query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
How did television in North-America evolve to a situation where people are paying 50 dollars a month to watch little 15 minutes segments interrupted by ads. | [
"That's why cable is dying. They used to have monopolies, more or less, but that changed with the internet."
] | [
"Maybe the reason why these paid apps exists is because people are sick and tired of ads interrupting the content that want to watch to show them the same ad for a truck that was shown 5 minutes ago."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Entertainment:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence about Entertainment:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
If botox is the most lethal substance known to man, how and why do we use it for cosmetic surgery? | [
"its all about controlled dosage. understanding how long it remains active in the system. Spacing injections both by time and location to stay within safe margins. The concentration of Botox injected in patients is around 0.75 ng per 100 units, or roughly 1/5 of the estimated lethal dose in humans. Typical injecti... | [
"Because over use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA. Doctors already prescribe them too much, imagine what a layperson with no medical knowledge whatsoever would do. By the way, the flu is a virus; antibiotics have absolutely no effect on them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does Winamp generate its visualisations? | [
"With the raw audio data, you will only get the loudness of the audio at a specific point in time (or for a range) If you analyze/convert the raw data using [Fourier Transform](_URL_0_), you can calculate which frequencies are used and how strong (power) those frequencies are. This can be done in real-time using a ... | [
"The songs each also have their own volume settings in addition to your music player."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why a doctor would prescribe the name brand for a drug over the generic. | [
"Perhaps the doctor is more familiar with the brand name. But the pharmacist will be familiar with both names, and you can save some money (sometimes, a *lot* of money) by asking the pharmacist to fill the prescription with the generic. Pharmacies in the US will typically have a sign posted that reads as follows: \... | [
"You might want to ask your doctor about this, it's not normal."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How does Data capping effect Gamers? | [
"The data required to play video games is quite small compared to the amount of data needed to stream video. The bigger issue that data download caps have on gamers is for downloading the digital versions of games and the resulting patches. Games nowadays are approaching the limits of Bluray disks (50 GB). Star Cit... | [
"YouTube has multiple servers that they can redirect traffic to while they are fixing a broken server. Reddit does have multiple servers, but not as many as any huge company such as Google, Apple, GoDaddy, etc. Edit: Clarity"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Technology:"
} |
Why, after a certain point of being tired, do we switch and get energized instead? | [
"The longer you stay awake the more stressed your body gets. Now to counter the effects of sleep deprevation your body is flooded with adrennaline to keep you awake. At some point you are practically so flooded with adrennaline that you can't sleep. Thats also why you sometimes can have a racing heartbeat while try... | [
"It's a response to the fatigue that they are feeling. Your brain can only handle so much, and when you exceed that amount, you try to get out of situations as much as you can. Being grumpy can get you away from people and situations that would exhaust you even more. At least, that's my explanation."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Sleep and its effects on the body:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Sleep and its effects on the body:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why are Uber and Lyft fighting regulations they put in place (i.e. fingerprinting in Houston and Austin)? | [
"Because all these regulations being proposed increase costs and make it more of a hassle to get drivers and passengers. Uber and Lyft are mostly successful due to lack of regulation on services like theirs... once regulation starts to catch up they'll be no better off than Taxis and they lose their competitive pri... | [
"Because Uber doesn't operate as a cab company, they operate as a ride sharing service, meaning the drivers are not cab drivers. This means Uber and the drivers can get away with not getting the licenses and insurance that cab companies and drivers are required to have."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How come unknown amateur rappers get charged and convicted over "crime" lyrics, but rich famous rappers like 50 Cent, the Game, lil' Wayne and Snoop Dogg don't? | [
"lol well the mainstream artists you named generally don't really get themselves into trouble. accepted as fiction."
] | [
"Basically Ja-Rule (murder inc.) and 50-Cent (G-Unit) took slight jabs at each other, Ja-Rule calling 50 jealous because of the respect Ja has in the hood. 50 and Ja then dissed each other in a couple of songs back to back thus causing each others' groups to beef. Eminem and 50 were real close friends and Eminem ta... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Entertainment:",
"pos": "Represent the argument about Entertainment:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why do we dress the way we dress? | [
"Culturally relative aesthetics combined with personal preference. People tend to dress in a way that they feel makes them look good or attractive or simply dress for physical comfort."
] | [
"Someone told them what the answer is supposed to be."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Technology:"
} |
bone marrow transplants | [
"You kill all of the bone marrow that someone has with a combination of drugs and/or drugs and radiation. You can in some cases be your own donor, and in other cases a family member or lucky match can donate. In either case after the original marrow has totally died (leaving you very vulnerable to infection, so you... | [
"relevant :_URL_0_ hotter or people who exhale more, blood type and particular chemical compmounds"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why can't people withdraw their money from a bank that goes bankrupt? Specifically those regular savings accounts? That supposedly have no such risk as it's a saving, not an investment. | [
"Any money you put into a bank they use to lend to others. If they go bankrupt then they have absolutely nothing left and your money is gone"
] | [
"There's a few ways 1) Loan interest: Bank's loan money, people pay back much more then they loaned in the form on monthly payments. 2) Partial investments (primary money): A bank doesn't have all of your money sitting in its vault. A bank only keeps ~5% of its total cash on hand at any given time, this is because ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why do we only start to see fog yards away from where we are standing and not at our feet? | [
"If fog is very very thick, you can see it at your feet. The nature of fog is that you can see through some of it but not all of it (that is, some but not all light passes through). So, when you don't see it at your feet, it's because you're seeing *through* the stuff that is at your feet. You *can* see it farther ... | [
"Red light is the best for keeping night vision so you can see better around you at night even when there are cars in front of you."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
if two different phones/tablets/computers are running the exact same OS, how is it possible that one device can experience a bug/glitch but not the other device when performing the exact same task? | [
"1: A mechanical defect in the device. This could be something as large as a bad piece of solder on a board to as small as an actual defect in a chip, or anything in between. 2: Random cosmic ray strike. High energy particles from space can hit sensitive electronics and \"flip\" a bit from a 1 to a 0 or vice versa,... | [
"Computer programs ALWAYS have bugs, it's the nature of programming as software is usually so complicated with thousands upon thousands of lines of code, some situations weren't thought about or someone just made a mistake when making it. Little bugs often exist that cause programs to become unstable over time, and... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can't cellular radio waves be divided for unlimited data carrying? | [
"The narrower the channel, the less information you can send down it reliably. Using your freeway example, you could take a 3 lane highway and give yourself 24 bike lanes but nobody'd be getting anywhere very quickly."
