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why are normal pencils erasable but coloured pencils aren't?
[ "Basically it is because they are based on wax/oil rather than graphite, and erasers will just 'slide' over the mark rather than pick it up. & #x200B; From Wikipedia: *\"Unlike graphite and charcoal pencils, colored pencils’ cores are wax- or oil-based and contain varying proportions of pigments, additives, and bi...
[ "You are sadder than you have ever been in your life. If I give you a red crayon you will be instantly happy. But later on you will need more red crayons to stay happy and someday even all the red crayons in the world might not make you happy. Want the crayon?" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
2019 redefinition of the ampere
[ "Scientists have to fix definitions. Time intervals, unit distances and the kg were all defined by physical objects or other concepts that can change which would change the physical constant we define from it too... in the case of distance we redefined it as the distance light travels in a certain time in a vaccuum...
[ "It already meant a large quantity of material, when it was then used in the 1700s to describe a great quantity of sound. _URL_0_" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
What is non-Euclidean space or geometry?
[ "Look to r/ToxiClay for the more technical definition. The flippant ELI5 definition is that Euclidean geometry is flat and has the Pythagorean theorem for finding lengths (these two are essentially the same point). Non Euclidean geometry is just not this. For example, a triangle on flat paper has 3 angles which a...
[ "Because that is how Euclidian space works. There are a number of proofs, but they all boil down to that relationship being part of the definition of the \"triangle\" concept\"." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query about Mathematics:", "pos": "Represent the document about Mathematics:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
How do those random, but painful, muscle knots in your claf muscle happen?
[ "A Charlie horse or muscle cramp can be caused by a few different things, such as an imbalance of potassium or magnesium which are important for your muscle function. When the muscle fibers aren’t receiving the correct chemical signals to contract and relax, they can seize up temporarily and cause a painful cramp. ...
[ "The \"knots\" are bunches of muscle tissue that are stuck in a state of contraction. The massage relaxes the muscles, which relieves the tension. Make the stereotypical bodybuilder bicep flex with your arm. Do you see how the bicep \"bunches up\" when you bend your arm, and becomes longer and flatter when you exte...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the paragraph:", "neg": "Represent the paragraph:" }
Why is this generation so much more depressed than past ones?
[ "Read _Enlightenment Now_ by Steven Pinker. People are happier, healthier, and safer than they have ever been, and are getting more so all the time. We are just constantly fed doom and gloom by various media, partly for cynical reasons (fear sells) and partly because most new occurrences tend to be negative (\"no o...
[ "Who's more likely to tell you their salary: a rich person, or a poor person?" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the post:", "pos": "Represent the sentence:", "neg": "Represent the sentence:" }
How come some sounds cause chills, facial grimace and emulate the sensation of cold?
[ "Welcome to the world of [ASMR](_URL_0_). I doubt this can be explained in ELI5 because it isn't yet really understood, but it seems to be a part of your brain responsible for processing sounds that also forwards some signals to the part of your brain resposible for processing your sense of touch." ]
[ "When you get excited, certain hormones such as adrenaline get emitted. This can manifest in a feeling of swelled throat, butterflies in your stomach, or full-blown anxiety with resulting shock if you are really terrified." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post about Science:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit text about Science:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit text:" }
Why are certain municipalities burning recyclables instead of actually processing them?
[ "I do recycle, but I fear it is primarily a feel-good response to a root cause. The world population in 1950 was more than 2.5 billion. We are now approaching 8 billion and increasing. Thus recycling is yet another example of our tendency to attack symptom instead of the cause. Checkout “_URL_0_”" ]
[ "Depends upon your local recycling program. Most programs would not recycle these because it is too expensive. Most programs separate the products that are cost effective to recycle and send the rest to the landfill. Just because you are encouraged to put it in the blue bin, does not mean it actually gets recycled....
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit post:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit post:" }
Why does cutting steel with a band saw cause it to become magnetic?
[ "As metal grinds past another metal the innate magnetic fields in the metals force each other to align and boom magnetism." ]
[ "As I understand it's not so much the amount of metal but more the shape of the metal that decides how much sparks are created. Small thin metal corners and creases can't handle all the energy so they release arcs which will set fire to your food. If you use a really smooth piece of metal it might actually be perfe...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:" }
Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day?
