query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
How do people determine the artist of a song and the featured artist of a song? | [
"If you were making an album and invited me to sing parts of a song on it you'd be the artist and I'd be the featured guest. If it was my album and you came to rap part of a song I'd be the artist and you'd be the feature. It all depends on who is releasing the song as part of their catalog."
] | [
"No, they have ghostwriters. The process works like this. The writer either writes the lyrics and music, this is rare, and sells it to the Singer. Or a producer makes a song, sends it to a writer, then back to the artist it was intended for. For instance, the song 'Shine Bright Like a Diamond' was written by Sia, t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How medieval people were able to translate languages they never came across. For example japanese. | [
"It is more than likely that there was a lot of pointing at things and hoping the word was said, for example; I am one of the first Westerners to come across Japan, I land in a port and meet with a local, I point at a dog and say \"dog\" the Japanese person may then respond, \"Inu\" thus the word for dog was shared... | [
"Because the written form of the language does not change as fast as the spoken form. Go far enough back, most of them were pronounced."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is the purpose of the 4 digit extension on zip codes? | [
"In many cases, the +4 can localize not just to your block, but to the correct side of the street."
] | [
"The fee pays to provide the service for free calls without paid service. Edit: More of an explanation."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text about Telecommunications:"
} |
How do balding people still manage to have a full beard? | [
"The first law of hairodynamics states that male adult hair can never really be created nor destroyed, only transferred. This is what happens to balding men - they lose hair atop their head, but the hair accumulates in other regions. It could manifest as beard hair, an unruly chest forest, a few curly nostril folli... | [
"The amount of hair is a standard set by society. There are lots of men that have thick full beautiful hair that would leave many girls jealous. As far as balding, I have no idea"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why are the confederate monuments a problem now and not while Obama was in office? | [
"This wasn't something that was decided at the federal level; most of these statues had people voting in local elections or voicing their opinion at things like town hall meetings and saying that they wanted those statues out of their communities; It seems that over the last 8 years, public perception of those stat... | [
"You mean the Confederate flag? That was the flag of the states that tried to secede in the 19th century, causing the American Civil War. Because the secession had a lot to do with slavery and the southern states' desire to keep holding slaves, it's widely seen as a symbol of racism, white supremacy, and hate. Some... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How can charities, like Cancer Fund of America and Kids Wish Network, give less than 5% and still call themselves a charity? | [
"They don't \"keep\" any of the money, but they sure do have a lot of expenses to pay out. That CEO for example works really hard at collecting donations, and it costs a lot of money to rent space in his posh home. So most of the money goes to \"admin\" expenses. Many celebrities have this same problem. At one poin... | [
"At least 20% and possibly more like 60% of their donations go towards perpetuating the charity. (Their number is 20%, but 40% is dedicated to \"public health education\". Since breast self-exams are useless, it's not clear what public health education actually does beyond advertising for Komen.) To be completely f... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we get restless when excited? | [
"Adrenaline - your brain sends a signal to release the hormone adrenaline from your adrenal glands which in turn speeds up your heart rate and breathing, and prepares your muscles for fight or flight, leaving you feeling restless."
] | [
"A follow-up question: Why do some people love that feeling while others detest it?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
The Big Bang Beginnings | [
"scientists do not yet know how the big bang began."
] | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Education:"
} |
If i drink a considerable amount of water 0.5L+ mid training (aerobic training) I feel like my energy is cut in half for the next 5 minutes. Why is that? | [
"First of all you are now 0.5kg more heavy but your body also has to divert some extra energy to your digestive track. Even if it is for just a few minutes"
] | [
"If you drink 2l in say 15 mins , your body cant absorb it all and it will flush it from your system, much better to drink the 2l over the course of a day."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How can anxiety/depression be passed down from parents? | [
"In order to make that statement, you have to first prove conclusively that we know exactly where depression comes from. We don't. At best, we can say that a constellation of factors determines depression, and genetics are one factor of many. Before people go nuts on genetics, remember that: - \"Family\" factors li... | [
"ADD and ADHD are genetic disorders caused by the passage of genes from your mother and father. However, it can also be brought on by psychological factors while growing up. The exact neurological reason for the behavioral symptoms are unknown today, but it is linked to how your neurotransmitters are released."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Is someone more skilled at something if they learned it during developmental years? | [
". I would generally say yes the younger you learn a sport the better you will be. A parallel that makes me wonder is a 2nd language. I was just listening to \"stuff you should know\" podcast and they mentioned how is it much easier to learn another language in grade school rather than high school because the brain... | [
"For a specific response please give an actual example, as there are a few different things that could be going on. For example, already I want to ask you \"so they didn't get formal training, but what ***informal*** training did they receive? If a kid spends time training to play the piano, it doesn't need to be \... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What NATO is, who controls it, and why it is in Libyra right now? | [
"NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a very large military alliance. This page lists the members: _URL_0_ Essentially they all agree to defend one another if attacked. They also sometimes take part in more offensive measures against other nations, like currently in Libya."
] | [
"Syria is a close ally of Russia and hosts Russia's only warm water port, in addition. China has a long-held policy of voting against getting involved in other countries. Or as one BBC correspondent suggested: When China looks at Syria it sees Tibet. When Russia looks at Syria it sees Chechnya."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
The ruling that just happened regarding Fanduel and Draftkings | [
"The New York Attorney General declared it as gambling and doesn't want the two sites taking bets from New York residents. The site has always been a mix of gambling and fantasy. Here's the full article _URL_0_"
] | [
"We don't know yet whether or not it will be. We won't know until the FCC and FTC make a ruling, but likely the announcement means that Comcast believes they can get past this issue. Herdnerfer and Mad_Gouki are generally correct though."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why Are There 660 Executive departments In The US Government? | [
"Congress has the power to create executive departments. Over the last 230 years they've created a variety of departments to handle different things. If there's a specific department you think is wasteful, and unnecessary it would be easier to answer your question."
