query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
What truth is there behind the stereotype that southerners are dumb, and how did it happen? | [
"I grew up in a very small southern town. In this town, education wasn't something that people prioritized. College wasn't a must, hell, most of the people from my parent's and their parent's generation didn't finish high school. I think there's miscommunication in some southerners being dumb, and some southerners ... | [
"People have turned it into an indicator of southern heritage. Of course, they conveniently forget about a big part of that heritage, but there you have it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why do we place our arms akimbo when we're winded? | [
"[it's my understanding that certain \"power poses\" increase testosterone levels and decrease cortisol, so that may play a factor](_URL_0_). [standing up straight also seems to provide increased lung capacity versus being hunched over](_URL_1_)."
] | [
"We generally like to either do something with our hands, or put them somewhere out of sight/mind. This includes folding our arms, tucking our hands behind our backs, or putting our hands in our pockets. Most people cannot stand holding their hands at their side for long as they believe it looks awkward."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
- Why doesn't the moon rotate? | [
"The moon *does* rotate. It rotates at the same rate that it revolves around the earth. Therefore, we always see the same side of the moon."
] | [
"> Is there anything more to it? Turn left."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Torque in relation to a car's performance? | [
"ELI5: Torque: acceleration Horsepower: Top speed. For older than 5, It's a bit more complicated than that, there's a \"torque curve\" meaning how much torque you have at any given RPM. If you have torque at low RPM, you can feel the push coming off of a redlight. If you have good torque at high RPM, you can get a ... | [
"They want to show off their maximum power. The rotational speed that occurs at is not the same for every car."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why do car windows get a grid pattern on them | [
"Whenever the glass is rapidly cooled during the tempering process there are these air jets that blow cool air on the glass. This creates distortions in the glass that are almost invisible, until you put on polarized glasses. Different automakers have different (patented) patterns or cooling methods to reduce this ... | [
"Phone is warm. Glass mirror isn't. You can prevent fogged mirrors by getting heated models."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What is a nation state? How does it differ from just a nation? | [
"Nations are groups of people, like say, the Portuguese. States are governments. Nation-States are governments that correspond to a people."
] | [
"\"Commonwealth\" is meant to emphasize the fact that the government exists for the common good of the people living within that political entity. In the US, there is no legal or political difference between a commonwealth and a state. It's literally just the name and nothing more."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does the blue Stick at the dentist work, so that the material gets hard. What's happening there? | [
"You mean [these](_URL_0_)? It's basically a strong light, which is used to harden light-curing polymers. The material is initially soft, but it hardens as you shine strong light on it. This is used for dental filling since it allows to use a material which does not need to be heated to be applied, but also hardens... | [
"The UV light damages the skin cells, in order to replace the damaged skin blood flow to the affected area is increased which causes the skin to be warm to the touch. I'm pretty sure that's it but feel free to correct me."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Science:"
} |
Sine, Cosine and Tangent | [
"I won't try to explain it any further than anyone else here (both to avoid information overload and because I don't 100% trust myself). but [this is a pretty good interactive tool for understanding how these values change as your angle changes](_URL_11_)"
] | [
"MR is Memory Recall MC is Memory Clear M+ is Memory add M- is Memory subtract Think of them like the Copy and Paste for the Calculator."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How does our body know when to stop reproducing blood after it has been drawn? | [
"There are many receptors and signalling molecules involved in the process. When you lose blood, the amount of oxygen that travels around the body is reduced (as there is a lower amount of red blood cells). Receptors in your kidneys detect this reduction of oxygen levels and release a hormone known as erythropoiete... | [
"One of the simplest answers to this is DNA! Every time our DNA replicates some parts near the end get chopped off. Later, this new DNA replicates. If too much has been chopped off then that DNA will no longer be able to replicate (and the original at this time has already been broken down into component proteins a... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Reddit, how the fuck does a mortgage work? | [
"A mortgage is just the name for a loan to a piece of real estate, like a house. It doesn't work differently than other loans. You take out an amount and pay it off, including interest, over a set time, which for mortgages is usually 20 or 30 years."
] | [
"Can someone please just eli5? I don't understand any of this. What does this mean for me? A citizen of the United states."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
When I send a monthly payment check to a major company, does someone from that company walk up to a teller at a bank with thousands of checks they must get a month or are they deposited a different way? | [
"The address you most likely mailed that check to was a remittance processing operation associated with a major bank. It may have had a box number, zip+4, or similar on it for routing. Essentially, payments from hundreds of different companies come in to the same address and are sorted. The check processor has an ... | [
"Electronic bookkeeping was not the first time balances were written down rather than represented with physical objects. Did you think that when I deposited $50 in a bank in 1950, that exact $50 bill was kept in the vault until I asked for it back? No, they took the bill, added it to their stash, and added 50 to th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
The basic plot of Dragonball Z and why it is so popular. | [
"Dragonball Z is based of the show DragonBall which is about a boy called Goku who is sent from another planet to destroy it. He hits his head when he arrives and that causes him to lose his memory and thus forget his mission. Goku has incredible strength and is great fighter as his home planet celebrated fighting.... | [
"Just the super-realistic CGI using real actors, 3d capabilities, etc. Plot-wise, it was about as cliche as it gets."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Miranda warning for Suspect #2 - a more specific question. | [
"> Every time I hear a news report on \"not reading him his rights,\" my knee jerks right up and I start yelling at the radio saying \"SO WHAT?!\" You might be assuming that every suspect is well-versed on Miranda rights and that cops don't bend the truth. Meaning, a guy asks for a lawyer and the cop says \"why do ... | [
"The official line is that anyone more intelligent will become bored with the job and leave. Source: Dad's best friend is Detective III in LAPD and I also read a report on it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why do dogs tilt their heads back and forth when they seem confused about something? | [
"They are adjusting their outer ears to hear the source of sound properly. They also tilt their heads to get a better view of what they see."