[ "Maybe someone else can confirm, but I believe this is a myth that came about due to an advertising campaign from a breakfast cereal company. Edit: apparently it was from the early days of Kellogs. This article goes through it quite well. _URL_0_" ]
[ "Is coffee the first thing you have in the morning when you get up? If so, you're pooping because there is a reflex that empties the bowels when you break your fast, to make room for the digestion of new food, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it's called. Source: 1st year physiology" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Why is it that smartphone batteries are said to deteriorate if used while charging, but the same is not true for laptop batteries and laptops are encouraged to be plugged in most of the time?
[ "I have not heard this specific phrase often, but this mainly has to do with heat generation. Smartphones, as they are so small, develop quite some heat during charging ánd during use. Because of the compact formfactor the heat from using the phone will also enter the battery, unlike in laptops where this component...
[ "Your laptop is most likely using a lithium-ion battery pack, which contains circuitry in it to control the charge level and ensure it does not overcharge or charge at the wrong rate, and to make sure that it does not overheat when charging. Unless the battery pack or charging system is damaged, leaving it plugged ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the post:", "neg": "Represent the post:" }
If the infrastructure 15 years ago is still being used by cable companies today. Then how can they provide such higher internet speeds?
[ "Let's say you have a 7 lane interstate. At each end there is a toll booth. In the past payments were processed manually and there was a receipt that had to print, but the printers were slow. Only do much traffic could get through. Fast forward to the future where you pay with the touch of a button and get an insta...
[ "It could be that your provider is directing most of the available attention span to the 4G networks. The 3G radios might be connected to slower parts of their network as well." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Why are our voices deeper when we just wake up and when we are tired?
[ "Our vocal chords get tighter the more we use them, but tire out like muscles after use, making them get looser again" ]
[ "There are a lot of nerves in our faces. Stimulating these nerves helps to keep you awake. This is why you see babies doing this a lot when they are tired and don't want to go to sleep yet." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit query about Health and Wellness:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Health and Wellness:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Why do many medieval books have fancy dropcaps in starting paragraphs?
[ "For the #aesthetic Pretty bible passages are more fun to read than plain ones? Also, the monks transcribing them get really bored, which is why theres also illuminations of knights fighting snails or dudes with trumpet dicks." ]
[ "Most languages originally wrote in all-caps, but they're cumbersome. Scribes expected to take notes at speed invented cursive writing, which is much faster but doesn't use capitals, instead using another form of the letters adapted for speed. Capitals were reserved for important letters, such as proper nouns and t...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the sentence:", "neg": "Represent the sentence:" }
Why does making a 3 degree difference in your homes thermostat feel like a huge change in temperature, but outdoors it feels like nothing?
[ "Because outside you have multiple things that affects the way the temperature feels. A slight breeze or moment in the shade will feel cooler. Humidity or the sun shining on you will make it feel warmer. Inside you don’t feel these variables nearly as often." ]
[ "The first few fan settings are for people who want some air movement but want it to be silent and unobtrusive. The last setting is for when people want maximum air movement and they don't care what it sounds like. They are disproportionate because the desired application is different. How you want a fan to behave ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
How are commuter trains able to operate backwards?
[ "These trains are designed to work equally well in forward or reverse. They push from the back or pull from the front. This makes it much easier to run the locomotive on a straight track without the need for huge turn around circles when they need to change direction." ]
[ "Because they're economical when it comes to space. Buses aren't designed to go fast, they're made to carry as many people as possible; as efficiently as possible." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question about Transportation:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit answer about Transportation:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:" }
How do hand and leg wraps, like the ones used in boxing and MMA, actually work?
[ "I don’t know about leg wraps, but hand wraps are pretty important in boxing. You bind your hand tightly with the wraps, and it stops the bones in your hand shifting as you throw really hard punches. Using hand wraps, you can hit really hard things, really hard, and there is less chance of seriously breaking your ...
[ "Whats most important to an athlete is being comfortable with their equipment that compliments their physique. A good example would be gloves in boxing. A knock out artist will usually wear harder gloves so they hit harder, Meanwhile a more defensive fighter will usually box with softer gloves to reduce the wear an...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:" }
How do film crews get in contact with big cartels and criminals and how are they allowed to not tell the police about gang’s location? Also how can they trust these criminals?
[ "There is no legal requirement to report the location of criminals. Seeing a criminal and not reporting them to police isn't itself a crime. Reporters then can obtain interviews and write their stories without breaking any laws. Now how they get in touch will vary but presumably they talk to other people who can pa...