] | [
"Congress = Parliament Senate = House of Lords House = House of Commons"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What do the Watts and Volts mean in a 12v 5w water pump and a 12v 20w solar panel respectively? | [
"It means if you connect the pump to as 12V source, the pump will draw 5W of power. The solar panel rating means that the panel is capable of delivering 20W of power at 12V. So if you connect the solar panel to the pump, it'll run. Certainly you will want to make sure this stuff is wired to code and has all the ap... | [
"mAh or mili Amp Hour isn't a measurement of energy. Amps measure the amount of electrons flow per second, but does not take into account the \"Pressure\" behind those electrons Energy(Watt Hours) is Amp Hours X Volts. Volts is the \"Pressure\" behind those electrons. AA batteries are either 1.5V(alkaline) or 1.2V(... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I hear a lot of good AND bad things about e-cigs. Can someone just lay down the facts about them? | [
"Here's a list of all the research conducted on ecigs. Take a look and form your own opinion. That article the other redditor posted is sensationalist trash. _URL_0_"
] | [
"It is basically the same thing with different flavours, but there are some major differences. The biggest one is that nicotine is not the only addictive chemical in cigarettes. When you can get down to just an e-cig, you only have that one addictive chemical. Not to mention the fact that you aren't burning anythin... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can you swim after you eat? | [
"It's perfectly safe. Your body won't go, \"Sorry arms and legs, it's digestion time,\" and redirect blood to your intestines. That's bulldust."
] | [
"They're asking you if you're going to eat the rest of that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Animal behavior:"
} |
why do us humans swing our arms when we walk? | [
"To maintain balance. EDIT: Swinging arms stabilizes the motions of walking and also actually saves us energy (as opposed to keeping them rigid)."
] | [
"Probably because of 2 things 1. Early humans needed to run long distances to run animals to the point exhaustion 2. You use your legs way more than your arms/abs"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What happens if an undocumented/illegal immigrant/visa overstayer refuses to tell the police/immigration department where they are from? | [
"Once they ran your finger prints you'd be deported with either a ten year or lifetime travel ban to the US. If you didn't say a word and your fingerprints came back inconclusive you'd be incarcerated until they could verify your identity. And they'd be pissed."
] | [
"Contrary to popular belief, if an illegal immigrant has a kid in the US, they're still at risk for deportation if caught, in which case the child is sent back with them. Also, pregnant women sometimes have difficulties getting Visas (particularly tourist Visas) in order to dissuade people from trying in the first ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How did we determine which parts of the brain actually are the areas that deal with certain emotions, or how we think, etc? | [
"In the high and far-off times we waited for someone to have survivable brain damage and found out what they couldn't do after estimating where the [tamping iron](_URL_0_) passed clean through their brain. More common these days is a thing called fMRI that uses a very high powered MRI scan to see what areas of the ... | [
"The parts of the brain that control speech are different than the ones that control singing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Music:"
} |
why is it brighter out at night with snow on the ground? | [
"The snow scatters light from all kinds of sources (moon, stars, streetlamps, etc) better than grass or pavement when there is no snow. This means more light reaches your eyes."
] | [
"cooler air can't hold as much water vapor as warmer air. this is why there tends to be more mist at night and in the early hours of the morning"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
If the human brain was a hard drive, on average how much usable memory would it have? | [
"Its not something you can accurately measure because of genetically inherited knowledge. But for short term memory its not very much, say maybe 100gb. Long term memory can store maybe 2 - 10 terabytes. Its important to remember (lol) that long term memory is highly fragmented. maybe only a few megabytes of its ori... | [
"The same way a hard drive can store all the information needed too make another hard drive. The instructions on how to make something dont take up as much space as said device is capable of storing"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
why we don't raise more bison instead of cows | [
"Bison are very difficult to corral and domesticate. They're more aggressive and freaking huge. So pretty much, yes to all of those reasons."
] | [
"I am going to guess it's because cows produce more? Anyone know for certain? My bro in law is a dairy farmer. I feel like I should know why he has cows and not goats."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do some TV shows block out manufacturer logos on cars when it's obvious the car is a Volkswagen, Toyota, Ford, etc. Same goes for drinks like Budweiser or Coca-Cola, the name is either blocked or the logo facing away from the camera. | [
"Because the networks are in the business of selling advertising. It's harder to sell ads to Pepsi if the program shows Coke cans for free."
] | [
"Extensive marketing and high visibility. They never let up on the marketing side, they're always pushing their brand. When you go into a shop to purchase a drink, you will see coca cola prominently positioned. When you think about soft drinks, coca cola will pop into your head."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why does a dead battery in a car get recharged if you just jump it and leave it running ? | [
"Your car has a system in it called the alternator, which is essentially a generator. It takes some of the energy from your motor (which runs on fuel) and converts it to electrical energy. The alternator, among other things, keeps your battery charged. Your battery runs low when you do things like leaving your head... | [
"If your call dies on the highway and needs a jump while driving then it probably isnt a battery problem, but instead an alternator issue. Jumping a car with a bad alternator will work until you disconnect the working vehicle, as the battery in the jumped car will die from the alternator failing to charge it. Also,... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
When someone creates a password on a website, where is that password stored? | [
"Ideally, the password itself is not stored at all - only a hash of it is. But that hash (or the password itself, if it's a less-than-ideal setup) is stored in a file or a database on one of the machines that make up the technical infrastructure for the site you are creating an account on."
