query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
why do people get the urge to write obscenities on toilet cubicle walls? | [
"I used to see it a lot more before the proliferation of smartphones. Basically, boredom."
] | [
"Ever cleaned a ladies room? They're animals. In the mens room, there's a little piss on the floor and maybe the toilet seat. Women do unspeakable things with feces and menstrual blood. I don't want to keep men out of the ladies room. I want to keep ladies out of the mens room."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What's going on with "Amy's Baking Company"? | [
"Amy's Baking Company signed on with Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsey. The show is about helping dysfunctional restaurants become better. Amy \"thinks\" she can cook cuisine however the food they served Gordon was completely inedible. When Gordon tried to give her advice she went into batshit insane mode. Sam... | [
"Check out Robert E. May's *Manifest Destiny's Underworld*."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
From a legal and medical perspective, how can people get plastic surgery (when it's not a medical necessity)? | [
"There is no legal requirement that a procedure be a medical necessity. Most insurance will not cover elective procedures like plastic surgery."
] | [
"Well firstly, there are very few people who require that procedure, so in the grand scheme of things it's not a huge drain on funds. Secondly; mental health care is as important as physical health care. And for a proportion of transgender people, the surgery is critical to their mental health. It *is* a medically ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why can't the US (or any country in general) alleviate their external debt by collecting their external credit? | [
"Debts are to be paid on a schedule. My bank can't show up on my doorstep and tell me they've decided they want all the money for my mortgage right now. Loans and credit *can't* work like that; it would be chaos. Loans would be pointless because you kind of couldn't actually use the money borrowed."
] | [
"No. Making a global currency would not solve poverty, and based on how Greece is doing it would most likely make it worse. To establish a global currency you would have to deny every country the right to print their own currency. That means they are greatly hindered at running their economies."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
How does laser eye surgery fix your vision so quickly? | [
"I just had laser eye surgery a week ago and within 18 hours I was cleared to drive. Basically the laser reshapes the cornea in such a way to focus light on your retina where it didn't before. That process takes just a few seconds. The recovery takes longer. The flap on the outer layer of the cornea takes a week o... | [
"Of course we can. There are various types of eye surgery, from laser vision correction to cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery. Unfortunately not every vision problem can be corrected. We still can't fix nerve damage, or if someone loses their entire eye there isn't really a way to fix that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How does MSG make food more flavorful and less importantly, colorful? | [
"MSG is simply an amino acid salt and works for savory flavor the same way sugar does for sweet and salt does for salty. It is the purified essence of savory. It naturally occurs in huge quantities in things like soy sauce and meat stew."
] | [
"Because it tastes nice. This is because cheese has a lot of fat in it which makes things more flavourful and salt which does the same."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do flys/bees fly in very erratic patterns rather than move in a straight line? | [
"Although flying in a straight line may be a more energy efficient path, the erratic flight patterns mean that their movement is less predictable by predators such as birds. Overtime this evolutionary advantage has stuck."
] | [
"They don't fly directly towards the light. They circle around it, going round and round, spiraling closer and closer, until they end up being very close to it. Why do they do that? Well, bugs use the sun and moon for orientation. They try to keep the light source above their heads in the same place, that way they ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:"
} |
Important announcement for the future of ELI5 | [
"I know what this is. But it shouldn't be what it is."
] | [
"There is a post on the frontpage on the topic: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why does the cable company care how much you use your internet (data cap) but not how much TV you watch? | [
"It depends on the type of TV you have. If its regular cable then the cable company just broadcasts all the shows to you all the time so its no concern of theirs how much you watch. If it's any sort of IPTV like digital cable or a service like U Verse or X Finity or a lot of digital cable offered then the bandwidth... | [
"Netflix is about the same price per month as a premium cable station like HBO or Showtime. So, I am not sure why you think it's substantially cheaper. If you are comparing Netflix to cable service as a whole, remember that the cable bill includes getting the content to your house. Netflix doesn't cover that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Private Military Companies | [
"The Army also has to pay for training servicemen, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per serviceman. PMCs use already-trained men, so their costs are lower. Also, many PMCs hire non-US veterans. There are many PMCs from the UK and South Africa, for example. So this means that the UK can pay hundreds o... | [
"Side 1 - For Vaccines: -Science Side 2 - Against Vaccines: -Paranoid idiocy"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do people still buy Coca Cola stocks? I understand that to make money in the stock market you have to invest for the long run but how long would it be before you actually saw gains? I have no business background and just thought of this while drinking some good old Classic Coca Cola. | [
"Coca-Cola is a very stable, low-risk, long-term investment. You'd have to stick with it for at least 10 years to get a reasonable return. On the other hand, it pays dividends, so if you own a lot of stock you get a return in the short term also."
] | [
"Well you have the right idea to buy cheap. The issue comes when the market is very unstable. Are you willing to risk buying stocks and instantly losing a large chunk of the investment? When you buy stocks you really need to know all the latest details and news about the company you are buying shares from. I just ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How does Eye Black work? | [
"Less light reflects off of black than lighter shades like skin tone. Combined with our tendency to sweat (and make our cheeks even more reflective), an unpainted cheek can push a lot of unwanted sunlight into your eye. Matte black strip fixes a lot of that."
] | [
"Can you not get an erection in space?!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do people set up "funds" for donations whenever there is a tragedy like the Boston bombing or Sandy Hook? | [
"> But what does the money for the other fundraiser events go to? Money for the families to pay for unexpected medical bills, family that wants to travel to see injured people, funeral expenses, lawyers, food... the list goes on and on."