] | [
"Cellular radios aren't really designed to go up in the sky. It giving power to part of a signal no one uses."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence about Technology:"
} |
Why can't/shouldn't we go back to the gold standard? | [
"Gold is a luxury item. Only 10% of gold is used for manufacturing or technical purposes, the rest is used in vanity goods like jewelry or hoarded as an investment. Therefor, its value is perceived rather than practical, and as such the price is subject to whims. (See: gold rising to insane levels as people fear an... | [
"We shouldn't have it, it's just a worthless throwback. We should split the difference and use the same time year round."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What is the Raspberry Pi? How can a computer cost 5$ while mainstream computers can cost up to 2000$? | [
"The Raspberry Pi is a very small, lower power, lower complexity computer. Because they have sold, and will continue to sell many, they can afford to get parts at bulk pricing. The RPi $5 board is also so much smaller and stripped back compared to the ones that cost a few times more than that. There's also the fact... | [
"Ahoy, matey! Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5 Why do phones cost more than tablets? ](_URL_0_) 1. [ELI5: Why do mobile phones cost more than feature-comparable tablets? ](_URL_6_) 1. [ELI5: Why do smartphones cost more than their tablet counterpart? ](_URL_4_) 1. [ELI5: Why are ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Technology:"
} |
Why is the Tracey Morgan car accident getting a federal investigation? | [
"That National Transportation Safety Board regularly assists state authorities with highway accident investigations. This is usually in the form of technical assistance, and is very different from if an agency like the FBI got involved."
] | [
"No one knows who did it, so they just stopped discussing it. The media can only ride out a mystery for so long, then it's time to move on to the next thing. Edit: Yes, I know there are exceptions such as a certain airplane."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How are 300 calories in a donut different than 300 calories in a burger? | [
"There's far more qualified people than me who can break this down, but I can give you a somewhat close answer. Basically 300 calories is 300 calories. Let's assume you burn 2000 calories a day. You could eat 1500 calories worth of McDonald's and lose weight. You'd gain fat and lose muscle and have a bunch of heal... | [
"What in the world makes you think that 0 calories of (Diet) Coke is worse than 300 calories from a milkshake?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How is salt "Kosher"? | [
"It's not *Kosher* salt, it's Kosher*ing* salt, i.e. salt used for Koshering. The salt is used for draining the blood out of meat, and the larger grain size makes it better suitable for the job than ordinary table salt."
] | [
"I'd bet that water is sold in plastic to prove that it is clean water (even if it is just filtered tap water). We get most (95%?) of our milk in plastic these days (Australia). Is \"Juice\" 'Fruit Milk' or 'Fruit Water'? even I'm confused."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Will an antenna produce visible light? | [
"If you pump enough energy into that antenna, assuming its metal, it will produce red then orange then yellow visible light."
] | [
"Most of what you see is RF noise from the electrical components of the device itself. Even in a Faraday cage an old style television will have static on the screen. Under normal circumstances they will also pick up RF signals from the atmosphere, and about 1% of what you see is the Cosmic Microwave Background Radi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why a wheel turning at high speed appears to be turning the other way round? | [
"If you take a basic wall clock and watch the minute hand, it moves very slowly, doing one rotation every 60 minutes. However, if you take a camera, and leave it to take a picture of the clock every hour, and watch those pictures like a movie, you'll think it doesn't move at all. Now take that camera and make it ta... | [
"Imagine you're in the middle of a carousel with a ball in your hand. Your friend is facing you by the edge. The carousel starts spinning clockwise. You throw the ball in a straight line towards your friend. But because the carousel is spinning, your friend has actually moved in space and the ball looks like it cur... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Homomorphic encryption. What is it and what is it not? | [
"Basically it's an encryption scheme where you can perform operations on the encrypted data and get a result that when decrypted using the same method as decrypting the source data will result in the same output as if those operations had been performed on the original unencrypted data. This means that encrypted da... | [
"Because HTTPS has nothing to do with being hacked or not."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
The differences between aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen | [
"aspirin: blood thinner. this is why it's effective for heart disease. ibuprofin: anti-inflammatory. that's why it's effective for swollen things. tylenol: general pain killer. that's why it's better for generic/non-specific pain. that's about as simple as i can make it."
] | [
"In the US (and Canada) Paracetamol is called Acetaminophen, which goes by the brand name Tylenol. Tylenol is in fact one of the top pain killers used. In addition to Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen (Advil), and Acetilsalicylic Acid (Aspirin) are probably the most common painkillers in North America."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
In jobs that have a lot of initial training investment, and then a subsequent minimum length contract (for example, most military careers), what happens if, after training, a person just isn't good enough, or doesn't put in enough effort? | [
"They cut their losses usually and kick your ass to the curb. Or in some cases you may leave one training and be moved to a lower job or a different job and trained for that job instead. Obviously its not uncommon for people to perform poorly at a specific job and be moved to a different one, in any industry or job... | [
"They do it because they can. If you are looking for people to hire, and you want them to be reliable, smart, and not likely to just flake out in 3 weeks, you need an easy way to select for these people. The easiest demographic is college grads. Having invested another 4 years of education and making it to the degr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How does a fly keep buzzing around my head when I'm traveling at 30 knots in a boat? | [
"The air around you is also travelling at 30 knots."