] | [
"There is no technical reason that prevents this. It's just not a popularly requested feature, because the more passwords you have on an account, the more likely an intruder can guess one of them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Explain the syntax of the "Darmok and Jilad at Tenagra" dialogue, please? | [
"Tamarians speak in metaphors, as explained in the episode “Darmok” of TNG. As u/xeno_man said, the metaphor in this case related a story of two travelers who met at a certain location and overcame a great hardship. Other metaphors given in the episode refer to parley, attack, fast travel, and cutting off communica... | [
"Can you better explain what you are asking about? My google searching doesn't exactly explain what \"The Three Liars Paradox\" is."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why can't I re-create something I imagined exactly? | [
"Need more XP in artistry and executing your vision. It takes a lot of time to get really good at that, and to be able to coordinate what you're thinking with how your tools work and what you can do with your tools. -Dali painted [this](_URL_1_) when he was 66. Here are some people next to it for [scale](_URL_0_).... | [
"My question is : how do you know you haven't forgotten something since you don't remember what you supposedly forgot?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
what exactly does a database do? | [
"A database is just an organized collection of information -- it can be as simple as a written ledger or as complex as a warehouse full of computers. Every organization has information it needs to be able to store and access readily -- databases house said information. Pretty much every web service you use has a da... | [
"Programmer is to construction worker as software engineer is to architect."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How can we differentiate the tastes of so many foods with only five flavors? | [
"A large part of tasting something involves your sense of smell. Your nose can differentiate between (an estimated) trillion different smells."
] | [
"Taste buds are groupings of cells with chemical receptors that enable them to recognize some particular molecules contained in food. Each molecule will give a different signal to the cell, which sends it to the brain to being translated as a flavour. There's a myth regarding how taste buds work, it is said that ta... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why did the USA kill Osama bin Laden instead of capturing him? | [
"If captured, it would have became a decades long media show and political and ideological fight over what to do with him. This prevented that."
] | [
"Anwar al-Awlaki was an American (Who was also a citizen of the country 'Yemen') muslim cleric (holy man), who was said to be a nasty man who told other nasty men to kill people. America did not like him because he told other people to kill people, so they wanted to kill him before he could hurt other people. So a ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Increased efficiency and automation have been eliminating jobs for thousands of years (from the creation of aqueducts to the invention of computers and internet). Why is it such a fear now? | [
"Always Follow The Money. Logic says that workers, ordinary folks, should be the ones fearing automation. But the articles I've seen spreading fear about automation causing massive unemployment seem to originate at media organs that serve the financial industry. And the financial industry serves the wealthy. So wh... | [
"Economists and experts have been predicting catastrophic job loss due to technology for decades, however, so far the economy has merely reallocated any jobs that were lost into different sectors. Uber is a great example of this. Jobs aren't really \"lost\" because of Uber. Even though taxi drivers are probably ups... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How do scammers from India get a hold of phone numbers from United States and Europe? | [
"You can purchase huge databases of names & numbers from marketing companies. Or you can look on torrent servers for the same for free. Or you can just sequentially wardial numbers. Out of all of the scam calls I've gotten over the years, only one or two have actually used my name in the call."
] | [
"The latest surge seems to be a result of the recent ease of Caller ID Spoofing and software used by companies for automated calling that is more readily accessible. Caller ID Spoofing is when you call someone and make it look like your number is actually someone else's number. Looking at the example in the news to... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why isn’t flint Michigan fixed yet? | [
"Define 'fixed'. The Department of Environmental Quality tested water from multiple sites around the city and said it's within legal limits, from a strict point of view, that is 'fixed'."
] | [
"Is it me, or has this never happened to anyone else?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why do soft drinks (ie: sprite coke) bubble like crazy when sugar is put in? | [
"The rough surface of each sugar granule provides many *nucleation sites,* places where the dissolved CO2 can come out of solution. Same reason the bubbles tend to form along scratches or rough patches inside yer glass."
] | [
"They only stop fizzing if you put the alcohol into the carbonated beverage. If you want your drink to stay fizzy, first pour the alcohol into the glass, then the carbonated liquid. I don't quite remember what happens or the proper term, but you upset the carbon dioxide (fizz) when you pour other liquids into it."... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why is it that hospitals can charge me an absurd amount without insurance, but with insurance those same numbers come down significantly? Isn't this discriminatory pricing? | [
"There's no law against discriminatory pricing as long as you aren't discriminating based on protected criteria (race, sex, religion, etc.). Part of the reason insurance companies get lower rates is because hospitals know they'll get paid. If you don't have insurance, it's sort of a gamble to provide treatment (and... | [
"Part of it is that it's hard to barter or shop around when you're having a heart attack, unconscious from a car crash, or going into anaphylactic shock from a bee sting. There are situations where the alternative to an expensive treatment is debilitating pain or death...not really a great place to bargain from. A ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why is it called the glove department? | [
"It's called the glove *compartment*. Meaning, quite literally, it's a place where you can put your gloves when they are not busy keeping your hands warm."
] | [
"Hung up? Its just a part of American culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
From where does a hurricane get its centripetal force? | [
"The winds are flowing _into_ the storm, not out of it. They're flowing in because the warm air at the center is rising rapidly, leaving an area of very low pressure at the center. The spin of a hurricane is the result of the Coriolis Force, which in turn is the result of different latitudes spinning at different ... | [
"Same reason water stays in a bucket when you swing it over your head. Centrifugal force."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Physics:"
} |
how esports commentators commentate right in front of the athletes? Does this not give away vital information especially in games like league and Starcraft? | [
"The eathletes are wearing headphones and they're usually in those booths, one per team. Exactly so they can't hear the reaction of the crowd (distracting, or a big \"ooooo!\" might be a tip-off your opponent just pulled something slick) or the announcers."