] | [
"They don't want to be known as the perpetrator of millions of deaths and ethnic cleansing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why doesn’t blood rush to our feet? | [
"Because you evolved to stand upright. Your body has one way valves in the legs, and utilizes the muscular activity of your legs, to push blood back upwards and prevent it from flowing against the normal direction. We didn't evolve standing on our heads, so there's no need for a corresponding upside down system, as... | [
"Basically it helps circulate blood through your body. You don't feel good when blood pools in your body."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why is it so hard to predict the future of tech? | [
"Because you have to predict possible inventions, which are by definition things people haven't thought of before. For example, if you look at sci-fi movies or artwork from before the LCD panel was invented, the dashboard of spaceships would just have a *whole bunch* of shiny glowing analogue dials, like your speed... | [
"There is a massive barrier to entry in order to compete with them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about Finance:"
} |
Why cold water is tastier than normal water? | [
"This is culturally subjective. Many Asian countries, China most notably, much prefer drinking hot water. There is a flavor difference and you find cold water tastier because that's typical for your culture, your \"normal.\""
] | [
"How much water is in the bath? How much is in the kettle? How hot is the bath water?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the passage about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How do electromagnetic waves propagate in vacuum? | [
"The electromagnetic wave actually maintains itself! All electromagnetic field phenomena are described by the Maxwell equations. They govern how electric and magnetic fields are generated by charges and currents, and how the fields themselves interact. Of the four Maxwell equations, Faraday's Law says that a changi... | [
"Technically it's both. The signal current induces an electromagnetic signal that travels along the wire, which then induces the current, and so on. This causes a wave to propagate through the cable. In vacuum, this would be the speed of light. For coax cables this is somewhere around 70 to 80% of that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
If oil is wet, and you fry foods by immersing them in oil, why do fried foods not come out of the frier all soggy? | [
"Oil isn't wet. It's oily. Oil and water are different things. About the only thing in common is that they are both liquids!"
] | [
"Fried is just cooked in a pan, like you see people do with sausages or bacon. Deep-frying is when you have a pot or other vessel of heated oil, like you see in some food kitchens that do fried chicken or other fried foods (like McDonald's fries). The main differences is more even and consistent cooking with deep-f... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
The penchant of some black comedians, such as Eddie Murphy and Tyler Perry, for playing female characters in what is essentially drag and the appeal/reason. | [
"Flip Wilson, Milton Berle, Eddie Izzard, .. troupes like Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, Second City, ... and comedians of every age/ color. Cross-dressing has been an element of comedy since the second joke was written."
] | [
"Historical context. Over a hundred years ago, it used to be part of comedic theater to have a white man paint his face black and make fun of black people by acting like a dumb fool and other stereotypes. So, today, the idea of black face evokes imagery and emotions of a time when black people were clearly second c... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Television Syndication | [
"When a network makes a show, the producers and the network hope to make enough shows to sell to a local market. This is called syndicating the show. A local TV station might air it at a different time slot than the show originated, and also do it every day instead of once a week. Every time the show is shown, the ... | [
"I'd recommend watching this it's intriguing. Doodling in Math: Spirals, Fibonacci _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment about mathematics:"
} |
Why doesn't the US Gov't stop subsidizing commodity crops? | [
"Those farmers are represented by lobbyists who pay large amounts of money to ensure the subsidies continue."
] | [
"To further confuse you, should you also include corporate welfare? Tax breaks for successful companies, subsidies to unsuccessful ones, etc, etc."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If Linux and OS X are both based on Unixapi's en most GNU-programs work on both platforms, why are big Mac Apps (Adobe, etc.) not ported to Linux yet? | [
"I would like to point out that Many Moons Ago, Photoshop was available for IRIX, which was yet another UNIX platform which has (sadly) since died away. The real answer here is that Adobe has no desire to port Photoshop over to Linux. They could absolutely do it, and if they thought it was worth their time, they w... | [
"It's not that windows is special so it is compatible with mac, both windows and mac can run generally on the same laptops (e.g a lenovo laptop), HOWEVER the mac operating system has certain runtimes which prevents itself from being installed onto non mac laptops/computers. However, with some hacking anything is po... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are divorce rates so high in America where people can choose their spouse but low in India where it's arranged? | [
"Research shows that \"love marriages\" and \"arranged marriages\" end up with similar levels of happiness. So the difference in divorce rate can't be attributed to differences in happiness. Divorce became common in the USA in the last 50 years because (1) the social taboo against it faded, (2) women gained greater... | [
"Until kids go out in the world and meet other people, their best friend is mommy or sister or cousin. Our families are the first people to show us love. It's (hopefully) pure and unconditional. Your little brother didn't want to marry you because you were hot, or because he wanted to have sex with you, or because ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How is the U.S. able to consistently have the highest medal counts at the Summer Olympic games? | [
"If you look at your medal tally based on population you don't look so good. My husband (American) and I (Australian) have this conversation every Olympics. USA only 49th in 2012 based on medals per capita. Check out this site _URL_0_"
] | [
"The Indian gov't doesn't invest the same sort of resources in the Olympics as the Chinese do. Also, the most popular sport in India is cricket, and they are pretty good at it. If cricket were an Olympic sport, India would be medal contenders every time."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What is the difference between a recession and a depression? | [
"Recession actually has a definition \"two quarters of negative GDP growth\". On the other hand, a depression is \"a prolonged recession marked by a significant decline in income and employment\". There isn't a bright line, like -5% unemployment is just a garden variety recession and -6% unemployment is a Depressio... | [
"A \"depression\" is an economic term that means there is a long-term downturn in the economy. The Great Depression was the worst depressions in modern history. Also, note that the Great Depression happened *before* WWII. In fact WWII was one of the things that stopped the Great Depression and got the world economy... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
why do muscles contract under current? | [
"Nerve fibres send messages by a form of electricity, the message that the nerve fibres send to the muscles is to contract, so stimulating them with electricity replaces the nerve signal."