] | [
"Why do you stare at your dog when it's taking a shit?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Animal behavior:"
} |
Why does going through clouds in an airplane make the ride more bumpy/turbulent? | [
"Clouds form at the boundaries of different air masses. The air can be moving in different directions in the different masses. Also within clouds there tend to be stronger circulation patterns. There are updrafts and downdrafts caused by the heat convection within the cloud. This up and down movement can increase ... | [
"Solid rubber tires are used in things like lawnmowers, but for car, it would make driving/riding in it so uncomfortable, regular tires provide cushion."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Automotive technology:"
} |
What do protests actually do? Do they affect anything? | [
"You're talking about it, so that's half the battle. They aim to spread the word and get people who wouldn't care/know about an issue to be concern with it and possibly help with the fight."
] | [
"What do you mean? Do you want to know why we have these crises, how they affect us, what's actually happening, or what?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why does the American presidential race cost millions of dollars? | [
"Travel, opening campaign offices in each state, television and radio ads, and paying everyone who works for the campaign, from those who research your opposition, to those who manage your website -- it's a year+ long process with a lot more than a few speeches and shaken babies."
] | [
"Suppose a politician does this. You may have noticed that elections are held periodically. This means, among other things, that a politician may be out of a job in a few years if things don't go their way. How much funding do you think their campaign is going to receive the next go around if they pissed off all th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Politics:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence about Politics:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why is there a specific option under BMI for asians? | [
"Because the body mass index is a terribly flawed system both in how it's improperly used but also in its simple calculation. Meaning shorter than average people get more 'wrong' interpretation of the results, just because of how it's calculated. It really needs a overhaul or to be retired, as a personal aside."
] | [
"Could you clarify what you mean? Are you talking about CISPA?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do we make noises when we stretch? | [
"Relevant/expansion to the question: Why do we make noises when we feel pleasure in general? And pain?"
] | [
"Why do the glands in my neck burn like high hell when I'm holding back tears?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
What happens that makes us want to turn up the volume higher when we are enjoying music? | [
"The music makes us feel a certain emotion and chemicals in our brain make us want to experience more of that sensory thing. Just as you prefer flavorful food over bland food, so too does the adrenaline or dopamine or other chemicals in our brain make us want to overwhelm our ears."
] | [
"Because you don't have much other sensory input coming in. Same reason why a lot of people close their eyes when they really want to listen to music."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How come so many people get confused about point nine repeating? | [
"When I was teaching Calculus, I used the .999... example as the first introduction to why infinity was really, really, strange. I'd show *why* it was equal to one, in a bunch of different ways, and all the students would sort of squirm with discomfort as they tried to accommodate the counterintuitive notion in the... | [
"This question has been asked before I think. Basically, very little. Except the cost to do so. And many already have."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do states feel the need to define marriage? If the nation decided same-sex marriages can now be recognized, why don't the states follow suit? | [
"To be clear, the U.S. didn't exactly decide that same-sex marriage is legal at the federal level, what the Supreme Court recently decided was that a federal law that prohibited validly married same-sex couples from receiving federal benefits granted to heterosexual married couples was unconstitutional because it d... | [
"If it's constitutionally banned, then the state's courts can't declare that discriminating against gay marriages is illegal. So if a constitutional ban is passed, and the federal government does not require states to allow gay marriage, the only way to get gay marriages legal would be through another constitutiona... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is the difference between the following two sentences? Could you explain this to me? Could you explain this for me? | [
"In general speech they are used interchangeably. There is a subtle difference though: \"Could you explain this **to** me\" carries with it the implication that it is a difficult subject or one that I struggle with. I need some special assistance or need the explanation tailored especially for me. \"To me\" can mea... | [
"I am not familiar with this phenomenon. Could you go into some more detail about that?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:"
} |
Why can I buy something on eBay for $1 with free shipping from China, while anything I buy that is domestic (US) I always have to pay a few dollars for shipping. | [
"That is the amount they are charging you for shipping, not what it actually costs. An extreme example would be \"free shipping\" - it's not actually free of course, the vendor is just eating the cost are part of getting your business."
] | [
"It looks to me like they are pretty similar. BookDepository seems to offer 14-day shipping in the US. Amazon often has free Super Saver shipping on orders that take about 14 days to arrive."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Confusion about the Many Worlds Interpretation | [
"> I was thinking, sense there are basically infinite earths and infinite versions of me in this idea, wouldn’t there be a me, who travels to this dimension? I know this is somehow wrong so please clear me up. Considering how many decisions are taken of all people, it seems that there should be so many possibilitie... | [
"Currently working on State theory for my thesis; Instrumentalism, Structuralism, and world-system analysis. Has anyone else worked with these concepts? Where do you fall on the Instrumentalism-Structurtalism debate?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why are people allowed to do unproductive things at work but not productive things that aren't job related? | [
"Think of it this way: you have a limited amount of focus points. When you take the effort to do productive work, you spend those points. When you are taking time to do unproductive things(surfing internet, taking a break, etc.), it's just a way for you de-stress and replenish your supply of focus points. If you're... | [
"It's a real job if you actually get paid a salary. It's a real job if you make money by doing your job, not by recruiting more people. It's a real job if you don't have to pay in order to be hired."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Finance:"
} |
If we ever met other intelligent life, how the hell would we communicate with it? Would it not be like communicating with animals? | [
"We would have to use images or gestures as much as possible; in this case they would be trying to communicate with us as if we were animals."