] | [
"some points that come in mind why it is popular. it is easy to spectate: two guys build an army, the one who has the better army/kills his opponent wins. viewers got all the information: much like poker broadcast, a lot of the enjoyment stems from the fact that viewers got more informations than the players. there... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why the way the winning country of the Sochi Olympics is determined by total gold medals and not total medals? | [
"The Olympics isn't about what country wins the most medals. That sort of emphasis on quantity overvalues countries with more athletes. The emphasis is on individual events. The medal count is just for fun. Who is to argue that a gold medal in the free skating competition is equivalent to a gold medal in skeleton?"... | [
"> host country seems to always win the cup, Always, as in a 3rd of the time. As far as them doing well, countries generally only host if they think they can be successful on the field doing so. Homefield advantage may also come into play, but its hard to measure"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Since many different forces want vertical liftoff aircrafts but they are hard to make good since they are heavy (need huge fans and stuff) why don't they put controlled fans that lift the airplane on the ground? Wouldn't the result be the same? | [
"You then have the issue of transition from the 'hover' to 'regular' flight. The Harrier had rotating nozzles that achieved this and from what I've seen the back end of the JSF's donk articulates through around 90 degrees to aid with its transition. As for stability the Harrier had reaction control stability ductin... | [
"No way to make it work now. You would need some device that countered gravity, which doesn't exist (yet). There are some crackpots which claim to have made devices to affect gravity, but almost none have been reproduce able. So to do it now, you would have to have super powerful fans blowing air out the bottom wh... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What are imaginary and complex numbers? | [
"Think about an algebra problem involving an unknown quantity x. As far as arithmetic is concerned, you know x behaves just like any other number. So 1-3x+8x-9 = -8+5x. 2x ×(4x-3) = 8x^2 -6x. Now let's bring in another rule, that we know x^2 = -1. No real number (the usual numbers, including fractions and irration... | [
"Do you want all of your math to be in negative numbers? Because that's how you get all of your math to be in negative numbers."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Physics:"
} |
How igloos keep you warm? | [
"Snow is a really good insulator (because now contains lots of air pockets) The structure keeps you out of the wind and retains any heat generated within. You can warm up with retained body heat, or a small oil lamp (traditionally using seal blubber as your oil on a sandstone lamp)."
] | [
"When combined with their long ears, hats are an excellent way for donkeys to stay cool. Source: Made this up."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do helicopter blades actually lift a 20,000 pound helicopter? | [
"To generate lift we use wings, which we move fast through the air. We can do this by making the vehicle go fast (planes) or by rotating the wings fast around a midpoint (helicopters). Wings moving at an angle through the air will push that air down. As a result, the wing is pushed up. A helicopter moves a *lot* of... | [
"It’s a very fuel efficient plane and carry’s almost 82,000 gallons of fuel. Burns about 10 gallons per minute while cruising."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why do OLED phone displays get damaged by green lasers? | [
"Come back with that one more time now?"
] | [
"Two possible reasons: 1. Your phone might not have an LCD screen. An LCD screen literally contains liquid, so when you press it you move the liquid around, causing it to interact differently with the light that is shone through it. Your phone's screen might use another technology, such as OLED, which isn't affecte... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What stops an automatic car from stalling? | [
"The manual has a full metal linkage through the whole gear train, and you must manually depress the clutch. Automatics have a torque converter, which uses one turbine coming off of the drive shaft and fluid under pressure to drive a second turbine on the output at low speeds. As the speed increases, the computer m... | [
"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 title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
If there is only $1.2 trillion in circulation then how is The United States Federal Government in nearly $18 trillion of debt? | [
"Banks, including the fed, are able to \"create\" money buy issuing credit and debt. Think about it this way. Imagine that I am a bank. Fred (person A) deposits $100 dollars in my institution. I then take this $100 dollars and lend it to Linda (person B). There is still only one $100 dollar bill in this mini-econom... | [
"Debt is multi-year, deficit is a single year. So if you have a debt of $16 trillion before last year And last year your buget had $2 trillion coming in and $3 trillion going out you had a $1 trillion budget deficit. Then you have a debt of $17 trillion. If this year you had $2.5 trillion coming in and $3.25 trill... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What would having an actual, physical third eye do to your vision? | [
"You'd have slightly better depth perception and slightly great field of vision, but other than that, not much. That is why third eyes are rare in nature, and when they do exist, they are usually a completely different kind of eye. The slight evolutionary benefit does not outweigh the cost."
] | [
"So what is it about human physiology that makes this work differently for us?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How come rubbing your eyes makes them itchier? | [
"Your hands are always dirty, it's just a matter of degree. There's oils on your skin, there's dead skin cells, there's good old fashion dirt. All of that could get in your eyes when rub them. As for allergies, there's a layer of tissue in your eyes called the conjunctiva. They are there to defend your eyes from ... | [
"EIL5: Why can't I stop sitting with my legs crossed, even though it hurts my knees, and why does it hurt my knees?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
It I decided I wanted to go fight in Afghanistan (US Army or Marines), about how long would it take until I was actually there? | [
"Enlistment paperwork and filing: a few weeks. Delayed Enlistment: How long does it take before the Military has a slot in Basic Training for you to fill. Can be as little as tomorrow, or as late as a few months. Basic Training: 10 weeks Advanced Individual Training: 5-14 weeks for most infantry jobs. Deployed to a... | [
"Disregarding Reserves and National Guard service, there are two types of military status. First is active enlistment, you sign up for X amount of years and at the end of X years you can reenlist for more time or you can exit service. If you choose to leave the service, you are placed on \"inactive ready reserve.\"... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
I'm American. Why isn't there a state/ national government hosted web page where we Citizens can login with our SSN and vote for things to be voted on by our elected officials? | [
"Because the constitution and laws don't allow the government to work that way. The US is a representative democracy. You elect people to decide what to vote on and how to vote."