] | [
"peoples blood pressure is lower when they first wake up. this makes them more sensitive to the cold."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do they keep the bullets at a gun range from piercing out of the back wall and killing random people who might be behind the building? | [
"Most backstops do two things: they absorb the energy of the bullet by being much more dense than the bullet itself, and redirecting the bullet into something else, which will slow the bullet to a stop. Most backstops, especially in indoor ranges, are thick pieces of steel which are placed at an angle. The thick st... | [
"Have you never seen the carts that drive around with the plow that picks them all up? Never tried to hit a ball at them? Those drive around, and collect the balls that are strewn around. More top golf specific, than a driving range; They drive the cart to the back of each of the targets, and enter through a hatch ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
what's the difference between franchises and chain stores? And when is it more profitable to use one or the other ? | [
"A chain is any retailer/restaurant with multiple locations. Franchises are when locations are owned by individuals who license the rights to use the name and agree to abide by the requirements, standards, set out by the franchiser. So you have $1 million and buy a McDonalds franchise. For that fee they build a re... | [
"It basically means you get to individually open your own version of a restaurant. If you buy a McDonald's franchise you are essentially just paying for the right to use the McDonald's name, take advantage of their logistical network, etc."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why will microwaved popcorn bags burn every so often? | [
"Popcorn pops at 232 degrees C, or around 465 degrees F. If you leave it in to long, temperature will get too high. Also, due to microwaves getting older, parts, and sensors deteriorating inside the microwave, accuracy of the \"popcorn\" button drops. that is why, when I make popcorn just add 15 seconds extra to th... | [
"Here are two extra questions: 1.What would happen if you jammed the door catch and started microwaving with the door open? 2. When I microwave olives (delicious), they sometimes spark, does that mean the seeds have metal in them and should I not be doing this without parental supervision?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Restaurant portions. Why are they so big? Wouldn't it be more cost-effective to charge the same price for a smaller meal? | [
"It would be more cost-effective only if the same number of people would pay that price for a smaller meal. The thing is, raw food is very cheap when you buy it in bulk. Ingredients make up about a third of the food's cost at *most*; for things like rice, beans, and any sort of flour-based product, the ingredients ... | [
"So let me put it this way. Even if it was legal for restaurants to not allow certain people to order certain items on the menu, why would they ever do that? The senior citizen discounted menu (or the kids menu for that matter) is not discounted because they really like seniors, it is discounted because the portion... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why does free-standing water move around a little bit in my toilet bowl, which is inside the house, when it's windy/gusty outside? | [
"Because in the wall, theres an air vent that goes up to the roof. Plumbing is open ended on top"
] | [
"This happens because the water just behind the faucet (in the hot water pipe) has been sitting there for a bit and come up to room temperature or so. But the pipes that are inside the heated part of the house only hold a few seconds of water. After that first bit of room-temperature water runs out, there's a bit o... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Physics:"
} |
If Windows XP is still so popular, why is Microsoft abandoning it? | [
"Because they don't make money supporting outdated software. They want people to buy the new versions."
] | [
"Several specific reasons; You can't refuse updates, you can't shut off telemetry data being sent back to MS, and Win 10 has some specific issues with some games that I play a lot and Ventrilo in particular. Unless or until all those things get fixed/patched, no Win 10 for me. 8.1 works perfectly fine, and will for... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text about Technology:"
} |
Why are some people sympathetic vomiters? | [
"I am not a doctor/scientist but it is a survival reaction that evolved alongside our social natures. Back in the good old days groups or tribes would hunt and forage for food together. If they found something remotely edible they would taste it and then share with the rest. This is great for ensuring the tribe has... | [
"Because women are not socially conditioned to repress all emotion."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why do some overweight people sometimes tend to readjust their shirts when they walk or even sit down? | [
"In my case, it's concern of my shirt riding up and showing off some fatness."
] | [
"They have proportionally big heavy heads and little strength. If they don't sit up straight, they'll flop right over."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
What would actually happen if all monetary debts in the world were suddenly forgiven? | [
"It would depend on how this happened. If it undermined peoples faith in repayment, it would become very hard to convince people to make future loans, severely hampering economic activity."
] | [
"If one trillion dollars was destroyed (and not replaced), it would result in deflation. Whether or not it was beneficial would depend on whose $1 trillion was destroyed."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How can clothing companies sell thug cartoon shirts without violating copyright? | [
"most cases they will have just been copyright infringements, but in some cases i can image they were actually given permission (you'd possibly most rather have people wear thug shirts of your brand instead of anothers, if they are going to wear one anyway)"
] | [
"To some, it is stylish to wear old clothes which were either handed-down or found in a thrift store. Since people prefer to buy clothes new, designers make shirts that mimic those styles from 20/30/40 years ago. They make up fictional names so they don't have to pay a real organization for licensing fees."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
from an actual 5yo: What happens when you punch a ghost in the face? | [
"In Heaven. Canada. Because his Mommy and Daddy were mean to him so he has to be mean to other people. May. Continental drift. Only if you want to get sick from eating too much sugar. It's like lightning but we use it for stuff. Because you'll be tired in the morning. Insects mostly. Beavers, mostly beaver... | [
"Not serious answer I would totally tell a 5y/o: \"Because it's a snow globe, if you keep it in the sun it'll melt and just be a water globe!\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Does being on your period matter when it comes to surgery? | [
"No. Where a female patient is in their menstrual cycle does not really effect anything when it comes to emergency surgeries/anesthetics. Pads are removed and whatever flow that happens, happens. The patient is just cleaned up afterward. Also, for the placement of the urinary catheter, the lack of a pad is better. ... | [
"Depending on the type of surgery, it would definitely hurt a lot more."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
how does soup preserve the meat that it contains? | [
"The meat isn't preserved by being in soup. It's preserved by being canned. The soup + meat is heated to kill bacteria, and then sealed in an airtight can while still hot. This means that the contents of the can are sterile, which keeps the food from decomposing (since that's caused by bacteria eating the food)."