] | [
"Because isolated groups of people develop their own way of communicating, and back when we first started to communicate we might as well have been isolated people. For example, let's say we take you and nine other people, and from the moment you were born you lived in total isolation from everyone else. you never ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How plants like Marijuana and Tobacco were discovered for smoking? | [
"Most likely, the plants were burned in a fire, and the people found the smoke pleasing."
] | [
"In short: because opium has been distilled into more potent forms. The long answer is the history of opiates, from which opium is a relative. This lead us to the drugs we have today that are related to opium such as: Heroin, Morphine, Codine, and Oxycontin. All of which are highly addictive and are regularly abuse... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why does drinking water not fix a dry throat? | [
"Dry throat is actually due to irritation caused by any number of irritants, pathogens, and environmental factors. It just takes time for your body to take care of it and it should go away as long as you don't have an active infection (strep, viral, etc)."
] | [
"Your body starts to react when you haven’t had the necessary amount of nutrients or other important necessities. How long has your throat been hurting for? How long has it been since you’ve eaten that makes your throat sore. Basically your body is telling you that you need to maintain a healthy eating routine. Al... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Since inflation is necessary for a stable healthy economy, does that mean that all currencies will eventually devalue to the point where something like a Big Mac will cost millions of dollars? Are there safeguards or "resets" for the value of currencies to prevent that from happening? | [
"> Are there safeguards or \"resets\" for the value of currencies to prevent that from happening? The process is called redenomination. For example, in 2005, the Turkish lira was replaced with the new lira with an exchange rate of 1,000,000 to 1. It is less of a safeguard, and more of a \"we're sick of all of these... | [
"A gold standard means that the government only circulates enough money that is has in its possession in real gold. So, in the event of a stock market failure, people could be given gold in exchange for currency, and that would be a workable solution. Floating currencies are more realistic, because they allow for s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are the words "knife" and "knight" spelled with a K? | [
"In Old English, knife was \"cnif\" and the \"c\"/\"k\" sound was pronounced. Over time, the \"k\" sound became silent, but it was kept in the spelling. Same for \"knight\" (cniht), \"gnaw\", \"knowledge\", etc. This shift happened in the English branch of the Germanic tree, but not in other branches. For example, ... | [
"A \"silent letter\" usually serves to signify the pronunciation of another vowel in the word. For example, compare \"man\" and \"mane\" or \"din\" and \"dine.\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do Russians love Adidas so much? | [
"Adidas was one of the very few Western brands (the other one was Pepsi) available in the Soviet Union due to some rare import contract. It was associated with \"Western quality\" and something that was difficult to get and prestigious to own. In the late 1980s, when everything was counterfeited on a massive scale,... | [
"What's a Tory, and why do so many people seem to hate them?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are neo-nazis even a thing? | [
"The logic is fear. Neo-nazis see themselves as surrounded by other people that have things they don't. So, they subscribe to a philosophy that allows them to tear those people down and negate their achievements. Thus, they are able to feel better about themselves because their entire belief system places them at t... | [
"Antifa stands for anti-facism. They fought against fascist groups such as Mussolini, Hitler, the KKK. Later they supported communism and were supported by Jews, anarchists, and migrants. Nowadays, they fight neo-Nazis, the Alt-Right, and other racist and authoritarian groups. They support left wing ideologies and ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why do American presidents retire from politics after the end of their term? | [
"Two big reasons: 1) literally any other job in politics would be a step down. 2) Being the president is extremely stressful. People are bringing you problems all day, every day, and half your colleagues are badmouthing and or undermining you at every opportunity (when they're not actually bringing legal action aga... | [
"He does several things. A - He is the executive branch of the government. When Congress passes a bill, it ends up on his desk. His job is to consult his cabinet and then say yes or no to the bill and either veto it or sign it into law. B - He is the Commander in Chief of the US Military. Aside from a few checks an... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do little birds beat up big birds? | [
"Little birds tend to take on a \"strike-first mentality\" to defend their territory (similar to small dogs in some ways). They see a large predator animal flying around and take immediate action to bother and pester the larger animal as much as possible. This is to promote the idea that they're not worth the troub... | [
"Meanwhile on BirdReddit... Why do big hunks of rolling metal squash thousands of us every day for no reason?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post about Animals:"
} |
How long does holy water stay holy? | [
"Like all religious things, it comes down to faith. Catholics believe the water to be holy because a priest blessed it for use in special rituals. Obviously it's not like the water went through some molecular transformation and I'm sure you know that. I think you are probably trying to poke fun at this matter of f... | [
"What does the Pope handle on a day to day basis?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do auctioneers call out the way they do? | [
"The intent is to talk fast to move things along more quickly. However, what you're hearing is an intentional type of pronunciation from which you can decipher what they are saying, partly because of how they enunciate, but also because it's consistent and you learn how to listen to them pretty quickly at any aucti... | [
"You've seen them haven't you? There's your answer. Dopes will pay to advertise for other people all in the name of looking cool."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why do all government-negotiated contracts with businesses in the UK seem to be ridiculously bad value for money? | [
"1 - not all of them are, you hear about the overspends and failures disproportionately to the successes that come in on time and/or under budget. 2 - change requests. A bud is received and accepted for X work. When it comes time to produce X the users are involved and note a few things they will need that are not... | [
"Contracts in place for months or years to come guaranteeing a steady supply of straws at discount prices because you're buying millions of them. Breaking contracts is expensive and legally complicated."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What exactly are muscle knots? I assume they form under stress, but why do they stay formed for long periods of time? | [
"I feel sort of stupid for asking this, but if someone doesn't work out the Fascial Adhesion, what is the outcome over time? I am assuming that your shoulders don't turn into tendons, but that also seems to be the logical outcome of your explanation. I find this fascinating, and am wondering what happens after your... | [
"The muscles involuntarily contract and stay that way. But none of the other muscles do. so your entire foot except this one area is trying to function right but can't. So nothing works right and everything is painful, and just locks up. Its usually caused by damage through exercise and the various chemical reactio... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why is cranberry juice such a useful cure all for kidney/bladder/urination issues? | [
"Cranberry juice increases the acidity of your urinary tract, which aids in killing the harmful bacteria causing these issues."