] | [
"We are a Representative Democracy. e/ I feel like I should explain more. We aren't a true Democracy in that the entire voting population votes on every decision. We vote to elect representatives who vote on the decisions."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Law and government:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Law and government:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why are round icecubes better or more efficient than square icecubes? | [
"This is physics, not chemistry Spherical ice \"cubes\" would melt more slowly since spheres have the lowest surface area per unit volume. This might be considered efficient in the sense that the ice would last longer. Also, the bigger the sphere, the more \"efficient\" it would be (thanks, square/cube law). These ... | [
"It has to do with what's around them while they freeze. Try this experiment. Place two trays next to each other on a shelf. The ice will pop out of both trays just fine. For the next batch place the trays on top of each other. The top tray's ice will come out just fine while the bottom tray's ice will stick and cr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why Does Shutting Your Computer Off Every Once In A While, Make It Perform Better? | [
"1. **Updates.** A lot of software updates are installed when you turn a computer off then back on, rather than when it goes to sleep. This is because it's very hard to update something while it's running, so they can only get access to it while it turns on. A lot of software updates improve performance, stability,... | [
"Being Black Does Actually Have (Relatively Minor) Health Consequences, It's Just That They're Obviated By Modern Life. There's An Energy Cost To Have Extra Melanin, Even A Small One, So If You Don't Need It It Won't Be Selected For. Melanin Reduces Vitamin-D Uptake From The Sun If Sunlight Is Lower Than You're Ada... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why are most, if not all, workplaces based around a dictatorship style of governing? | [
"Dictatorships are extremely effective ways of getting things done. I'm not aware of any successful company that's run in a fully democratic way -- even the employees at Valve either did what Gabe Newell wanted, or they left. That's not to say that Gabe didn't listen to other ideas and distribute some of the respon... | [
"Both involve one person (or a small group of people) being in charge of a country; the primary difference is that in totalitarianism, the government is in charge of EVERYTHING, whereas in authoritarianism, there can be some social or economic bodies (like companies) that aren't being controlled by the government. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
how do machines like cars and boats, use gasoline | [
"That's a long-ish story, the key here is the internal combustion engine, you might want to look it up. A very short version: Gasoline, when in vapor form and mixed readily with lots of oxygen, doesn't just burn as it would if you light it while liquid, it actually explodes (i.e. the gasoline vapor reacts nearly in... | [
"its a very efficient way of turning heat into mechanical energy, to drive the generator"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How was the BC/AD dating system created? | [
"It was created by a 6th Century monk named Dionysus Exiguus. At the time, the calendar was based on a Roman emperor who wasn't terribly kind to Christians. Dionysus was working on an Eastern calendar, and didn't think it was fitting to link it to that particular person. So instead he did some rough math and took a... | [
"First, it is BCE for \"Before the Common Era\" and CE for \"Common Era\". Or prior to that it was BC for \"Before Christ\" and AD for \"Anno Domini\" or \"in the year of the Lord\". AC is for air conditioning or alternating current. > but how did they measure the years at the time? It depends on who you were talk... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
When my blood donation reacted during a test What is it that's reacting and what does this mean? Also why can't my blood donation be used? | [
"They test blood for all diseases that could be transmitted through a blood transfusion. Some people have antibodies that cross react (don't have the disease, just have an antibody that binds to the site that causes the test to be reactive) The first tests are incredibly sensitive, but not very specific, so when th... | [
"Because the medication can persist in your blood that long. If they take your blood with medication in it and give it to someone who: 1) isn't sick, it could make them sick. Or 2) is allergic to that medication, it could kill them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
if fat is the way energy is stored in our bodies, does this mean that a person with a higher fat percentage could go longer without eating than a person with a low fat percentage? | [
"All things being equal, for the most part, yes. However, when you go without eating, it is not just calories you are missing out on, there are other essential nutrients which are not stored in our bodies. The fat person would eventually suffer from deficiencies in those, and could still die while they had plenty o... | [
"It could be genetic in the sense of, - a lower hunger threshold, making you want to consume more food - a higher fat storage rate, meaning your body prefers creating fat to creating muscle"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Gas Station Clustering | [
"It has to do with being in the right place at the right time. Most people who get gas are going to stop at the closet one on their route and easiest to get in & out. That's why you'll find gas stations on opposite sides of a major road. It's easier to turn right into a gas station than it is to wait at a major int... | [
"High Crime + Dwindling Population + Crumbling Infrastructure + Diminishing Jobs = Perceived Shithole."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why is the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar such a big topic of controversy? | [
"1. There are a lot of allegations of bribery. The report on it has not yet been made public. 2. Mistreatment of imported workers by the various contractors building the stadium. 3. In the middle of summer the temperature in the mid-day sun is over 120F, European players and fans won't enjoy that. So to compromise ... | [
"Why is election on weekdays instead of weekends?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Are we really getting older slower if we are in outer space? | [
"It's not being in outer space that matters. It's moving at high speeds, near the speed of light. In Interstellar it was because they were in a powerful gravity field, which is sort of the same thing. This is because of Special Relativity (or General Relativity in the case of gravity)."