] | [
"It is made from ingredients that have high sugar content. If a cream of Chicken Soup it is likely the kind of onion used, and carrots."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why does Coca-Cola or any other drink taste better out a glass bottle? | [
"Glass bottle Coke is usually made in Mexico. The label shows azucar, sugar in English. This is rather than high fructose corn syrup."
] | [
"Is coke cheaper than tap water or cheaper than bottled water? Bottled water has a huge mark up."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
how do pre recorded TV shoes keep their results secret? | [
"Everyone who has any knowledge of the contents of a future episode has to sign an NDA, which is a Non Disclosure Agreement. You agree not to tell anyone what happens (or who was on set. Or even what show you worked on!), and if you do you can face some very serious consequences. Legal asside (getting sued for ever... | [
"They track both -- live viewing, same day viewing, next day, three day and so on. And yes, higher live ratings are best, but DVR ratings are important too, and some ads can still work with DVRs. Have you noticed that movie ads have the name of th film bannered across the top during the whole ad? That's so the name... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is there such a significant home advantage in sport? | [
"It's like shitting at home in your bathroom. You know where the handle is, you know where the extra TP is, you know where the plunger is in case shit gets hairy. That's called home field advantage because you are used to your surroundings: sun, wind, grass, refs, fans, noise are all familiar. As a result you shit ... | [
"What do you mean by downfall? This is still a dominant part of current culture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How is having something sweet at the end of a meal a part of so many cultures around the world? | [
"To settle the stomach and to indicate the end of the meal. This may be a Pavlovian reaction, but there are scientific studies that show a sweet at the end of a meal signals the end of the meal and tells your body to crank up the digestion machine. This is also a bit of a guess on my part, but the tradition may ha... | [
"Anthropologists have found that breakfast is a universal common denominator. You literally *HAVE* to have a first meal of the day. Almost as common is the *last* meal of the day. Sometimes this coincides with breakfast, but more often than not, multiple meals are eaten each day."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are there more right handed people than left? | [
"Here's a link from just a few days ago on that topic: _URL_0_"
] | [
"Why are noses different in size, why are people different heights, why do we have different hair colors?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about Biology:"
} |
If trees initially were non-biodegradable, and a fungus adapted to degrade them could the same be done for plastic? | [
"Sure and we are working on it. But its a slow process and we are producing literally thousands of tonnes of plastic every day. Recycle."
] | [
"> Given that bacteria exists all around organic matter at all times, I am curious - what prevents the severe breakdown of bodily cells, organs and other such tissues before death? Our immune system kills off all those bacteria before they can do any damage."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
If bones are harder than steel, why do they break so easily after falls, etc. | [
"Bones are *not* harder than steel. But anyway, hardness and brittleness are two different things. Hardness means which material can scratch the other. Brittleness means how likely is the material to shatter or snap under stress. Bones are brittler than steel too."
] | [
"You will be unable to run more marathons due to exhaustion long before you actually starve to death."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
why did people who literally had the dirtiest bloodied jobs, like butchers and doctors traditionally wear white? | [
"There's plenty of answers here for Doctors, which is strange to me since it seems to be a more niche/specific answer. Anyway the short answer for butchers is quite simply: White is easiest to clean. Starching is an old technique for making clothes more resistant to staining (I believe it whitens clothes at the sa... | [
"A few random points: * the most common strategy was nothing...as long as an odor is not a physical irritant, you eventually got used to it. * there are degrees of body odor...the rich might have been at the \"a week without bathing or changing level\", while other would be at \"hardcore homeless guy urine/feces/wh... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is ibogaine, a substance known to aid fantastically in treating/curing drug addiction, illegal for medical use in the USA? | [
"From Wikipedia: > Ibogaine is classified as a Schedule I-controlled substance in the United States, and is not approved there for addiction treatment (or any other therapeutic use) because of its hallucinogenic, neurotoxic, and cardiovascular side effects, as well as the scarcity of safety and efficacy data in hu... | [
"That's the funny thing: The good drugs are often the same drugs as the bad drugs. You've just only been hearing the bad things, because that's all anyone has a vested interest in telling you. Medical marijuana is a big thing, after all. Not to mention the growing research into medical usage of psychedelics on depr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do people look their skinniest first thing in the morning, and then, even if you haven't eaten anything, look less skinny as the day goes on? | [
"People tend to begin retaining water after they wake up. Exercise, showring and swimming, and drinking fluids all contribute. What you experience is what a lot of bodybuilders also experience and its really nothing more than a vanity thing, since you are likely the only one that notices. Remember though, the more ... | [
"Eating more calories than you burn makes you fat. Eating late could potentially be a factor in that, especially if you are the type to either get so hungry you over-eat or who bridges the time between meals with snacks, but it isn't like if you eat a certain meal at six pm you'll stay slim, but if you eat that mea... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How can Google do a search of the entire internet in less than a second, but my computer takes a much longer time to search just its own hard drive? | [
"It actually searches something called an index, which is kind of like a phonebook. The index itself takes much longer to build and is constructed by a crawler that travels through the internet link by link. Your own hard drive probably isn't indexed, but if you built an index for it, those searches would be much f... | [
"It's a rough estimate, the computer cannot tell which programs or websites or programs you will use in the future. All programs take up a certain amount of power for example, games and high resolution videos can take up more power than writing an essay, or reading a story."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
why do things that are hot (like lava or fire, or... lights) generate light? | [
"When a thing is at a temperature over absolute zero, the atoms composing it are moving. When those atoms collide with each other, they lose a little bit of energy. That energy loss become electromagnetic radiation, in other words, light. The energy of light is related to its wavelength, so matter with different te... | [
"Because cold things such as ice and people are blue and hot things like metal and people are red."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Do the first and second laws of thermodynamics insinuate an eventual end to life? | [
"> Does this imply that eventually there will be no energy left? Yes, eventually all energy will be dispersed into heat. Based on our current understanding of the rules of physics that's basically it, game over. > What does this mean when a person (or I guess even other forms of life) dies? The chemical energy bo... | [
"There are kind of two levels to this: Entropy is the degree of randomness/disorganization within a system. The measurement of entropy has almost 0 impact on your average layman’s life. On the other hand entropy is the second law of thermodynamics. Literally nothing happens without a net increase of entropy to the ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
The last Aaron Swartz question. Why don't we have access to publicly funded scientific journals that hide behind pay walls? Is there anything we can do about it? | [
"Most academiates I know publish papers on their university web space for the world to download. That make retrieval a pain in the neck. Journals are suppose to do two things. Ensure that that paper is not made up, and aggregate by disipline. Allowing corporations to be majors funders the journals (ads) will event... | [
"The average American citizen doesn't have the wherewithal to make use of the information available. The companies that are backing it do, though."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Government and politics:"
} |
Why does raw poultry potentially go bad after 1-2 days in the fridge while raw steak may last for 5? | [
"Poultry is not as dense as beef. Bacteria can permeate poultry easier and faster than beef. This is the same reason why you have to cook poultry at least till medium and not rare, which can otherwise be done with beef."