] | [
"Its typically ginger ale that is recommended for an upset stomach. That is because ginger is an actual herbal remedy for 'upset stomach' and motion sickness."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Health and Wellness:"
} |
How does one become a Heisman Trophy voter? | [
"Not sure how the media decides who votes and who doesn't, but all former Heisman winners (still alive) are all eligible to vote. Essentially, Johnny Manziel could vote for himself. Troy Smith, Cam Newton, Jason White, Sam Bradford, Billy Sims, Troy Smith, Matt Leinart, they all can vote. But the media, need some h... | [
"How would you define \"winning\" a presidential debate?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why is there so much fighting in hockey? | [
"Fighting in hockey occurs most commonly when one of the \"star\" players on one team is hit by a \"non star\" player on the other team. When this happens, someone on the ice, will try to fight non star player to show them that they will not get away with hitting their \"star\" player. Each team usually has a coupl... | [
"There is no such thing as guilt by association in the USA."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about Law and Entertainment:"
} |
What would actually have happened to Riggs and Murtaugh after they killed the South African diplomat with "diplomatic immunity" in Lethal Weapon 2? | [
"Even IF diplomatic immunity extends that far (which I seriously doubt), no sweat. Just say you didn't know it was him; the diplomat just gunned someone down. Say you returned fire on an active threat, and didn't have time to determine the identity of the shooter. There's no one on the opposition left alive to say ... | [
"It's not unheard of at all, it happens all the time. Ever see *The Lord of the Rings*? Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving (Australian) all playing vaguely British-sounding characters. How about Natalie Portman in *V For Vendetta*? RDJ in *Sherlock Holmes*? *Bridget Jones’ Diary*? The... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How does duct tape remove warts? | [
"You're having trouble finding an answer because there just isn't a lot of good medical information about this topic because it is a home remedy. The most popular theory is that a chemical in the ductape triggers a response from your body's immune system, which then attacks the wart."
] | [
"Different adhesive or method of adhesion all together. Scotch tape is also the weakest most unreusable tape you can find. You would never actually attempt to seal anything with scotch tape. It’s barely good for wrapping gifts."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why do candy flavors like strawberry or watermelon taste nothing like actual strawberries or watermelon? And why does everyone just accept this? | [
"How is it possible that grape was not the first flavor listed?"
] | [
"That taste is actually the taste of the toothpaste. Toothpaste can be flavored in a number of ways but very often they use mint. Some people actually like the taste of mint! A lot of other things are mint flavored like bubblegum and mojitos. If you do not like the taste of mint you could switch to a brand that is ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Dentistry:"
} |
Why don't more buildings and houses use more natural lighting? Wouldn't the electricity savings and aesthetic lift be enough to justify installation costs? | [
"More windows and skylights would cut down on electricity costs for lighting, but would drastically raise the overall electricity bill, because more heat would be lost and/or gained through the glass, so heating/ac bills would go up. You often see buildings with lots of windows in places where there are comfortable... | [
"You'd be surprised how \"not-green\" many modern buildings are. It depends on the building but many new ones are far more expensive to maintain and have higher energy consumption per unit area than their older counterparts. What \"new systems and green technology\" do you think old buildings are sorely lacking? Li... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is earwax and why do we produce it? | [
"Ear wax is basically there to catch dirt and other particulates before they get too far into your head. Same purpose served by snot in the nose. So it's a part of your immune system. As for removal, it depends on your output really. I get clogged ears if I don't clean them semi-regularly. Most people won't, though... | [
"As a rule, your body knows best how to clean itself. Earwax is anti-bacterial and prevents the delicate skin in your ear canal from drying out and/or becoming infected. It is beneficial to have it inside your ear-canal. Of course, a normal level of ear-wax production will eventually push wax out of your ear canal,... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How does ownership of Shipping Containers and Pallets work? | [
"The containers are usually owned by the shipping company. So, if you wanted to send a container full of biscuits across the world, then the company who you booked the journey with would also provide the container. They'd bring it to your factory for you to load your biscuits into. There are also container leasing ... | [
"Monopoly or Oligopoly and Cartel behaviors along with a broken copyright system."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Is someone legally required to go with the police for questioning? | [
"Lots of good videos on Youtube; ask the officer if you are being detained- if they say yes, ask what for. If they say no, ask if you are free to leave. If they say you are being detained and they tell you why, you do have to obey their orders. If they say you are not being detained and do not answer when you ask t... | [
"It depends on the reason why you are refusing to answer the questions. If it is because it would violate your 5th amendment rights to prevent self-incrimination, then you can refuse to answer the questions. If it is found out you are withholding information aside from anything self-incriminating, you could be gui... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How did we come up with the term "horsepower" for the power of a car? | [
"Yes, that's where it comes from. Before people had really worked out what power really was and the maths about it, they established the idea of comparing a mechanical device to horses. They started by comparing the amount of water a pair of horses could lift in an hour, and worked from there. When we did work out ... | [
"Although if you are having a conversation with a regular person, they are basically interchangeable, I think the difference is that while fuel economy means your cars mile per gallon, fuel efficiency is the percent of potential energy in the fuel a vehicle can turn into mechanical energy if that makes sense."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
When a TV remote is running low on batteries, why does pressing the buttons harder make it more responsive? | [
"Buttons work by pressing two conductors together to complete a circuit. The greater the surface area of contact, the more easily electricity flows, sometimes enough to make a difference whether a device functions or not. A lot of it might be in your head, as well. When you hold the button down, the remote is basic... | [
"The battery holds charge like any other battery, it just lasts a long time because it uses so little electricity. You can open your key fob and change the battery if it runs out."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why does stimulation of the prostate make the penis hard or ejaculate without directly touching the penis? | [
"The nerves in that area are all connected together. Bump nerves that go to the prostate and since they are connected to the same nerves in the penis the same pathways are activated. Since that is the sexy time pathway sexy time physiological repose is elicited."