] | [
"Why would they? The air in the car is moving along with them. When you're coasting on the highway at 65 if you put your hand up in the air does it get thrown back behind your head? No because your arm is already moving at 65 MPH."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
What is the purpose behind the common "crescent" shaped ice cube? | [
"Crescent-shaped ice cubes are easy for a machine to remove from the tray. After they're done freezing, a mechanical arm swings in a circle and pushes them out of the tray. Cube-shaped trays are a bit harder to automatically remove the ice from them."
] | [
"Can you clarify what you mean by an 'armor display'?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Are current microwaves ovens much different than the ones from the 80s? | [
"A little more robust and elegant in their electrical design, but they work the same way. A lot of components in things like microwaves get switched out over time as we become more and more capable of doing things digitally and don't have to rely on analog. This results in better performance, more even heating in t... | [
"It looks like this man is using an early model IBM Selectric Typerwriter. They were introduced in 1961. As for the helmet, I have no idea what it is, but it looks like vacuum tubes are decorating it. Solid state circuits replaced vacuum tubes during the 1960s and narrows this photo down to the early 1960s."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
If you have a tattoo and the layer off skin came off where it was, would the tatoo be removed? | [
"if the wound is deep enough yes. [There was a time when tattoos were removed by implanting an inflatable bag under the skin next to the tattoo and gradually filling it with saline over a period of weeks expanding the tissue](_URL_0_). When there was sufficient tissue the implant would be removed and the tattoo exc... | [
"For a scrape, the ink shouldn't fade if the tattoo was inked deep enough. Shallow tattoos might not fare so well. I experienced this panic first hand when I scraped my shin and the tattoo going across it lost several layers, but it healed just fine and without fading as the ink was set pretty deep. As long as cuts... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why dont companies like Sony/Microsoft add backwards compatibility for their consoles? | [
"It's not just a matter of adding the code. It's either adding essential parts of the previous generation's chipset (Original PS3 had this,) or creating a program that emulates said chipset in a virtual environment (which often ends up being buggy.) And it's a waste of their resources. They want to move their tech ... | [
"u wot m8? Emulators usually get done many years after the release of the console. There isn't an emulator for any of the current-gen consoles, and the previous gen ones are still in early stages of development."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:"
} |
Why do we have 10 fingers and not 8? | [
"Because we evolved from fish that had 5 bones in their fins. All vertebrates follow the same pattern - 1 bone, 2 bones, lots of bones. As to why the fish had 5 fin-bones, it was probably simply how it evolved - the optimal number of fin-bones to maintain the fin structure."
] | [
"On a related note, why do 2 oranges cost more than 1?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Anatomy:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Anatomy:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is Rick Perry being indicted for? | [
"You know how a school bully might threaten to beat you up if you don't give him your lunch money? Governor Perry is accused of doing sort of the same thing by threatening to not give a woman's department money if she didn't resign from office. Since it was the governor doing it, he should know better. This would b... | [
"Bankruptcy is not a crime. Can you be more specific?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Economics:"
} |
How do ships stay afloat even when carrying thousands of tons of cargo? | [
"By displacing more tons of water than the ship+cargo weighs. That's why they have to be so strong, to keep enough water out."
] | [
"The same way that they build bridges for cars and trains, with a few differences. Firstly, the bridges are designed to hold up more weight per square foot than other bridges, to compensate for the weight of water. The interesting thing about these bridges is that changing weight loads is less of a factor than brid... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
popular apps terms and conditions | [
"This website is great at breaking down what you need to know _URL_0_"
] | [
"_URL_0_ Top 3 comments cover into this, in short it's way beyond that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about astronomy:"
} |
Why have bones evolved to heal so slowly, or why do they heal at all? Wouldn't any animal with a broken bone likely die in the wild of something before the bone was healed? | [
"Evolution is still limited by physics and chemistry, and each feature is a balancing act with a million other advantages and disadvantages. This is sort of like asking: Why has skin evolved to be so soft and easy to cut, resulting in blood leaking out of the body? Wouldn't any animal with cut skin likely bleed to ... | [
"Simply put: we didn't evolve a way to do it. Some tissues are just special and our body doesn't have the necessary genetic code to replace them. Considering that for most of human history something like losing an arm was pretty fatal most the time it makes sense we can't regrow arms - there's no point in being ab... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
how is it that (according to my plant bio textbook) glucose and fructose have identical molecular formulas? Isn't the purpose if molecular formulas to be unique identifiers? | [
"Just like you can assemble Legos into any number of shapes, molecules can also be put together differently. So while both glucose and fructose have the same number of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, the molecules are assembled differently and thus they are different chemicals."
] | [
"You place it in a spectrometer. Using different types(such as a flight of mass spectrometer, nmr, infrared spectrometer ) you can see what a substance is made out of, what percentages of different elements are in its composition and things like if whether(if it’s an organic compound) what functional groups are att... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Chemistry:"
} |
why are organizations trying to send people to live on mars and not on closer places like the moon? | [
"Mars has atmosphere and accessible (but frozen) water and soil that could be conditioned to grow crops with a lot of work and is a place a person could live with some work. the moon has vacuum and radiation and micrometeorites and horrible staticy sandpaper for ground."
] | [
"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... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are people preoccupied with order and detail called "anal" or "anal retentive". | [
"Because he hypothesized that issues during this developmental stage (when a child is learning to control toilet functions, such as bowel movements) would carry over into adulthood, manifested as an obsession over detail and exerting inordinate control over ones environment."