[ "I don’t know how many drug dealers or criminals pop into a Tv studio, usually when talking to someone they’re not at the same location, or evidence against someone is circumstantial. Usually the people you see with their faces covered are victims or people who fear retaliation for what they’re saying Lastly, the ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question about Law and Entertainment:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Law and Entertainment:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Law and Entertainment:" }
Why does the square root of i = (1/square root of 2)(1+i)?
[ "Complex numbers have a real/imaginary part. So 'i' really = 0 + 1i then to find square root: * (a + bi)^2 = 0 + 1i * a^2 + 2abi + b^2 * i^2 = 0 + 1i : But i^2 == -1 * a^2 + 2abi - b^2 = 0 + 1i : Separate real/imaginary parts * (a^2 - b^2 ) = 0 : Means a == b * 2abi = 1i = > 2aai = 1i * 2a^2 i = 1i : divide by i * ...
[ "The imaginary unit (i) is a number with a value of √-1. Imaginary numbers are just n*i. For example, √4 is 2 and the √-4 is (2*√-1), so 2*i that is equal to 2i" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
What's the main deciding factor in a animal be part of the canine family rather than the feline family?
[ "There's usually not just one factor you look at. You'll look at a variety of characteristics and potentially their DNA to figure out how to classify them. For example, a good indication for being feline is retractable claws. Except for cheetahs. Felines also tend to have a shorter rostrum (nose) while canines have...
[ "This isnt true for all animals. Many animals when domesticated have much longer lives. Could you clarify what animal you are talking about?" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the post:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
how come health insurance costs much more when taking on your own as oposed to joining the company scheme ?in both cases you pay premium out of your pocket but quotes are drastically different (UK)
[ "Group rates will tend to be less expensive than individual rates, because the insurance company is pulling money from a larger group of people than just you. THAT GROUP needs to make them money that policy year, not EACH INDIVIDUAL covered in that group. This allows them to “spread the risk” over a larger group of...
[ "essentially it all works by making you pay for your own medical expenses while the insurance companies make profits off your monthly payments to them. its basically a legal pyramid scheme. employer sponsored healthcare is just the same old insurance companies charging you the same old amounts, except your employer...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the argument:", "neg": "Represent the argument:" }
Does leaving my light switch on with a dead bulb in one socket and a smart bulb in the other use electricity all day even if the smart bulb is off?
[ "In order for a smart bulb to be \"smart\" it must always remain connected to whatever network it uses. A quick Google search says that the Phillip's hue draws 0.4 watts in the off state. This is a very minimal amount and would hardly be noticable on your power bill. (0.4 Wh x 24 x 30 = 0.288 kWh per month then mul...
[ "If there is nothing plugged in, then no it will not use any electricity. For electricity to flow, there must be a complete circuit, and to complete the circuit you must plug something in. Some devices draw current even when they are off if they are plugged in, that may be what she is thinking of." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
How do highly dense populations such as China or India deal with their dead when there is little land left?
[ "Obviously different cultures have different traditions, but the typical grave is 3ft x 8ft. There have been about 108 billion people that have ever existed on the planet. That means all the dead people throughout all of history could be buried in the area of about: 2.6 trillion square ft = 92,975 square miles = 24...
[ "Land isn't the problem. There is plenty of space for way more people. The problem is resources, specifically land to grow food on and land/sea to absorb the waste. We will run out of that long before we run out of space." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the answer:", "neg": "Represent the answer:" }
What's the difference between the left and right side of earphones?
[ "There might be a physical difference. in some headphones they are mirror images of each other. In others they are interchangeable. but much sound is in stereo. This means that separate sounds are sent to each of the two earphones. If you are watching a show, this could make a real difference. A noise from left of...
[ "Not an expert, but it might have to do with touching the very tiny hair on the skin of your nose." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
What is the difference between “four wheel drive” and “all wheel drive” in cars? Isn’t four wheels all the wheels?
[ "They technically mean the same thing, though they've come to have different definitions. AWD typically refers to vehicles that power all four wheels at all times. 4WD typically refers to vehicles that switch between two and four wheels being powered." ]
[ "2WD stands for Two-Wheel Drive, either Front or Rear, depending on your car. Most likely, FWD. In Two-Wheel Drive mode, the power of your engine will be sent to a single axle, and split among both wheels on that axle. This is the most common way you'll use your car. The unpowered wheels will roll passively, like t...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:" }
Why do red ants bite but black ones don't?