] | [
"> Why does blood rush to the penis when aroused? To make the penis erect so mating can take place. The penis is basically like a water balloon inflated with blood to become rigid, by muscles restricting the flow of blood out of the penis. In that sense it isn't so much that blood is \"rushing to the penis\", rathe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is going on when you get that itchy/tingly feeling when a wound is healing? | [
"Histamine is released in wound healing. It attracts cells that help heal and fight bacteria. As a side effect, histamine causes itching. However, this can be evolutionarily advantageous because foreign bodies causes a huge local histamine release. When you scratch it, it can help the foreign body make its way out"... | [
"An itch is your bodies way of letting you know there is an irritant present on your skin. When a bug crawls across your hair, it itches right? Your body wants you to get this bug off just on the off chance it will harm you. Your also feel the tingle when anything brushes against a hair, or sweat runs down you back... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why Japanese videogames have English sprinkled in | [
"Japanese culture is pretty intertwined with American culture. They appreciated ours as much as we appreciate theirs, probably even more so. Because of this, their language has also adopted a lot of English words. For example, they don't have their own word for \"computer\", they just say \"conpyuta\", which is bas... | [
"Because modern directors believe that subtlety and horror should be thrown out the window for gore porn and jumpscares."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Tropical mathematics - help me understand how to talk to my daughter about it. | [
"First, it has nothing to do with anything tropical. The name was a very silly attempt by a French mathematician to acknowledge the contributions of a certain Brazilian mathematician. This is a very advanced level of math. The key idea is \"transforming questions about algebraic varieties into questions about polyh... | [
"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 sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence about Physics:"
} |
Why can't we control when we fall asleep with our minds? | [
"The subconscience is responsible for that. You hardly have any control over it and if you could control it, you can prevent it. Thus you can kill yourself by not becoming tired. So basically it was evolutionary favorable for the subconscience to control it."
] | [
"You get tired using your brain too you know. That thing uses a lot of energy. Do you use your brain a lot at work?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why is it illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey and Oregon? | [
"Jobs it is. Many people don't like pumping their own gas and are happy to let someone else do it so it's fine with them."
] | [
"It's illegal in a huge number of jurisdictions already. Where do you live?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why do people in the US work so much? | [
"Average work week in the US is 47 hours a week. Full time is 40 hours. There is no required amount of vacation time in the US, the average number of days of paid vacation a year are 12 (this includes paid federal holidays), The average number of sick days a year are 10 and they are generally non-paid days off. If... | [
"Why do people in Western countries use forks?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
We know the body “burns” fat when losing weight, but how does it get rid of all the extra nerves, blood vessels, and skin cells it creates when gaining weight? | [
"The cells that become \"extra\" will apoptose(die) and otherwise be breakdown. This process especially on the protein level (necessary in skin because of lots of collagen). Is not fast and due to severe epigenetic effects from the obesity may not return to normal easily. Cosmetic surgery is generally used to help ... | [
"Because you're only given a certain amount of fat cells. People that weigh 800 pounds have the same amount of fat cells as they did when they were 150 pounds, the difference is how bloated those fat cells are, so liposuction actually removes these fat cells- never a healthy option if you plan on living an active l... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why doesn't Youtube load/buffer unless I am on the page and have hit play and why doesn't it stay buffered? What has changed from their old player? | [
"DASH Playback is the name of the culprit. It stands for Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP and they implemented it a while back. In English, that means rather than try and buffer the entire video for you, it breaks it down into bitesize chunks and only buffers the next chunk. In theory, this helps people with un... | [
"From my observations (not guaranteed to be 100% accurate): Most of the time it starts playing the video in Auto. Auto seems to select Medium quality (480p). When you go full screen Auto wants to pick High quality (720p). Unfortunately, the way that Youtube's technology is set up it seems to require you to reload t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:"
} |
How do those 99c-and-free-shipping items make any profit for the seller? | [
"These items are also often used to gain five star ratings. If they sell a few thousand items for $1 and get a few thousand five star ratings, it makes them a trusted power seller. That way people will be okay with buying their more expensive items."