] | [
"something is a disorder when it interferes w/ one having a \"normal\" life for example: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). anyone can just be orderly, and they can even have obsessions (recurring thoughts) and compulsions (recurring behaviors), but it's not a disorder unless it keeps you from living like a \"nor... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What happens when you melt a magnet. | [
"LI5: The magnet will stop behaving magnetically once it hits a certain temperature (sort of). Then it'll simply behave like a piece of metal and melt LI20: Let me know if there is interests, not typing an explanation for the hell of it, though it's not extremely complicated."
] | [
"Blow over the top of a bottle Now, blow into a bottle. Which is louder?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How people learn to hack. | [
"I just use[ this site.](_URL_1_) All you have to do is type in what you want to hack, and it does it for you. The more you type, the more you hack."
] | [
"Because sometimes at means necessary to be understand."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How music is stored on CD's and then played back | [
"like ur a pretty smart 5yo: a recording machine listens to the music as it's being played, and turns it into numbers. it records thousands of different numbers every second to represent the changing volume of the music. these numbers are written down very small on a CD, in a spiral that goes around and around and ... | [
"The files are not in a standard format. You couldn't just take the files and play them using another media player app. The Spotify player knows how to decode the files into a normal audio stream and then sends it to your sound card. If the process used to encode the Spotify tracks was known, then it could be rever... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why can't current be defined as co-directional with the flow of electrons? | [
"Because current is the flow of charge, not electrons. The particles that allow for the flow of charge are called \"charge carriers\" and electrons happen to have a negative charge, so current flows in the opposite direction of electrons. Electrons aren't the only charge carriers. In semiconductors for example, yo... | [
"You can have an electric field without any electrons at all. Electric field dictates the magnitude and direction of Coulombic force in a region of space as F = qE. If you stick a bunch of free electrons in an electric field, they will flow opposite the direction of the field."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can the aging process of alcoholic beverages not be artificially sped up or completely skipped? | [
"Often alcoholic beverages are aged in wooden barrels. During the aging, the beverage is infused with flavour from the wood of the barrel. While theoretically it would be possible to artificially add those flavours, it is difficult to know exactly what and how much to add since those flavours are very subtle and de... | [
"If you freeze quickly enough, ice crystals won't form in the same way, and thus damage (which is typically caused by ice crystals in cellular fluids puncturing cell walls) is minimized, even eradicated. However, we have not quite yet reached that level of freezing; what we have now is an approximation that we thin... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does the heart send more blood to one area when needed if all the veins are one "circle" system? | [
"The heart pumps faster to send blood faster during these times, but the vessels dilating and contracting are what determines where the \"more\" blood goes (really just a higher volume to one area and lower volumes everywhere else, not actually more). This is done by nerve signals from the area that needs it to the... | [
"Blood doesn't rush around your body in one big tube. What happens is the blood vessels split and become thinner and thinner. Think of a fan where the bottom is the main artery which splits into finer tubes called capillaries. This splitting happens all through your skin, so there are millions of very fine capilla... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
how come an HD Youtube video can load in a reasonable amount of time but a GIF an exceptionally long time? | [
"GIF was never meant for video and people that post them don't optimize them so they are huge and slow."
] | [
"You mean when you start a new video? It's becomes HD every time I enter full screen."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why can a human limb not sense its own weight? | [
"You can feel its weight. However you just get used to it after years. Think about it externally: if you never wear a watch, and then you put on a big heavy one your arm feels heavy because of that extra weight. Now let's say you wear that watch every day. You even sleep and shower in it. Eventually, wearing the w... | [
"Touch sensor nerves in your skin will get used to the constant pressure, when it's relieved, they send a signal to the brain to notify you of the change but it's misunderstood as pressure to the skin because there isn't a nerve pathway for negative pressure. Edit: Missed the 5 part of eli5"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Science:"
} |
How exactly does a nail keep two wooden planks together? | [
"Friction. The nail breaks the wood fivers apart causing mini sized splintery pieces around the nail that when they try to return to their original position, grip onto the nail tightly."
] | [
"Nail: easier to install, good for when the expected stress is perpendicular to the nail. I.e. hanging a picture. Screw: tougher to install, better for when the expected stress is parallel. I.e. a drawer handle. Imagine how easily a nail would come straight out if you kept pulling on whatever it's attached to."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How did the first person with HIV/AIDS become infected? | [
"This is impossible to accurately answer because obviously nobody can be 100% certain. But the most likely vector would be from somebody coming into contact with infected monkey blood, which then entered that person's bloodstream, presumably through a pre-existing cut or abrasion. Many species of monkeys and apes a... | [
"People can live with HIV if properly medicated with antiviral drugs. In some cases a person might never develop AIDS despite being HIV positive. In short he's been fortunate enough to have been able to manage his illness."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
China just lost about 3.2$ trillion in the last three weeks, where did all that money go? | [
"There is no \"first law of thermodynamics\" for wealth. Wealth can certainly be created and can certainly be destroyed. The value lost in the chinese equity markets isn't \"found\" by someone else. The value of all those companies has decreased, or rather, markets realized that they were being overvalued and respo... | [
"The global economy is valued at $77.6trillion. That means he destroyed .000002557% of the worlds wealth. There is no noticeable effect of that action."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
My popcorn is listed as 240 calories unpopped, 220 calories popped. Where do those 20 calories go? | [
"Some of the moisture, oils, and husk escape when the kernels pop. Not eating the husk or oils would reduce the calories vs the unpopped kernels since part of them is basically missing."
] | [
"You've misread something maybe you should upload the packet so we can understand where you've got it wrong. Beef jerky has approximately 33g of protein per 100g. It's impossible for 1 gram of jerky to have 10 grams of protein."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How come many people think cilantro has no taste or tastes good, but a lot of people think cilantro has an extremely strong and disgusting taste? | [
"There's actually a genetic mutation that causes some people to taste cilantro as soapy. _URL_0_"
] | [
"Anchovies have a pretty strong and unique flavor. Because of this it's kind of hard to have a moderate opinion; people either love anchovies (right here) or find them disgusting. They also have a strong odor, which adds to things."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do hypodermic needles penetrate your skin without punching out a "core" of flesh? | [
"They are cut on a slant, so they slice a slit instead of cutting a core."