] | [
"So what is it about human physiology that makes this work differently for us?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Can someone explain the UK postgraduate grading system in detail? | [
"A postgraduate masters degree consists of being awarded 180 credits. Some universities might say something else, like 90 credits, but really all this means is that universities \"credit\" is equal to 2 credits at some other university. Most say 180, though. Not enough credits, no degree - no matter how well you pe... | [
"I feel I should put this out here before you get an answer. If you're from the UK, certainly, you'll be doing college level (A2) biology to be doing the endocrine system in any detail, so an ELI5 just won't cut it for your test."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How are new queen bees born? | [
"Similar to normal bees, just fed differently. Basically when the conditions for swarming are met the queen lay eggs in special queen cups and those larvas are fed royal jelly exclusively which makes it so that they develop into queens (if they were fed as normal larvas they would become normal workers)"
] | [
"They're biologically unnecessary. The queen needs the males for mating, and that's it, but the entire colony needs the queen because she's the source of new bees."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What's the "second wind" you get from staying up late? | [
"Your brain can trick itself into thinking that it has just woken up using its internal clock. When the receptors in your eyes start detecting more light, as they often do when the sun is rising in the morning, your brain receives hormones that tell the brain it is time to start the day. This will have your body op... | [
"I'd say it's all about you thinking that you need to wake up at 6:10am the night before you sleep. It's some sort of mechanism you've set in your mind in order for not to be late."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Sleep and fatigue:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Sleep and fatigue:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Biology:"
} |
Why were people compelled to kill the last wild specimens of now extinct species? | [
"One of the main reasons is so that you can collect and preserve a rare species. Once killed, the animal can be cleaned, stuffed, and mounted on a wall or otherwise preserved in perpetuity. The people who do this care more about collecting those animals than they do about actually preserving a rare species."
] | [
"As a rule, animals are afraid of the predators that have evolved in their area. Human-like things have been hunting animals all over the world for them to be scared of human-like things. The exceptions are the odd island here and there. Famously, dodos were not afraid of humans."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why is it that cats and dogs get arthiritis relatively quicker than when humans get it? | [
"Possibly because they have a shorter life span? One human year is approximately (from memory, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) 7 dog years - this means that a 10 year old dog is the equivalent of an 70 year old human. If you think of it this way then it makes sense that they might be a bit arthritic.... | [
"Dying of \"old age\" or \"natural causes\" means \"dying of some problem or disease that was probably inevitable and we don't think it's worth our time to find out exactly what happened\". Some people live longer than others because they are lucky and don't get diseases like cancer, arthritis, parkinsons, dementi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Is it really possible to shoot a lock open with a pistol? | [
"Depends on the lock, the pistol and other factors. I believe the Mythbusters looked at this and (as I recall) concluded that most locks can take several bullets without being compromised. At some-point the weakest part of the lock is the thing its attached to... the door."
] | [
"The same reason it's okay to carry a knife, but not a tower shield."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
What defines the shape of some drinking glasses to correspond to a specific beverage? For example, wine or scotch glasses have slightly different sizes of the leg and the part that holds the drink. Is it a historical matter? | [
"For the most part surface area and if its surpose to be smelled or not. Glasses on stalks, such as wine glasses. You are surpose to grab the stalk so you dont leave fingerprints on the glass. While cognac glasses are surpose to rest in your hand so you heat it up and evaporate the alcohol (and the released smell... | [
"It can - some large volume glasses like a wine glass or brandy snifter are designed to create a large bouquet that you inhale when you stick your nose in the glass. For most though, it comes down to presentation and volume. A single whiskey on the rocks would look like nothing at all in a large highball glass. Con... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do humans have such a hard time with calculations? | [
"Computers were build to be good at calculations. The human brain evolved over many thousands of years to be able to do complex tasks like recognizing voices or faces, though there was never a need to be good at calculating, hence we are not good at that."
] | [
"Because little kids have a hard time understanding complex subjects."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Education:",
"pos": "Represent the text about Education:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
How the hell did people survive before mosquito spray? I am getting eaten alive right now. | [
"I assume you mean how did they not go crazy, rather than how did they not get diseases, because they did get diseases. I've heard a few theories: Use smoke to keep the bugs away. When fire is how you cook, harden wood for spears, and keep large animals away, you always have smoke. There may be some plants that he... | [
"Dear god I hope someone answers this thread because this happens to me all the time...especially after just shaving my legs."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Science:"
} |
Why do people crouch when exiting helicopters in movies or real life? | [
"Because the rotorwash can knock you down if you're not careful; it creates very powerful winds. Crouching down also makes you smaller so less debris hits you."
] | [
"Hopefully this isn't forbidden in the rules, but may I ask a question? Are there any urban legends which have been proven true? For instance, has there been a murder by gang members when an individual flashed their lights at a car one night? Did a scuba diver get sucked up in a fire fighting helicopter and plunge... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What does a movie/TV producer do? | [
"They run the project, arranging stuff. On a movie project, they're the guys kicking everything off, sourcing scripts, arranging finance to buy a script, getting some talent attached to the project so that further funding can be secured. They know what's needed to take a project from inception to completion, and ma... | [
"Can someone explain to me what a fantasy football team is?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How were people able to map the world before space travel? | [
"the same way you can map out a large building. You wander round, and take measurements of your angle and distance, and with a sextant, part of your position too. From that, you can build up a map of the shape and layout of the building or the world. Most people also didn't need to map more than a small area themse... | [
"To be a little less specific, what did people think the future in general would be like before the Industrial Revolution?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Puerto Rico’s debit crisis and the role of the US congress? | [
"The debt crisis itself is relatively simple. The Puerto Rican Government owes about $80,000,000,000 and is having trouble paying the interest on that debt, due to a weak economy and social distrust of the government. Why the US Congress is involved is a little more complicated... but basically boils down to Puerto... | [
"Puerto Rico doesn't want to be a state. They want to be exactly where they are. Get all the perks of being in the us with none of the downside."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Does wealth/income inequality skew median statistics? | [
"The numerical income of a particularly high income individual does not move the Median, because the Median is the actual value which has the same number above and below. This makes Median less skewed by outliers in the way that Mean is. It doesn't matter how far above or below the median anyone is, only how many. ... | [
"Clarification: when you ask for a per capita comparison do you mean to include the enslaved population as well or to not consider them? This choice will likely have a huge effect on the conclusion as well as implying moral judgments."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If we breathe in oxygen (O2) and breathe out carbon dioxide (CO2) then what does the oxygen do? Does it just collect carbon then leave? | [
"No, there's a series of complex biological processes in which chemical reactions use gaseous oxygen and ingested water along with many other chemicals like glucose from sugar intake. Essentially the byproducts of some of these reactions ends up being carbon dioxide. Keep in mind, these CO2 molecules come from reac... | [
"Mostly from carbon in the atmosphere. You know the respiration cycle, in which you breathe in O2 (oxygen) and breathe out CO2 (carbon dioxide) and plants take in CO2 and put out O2? The carbon atom that gets left behind during photosynthesis is used to build the plant."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why do completely random memories pop into my head? | [
"If you could definitively answer this and prove your theory, you'd probably win a Nobel Prize. There is a lot of theory on how memory works, but no one knows for sure. The best explanation would be that somehow the right combination of neurons in your head fired in just the right way to trigger that memory. I thi... | [
"What did you say? Haha. It is normally because you are distracted by something else for a split second and the thing you were thinking about has not processed out of short term memory. Source: I am 52 and this happens to me. Sometimes I recall enough of what happened to realize what distracted me."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Memory and communication:"
} |
Are U.S. internet speeds slowed by NSA activities? | [
"Activity they want to monitor is copied off to the side. It doesn't slow anything down. They have their [own rooms](_URL_0_) in telecom facilities where the data is copied and stored. They don't have an \"ISP\" per se."