] | [
"They buy stuff that doesn't sell at cheap discounts. They're probably buying stuff at 10-20 cents on the dollar. Also all the knock off brands."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why do people stutter? And what's it like to have a stuttering speech impediment? | [
"I began stuttering at the age of two. I started speech therapy at school when I was 5 years old and stopped going when I was 15. I still have difficulty at times -- but my fluency is probably the same as an average non-stutterer. I am 32 now. I have trouble with vowel sounds. This is especially difficult, as my fi... | [
"I do it because I have an anxiety disorder linked to talking on the phone. Maybe you do too."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Speech and Language:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Speech and Language:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How the Canadian government can decide to open around 70℅ of the Yukon to mining after previously promising not to have that land touched ? | [
"Well the government is able to use government lands as they choose, generally. There is no law which says elected officials have to do what they promised though. I also don't think there are any laws requiring any sort of national vote for policy in Canada. That being said, what \"should\" happen isn't really the ... | [
"Money. It will decrease the net profit of many companies due to new regulations, and federal funding dollars will go to environmental causes and cut from others. The people complaining the most are the ones most affected."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:"
} |
Since water can be absorbed by the skin, can that aid in dehydration? | [
"Skin blocks water and other substances from entering the body. To get water into the body and in the proper locations, the water would need to enter the bloodstream, which is generally accomplished by eating or drinking, so the water can be absorbed through the digestive system. Alternatively, an [IV](_URL_0_) cou... | [
"Doing so removes the protective layer of oils that your skin secretes. Allowing even more water to evaporate and dry out your lips."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do movies with intro-credits spell out the character name of the last person, e.g. 'starring Maffis as the OP' but not the characters of the other actors? | [
"It's called last billing. It's used when you have an actor who is notable enough that they should stand out in the credits, but doesn't have the lead role, which is listed first. Billing order is important. Actors want to be listed first, but if you can't be first, you want to be last. A last-billed actor will be... | [
"People do that all the time with look-alikes and sound-alikes. If you don't have anyone saying that the actual celebrity was in the film and mention that Joe Smith played the part of the celebrity, then it's legal."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How did people from the past, specifically the conquerers, speak to the people of the country their invading? | [
"most of the time, these were countries that had been interacting for hundreds of years or more. Trading and such mostly. There would always be a few people who knew the other language. Or who were pretty good at learning it quickly. There were certainly some mistakes made in translations over the years. Some that ... | [
"Natives. Literally. If we look at the bible as a semi-historical text, it goes back a few thousand years. People started migrating over the Land Bridge into North America from Asia before that. Meaning that while David fought Goliath, Geronima was chasing the buffalo. While Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, Sacagaw... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
before aircraft how did we map out countries, semi accurately at that? | [
"Through a lot of tedious, painstaking effort. It goes something like this: 1. Drive a stake into the ground, get out a sextant and a plumbob, and measure its position with respect to the sun and/or stars to get a precise latitude and longitude. 2. Do it again with a second stake. 3. Pick a location where you can s... | [
"Well, they didn't to be honest. The earliest map makers were elites at using compasses and measuring distances visually to determine the shape of a coast line or a river ect, but they never were to accurate. If you look up examples of old maps compared to sati lite imaging it's wildly different. Mapping the middle... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why do American and British spell the same words differently? Where did the change come from? | [
"Noah Webster made many of the changes in his first American dictionary. He was an advocate of spelling reform and since he dictionary and textbooks were widely used in America his versions became the way America spelled the words."
] | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is reloading a page sometimes faster than just waiting for it to load when it seems to be loading slowly? | [
"Sometimes, bits of the information get mixed together or lost. So then, your system has to basically stop loading to find those pieces. If you just refresh the page, it starts again and doesn't have to waste time if packets (bits of info) aren't lost again."
] | [
"Your phone won't display the webpage until all the data is downloaded - telling it to stop forces it to render what you've already downloaded."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do planes need to fly so high? | [
"First, the word is aerodynamic. Second, air resistance is *higher* at lower altitudes because air is denser there. There is less drag higher up. Flying lower is not safer. At a high altitude, a plane that develops a problem has time to fix the problem or go to a different airport. A plane at a low altitude has to ... | [
"Those are just normal jet airplanes, like the ones people get into at airports. They take people and things from one place to another very quickly."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why was Braille necessary? Why couldn't blind people just learn to read raised letters of the alphabet? | [
"Because writing in braille consisted of poking pinholes through paper. Carving out all the letters would be inefficient and time-consuming."
] | [
"Pretty much the same way that people learn to read printed letters/words. The Braille alphabet is pretty much identical to the one that you are using to read this very passage right now, but represented by a grid of six dots that can be felt rather than just seen. Once you learn which series of dots represents whi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How do all politicians become filthy rich while in office? | [
"Very few do. Most were wealthy before they started politics. But they do get paid fairly high salaries so that helps to maintain their wealth. They also tend to make a lot of connections and when they get out of office they often make a lot of money on the private sector."