] | [
"It did go through your shirt, but it only needs to pierce through in one spot. Your shirt then moves with the hook as it cuts your skin. It may have left no damage at all to your shirt, depending on the size of the hook."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is the difference between the estimated 120,000 libraries in the US and Google making all books freely available online in their entirety? | [
"Libraries own, and allow use of, only one copy of a book at a time. They have the right to do this because they physically own one copy of the book, which is the right to use one copy of the book. Because objects. Google also owns only one copy of each book, but is making snippets available to possibly thousands o... | [
"Librarian here. A lot of that stuff comes from stores and reserves from other libraries in the system. My library authority has been around since 1890 and has accumulated decades of stuff that due to archiving policies /librarian OCD hoarding we never throw out, For example we have 23 libraries in our group with o... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why is creating a male contraceptive pill so challenging? | [
"I literally heard about this on the radio yesterday so i may be able to help. A male one is in development currently in Australia (I think) and has had effective trials on mice in labs showing that it is able to be effective with no major (maybe any) side effects. The difficulty is that a male pill has to stop e... | [
"Viruses are extremely difficult to deal with because they can adapt and change. The only real way to stop viruses is to prevent them from infecting in the first place is with vaccination The history of smallpox is incredibly interesting! Even the Wiki page is worth a quick look"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
NASA's new EM Drive, why is it significant, and does it break the laws of physics? | [
"Basically it is a container that bounces around electromagnetic waves, which generates movement. This requires no fuel, and seemingly doesn't make sense. Normally when you have an engine/drive, you will have some sort of waste product or emission. Think of a rocket engine, you have flames shooting out of the back... | [
"Faster than light travel doesn't exist, so your guess is as good as anyone's."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do crickets get quiet around humans, considering we aren't one of their predators? | [
"When a lumbering monstrosity twenty thousand times your size clomps past, you may want to hush for a second and let the beast pass without trouble. Sure a human is unlikely to stoop down and eat a cricket these days, but that's not true for all animals. Laying low while unfathomably bigger animals pass is a good s... | [
"They try to hide from their most common predators by staying quiet during daytime. And then come out during the night to attract a mate when it's too dark for birds to hunt."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why don't humans go into heat? | [
"Most animals have evolved this behavior so that their young one's growth coincides with the seasonal availability of food/resources. This also creates a cycle of birth and deaths that overlap so that the young can grow. This seasonal cycle is what we call being in heat. Humans don't have to because we are smart a... | [
"Because they have a better chance of not being eaten by birds, most of which sleep at night."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How exactly does an acne cream like 'Neutrogena On the Spot' work to help heal and diminish pimples and what does it really do? | [
"There are two types of medications used in these. Benzoyl peroxide. This helps dry out junk clogging the pore so that the environment inside the pore is less awesome for bacteria because it lets in oxygen. BP also dries up everything not pore, making your face a wasteland of dead skin chunks and redness that *may ... | [
"Many things could be going on. You may have been allergic to an ingredient in common facial cleansers (like salicylic acid). More likely is that these products were drying out your face too much, so you skin responded by producing too much sebum (oil), which in turn clogged you pores. I have battled terrible acne ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
When one company buys another, where does that money go? | [
"A company is either owned privatly (typically a family or group of banks) or publicly (stock holders). If its a private company, the owners get the money paid into their bank accounts which they will then use to go and buy big houses and speed boats. If its a public company, the owners of the shares get the value... | [
"The new owners take control of the company and run it as they see fit. Often, this will involve some restructuring - perhaps laying off employees, hiring new ones, selling assets, or buying new ones. In the case of a merger, assets and employees deemed to be redundant may be let go (for example, the newly merged c... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are our brains really good at noticing bizarre circumstances while awake, but not while asleep? | [
"When you are asleep, a specific part of you brain is not used. That part of your brain(correct me if im wrong. Neocortex) is what controls things as common sense and spotting the abstract. I remember studying this in my psychology class but its been a while so i might be off."
] | [
"When we fall asleep, our brain activity is sharply lower than it is during the day: and while parts of your brain may still be functioning while you sleep, you **usually** don't have access to advanced logic in your dreams. However, it is possible to realize you are dreaming, and lucid dreaming is a thing some pe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Psychology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Psychology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Psychology:"
} |
If I practice normal motor skills with my non-dominant hand, will it ever be as good as my dominant is naturally? | [
"It depends a bit. A lot of us lefties are pretty much forced to use our right hand in various situations (ever laid eyes on a pair of seamstress scissors? They are ridiculous hard to use with the hand that doesn't properly fit the grip) and as a result we are sometimes better with some tools using our right hand. ... | [
"Because you haven't practiced! Same reason that I (as a lefty) have a fair bit of trouble doing stuff with my right hand. It's not what I've been practicing for my entire life. There is nothing but practice and time preventing you from being reasonable competent with your off hand."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about science:"
} |
If alcohol is supposed to impair judgement, why do politicians and businessmen drink during meetings? | [
"I do not know of any formal meetings where politicians imbibe. Businessmen do it for the same reason anyone else does: it makes you relaxed, and less confrontation, unless you imbibe too much. But that is kind of old school business. Yes, it does still happen, but most companies have policies against any sort or a... | [
"They don't approve of homosexual love or desire because of the culture they were raised in, which is, sadly, independent of their wiring. They probably gravitate towards environments that will help them bury their urges. It's like if you're an alcoholic and serious about never touching a drink again, you go to AA ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
What is Front End and Back End Web Development? | [
"Front end - stuff the end user sees. When you go on eBay and use the search bar to find the thing you want, that's front end. Back end - how it all works. When you type something into the search bar it sends information to a server that pulls the information you need, that's all back end. When you buy a thing on ... | [
"Maintenance. Programming. Upgrading. Designing. There will still be jobs. People will adapt."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it acceptable for smokers to take additional breaks at work? | [
"It isnt! I found out that as a non-smoker, if you start hanging out with the smokers during their \"breaks\", it will cast a negative light on their excessive breaks and bring about enforcement of established times for said breaks. It should be just as acceptable for a non-smoker to take 10 minute breaks every hou... | [
"Super short answer: Perception. Smoking is seen as a need (addiction) so it's permitted. However, going outside for \"fresh air\" is seen as lazy. As for the bathroom comment? Your bowels will be finished when they are finished. I have always looked questionably at people who can poop faster than I can pee."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why doesn't a pistol shrimp's snap boil water? | [
"Not enough energy to. It's like lighting a match in a snow storm and expecting it to melt everything. Sure, the match is hot, but theres a lot more cold than there is hot."