] | [
"because you're going to eat it. Cooked meat can be dangerous if you leave it in the fridge for a few weeks. Just like raw meat. The difference is that if you put raw meat in the freezer, you can save it for a few months. Cooked meat can be left in the fridge for a couple days, but still is subject to rotting. Bein... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why most humans are scared of dead humans but not any other animal is scared of their dead? | [
"I'm not sure that statement always applies. Animals are wary of other animal's dead bodies, perhaps to avoid being a predator's next meal. I volunteer at a bird sanctuary and when, for example, a snapping turtle has killed a duck, the other ones avoid that space. When a goose died on the ice over the past winter, ... | [
"Its not just humans. Lots of animals torture each other and other animals for fun."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What's stopping non-Americans from further suing (and winning) Red Bull for the false advertising? | [
"For a company to be required to issue payments to people living outside the US, the case would have to have been heard in an [International Litigation] court. This case was heard and ruled on in a domestic court so it only applies to domestic residents."
] | [
"Basically from what I understand there's a few simple reasons. One, it's too make sure there is no risk of those people making money off of their IP. Two, that runs the risk of bad press."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Jesus being a Jew and the founder of Christianity | [
"They are conflicting today, but there was no Christianity until it was invented. To be Christian is to believe that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah of the Jewish religion. So then there were the Jews who disbelieved and the Jews who believed what Jesus was saying is true (now called Christians). To use a more mod... | [
"Judaism essentially started with Abraham who with his wife 'started' the religion. God promised that Abraham's descendants would be God's chosen people. All of the big figures in the Torah are descendants of Abraham. Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and the Christian Messiah. Judaism doesn't recognize Jesus as th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
How did the natives understand explorers that docked on their island during the Age of Exploration if they spoke different languages? | [
"You can learn eachothers languages over time. They definitely had no clue at the beginning."
] | [
"There has been trade between Europe and Africa, directly or indirectly, for thousands of years. Africa, Europe, and Asia are all connected by land or very short ocean distances. Diseases had already been shared between Europe and Africa long before Europeans began colonizing Africa. Africa was not 'discovered' in ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about History:"
} |
I see the term free Palestine around a lot, what does it mean? | [
"Just as a counter-point to all those saying that Palestine \"isn't a country\": [As of 14 September 2015, 136 (70.5%) of the 193 member states of the United Nations and two non-member states have recognised the State of Palestine.](_URL_0_) Quite a number of countries recognize Palestine as a country, including ba... | [
"America is a free speech country, you can mostly say whatever you want, it doesn't have to make sense or reflect history accurately."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why is the oil and gas industry going under? | [
"Because I spent two years getting my cdl and working on a oil platform at slave wages to learn the trade. Got a job making 70k on another rig in sd, the price dropped, everyone was let go and the industry basically collapsed. If anyone wants another industry to fail drop me a line and I will spend another two year... | [
"In the real world why would anyone want to be a politician?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
What the hell is going on when you see the actors credited as 'Executive Producers' in a TV show? | [
"It's usually written into their contract - down to the size of the font and placement on the 'card' and even whether it stands alone or is under or above someone else's credit. It can vary from contract to contract in terms of what it really means for a person's paycheck; in some cases (certain movies, for example... | [
"Ever watch the credits at the end of a video game or movie? That's where"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we have so many blackheads on our nose? | [
"A blackhead is a clogged hair follicle. Oil and a skin protein called keratin combine to clog the follicle. When the combination is exposed to oxygen, it turns black. You have a lot of oil glands on your nose because they protect your skin from the sun and other environmental hazards. Oil tends to collect on the s... | [
"Why do you have so many lips and chins?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Biology:"
} |
Why can we no longer afford to send manned expeditions to the moon? | [
"It has already been done, so it's not as impressive any more, the public won't care much so budget restraints will hurt. Also, there is no reason to invest all the funds in going to the moon atm since there is nothing to learn from it right now. There are also more impressive things going on right now, including a... | [
"> So why seek to settle on another planet? Because it's there. To explore space. To develop and refine the technology of off-Earth living. To give the human race a lifeboat. Why colonize the Sahara or Antarctica? We aren't running out of room in more livable places."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it expected that the captain is to go down with his ship when it sinks? | [
"Tradition is a minor part of it, but the practical reason is that he or she knows the ship better than anyone. Access to lifeboats, emergency equipment and any necessary steering in the event that the ship can still be steered necessitates that the Captain stick around. If it was accepted that the captain is allow... | [
"I thought he faced manslaughter charges for running the ship aground, which is different than abandoning the ship. I could be wrong though."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How comes water makes sand grains stick to your skin and wet sand can hold a shape while dry sand cant? | [
"Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5: Why does sand only stick together when wet? ](_URL_0_) 1. [ELI5: How does water make sand stick together so well? ](_URL_1_)"
] | [
"There's so much stuff dissolved in the water from the Koolaid that the surface tension is different, causing it to stick to the glass instead of pouring like water."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
We wash shampoo out immediately, but keep conditioner in for a few minutes. Why? | [
"Shampoo is designed as a method to remove unwanted items from your hair. They grab on to all the stuff that nobody wants and takes them with it when you wash it out. Conditioner is designed more for the sake of conditioning and soaking into your hair. It needs a longer time to reach whatever the goal is whether it... | [
"Try using soap or body wash on your hair, it will make it dry, rough, and damaged. So, actually, don't do that. Using shampoo on your skin can cause it to become slimy because of the extra ingredients. In addition, they have a different pH level. Shampoo is more acidic. When you use body wash as shampoo, it will s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is Iceland part of Europe when it's closer to North America? | [