] | [
"Mostly because it would become a tool to control the have-nots. Lower the the salaries of politicians until it a burden even for those who want to serve. Net result is that the only people who would run wouldn't be the people who want to serve, but the people who are financially able. Side note. Most of the money... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
The so called United States fiscal cliff in 2013, from a neutral point of view. | [
"Imagine a couple having their house painted, but they can't agree what color to do the bedroom in. They tell the painter to do the bedroom last, and pick a color they both hate, in the hopes it will motivate them to come to a compromise of some sort. Well, the painter is just finishing up the living room, and they... | [
"Because it is ultimately about economics, in particular industry regulations, which is fundamentally a political issue."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why does a flame (like on a match, lighter, etc.) go out when you blow on it but when I blow on an ember it intensifies? | [
"Fire needs three things to burn: [fuel, oxygen, and heat](_URL_0_). When you blow on an ember you are providing more oxygen making the flame burn hotter. This is why they use oxygen for oxy acetylene torches, the acetylene is the fuel, spark the heat, and oxygen make it burn a lot hotter. When you blow too hard on... | [
"It isn't. Those people are mentally ill, and water is surprisingly difficult to melt and will trap soot from incomplete combustion from a lighter. Try running a spoon through a candle flame and you will see how black it gets even though the spoon obviously isn't burning."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
how do fingerprint scanners on mobile phones work and are they different from other scanners? | [
"There are three primary types of fingerprint scanners on the market. The one used in smartphones is called a *capacitive scanner,* as it relies on a property called capacitance. Basically, the scanner plate (typically a pad somewhere on the phone, often built into the home or power button) passes a small electrica... | [
"These scanners look for certain points on the fingerprint and then convert it into a hash, a number, to compare it against the enrolled fingerprints. Not all points need to match, allowing a bad image or damaged finger to authenticate. Given the hash you can not recreate the finger print. Some scanners, like ones ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:"
} |
How is it so easy to open a refrigerator from the outside, but so difficult or nearly impossible to open from the inside? | [
"Old refrigerators had latches to keep them closed. New ones don’t. So you are fine in a new fridge, but not an old old one from which the warning comes."
] | [
"Because they unlock using different methods. One door is locked in place with latches at the top and bottom of the frame while the other has a key lock which slots into the other door. Opening the regular door is easy and necessary to enter at all but the other might require a screwdriver, tool, or just flipping r... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
where does the Bible come from? | [
"We don't know where the original old testament was first written down, but it is widely believed that it originated from the oral tradition of the Jewish tribes until it was written down by said jewish tribes."
] | [
"Can you explain the question like I’m five?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
I'm a five year old - how does a regular, landline telephone work? | [
"As you speak into the receiver, this causes the microphone to vibrate. These vibrations are translated into waves of sound that travel through the line electronically to the recipient. On the recipient's end, these signals turn into vibrations on the speaker, and are turned into sound. The reason why corded phone... | [
"All I've gotten from this thread is that there is no way a five year old could ever understand Bitcoins."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is a tunnel ever preferable to a bridge when crossing water? | [
"In some cases shipyards, which often produce heavy water traffic with quite tall ships, are located near the desired location to build bridge/tunnel. So instead of building a drawbridge, or bridges that are extremely high to let ships pass through, tunnels are just built instead."
] | [
"Does it matter if there is water instead of roads between a number of small towns? We have boats and bridges."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do we know what percentage of crimes are reported? | [
"One way is to anonymously poll victims about whether they reported their rape."
] | [
"Maybe to add on to the question, was there a rise in certain types of crime that influenced whether or not someone hitchhiked?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does the same note played at the same volume by two different instruments sound different? | [
"Each instrument's unique sound is caused by a collection of harmonic resonances that occur around the key frequency (the note that is being played)."
] | [
"Pitch (the musical note) is unaffected while the color of the sound is affected. Imagine playing the same note on a violin in a closet vs playing it in a concert hall. The same note will have a different quality of sound based on the acoustics but the pitch will be the same. So we can match pitch. Likewise we can ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What's the difference between an anti-hero and a villain? | [
"A villain is an inherently bad or evil character. He exists to do bad things, that is his goal. An anti-hero is someone who is not inherently a \"good guy\" - he does not have \"heroic\" traits, he might not even have good morals. An example of that might be a drug dealer (immoral and engaged in illegal activities... | [
"Who's more likely to tell you their salary: a rich person, or a poor person?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are dome-shaped housing structures not more commonly used in modern architecture? | [
"theres several reasons 1) complexity: a dome is somewhat more complex to build than a box. a one-story house can be completely framed within one, maybe two days, then sheathed/roofed in another two. you dont need to make weird cuts- the raw material comes in rectangular shapes, and downsizing is easy. domes requir... | [
"Nowhere. Prisons are usually very heavy concrete buildings, thus they are more resistant to extreme wind than most buildings."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why did speech become the universal method of communication? | [
"well, functionally, its the best. you don't need to look at someone to get a message (which can nice for when your eyes need to be focused on something else), you don't need your hands to communicate, and it can provide tone or intent more easily and more clearly than hand"
] | [
"Communication largely was/is body language. For example understanding pointing is a good intelligence indicator."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph about Speech and Language:"
} |
The plot of Atlas Shrugged | [
"There are only about 15 people (I am guestimating) in the entire world who are able to do anything good. These people are the captains of industry because they worked hard, made themselves extremely smart, and earned every single penny they ever got. They also hate being forced to help people, because those that w... | [
"That double digit iQ look in their gazes"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How is giving someone the death penalty more expensive than feeding/housing them in prison for life? (Morals regarding death penalty aside) | [
"I work in a prison that does all of the executions for our state. Someone sentenced to death is placed in a high security segregated housing unit in a different prison, and transferred here just before the execution, which requires a lot more resources and staffing. Add to this the very high costs of the execution... | [
"Sentencing options are written into state laws. Life in prison is different in state laws than 150 years. Some of it comes into play with the \"cruel and unusual punishment\" clause in the Constitution too. Life in prison may not be \"cruel and unusual\" for a murder sentence, but it might be for, say, child sex t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Law and Justice:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Law and Justice:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Law and Justice:"
} |
How can a live sporting event have subtitles? | [
"The program is transmitted on a slight delay, and they hire someone to re speak the words so that a voice recognition engine can create the subtitles. _URL_0_"
] | [
"Reporters can. Commercials and entertainment shows can't without licensing it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How can other Redditors tell when you edit a post? | [
"There is a 3 minute grace period, then afterwords an * will appear on the time stamp to signal that the post has been edited. Edit: As I can now demonstrate."