] | [
"Inside the tiny bag is ~99.99% gravel or sand, the other 0.01% is a chemical called silver fulminate. It's a highly unstable chemical that ignites under any sort of friction ( by dropping, squeezing, or stepping on it). When the chemical ignites it creates a shockwave that travels faster than the speed of sound an... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How come a man can rent a tux from somewhere or buy a suit and use it for multiple special occasions but a woman has too buy a new dress for every event that comes up. | [
"They *can*, but just generally don't *want* to."
] | [
"They are usually coordinated by color so all bridesmaids match, but they generally look like tacky prom dresses on their own so there aren't a lot of other occasions you can wear them to."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How did people get water to drink in ancient Venice? | [
"Venice has a complex system that catches rainwater putting it into cisterns that are then accessed by various city wells and fountains."
] | [
"What drugs were popular in 19th century Britain?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
If two perfect singers sing the same song and can sing the same octaves and notes, how do those two singing voices still sound different? | [
"Every person, and every instrument, plays each note slightly differently. If you take A over middle C, it will always be 440 Hz no matter whether you sing it, play it on a piano, play it on a saxophone, etc. But just because the note itself is 440 Hz doesn't mean that all of those 440 Hz notes sound the same. Each... | [
"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Who funds the chocolate milk commercials on ESPN? | [
"Lobby or industry groups mostly, basiclly the MPAA of the milk or egg businesses. According to this _URL_0_ The add is paid for by The Milk Processor Education Program aka MilkPEP. According to their website MilkPEP is funded by the nation's milk processors. The egg commercials were paid for by the American Egg ... | [
"The easy answer is money. Companies pay media for product endorsement. Nike, Adidas, UnderArmor, etc. pay for advertising on ESPN, the contract probably includes a clause that includes name drops in news segments."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do humans have a bellybutton? | [
"Your belly button is where the umbilical cord connects when you're in the womb. That's what provides you with food and oxygen. It has no purpose as an adult, it's just a leftover."
] | [
"Why are noses different in size, why are people different heights, why do we have different hair colors?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Biology:"
} |
The ability to be vague in the "ingredients" list on certain foods | [
"The FDA has very specific rules on labeling, as can be found [here](_URL_0_) The rules specifically address 'spices' and indicate they can be listed very generically, as \"spices\" or variations thereof. As for why they did it that way, one can only conjecture. Industry lobbying, for one, because spices (as the e... | [
"There's a difference between an artistic rendering and the live product. There are no federal or state legislations that require that the image sold should look perfectly like the image displayed. Now what the product has in it is different, it must contain all necessary items that are advertised for FDA and Dieta... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
The difference between transsexual, transgender, and hermaphrodite, options those people have for reproduction, and what it means to "Identify" as fe/male. | [
"A hermaphrodite is a person with a rare condition that causes them to be born with fully functional male AND female parts. Today, it is usually the case that parents will make a choice and have the other parts surgically removed. Transgender has to do with gender identity, specifically, identifying as the opposite... | [
"Some people may identify as bisexual but would not date someone who was transsexual, transgendered, nongendered etc. If you identify with being pansexual that doesn't bother you."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why are we trying to colonize Mars? | [
"Because as Heinlein said: > The Earth is just too small and fragile a basket for the human race to keep all its eggs in. or as Randall Munroe observed: > The universe is probably littered with the one-planet graves of cultures which made the sensible economic decision that there's no good reason to go into space... | [
"It's illegal in a huge number of jurisdictions already. Where do you live?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How does a computer processor "turbo-boost"? | [
"A computer processor (CPU) has an internal clock. It \"ticks\" so many times per second. A CPU running at 3.2 Ghz ticks 3.2 billion times per second. This is **very** roughly how many calculations it can make per second. You can make the CPU run faster by turning up the clock so that it ticks more times per second... | [
"The desktop version? Hyperthreading. I7 processors are able to run 2 distinct tasks per core, whereas an I5 can only do one. This is a bit of an oversimplification. You can read about the concept here: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is a college degree now required for many jobs when some of those same jobs used to be operated by people with only a high school education? | [
"Because there are far too many interested. Diploma is a way to reduce the people applying for a job plus the degree is a way to understand that they know something."