[ "So this question needs more info before anyone can answer - many \"red ants\" don't bite and many \"black ants\" do. In general, different species of ants do or don't bite or sting. Some are too small to bite people, others can bite but it's basically painless. Some are actually wingless wasps, and hurt like fuck...
[ "Mosquitoes - because they can smell you and you're delicious. Gnats - I've heard it's because they're attracted to the carbon dioxide that you exhale. Don't know how true that is. Wasps - because they're dicks." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
What are the not-so-obvious clues police look for in a field sobriety test?
[ "Are you talking and moving at the same time? Drunks tend to do one or the other. Are you speaking more clearly answering simple questions than thinking ones (count by three or alphabet backwards)." ]
[ "Portable breathalyzers (the ones you blow into) are in most jurisdictions considered \"presumptive tests\", meaning they can be used to detect the presence of alcohol, but not the amount (BAC). They aren't as precise as blood tests, and there are many factors at play that can muddle the readout. What they can do ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit post:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit post:" }
What exactly is a chiropractor and what are it’s benefits?
[ "They aren’t considered real doctors because they aren’t. They don’t hold a medical degree, they haven’t completed a medical residency, and they can’t prescribe medications. Evidence that chiropractic manipulation is effective ranges anywhere from conflicting to nonexistant depending on what you’re talking about tr...
[ "A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, who went to medical school and chose to specialize in psychiatry (just like how other medical students choose to specialize in being heart doctors or lung doctors). A psychiatrist prescribes medicine and uses medicine to make you feel better. A psychologist does not use medicine...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Why does drinking a cold drink make you cold? Where is the heat going?
[ "It’s going ‘into’ the cold drink, warming the liquid until ‘it’ and your body are in equilibrium." ]
[ "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 query about Language and culture:", "pos": "Represent the document about Language and culture:", "neg": "Represent the document about Health and wellness:" }
I don't really understand how squaring numbers and square roots relate to the real world.
[ "What interesting about a circle is that not only does the diameter relate to the circumference by pi, but the area does as well. The reason is most properly explained by calculus, but since you asked for a visual: picture a circle that fits perfectly in a square such that they touch at four points. Draw lines acro...
[ "Just numerical values. Pi is a constant so all the rules and principals associated with it would be the same, just with different numerical values." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post about Mathematics:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Mathematics:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Mathematics:" }
What are pyramid schemes?
[ "Pay me five bucks and I'll tell you. Then for every person YOU convince to ask me I'll give you a dollar! You only have to convince six people and it's pure profit for you!" ]
[ "How do you define your hints of schizophrenia?" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post about Finance:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Finance:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
The concept behind government bonds
[ "It’s an IOU from the government. A government (city, state or national) wants to spend money on something but doesn’t have enough. They issue bonds for the public to purchase and use the money from the sales of the bonds. The way it works is the bonds will have a purchase price and will mature after a specified ti...
[ "Advertising, selling info, and premium versions of the free stuff." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the sentence:", "neg": "Represent the sentence about Technology:" }
How does a computer or calculator calculate the square root of something
[ "Here is a possible way: What is the square root of 5? I don't know, but it's between 1 and 5! Maybe it's 2.5. Let's check. 2.5 squared is 6.25. Oh no, that's too big. So it's between 1 and 2.5. Maybe it's 1.25. Let's check. 1.25 squared is 1.5625. Oh no, that's too small. So it's between 1.25 and 2.5. Maybe it's ...
[ "You have 49 square yards (at 1 inch) to lay in a square. How long are the sides of the square? That is the most basic of examples. But many equations in science and engineering involve the square of a number, so you have to do the inverse (the square root) to \"undo\" the square and solve the problem." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
How are "birds literally dinosaurs"?
[ "I find [the xkcd on the topic](_URL_0_) to be helpful. If you want to have a group of animals that includes both stegosaurus and T-rex then pretty much regardless of what criteria you use you will naturally include sparrows as well." ]
[ "Well, first of all, Dinosaurs came in all shapes and sizes, so animals now are “dino-sized”. It’s only the largest huge dinosaurs that we no longer have size equivalents to." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document about biology:" }
Why after staring for too long into a light source (i.e. the traffic light), that pattern gets burned onto our sight?
