely get ignored when discussing equality in the work force."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
If every country in the world has massive debt ranging from multi billions to trillions of dollars and it is still growing each year, how can any country expect to ever pay it off? | [
"No country is expected to pay off their full debt at once. Little parts of that debt come due every day and as long as governments are able to honour the parts of debt that come due + pay interest for all the rest, it's all good. Greece's big problem is that things put them in a situation where they couldn't keep ... | [
"Because they are not really comparable. Whether debt is a problem or not has very little to do with the actual number. It depends on how that number compares to the economy of that country and what measures that country has to reverse the situation. The USA has a huge debt, yes. The USA also has an even bigger ec... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why does experiencing one or more pregnancies seem to lead to long term struggles with body weight for women ? | [
"I am sure a real doctor will come and correct my language, but to put it simply, hormonal and muscular changes in the body and a lifestyle change generally, all lead to weight gain. After giving birth is is not unusual for the stomach muscles, especially on small women, to be trashed. This means that they look tub... | [
"As far as I understand it, slight stresses lead to over-eating. Whereas large stresses can lead to a lack of eating. On a graph, it would be an inverse-U. As stress goes up, appetite goes up, until a certain point at which stress is so high that appetite goes down. So a minor break up, or job stress might give you... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Health and Wellness:"
} |
Why Napster got sued but UTorrent and others are still fine? | [
"Napster was one centrally located server whereas utorrent is just an application that you use to connect to any of the millions of torrent tracker servers out there. It's as if there are millions of Napsters out there now instead of just the one. And those DO get shut down, it's just that there's so many of them a... | [
"Torrenting isn't illegal. Sharing certain things is. Also - they have been shut down, and are facing criminal charges. You can host anything on the internet, you just need to find a place where those laws don't exist. Recommend watching 'TPB AFK' - documentary on them"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What's so special about syrup from maple trees? why aren't other trees used? | [
"You mean you've never had Eucalyptas syrup? It's awesome, but only if you want your pancakes to taste like shit."
] | [
"In the US most sugar comes from sugar beets, not sugar cane, because sugar cane grows best in warmer climates than are common here. It’s also to distinguish from corn syrup sweeteners. But yeah, it’s just sugar, and they think you’re stupid."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are some YouTube videos not available in certain countries? | [
"Licensing issues probably. Not every country has the same copyright laws ad others. For example I saw the piggy wiggly logo in South Korea advertising a BBQ restaurant. Alternatively, some countries don't have the same free speach laws that Americans do. For example, nazi propaganda (to my knowledge) isn't allowe... | [
"Uploaders can prevent their videos from being viewed on mobile devices. They would do this because they do not earn advertisement money when videos are viewed on mobile devices. Edit: It's a setting they change individually for each video they upload. Source: FPSRussia."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:"
} |
Why do politicians who have used marijuana and realize it's not terrible still stand so strongly against it? | [
"It's possible they consider that the minor impact on the individual is not an accurate way to measure the cumulative impact on society."
] | [
"Well NORML (National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws) has been around since the 70's. We are considered one of the oldest organizations. Really, people have always opposed the prohibition of cannabis. Only recently has it become more popular and acceptable. People are beginning to realize that c... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why isn't this Troll Science comic correct? (link inside) | [
"Okay. The picture is misleading. When you subtract the corners of square the perimeter is indeed still 4. And when you continue to subtract the perimeter is indeed still 4. But the problem is with the big sides that still remain. The rate at which the bigger sides get smaller is not fast enough to make a smooth cu... | [
"Did you search before posting? Cause I swear this was posted less than a month ago, and had some really good answers. Edit: Here we go, 1 month ago. _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What's happening when my brain enters 'auto-pilot' | [
"Its basically due to your body not reviving any stimulus that it perceives as vital/important so your mind processes it, but deletes it immediately, this is very common when performing autonomous skills, which are skills you have mastered and are able to do with very little conscious thought or during tasks you fi... | [
"The really short version is that when we actually sleep, our brain and the rest of the body is allowed to focus on certain tasks like repairing and restoring your muscles, organs, etc. To put it in (very) basic terms, your body switches from conscious/thinking mode to \"repair mode.\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
why are stormclouds gray when normal clouds are white? | [
"Yes, but the reason why it is darker is due to there being larger sized particles in the clouds. As they are getting closer to what we know as rain. This absorbs light differently light differently, thus making the cloud appear darker."