"Iceland was discovered by Europeans (and settled) almost 500 years prior to the discovery of North America. For those 500 years it was part of Europe. When America was discovered Island had already been a part of Europe for such a long time it made no sense to treat it differently."
] | [
"They're really not that close. South Africa is as close to the south pole as southern USA is to the north pole."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is Euler's Identity considered a beautiful equation? | [
"Because it is comprised solely of 5 of the most important numbers in mathematics."
] | [
"e is Euler's Number which has a lot of interesting things about it. Probably most importantly it has an interesting property where the slope of the graph y=e^x is always equal to the value of the function. In order words, if I graph that function and measure the slope of that graph at x=5 both the slope of the gra... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Mathematics:"
} |
Why did the German WW2 use a 88mm Cannon rather than a round number like 90mm? | [
"88mm caliber was a common size for pre-WWI German navy guns. Many old gun related things are based on the diameters of various weight lead balls, and a 9 lb (4kg) lead ball is very close to 88mm in diameter (88.25mm)."
] | [
"This is the the bullet diameter. .308 is the same as 7.62 mm in bullet diameter. .308 means 30.8 % of an inch. An inch is 25.4 mm and if you multiply 25.4 with .308 you will get 7.62. Larger bullet normally means larger hole so normally that would mean more lethal bullet, but the speed of the bullet also matters. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
How Is It That Astronauts Aren't Blinded By The Brightness of The Sun? | [
"Those visors: a real thin layer of gold on there."
] | [
"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 Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why does 65 degrees feel so much cooler in a car or building than it does outside? | [
"Relative humidity. If the outside holds more moisture than it will not evaporate which makes you feel warmer. Air conditioning is removing humidity which brings down the temperature you feel."
] | [
"This is more related to relative temperature than actual water temperature. The pool temp is probably pretty constant, we'll call it 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If it's 90 degrees outside and your body has started to adjust to that setting, 65 degree water is going to feel nice and cool. On the other hand, jumping in a... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
how did people make such accurate maps of land and sea before flight was achieved? | [
"There were two major ways of measuring things accurately. One way were to look at the distance and angles to landmarks and then triangulate where you are in relation to those. The landmarks would again be triangulated by using other landmarks and so forth. For long distances you could also look at the Sun and the ... | [
"heyyyy, because of the patterns of the earth's rotation around the sun we are able to tell our position relative to the other planets, stars, etc. More or less it makes a complicated but sure method of determining time and location. As far as evidence you would have to refer to astronomer's, but in short the answe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
how do cash machine companies make a profit (UK) | [
"I'd imagine their money would come from selling and setting up the machines initially, and then from advertising (some receipts have adverts on the back). But that's just a guess on my part"
] | [
"whats a \"high street\" bank? is this a special kind of bank or what?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did scientists come to the conclusion that the Universe is expanding? | [
"You know the doppler effect, where something sounds different when it's coming towards you than when it's moving away? Well at high speeds light if affected by the doppler effect. When something is moving away the light shifts into the red spectrum, when it's coming closer it shifts into the blue spectrum. Because... | [
"That's a tough question, but for a 6 year old it would be suffice to say that our worlds best scientists noticed something very interesting when they look at far away stars and galaxies with telescopes. They see that everything is racing away from us. The scientists realized that if they are racing away from us, t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Physics:"
} |
How did other western countries institute National Healthcare and what's holding back the U.S. from doing so? | [
"Most western countries instituted national healthcare as a necessity during and after WWI and WWII. Their options were nationalize healthcare or have their populations die. The US did not face this issue. The US is also culturally different. We prize self sufficiency, abhor taxes, and thing the government should ... | [
"Could the rebuilding of Japan after WWII be considered a partial colonization by the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
If Ebola is actually not a major threat to the world (compared to say, malaria) then why has it been getting such huge attention? Is there really a major problem? | [
"It has been getting significant media attention largely because it's new, foreign, an extremely horrible way to die and *might* (read almost certainly will not) affect you (which allows for headlines like \"How to protect your family from Ebola - stay tuned for WKFFS News at 5\"). The reasons why it's actually a p... | [
"I think we'd be able to contain it fairly well. We have news and social networks to spread word quickly and much cleaner environments that we live in. We also have the money and technology to invest into containment as well as on-hand staff to deal with it. Part of the reason it's an epidemic in Africa is because ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about News and current events:",
"pos": "Represent the document about News and current events:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What if a country doesn't accept a surrender? | [
"It depends on a few factors. The process of surrendering on the national level isn't as simple as just throwing your hands up in the air and saying \"I quit.\" Representatives will negotiate terms for the end of the war. Basically, the losing party says \"we want to stop fighting, what are your demands?\" If the d... | [
"In the real world why would anyone want to be a politician?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
When a stock loses value, where does the lost value go? | [
"Imagine you buy a shiny new toy. It costs $20. A week later, you want to sell it to a friend, but that friend will only pay $15 because he knows he could have a new one for $20. You decide not to sell. A year later, the toy has gone out of fashion. Now, your friend will only pay $5 for it. It's in similar conditio... | [
"Buying stock pretty much means buying a piece of the company. So the money goes to whoever owned that part of the company before (so either the company themselves or the previous share holder). The changing value of the stock reflects the changing value of the company."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Can someone please explain a reciprocal in algebra? | [
"it's a number, when multiplied by the denominator(the bottom number in a fraction), equals 1. so, 1/2 is the reciprocal of 2, because when you multiply 1/2 by 2 you get 1. so, in keeping with that the reciprocal of 837 is 1/837."