] | [
"There are multiple reasons why, but some of most common is a lot of jobs want years of experience, or skills that some students are not taught during their college years. Another reason is they got a degree in the wrong field. It's best try to get internships if possible during your college years."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why is it so easy to notice bad acting? What are good actors doing that makes them seem more natural? Is there a scientific explanation for how we tell the difference? | [
"It's seems pretty simple really. When we watch a film or TV programme we subconsciously compare how an actor is acting to how we see people act in the real world, or even how other actors act in the same scenario. If the way they act isn't congruent to our pre-concieved notions of how they should act, then we rega... | [
"Watch \"what's eating Gilbert Grape\". Leonardo Dicaprio played the role of a young autistic boy, and afterwards many people were surprised that he was in fact not autistic. A good actor will play a role in his own way, a great actor can basically discard his own feelings and replace them with that of his charact... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How does laundering money through expenses work? | [
"As a general rule, you can't. Laundering money requires that you inflate _revenues_ so that you can pretend your dirty money was earned through legitimate sources, thus \"washing\" it. Now, that said, you can't just inflate revenues forever. If you run a business and suddenly double revenue without _any_ increase ... | [
"Taking money made by illegal means, and making it look like it comes from a legal source, in order to avoid suspicion from authorities."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we often get so entertained just by sitting looking at a bonfire? | [
"Fire is a powerful tool, and is/was one of mans most prized inventions. The dancing of the flames on the wood can be quite serene. The crackling creates a background filter to help you focus. (username kind of relevant)"
] | [
"This is completely a subjective question. It entirely depends on who, where, etc. The only answers you're gonna get are anecdotal. That being said, I usually grab a snack if I'm watching TV because I feel uncomfortable just sitting and doing nothing but facing a screen. When I'm eating at least I'm moving and I ha... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
The difference between cisgender, transgender, and intersex | [
"Cisgender is when the stuff down there matches what's going on in your head. Transgender is when the stuff down there is the opposite of what you think you should be. Intersex is when you're kinda neither"
] | [
"Bisexual means attracted to two (bi) sexes. Pansexual covers the full spectrum of male, female, gender-fluid, trans, etc."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
when you exhale, why is your breath warm with your mouth open & cool when your mouth is almost closed? | [
"When your mouth is open wide you feel the air that has been warmed in your lungs. When it is barely open like blowing out a candle the air from your mouth is moving faster and pulls more of the cool surrounding air into the air stream, this combined with increased air speed makes it feel cooler."
] | [
"Generally because you are sleeping with your mouth open which dries out the mucous membrane. If you don't believe me, try keeping your mouth wide open and breath in and out for an hour and tell me how your throat feels."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why do our feet have arches? Wouldn't it be more advantageous to have your weight distributed over the entire surface of the foot? | [
"The entire purpose of the arch is to act as a spring to help absorb the impact from walking. Walking puts a ton of stress on your bones and if you run, it's worse. Imagine driving a car without it's springs. Every bump would be slamming into the frame basically. Eventually, you'll wear things out much faster. Also... | [
"Your toes have a lot of nerves clustered in a small area, more sensation = more pain. Your toes also have fairly little padding compared to the rest of your body, so there isn't much there to absorb the impact."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Infrared remote controllers | [
"The different buttons prompt the remote to emit a different sequence of 'flashes,' which are interpreted by the receiver to the corresponding action. Think how you can communicate between two ships at sea with a single lantern and a shutter."
] | [
"> secure digital medium > phone app Pick one"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do pigs go through a big transformation if they're introduced into the wild? | [
"That's not how it works... Well, Kind of. Pigs become \"Feral pigs\" which may look similar to boar( And will breed with boar). However their mindset is different (They are dumber than boar). Your question is why; It's part of survival. Humans are no longer taking care of the pig, so it becomes untame and relies ... | [
"Because they have a better chance of not being eaten by birds, most of which sleep at night."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why does my nose run when I eat food with cayenne or similar pepper spices? | [
"Chili peppers, used in spicy foods, contain capsaicin. Other spicy foods, such as horseradish and wasabi, contain allyl isothiocyanate. Both capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanate stimulate a reaction in your nervous system, causing your nose to run. Your nose runs when eating spicy foods because both capsaicin and ... | [
"The chemical capsaicin that's contained in peppers. The more capsaicin the hotter the pepper."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why don't bugs adapt to not hit my windshield? | [
"By percentage, so few bugs are killed in this way that it doesn't create much evolutionary pressure."
] | [
"Water does stick to our body. If it didn't, we wouldn't need to use a towel after a shower. What makes you think water doesn't stick to our body?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are the planets named after Roman Pagan gods? | [
"The planets out as far as Saturn can be seen without a telescope. The Romans had names for them, and our civilization kept using those names even after the Romans were gone. Uranus and Neptune got their names to continue the pattern. Oh, and the moons of the planets are named for minor gods and heroes associated w... | [
"A \"wonder\" is anything that fills you with wonder and awe. 7 was (and still is) a popular number, which in some ancient civilisations stood for completion or perfection -- there are seven days in a week, seven colours of the rainbow, seven deadly sins and seven virtues, and so on. Back in ancient times, many dif... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does my stomach growl when I am hungry? What is going in inside and why does it make a sound? | [
"They are called borborygmi - such a wonderful word...."
] | [
"A lot of nerves in your ear canal link to most of your body. Tickling them makes your blood pressure drop and thus leads to pleasure. At least that's what I read. Correct me if I'm wrong."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph about Health and wellness:"
} |
Why does your nose run when you east spicy things? | [
"Nasal irrigation is a way for the body to protect sensitive and vulnerable tissues in the sinuses. Spicy foods trigger a feeling of actual heat (like real fire), even though it's not actually hot. The best way to cool spicy foods (at least from chili peppers) is with milk or some other dairy product. Fats in milk ... | [
"Do you also cough when eating popsicles and frankfurters/hot dogs? If so, it might be your technique."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
What is happening under the hood my car that makes it "go" when I press the gas pedal? | [
"Basically controlled explosions. Each car had a certain amount of cylinders ( v6 v8 4 banger etc) that's what people mean when they say that. In each cylinder their is a piston connected to a shaft (crank shaft). Fuel and air are mixed into the cylinder and ignited by a spark plug. The explosion forces the piston ... | [
"It makes the brake pedal wider than the accelerator so that if you hit one by mistake, it's more likely to be the brake than the accelerator. It's a safety thing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why does ice stick to your fingers when you're holding it? | [
"Basically, the ice is so cold that it can freeze the thin layer of moisture on your hands. As the ice warms up, then it doesn't happen anymore. Your skin has a small bit of moisture on it. Fresh ice is usually below the freezing point meaning it has some \"room\" to absorb more energy before it becomes water. So,... | [
"Your mouth is slightly warmer and covered in warm saliva so it warms the water up almost immediately. If you were to put an ice cube in your mouth see how fast in melts as oppose to holding it in your hand."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:"
} |
How are Criminal Disenfranchisement Laws constitutionally legal?? | [
"SCOTUS has decided that disenfranchisement laws are constitutional based on Section 2 of the 14th amendment."