] | [
"Those giant white fluffy things floating in the sky are called clouds. They're basically big patches of water floating in the sky's which is why there are lots of them when it's raining TLDR: clouds"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
When your tv doesn't catch a signal, what are those black and white 'dots' that you see quickly moving in the screen? | [
"[TV Static on Wikipedia](_URL_0_) Simmered down, it's basically all the random signals traveling through the air that the antenna or electronics are picking up, when there's not an actual TV station on that channel. It's random noise that the TV is still trying to interpret into a picture"
] | [
"Although I can't understand what you're saying in the explanation, I think I know what your'e talking about. Old TVs emit a very high frequency noise that is constantly on, even with the volume muted. you might be hearing this from the other room."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
why does uncovering blankets from your feet cool you off so quickly? | [
"Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5: Why do my feet get cold and sweaty when I don't wear socks and have them underneath the blanket? ](_URL_5_) 1. [ELI5: Why does putting socks, which cover around 5% of my body, make me feel significantly warmer? ](_URL_2_) 1. [ELI5: Why does stic... | [
"Going because you have to as opposed to wanting to / Hungover / Sleep deprived / Droning voice going on and on and on / Uninteresting subject pick and choose out of any of those. It's possible to sleep in an upright position in almost any circumstance. Just don't fall asleep resting on your raised arm/hand. Bad st... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why do furniture stores decorate things such as end-tables with thick books? | [
"It's the same reason people will clean or out new furniture in a home before selling it—it's all about staging. It's a mental game, really. If you can make it easier for someone to imagine what a piece will look like in their home, then they *will* imagine what it will look like in their home. If they do that, the... | [
"The practical reason is that it keeps the stuffing more evenly distributed around the mattress after several hundreds of nights. This is similar to the box patterns that are usually sewn into comforters. The less practical reason is that it's visually appealing for the showroom floor. This is similar to putting pr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
[Culture] How did the colonization of Africa make them more vulnerable for HIV and AIDS? | [
"It's more related to poverty and education. Obviously there's a large link between a country being poor and not being able to handle a huge public health crisis effectively. Things like grassroots education and free condoms just don't happen when a country can't afford them. Then there's idiotic government policy ... | [
"Could the rebuilding of Japan after WWII be considered a partial colonization by the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why is circumcision so common in the US, and to a lesser extent, Canada, but is rare or nonexistent in the rest of the Western world and everywhere except the Middle East? | [
"Judaism and Islam are two religions that mandate circumcision. In the US and Canada, circumcision was popularized in the 1800s by John Harvey Kellogg, who believed that it prevented little boys from masturbating (and he believed masturbation was harmful to health), and so as a result, many children who have no Jew... | [
"The Saudis have something against everyone who doesn't subscribe to their very particular extremist branch of Islam. The U.S. is one such place, but so is most of Europe, most of Asia, most of Africa, most of the rest of the Americas, and indeed most of the rest of the Middle East. There're very few people the Sau... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Circumcision in the US:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Circumcision in the US:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How autonomous are the "autonomous communities" of Spain? | [
"Think of them like states in the US. Basically thats it. Source: am Spanish, see my user name"
] | [
"Colonialism, dictatorship, ethnic conflict, corrupt governments, capitalist exploitation, take your pick."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
The invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq | [
"Soviet comrades invade Afghanistan. We invade to fight Soviets. Afghans are like wtf.jpeg Taliban fights Soviets too; funded by us. Taliban decide they don't like us there either. We overstay our welcome. Then Bush did 9/11. (Obviously) We invade Iraq because wmd's. Surprise surprise no wmd's. Mfw Vietnam flashbac... | [
"Because of their interpretation of some details in their practically same religion and historical, tribal diferences. Two reasons of most wars and conflicts."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are peanut allergies one of the most common? Why not any others? | [
"I find that hard to believe, to be honest. Do you have any data for this? I found something completely different. [AAAAI data](_URL_0_) I'm guessing your question revolves around the fact that you hear a lot more about peanut allergy, because that happens to be a violent one. Most of the allergies, which can rang... | [
"Peanuts aren't nuts. They are legumes. Being allergic to legumes has no relation to being allergic to nuts."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Health:",
"pos": "Represent the text about Health:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why do smartphones use chips that have several cores (6 to 8) clocked at low speeds (1.8 to 2.3 GHz) whereas desktops use chips that have fewer cores (2 to 6) clocked at high speeds (3GHz and up)? | [
"The biggest difference is heat and power use. Phones have limited battery capacity, and they're small and compact, without much airflow. Higher clock speeds pretty well universally mean more heat and power required. Desktop computers can easily accommodate heat with bigger heatsinks and fans. Power for a desktop i... | [
"Each core runs at the stated speed. Example- If you have an i5 2500k quad core, which is stated to run at 3.3ghz, each one of the four cores will run at 3.3ghz. Also speed depends on threads, if you have an older CPU running at 3ghz and a newer one running at 2.5ghz, and the older has 40 threads and the newer one ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does it work in America when someone doesn't have Health Insurance? | [
"A lot of doctors will put you on a payment plan, hospital/office permitting. Family friend needed to have a \"minor\" surgery, major enough that if left untreated it would lead to death within a year. They didn't have insurance, nor the money, so the doctor paid for a portion of it, and worked out a reasonable pay... | [
"You don't need to \"sign up for Obamacare,\" you need to obtain health insurance."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why do movie studios care if I pay for Netflix and use a VPN to change my location? They are getting paid either way. | [
"The problem is that when Sony released a movie in Australia, it formed a contract with a studio in Australia to do that. So that studio owns the right to distribute that movie in Australia. If you use Netflix and a VPN to access the U.S. version of Netflix, you're cutting out the Australian company that actually o... | [
"On Apple you are paying to keep it - You own the digital rights on Apple - to stream anytime (or download to keep). You do not get that on Netflix as you must at least keep paying their subscription each month. Also there is no guarantee that Netflix will not take down content you may want to keep watching in the ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why we can't clone a dinosaur | [
"Any DNA that's found would have degraded to the point that it wouldn't be possible to start. Although, crocodiles haven't changed much, so cloning a crocodile would be about as close as we could get to that."