[ "Im no expert but I think this is because the cones/rods which sense light in our eyes \"adapt\" when exposed to light and become less activated so when you look away it takes some time to adapt again and you see a negative of that image for a while afterwards" ]
[ "Your eye sensors tire after a short while viewing a static image. In this example they're giving you a fixed point to focus on so that the image stays positioned in the same place on your retina. Notice how her lips are green in the negative. Staring at that wears our your green sensor there. Then, when you switch...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title about Physics:", "pos": "Represent the sentence about Physics:", "neg": "Represent the sentence about Science:" }
How do animals become frozen solid while they’re in movement? Like the many videos that come up in winter with a frozen fox in misstep.
[ "The animals are not actually frozen in mid-step. Similarly the pictures of frozen soldiers weren't actually frozen while standing and pointing their guns, they were posed like that after the fact. An animal might be walking through deep snow for instance when it dies. Given the snow around it there is no way for i...
[ "They can release a dragline of silk, and will stand in one spot until the wind picks up the silk, and carries them away. There have been a ton of recent studies on this method of transportation, and this attributes to how some spiders are found on solitary islands, or high mountains. Often when you're walking in a...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Why is it when round objects spin at a certain speed they appear motionless?
[ "Your eyes have a frame rate per second, when an object is spinning and matches your eyes frame rate they appear motionless. This is why helicopters blades will appear motionless on high speed cameras" ]
[ "It's an illusion your mind creates to make sense of an object in the horizon. If you look at the rising moon upside down you'll notice it's small again." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:" }
How ultrasounds work
[ "Ultrasound Tech here. The gel acts as a medium so the sound can penetrate the body. It also acts as a lubricant so the transducer (the thing that takes the photos) can slide easily across the body. When you take a deep breath in, the diaphragm moves downward pushing the abdominal organs down so the dome of the liv...
[ "Chemicals in the air that are detected by sensors in our noses." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document about Science:" }
If all my cells have the same DNA, then how a cell knows its function?
[ "Imagine a book that has instructions for many different jobs. The book could have things like \"turn to page 50 for instructions\" and \"turn to page 75 for instructions\". So every cell has the *same book* but different cells are being told to go look at a different page for how to do their job. Different genes ...
[ "In short every cell has the DNA to become every other cell but it only uses the parts of it that it requires. So a muscle cell does have the DNA for a skin cell as well just doesn't use it." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
Is there just a wave of the cold constantly being spread or does the illness live on something else
[ "There are several hundred different viruses that cause symptoms associated to the common cold. They are all constantly being spread around. When a cold virus sweeps through your work place or school it is very unlikely its the same virus as the last time it happened. And sometimes it's multiple viruses being trans...
[ "I imagine they start as any other bacteria or virus and mutate over time and have found to be able to infect humans same as any other disease but has just found its easiest method of transmission is through body fluids" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:" }
What are the "Degrees" of Crimes?
[ "It's going to depend on the crime and jursidiction, but generally the lower the degree the worse the crime, the harsher the punishment and the more elements required to prosecute it in court. For example, 1st degree murder is intentional and premeditated while 2nd may just be intentional, in the moment." ]
[ "Next Week's Theme: 'Royalty, Nobility, and the Exercise of Power' To be followed by: \"Eastern Europe\"" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
In WW2 how were ships especially aircraft carrier decks repaired in contested waters?
[ "Part of the ship's crew are mechanics and engineers who can repair combat damage. Spare parts, tools, and building materials are stored within the ship to provide for limited repairs. Too much damage though, and the ship would have to return to port." ]
[ "They weren't used over battlefields. The most well known use of them was to bomb England. Their high operating ceiling protected them from enemy fighters and anti-aircraft guns until high altitude fighters, equipped with newly invented incendiary rounds, were developed. After that zeppelins were pushed back, and b...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit query:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
How are horses and donkeys able to reproduce with one another even though they each have a different amount of chromosomes?
[ "Biologist here. The answer is, they just can. There's no exact rule book for what forms viable offspring. When a sperm mixed with an egg, it either works or it doesn't. Then when the cells start to divide it either works or it doesn't. Then when the organs develop it either works or it doesn't. As you may have gu...
[ "There cannot be a cat dog because cats and dogs do not have enough similarity in their chromosomes. A lot of interspecies cross breeding has to do with how similar the DNA. For example a gold fish has 96 chromosomes where as we only have 46. Gold fish and humans are not similar enough to produce offspring in gener...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query about Biology:", "pos": "Represent the post about Biology:", "neg": "Represent the post:" }
Why is it when you snort water, you get a burning sensation at the back of your throat?