] | [
"Compared to Europe, the US has very few choices in the ISP market. Many people are limited to only one or perhaps two broadband internet providers they can 'choose' from (e.g. the local Cable Company and/or local Telephone Company). This has led many ISPs to engage in anti-competitive practices that break the prin... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Queen Victoria ruled over one of the most powerful empires in history for almost a century. So why did it take until 1918 for women to be considered politically intelligent and allowed to vote? | [
"You've got to remember the changes in 1918 weren't just about female suffrage. Prior to the changes men had to be home owners and over the age of 21 before they had the right to vote. That at the time meant somewhere around 40% of the male population was also ineligible to vote. Men had returned from war to a parl... | [
"The monarchy saw the writing on the wall and realized that if they didn't give up their power, the commoners and aristocrats would rise up and take it by force. So they made a deal to transfer governmental power to the parliament in exchange for keeping their hereditary titles, massive landholdings, and bomb-ass p... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why the north was fighting against slavery in the civil war, yet the 13th amendment was barely passed by this same government? | [
"The north didn't go to war to end slavery. They went to war in order to preserve the union—to bring the southern states back under the USA. The south, however, did secede because of slavery. For a present day analogy, think of all those people who insist that Obama wasn't born in the USA, or that he is a \"secret ... | [
"no it just freed the slaves in the rebelling states....it was a strategic tactic. the 13th amendment freed the slaves almost 3 years later."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is it so difficult to support Crossfire/SLI? AFR seems like such a simple concept | [
"Various things but predominantly they're discrete cards as much as people like to think of them as linked. For instance, you put something in VRAM on GPU0 it may not be directly accessible to GPU1. Basically it's hard to keep things synchronized in an optimized fashion for all different applications simultaneousl... | [
"You are not running a program that efficiently utilizes the 4 GPU cards, they're like $1000 each. This is likely because very, very few people buy that configuration. The game is better optimized for typical hardware."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why do people feel the need to use a "throwaway" account if reddit accounts are anonymous anyway? | [
"Because little clues add up, and if you piss off one nut-job, they can cause a lot of real-world problems. Also, throwaways have less importance on points, so you can ditch it and go outdoors and do other stuff instead of staring at this dumb website."
] | [
"You used your account to post this, didn't you? Who told you you have to make a new one? Or are you banned from a particular subreddit or something? You should consider verifying your email (use a throwaway email if you want) - that usually lessens the posting restrictions."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
When we describe things like magnets and forces as having a "positive" or "negative" charge, what, physically, are we actually describing? | [
"Electrons and protons have charge. It's a fundamental property of things. It doesn't reduce to anything else."
] | [
"There are a lot of different charges in physics, and while we don't have an explanation of \"what charge is made of\", different types of charge *do* behave differently. For example, electric charge only comes in two varieties: positive or negative. Color charge, which is the type of charge involved in the strong ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why are 'insofar' and 'inasmuch' written as so and not as separate words? | [
"\"Insofar\" and \"inasmuch\" are early contractions of common phrases used in 16-17th century English. This phenomenon of compound words can be found in all Germanic languages (and incidentally, it's much more common in German) but there are several other examples I can think of off the top of my head: \"neverthel... | [
"Someone posted something similar the other day on here, and it more has to do with pronunciation not lettering. You use the singular designator \"a,\" for words that follow don't have a vowel sound. You use \"an\" if it is a vowel sound."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why it takes 3-5 business days to transfer money to/from my PayPal account. | [
"The financial system takes a while to do anything, since various security checks have to take place by all parties involved. It's not just Paypal being slow for fun, it's so they can ensure the money is really there, that the bank account is real, that it isn't limited, and all kinds of other things that are requi... | [
"They charge a swipe fee ( or Merchant fee) for each transaction using a Visa or Master card."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
When shorting a stock, where does the money you gain come from? | [
"You short stocks when you think they're going to be cheaper in the future than they are today. If you ignore fees & commissions, the basic process is: 1. Borrow 100 shares of stock 2. Sell 100 shares today at $100 for $10,000 3. Wait a week 4. Buy 100 shares at $90 for $9000 5. Return the shares 6. Pocket $1000 ..... | [
"What it means is that they're investing in such a way that they will profit if the thing loses value. The simplest case is short selling a stock. When you do this, you sell a stock that you don't actually own. Then, if the stock price decreases, you can buy the stock to cover the fact that you owe somebody the sto... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How long would normal bodily reactions (like processing food) take without enzymes? Additionally, how much do enzymes speed up a reaction? | [
"Sometimes by many millions of times. > An extreme example is orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase, which allows a reaction that would otherwise take millions of years to occur in milliseconds. _URL_0_ Biological life would basically not be possible as we know it without enzymes."