] | [
"Because we haven't been trying for tens of thousands of years to breed elephants."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
When you delete a picture or empty the trash on your computer, where do the files go? | [
"The space the files occupy is simply marked as being available again, and if you put new files on your computer, it may writing over that space. The files aren't actually removed until they're written over by new files. This is how programs that recover files that were deleted work (they find those areas flagged a... | [
"The recycling bin is basically a folder in your computer that files end up in when you do a normal delete on them. Other than that there isn't much special about it. When you \"empty\" your recycling bin you're having the computer actually delete the files, which gives you more space on your harddrive."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why does Kazakhstan play in european football championship qualifiers when it's not a part of Europe? | [
"While the exact border between Asia and Europe is not universally agreed upon, the Ural River is commonly used for that border. Parts of Kazakhstan lie west of the Ural River, and thus are in Europe."
] | [
"Russia is a part of Europe. It's also a part of Asia. Or are you asking why Russia isn't in the EU? That's a whole separate question."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
How do watch batteries last so long when they are powering a tiny motor 24/7? | [
"Your typical watch uses electricity for keeping time with quartz and moving the hands. Both require very little electricity. The motor for moving the hands is very very very very weak. Usually motors are built to do really intensive work like lifting a heavy items. The motor in the watch isn't going to lift a piec... | [
"Phones use lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are terrible. AA batteries last 30+ years without being touched"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
When I drive my car in reverse, why does the engine(transmission??) make this high pitched sound? | [
"When you reverse you use a different type of gear- a *spur* gear. A helical gear (forward gear) has teeth cut at an angle to the face of the gear, which makes for a smooth ride/sound. A *spur* gear (reverse gear) has straight teeth. Each time a tooth engages on a spur gear, the teeth collide instead of gently slid... | [
"If the car sounds like a choo-choo train, shift down. If it sounds like a race car, shift up."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why did humans evolve to close their eyes while they sleep? | [
"If you slept with your eyes open, they would dry out. Humans lack nictitating membranes (second eyelids), so the only line of defense to keeping out eyes from drying out are our eyelids. And, just because our eyes are open when we sleep doesn't mean that we have the cognitive ability to recognize threats -- any mo... | [
"> 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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why can't you use the tab key to indent paragraphs on Reddit like you can in word processors? Also why can't you italicize on Facebook? Is there a programming reason why these are problems? | [
"The tab key in a lot of programs is used to move from field to field in the form. This allows you to navigate the page without using a mouse (something many developers prefer to do). You could write your own browser where the tab key indented text, there's no programming reason why you couldn't, but a lot of peopl... | [
"This is just conjecture, but my guess is that the average person doesn't care too much about bold, italic and underlines in their texts. Everything is abbreviated these days; people are too lazy to even spell out the word thanks. I don't know that enough people are going to take the time to consider font highlight... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What are the devices spraying liquid at the launch pad on rocket launches? | [
"[Sound supression](_URL_0_). The noise of the rocket engines is so loud that it could physically damage the delicate parts of the spacecraft if it's allowed to reflect off the pad. So they fill the air with water droplets to scatter and absorb a good fraction of it."
] | [
"Does it matter if there is water instead of roads between a number of small towns? We have boats and bridges."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is it called "Pants/Slacks" when singular? | [
"Originally, pants consisted of two separate pant legs that you would individually pull up your legs. The two legs would then be tied at the waist to keep them up. So the entire garment was plural since there were two pieces."
] | [
"In a related question, where the hell do Brits get the \"F\" in Lieutenant?!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why doesn't everyone take adderall to improve cognitive function? | [
"Adderall is Amphetamine . It's addictive and overdoses can cause death or worse _URL_0_"
] | [
"Asthma medication for people that don't have asthma supposedly gives them better cardiovascular performance and lets their lungs breathe better. Doesn't make a difference in my experience though."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is the purpose for the base of the lighter part of the nail? | [
"It's called the [lunula](_URL_0_ and it helps the nail retain its structure."
] | [
"Dreams, dont crush them. It helps with spacing on the speedometer. Also can be used as a standard template."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Technology:"
} |
Why don't electrons fly into the nucleus? | [
"Electrons have less mass than protons and neutrons. That gives them a bigger wavelength, so they can't be anywhere more specific than within an electron shell. They do have a nonzero probability of being in the nucleus, but except in the case of certain kinds of nuclear decay, they don't really interact with the p... | [
"There are 4 forces in an atom. Strong, weak, gravitational and electromagnetic. It's the electromagnetic force that's responsible for keeping the electron orbit stable. Think of a rope with a ball on the end and you're holding the other end. Your hand is the nucleus and the ball is the electron, now throw the ball... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
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