] | [
"I need somebody to ELI5 that question for me."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Do our inhereted family traits mean anything? | [
"I can only assume that im 6'4 with blue eyes and dark hair because my ancestors wanted me to impregnate hella hoes I apologize if that wasn't scientific enough"
] | [
"Yup. Just like if a different one of the thousands of sperm in your ejaculate was the one that impregnated her egg. Might change the sex or sexual orientation, hair and eye color, likelihood of certain diseases or aptitudes, height, intelligence, etc. But don't think about it too hard. That way lies madness."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If most last names were based off of the person's profession, place of birth, or father, then how and why did a last name become something you inherit? | [
"Because you were VERY likely to inherit your profession as well if you were a member of the lower class. If you father was a smith chances are pretty good he would teach you and when he died you would own his smithy and your son will be a smith as well. There wasn't a lot of upward mobility in ancient society."
] | [
"Well most people I know have middle names... However, they're used to provide better distinction between people. Say there's two people in your family names John Smith. Some time a ago, it wasn't uncommon for families to have several relatives with the same given name and/or surname. How do you tell them apart whi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Could someone explain the golden ratio... and maybe an example | [
"Like you're five. Go to the store and walk into the aisle with all the picture frames. Most of them are rectangles, some of which are longer than others. If you could get any style picture frame in any size, what size would you get? Most people, without even knowing it, will choose a size where one side is slightl... | [
"To add to that, can someone give the literal answer to that question, ie what are the very first names we have written down?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
what makes people cry when they see a celebrity? | [
"I still don't understand the \"celebrity\" thingy. Why people care about them ? They are only doing their job and change nothing to the world."
] | [
"If you notice at the end of the video its a fairly normal looking man bringing her a pizza that she falls in love with. I think that was the point all the pretty boys doing the pretty boy things dont hold weight on a girl who just wants to sit in watch a movie and eat some pizza."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What goes into remastering a song? | [
"The concept of a \"master\" goes back to when vinyl records were the most common form of recorded music to be sold. The common process was to record each artists performance on magnetic tape. You would have the drums, guitars, strings, vocals, etc all recorded on individual tapes. This allowed very good recordin... | [
"What if you want a printed version of what was said?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How am I supposed to react if I happen to be near an explosion in which people are badly injured ? | [
"Do you have any special skills? If not, calling upon emergency services, being of any peripheral (somewhat superfluous...) help such as helping calm people, getting others out of harm's way and just generally common sense stuff. Beyond that, getting the fuck out the way so others can go in and do what they need to... | [
"Fish in the immediate area have a really bad day. Sort of like you would expect; wild animals on bombing ranges behave how you would expect if you dropped a bomb on them. I'm not really sure what you expected the answer to be."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is different kind of beers served in different kinds of glasses? | [
"Much the same reason wine is served in different glasses. Glass shape and size changes how aromas are presented to your nose. Smell is a huge part in the taste of things. Hops is very aromatic and the type of beer has different volatile compounds from the type of yeast used in fermentation that affect the flavor a... | [
"Part of it the taste from just what your mouth comes into contact. Glass will be colder than plastic, and glass and metal generally have less of a taste that plastic. Anothing thing to consider is the difference between drinking from a bottle and a glass. With a glass, your nose is better exposed to the drink, thu... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Where do the squirrels go in the night? | [
"They go to sleep in trees. The trees act as portals to other relms where these creatures plan and scheme on how to conquer the current relms that they reside in and after they destroy everything in their path they move on to devistate more worlds and civilizations."