] | [
"All bacteria have certain temperatures that their enzymes, or proteins in their bodies which process nutrients and other things perform at the maximum rate. As the environment temperature increases, enzyme action increases until it reaches a high enough temperature that enzymes denature, meaning that their substra... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why am I paid less than my friend? | [
"Because Australia varies the minimum wage for people under 21. The minimum amount McDonalds is legally allowed to pay your friend is more than what they have to pay you."
] | [
"Who's more likely to tell you their salary: a rich person, or a poor person?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why can the same numeric temperature feel different at different times? | [
"I'm not an expert and someone feel free to correct me, but I think it's mostly due to humidity. How much moisture is in the air makes a huge impact."
] | [
"There’s no such thing as “cold” just less warm. Temperature is a measure of energy. There is still plenty of energy in this above absolute zero. Can you give more context about what you mean though, like an example?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why do many Native American tribes own and operate Casinos in the United States? | [
"Because when we rounded them up and threw them on reservations the land we placed them we handed over to them with a lot of leeway and sovereignty from our laws. Thus, gambling is not illegal and becomes an easy revenue source for them."
] | [
"It's illegal in a huge number of jurisdictions already. Where do you live?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why is eating fiber (which goes through my digestive system) good for my heart? | [
"Your body uses cholesterol to make bile, which is what allows you to break down fats in the small intestines. Fiber binds cholesterol in your food and the bile you secrete. That bile would otherwise be reabsorbed into your body. So the fiber gets the bile out through feces, and your body is forced to make more bil... | [
"they fill you up with their fiber and water content, they keep you regular and promote a healthy digestive tract, and they have vitamins and minerals that are more easily absorbed by the body."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is it that when you're in the dark, staring directly at a light makes it less visible than looking beside it? | [
"Your eyes are made up of two different types of receptors: cones and rods. Rods are for low light vision, while cones observe the colors and work in 'normal' lighting conditions. Those cones and rods are not evenly distributed on your retina. The center of your eye doesn't have any rods, so when you're looking dir... | [
"When your brain is deprived of oxygen (which is generally happening whenever the thing that's killing you is, you know, killing you), your brain shuts down different parts of itself in a given order, in an attempt to keep you alive as long as possible. Turns out, when the visual centers of the brain begin losing ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are most things in space shaped like spheres? | [
"Gravity pulls everything to a central spot. Also they aren't sphere, they are oblate spherical shapes meaning they bulge on the sides."
] | [
"It's all about density. Such a material is possible. Look into white dwarfs."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can't games and other graphics programs use a circle? | [
"A computer screen is composed of a bunch of tiny square pixels. Circles end up looking jagged. Through anti aliasing, you can make the circle appear much smoother, but it takes much more rendering power than polygons. If you have plenty of computing power to spare circles look pretty good. But if not, its the firs... | [
"> my hypothesis is the game's graphics are already preloaded Graphics are rendered on the fly *by the user's computer* and all that the server handles is the coordinates of the characters."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If a boat crosses a water bridge, how is that weight distributed? | [
"The boat weighs exactly the same as the water it displaces. So the fact that a boat is passing over doesn't change anything. As long as the water level in the canal stays the same, the pressure at the bottom of the canal stays the same, and the weight on the supports stays the same."
] | [
"It works the same. The difference is the waves are directed across the water rather than toward the air."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Which African countries play the most important roles on the continent? Which countries should everyone know a brief overview of? | [
"Wouldn't mention /r/SouthDakota huh??? What, are you trying to say, that I live in the middle of nowhere or something?"
] | [
"While very large and rich in resources, it has fewer people than Argentina, Poland, or Sudan. There are cities in China with almost as many people as Canada. In addition, culturally, politically, and diplomatically, they are similar to their close allies the US and the UK, and don't have much to add to what those ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Where can I find the truth about climate change? | [
"I wouldn't give much credibility to Ivar Giaever when he says stuff like this: > I am not really terribly interested in global warming. Like most physicists I don’t think much about it. But in 2008 I was in a panel here about global warming and I had to learn something about it. And I spent a day or so — half a d... | [
"It's a big system. It also carries a bit from state to state. Are you interested in the application process? Policy? Logistics?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why are astronauts strapped into the shuttle 3 hours before take off? | [
"There are no shuttles any more, so I assume you are going to talk about the upcoming russian soyuz launch to the ISS They sit there for three hours because thats how long it takes to fuel the rocket. Once has started fueling you want the astronauts strapped in and everyone else several miles away, in case the rock... | [
"No parachutes on airplanes. And even if there were, no one onboard is parachute jump certified. Training you on how to put a parachute rig on while we're crashing at 600mph isn't going to go well."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What exactly IS earwax, and what is its function? | [
"> ELI5 is for requests for easy-to-follow explanations of complex concepts and subjects. That means **no questions that are just looking for straightforward answers**... Your whole question can be answered if you look at the [Wikipedia page for earwax](_URL_0_). I mean, seriously, the first two sentences answer yo... | [
"It apparently pushes some earwax farther in your ear canal, which is bad. Not sure of an alternative."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is the purpose of this structure in a dam? | [
"Looks like an overflow emergency drain. In the event the level behind the dam gets too high, this structure, which is connected by pipe to a sluice way, allows water to drain without letting the dam be topped, which can be damaging to the dam structure. The smaller one I'm guessing is an air vent for that system."... | [
"They don't; you're thinking of a different kind of battery."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
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