] | [
"The President can Veto Legislation Passed by Congress. Congress can Impeach the President. The President Appoints Judges to the Supreme Court who must be approved by Congress. The Supreme Court can Overturn Legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President. No one Branch has all the Power. There is a Bal... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How come if there is an advertisement on TV, it's called a commercial, but anywhere else, they're just called ads/advertisements? | [
"Commercials are ads too, they're just a specific type of ad that happens to have a specific name. Calling them advertisements wouldn't be incorrect."
] | [
"They are selling things, just not to you. Just because you're not a member of their targeted demographic doesn't mean their commercials are pointless."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why is it that battery powered wall clocks leave a stain after a period of time? | [
"That's where the battery case was. When batteries are in use they generate a slight amount of heat. That mark is just a very very slight 'burn' of the paint where it was pressed against the wall. It's not dangerous, because it's a very low-grade burn."
] | [
"It'll have a watch battery on its motherboard. They can last aaaaaages without forgetting the time."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
In the cave paintings in France and Spain from 20,000 years ago, there are rinos, lions, gazelles, etc. Why did these animals go extinct in Europe but not in Africa? | [
"Climate change dealt Europe an ice age -- it just became too cold for some of these animals. Human population density limited the amount of space for these animals to live, eat, and not be hunted by humans."
] | [
"The largest animal that has ever lived is a blue whale, which still exists. People killed most of the megafauna that would otherwise live in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. There were many, many small dinosaurs, reptiles, and mammals millions of years ago, but only the big charismatic ones are popular. My point is... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about English iconography and heraldry:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about English iconography and heraldry:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about biology:"
} |
What's the difference between college, community college and university in the US in terms of the credibility of one's degree? Do all of these even end with one getting a degree? | [
"Community Colleges are 2 year colleges that offer trade certificates and Associates degrees. Sometimes, they'll cooperate with a state college or university in order to offer higher degrees in specific programs. These are run by the county (usually) or city (sometimes) and designed to offer a wide variety of educa... | [
"For all practical purposes, your getting basically the same education. A bachelor's degree is a bachelor's degree. The difference between a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts, OTOH, is significant. The different degree requirements of the schools will differ but that's nothing to do with the name. The univ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Hot air rises on earth but what happens to hot air on the space station? | [
"There might be some movement due to the different densities of air creating different pressures, but it wouldn't move much compared to hot air on Earth. An interesting side effect of this is lighting a candle in zero-g. The flame itself doesn't rise into the shape we're accustomed to seeing. Instead it ends up mak... | [
"The air inside moves with the car, same as the atmosphere moves with the Earth."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do the major mail deliver services (FedEx, UPS) handle people who don't pay for the faster shipping? do they literally sit on the packages? | [
"They ship it by truck, instead of by air. Much cheaper for them. If the truck's not full for a particular regional destination, then it doesn't go. So your package will sit in one hub until the truck is full enough to send to the hub near you."
] | [
"Well, they're not responsible to *you* because they don't have a package to deliver to you. They can't magically make one appear. They *are* responsible to the person who shipped the package, if the person who shipped the package paid for mail insurance. But most shippers would rather pay less for mailing and hand... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why can't we just have synthetic teeth? | [
"We do, but they have to be screwed in to your jawbone with titanium screws. Natural teeth are glued in place by a layer around the base of the tooth called the periodontal ligament. It acts as a cushion and can heal itself so it doesn't wear out. Tooth implants have no shock absorber or have shock absorbers which... | [
"In the real world why would anyone want to be a politician?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why do senators and representatives rarely represent the state that they are born in? | [
"Americans tend to move quite a bit. This puts us in the position of being able to choose where we want to run for office from. A politician may not have views that align exactly with their \"home\" state, and make a strategic determination to move to a location where they have better odds of winning."
] | [
"In theory your Member of Congress/Senator should be protecting the rights and looking out for the welfare of all members of their constituency not just the voters. You have representation just not by a guy you voted in. In ye olden times there was no one who's job it was to consider the 13 Colonies opinions in Bri... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why do balloons stop floating after a while, even though they still have helium? | [
"Yes, the remaining helium still provides buoyancy, but there comes a tipping point where that buoyancy isn't enough any more to carry the weight of the balloon's casing."
] | [
"Those things have holes in them for the air to escape. So they have to replace the air that is lost. Why are there holes? Think of a balloon, if you slam a balloon against the wall (analogy for kids jumping on castle) the balloon will burst. But if the balloon is not tied, when you slam it the air will escape and... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How was it possible for us to view the moon landing when the astronauts hadn't returned to Earth yet? (those were the days of "film at 11") | [
"For Apollo 11 it was sent by radio signal back to Earth which was picked up by receivers in Australia and then broadcast worldwide. A camera was attached to the lander to film it."
] | [
"We do have pictures of the moon landing sites taken from space. _URL_0_ Why do we not have more detailed pictures? Because the moon is very faaaar away from the camera. But a part of the conspiracy theory is that it was just Apollo 11 that was didn't go to the moon, the rest did, which means that they could have... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
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