] | [
"Great idea. Just my luck to find myself at the other end of the country as soon as something interesting to do crops up back in London."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why did Civil War soldiers not use revolvers exclusively? | [
"Revolver rifles, or repeating rifles of that ERA were somewhat unreliable. They could discharge all of the six ammo at once and after 6 shots they were pretty slow to reload. Ammo was harder to make on field and most of the militants were without a proper training for using those guns. Also the ammo was way more e... | [
"Also, would her military experience be any useful in finding a job? Did women serve in the British military during World War 1 and if so, did they go back into the workforce afterwards?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why are zits and acne so hard to solve? It's right on the surface and there's a hole that leads right to the problem. What's the hard part? | [
"Acne is more than just superficial. Plus there are many types of acne. Cystic acne being one of the worst (and most painful from what I've heard). Your skin has about 5 layers and acne (typically) comes from clogged pores. Hormones play a huge part in acne production as well as genetics. My brothers have horrible ... | [
"The Accutane molecule is similar in shape to Vitamin A. It stops sebaceous glands from working. Think of it as turning off the faucet that pumps the gunk into the acne. It doesn't work for everyone because it doesn't work for every time of acne. It works best for the big nodular acne, because that is mostly caused... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the comment about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Does the opioid-related "prescription drug abuse epidemic" exist outside the USA? What makes it such a huge issue there and not so much elsewhere? | [
"A big part of the answer hasn't been mentioned yet - opiates are cheaper and quicker than other forms of pain management. They make sense for the US labor market. Say you have a herniated disc. In Europe, you might get four weeks of paid medical leave, a bunch of appointments with a physical therapist, instruction... | [
"Regardless of the veracity of these sources, it's possible to have an epidemic that is at a lower level because it's getting better. A point of view on this could be that heroin use is still prevalent enough to count as an epidemic, but is getting better. It could also just be the media being overly dramatic to re... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How blind people learn or higher level math like differential equations or Graph theory, or anything else where you'll want be able to read and write. | [
"They use braille. Nemeth braille is the type of braille used for math in the English world."
] | [
"Math requires abstract thinking to understand why you're supposed to do certain things, but not to literally do them. You need abstract thinking to understand why you can divide two from both sides of 2x=4, but not to do it. The people that are good at math before calculus are people that can do well in a system t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Education:"
} |
How has being thin come to be considered a privilege? | [
"Privilege in this and similar contexts isn't about having an unfair advantage, it's about being free from having to experience the difficulties that others face."
] | [
"Attractiveness has a lot to do with exclusivity, independent of the actual trait. In world where it is hard to fat, fat is attractive. If skinny is hard, skinny is attractive."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why do we get pee shivers? | [
"It's my understanding that the medical community hasn't reached agreement on the cause, but the most likely candidate is a sudden loss of heat as you expel the urine."
] | [
"Why do you have so many lips and chins?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Biology:"
} |
Why constant friction leads to orgasm? What makes the brain think "yeah... I wasn't sure you were having sex, but now that 20 minutes has passed I'm certain... take the reward now"? | [
"As far as I know (not a biologist) human males generally last so long because they train to, because they want to get human females off, which i'm guessing have a longer time to orgasm to encourage them to have more sex, to guarantee pregnancy. Since monogamy and marriage and stuff is a human cultural thing, from ... | [
"When you are aroused, you are very open to suggestion, and you're like, \"yes, maybe a finger up my butt could make me feel even better.\" Then, after orgasm, that openness to suggestion disappears, and you're like, \"no, I don't want a finger up my butt after all, thanks. :| \" Edit: or a turtle."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
why does being drunk mean you are incapable of consenting to sex, yet you are fully responsible for any crimes you commit while drunk? | [
"The difference is that one is the victim of a crime and the other is a perpetrator. Being drunk does not give you a free pass to commit crimes. It also doesn't give other people a free pass to victimize you. Redditors love to tell urban legends about a girl that had one sip of communion wine and then banged the f... | [
"It's the first one. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't seem to get things that should be obvious such as \"if you're married that doesn't mean that you're not allowed to say no to sex\", \"People are allowed to say no during an otherwise consensual encounter and the other person should from that point forward re... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Machiavelli's The Prince | [
"In essence, Machiavelli promotes that one do what is necessary to maintain control over others in politics. He is, at his core, a pragmaticist, so he believes in doing what is necessary to get the job done, rather than focus on achieving particular ideals like honor or glory. Further, he believes that it is best f... | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Education:"
} |
Why is glass so sharp after it shatters | [
"Not only is glass hard and inflexible, it has no coherent large-scale molecular structure. It's just a random jumble of molecules, not arranged in any nice way (like, say, in a crystalline structure). That means when it breaks, there are no natural planes/lines it might break along, and as a result, the edge of a ... | [
"Heating tempered glass too hot while surrounded by such cold might cause an imbalance in the forces of compression and tension within the glass. Tempered glass is strong until it isn't, and then it just explodes practically."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
If weed is legal now, what happens to the people in jail that where incarcerated for possession of it? | [
"As a general rule, they're treated the same: they broke the law. Sure, the law changed later on. But in 2005 (or whatever) the law was X and they committed a crime by breaking it. It's that straightforward: they were found guilty of a crime. There are a few rare exceptions. I forget the exact language and I'm on ... | [
"1. Marijuana is not actually legal in Texas yet. The bill has not passed, only the people who decide what lawmakers are allowed to vote on said that they could vote on it. 2. Four states have legalized Marijuana. 3. The move is driven by small-government conservatives who believe that it's not up to the state to d... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How can someone recover files that were permanently deleted from a drive? | [
"Deleting a file is like abandoning a self-storage unit. All the stuff is still there, it is just marked as available. If someone needs that space, the old stuff is cleared out. The main difference is they don't make crappy reality shows about deleting files."
] | [
"E-mails are sent through servers that can retain copies of e-mails. Also when you delete any file, they're not gone they're just overwritten by new data and can be recovered unless you took measures to really erase them (low level format of your HD or using a special app)."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it easier to tear something like fabric, plastic, or paper once you've "gotten it started"? | [
"When you're tearing something, initially the stress is spread over the entire edge of the material, which in effect dilutes the effort. Once you've made a nick in the side, all the stress is concentrated in that spot, so instead of trying to break several thousand threads at once, you're only trying to break one o... | [
"Full disclosure I'm not completely sure what ribbons are made of, but I would venture to say that this is the reason: It's basically that you're bending it. Ribbon is very flexible in a sense, and bends without bending permanently (called elastic deformation). But if you bend it in half and pinch it flat, you'll n... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
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