] | [
"It's for the people who want more Karma and want their posts to be on the front page. Or they're just too lazy to find the right subreddit."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why do they have pills for animals that prevent insect bites (frontline, comfortis) safely, but humans do not? | [
"They don't prevent insect bites, they kill the insects. Frontline and Comfortis are essentially \"pet pesticides\". They work poisoning the fleas. The fleas can still bit the cat, but they end up getting poisoned. Fleas are particularly attracted to furry animals because the fur provides shelter and protection for... | [
"It has a chemical in it that's poisonous to insects, but not to dogs or humans (at least not in the concentrations that are available commercially). It doesn't hurt the dog to have small concentrations of this chemical in their body, but it will kill any ticks or flees that try to bite them until it wears off."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do we experience our own body odors as neutral while we think others stink or smell good? | [
"Because we are used to our own scents, just as we are used to the scents of our own houses. It is simply being accustomed to yourself and not others"
] | [
"Your body does not determine that. Your brain does. You are pre-programmed to find certain smells disturbing - those indicate danger. Rotten food, for example, would be dangerous and your brain reacts to the smell of it by making you feel disgusted. In general, though, this is a very subjective thing. What smell... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Psychology:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Psychology:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Science:"
} |
How is carbon monoxide able to pass through walls? | [
"It doesn't have a special ability and it's no different in how it behaves than any other gas. The ability of any gas to pass through something has to do with the size of the gas molecules and how big the gaps in the material it might pass through are. The difference between these two affects how fast the gas can m... | [
"The amount of smoke in a burning house is enough to prevent your lungs from absorbing oxygen, and is also high in toxins that poison you when absorbed by your lungs. The amount of smoke produced by cigarettes still allows an adequate amount of oxygen, and not enough toxins to do instant damage."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did popcorn become a standard movie "meal"? | [
"Interesting Note: Before popcorn, one of the more popular in-theater foods was 'Egg Mimosas,' or Deviled Eggs."
] | [
"It's basically a non-nutritious tv dinner that has various main entree options and either chocolate pudding or gummy bears as a dessert. My kid loves them probably because of the commercials. It's a \"treat\" and not an everyday food."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
How are concrete buildings are constructed? | [
"There's basically two ways of doing it: - Prebrication (pre-fab). The dimensions for sections are known ahead of time, and are moulded and cast and shipped to the building site as finished pieces. Cheaper and faster than free-pouring as you have to move a lot less material around from the concrete supplier to the ... | [
"Modern technology and construction processes are more complex which takes more time. They also come with more safety regulations both in construction and in what workers are allowed to do. The Empire State Building was also much smaller."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why are some people more intelligent than others if we all have the same working parts in our brains? | [
"This entirely depends on how you're measuring intelligence."
] | [
"It's not about how big your brain is, it's how you use it. Human brains have been shrinking for the last few thousand years, but by all accounts we're getting smarter. It's about how wrinkly your brain is."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why do people get different coloured freckles? | [
"Freckles are concentrated sites of melanin, the chemical that causes your skin to get darker when you tan (also the chemical responsible for eye colour, skin colour, etc.) \"Orange\" freckles are likely just freckles that have a lower concentration of melanin compared to your friend's darker brown freckles. This c... | [
"The best things come in pairs, breasts, testicles, sandwiches, butt cheeks, you get the gist."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why do colleges and even high schools emphasize plagiarism so much | [
"The issue with plagiarism isn't that you're getting your ideas from elsewhere, it's that you're taking credit for those ideas and passing them off as your own (even if in some sense, they were). Sourcing other people's work in the text is the important part, not abstaining from doing extraneous research."
] | [
"It's a different approach. High school teachers need to teach at a level that the entire class can grasp the concepts. Lecturers don't really give a fuck if you understand it or not, that's what office hours and TAs are for. High school teachers need to deal with students interrupting, deal with disciplinary matte... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What was the purpose of the Death Star? | [
"There were 2 (movie canon) death stars. Thought process Death Star: Holy shit it can blow up a planet. BOW BEFORE OUR MIGHTY LASER THAT BLOWS PLANETS OUT OF THE SKY Death Star II: Well, there were some design flaws in the first one, but the core concept was awesome. The rebellion is getting pretty strong, so lets ... | [
"The main reason is because of the religious background of the United States."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What does the notion of Energy actually mean in Physics? | [
"In short, energy is the potential/capacity to do something. Energy is a concept we made up to help better describe how the universe operates. When we say something has energy, we say that something has the capacity to perform an action. What actions can be done are limited by how much energy that thing has. For ex... | [
"It has a few different meanings in different contexts. What setting are we talking about?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about finance:"
} |
what are the palace guards in England trained to do? | [
"They're active duty troops from several elite regiments (and sometimes commonwealth units), and a lot of them have extensive experience in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. They're regular army. So basically they are trained to kill you if necessary, and are damned good at it. Don't test them."
] | [
"Related question: What if I want to become a mercenary? What do I do?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If pain is your body's way of telling you to stop doing something, then why does exercise hurt? | [
"Med student currently procrastinating from my dissertation on pain here. Pain is a signal warning you of potential damage. In the case of exercise, you are ripping muscle fibres among other things, hence it is painful. In a wider sense your body cannot tell if something will be good long term, only short term, thi... | [
"Your body has been poisoned and would rather you didn't continue to poison yourself so it gives you are bad feeling just for thinking about it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
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