[ "The salinity of freshwater is much lower than your body, so when water gets into your nose and into your sinuses, some of the cells that line the sinus and nasal cavities burst open and die because they rapidly suck in water - like overfilling a water balloon." ]
[ "The menthol in Halls and other cough drops numbs the back of your throat, so your body doesn’t reflexively cough. When you suck on them, a bit gets dissolved in your saliva and coats the back of your throat when you swallow. Most of the coughing is because something is tickling/touching the back of your throat, so...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
Why does spinach shrink so much when cooked?
[ "it wilts cause heat breaks down the molecules and removes water from the leaf, causing it to lose any rigidity it had." ]
[ "When you reheat them, they lose a lot of their water content. This makes them even more \"starchy\" than they already are, and changes their texture when you chew them." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the passage:", "neg": "Represent the passage about Food:" }
Why do carbonated beverages taste more carbonated when cold?
[ "Yes, to expand on /r/EnsuingPiracy. 1. Most gasses dissolve better in cold liquid than in hot liquid. This is also why your cup of soda goes flat faster if it's warmer. 2. The amount dissolved is also proportional to the partial pressure of that gas over the liquid. If you have more air pressure, and a higher conc...
[ "The answer here is carbonation. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in water it gives it a very sharp, bitter taste (if you've had plain carbonated water you'd know). To counteract that in soda a *ton* of sugar is used to balance it out. Since iced tea isn't carbonated, less sugar is needed to make it taste sweeter" ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit text:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit text about Food and beverage:" }
While in cold weather, why do my hands feel cold when out of my pockets for five seconds, but my face which is also exposed to the cold doesn't?
[ "Your hands are farther away from your heart with veins and arteries more exposed to the temp then your face. Why does that matter you ask. Well your heart pumps the warm blood throughout your body. Also in the cold your body prioritizes where it wants to send heat to keep warm. Your internal organs or the main on...
[ "Your feet are cold, but that doesn't mean your body is cold, and the only temperature your body cares about is your core body temperature. So you made your core warmer than it likes, so it sweats, even your feet." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question about Science:", "pos": "Represent the sentence about Science:", "neg": "Represent the sentence about Health:" }
How come when we head north, we’ll eventually be heading south, but when we head east, we’ll always be heading east?
[ "Because there's no east or west pole. Directions are relative to the poles, which are roughly the axis's of Earth's rotation. East and west means parallel your walking left/right relative to a pole, while north and south means your walking toward that pole. Once you pass the pole, your no longer walking toward tha...
[ "I'm from Long Island NY. A month ago I went to visit my friend at American University (which is in Washington D.C). The ride there felt pretty long. The ride back didn't seem nearly as time consuming. I think it's because on the way there I didn't know any of the places we were passing. On the way back I would see...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the paragraph:", "neg": "Represent the paragraph:" }
Why do speedometers go past 100mph? Seems like in the US, the highest speed is, on average 75. What scenario are automobile manufacturers taking into account when they put speeds up to 140?
[ "There are a few reasons for this. As mentioned earlier, there's the autobahn. Some countries (China) require a high top number. There's also perception. A higher number makes some think the car is sportier. Combine that with the same part gets used in multiple models, around the world, and you have your answer." ]
[ "Too expensive, little or no benefit. The people that benefit from metric (scientists, engineering) already switched over long ago. For everyone else: Does it really matter if the speed limit is in mph or kph? Are you having trouble converting the speed limit to feet per second on a daily basis? No? Then we're fine...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
why is it that when it’s cold out my phone hand gets colder than my other hand that does not have a phone in it?
[ "Pay attention the angles of your arms next time your out. Your phone hand is probably bent up to hold the phone in front of you while your other hand is probably hanging at your side most of the time. The arm hanging down has less restricted blood flow and is also aided by gravity pulling the blood down into your ...
[ "Likely because they are all puffy and inflamed, and when you press down on them, you temporarily release the pressure. At the same time, you are adding all kinds of germs and guck from your dirty hands. it's okay though, everybody's hands are dirty. Im not a doctor, well not licensed, anyways." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the comment:", "neg": "Represent the comment:" }
- The tripod camera things that land surveyors use, what are they for?
[ "I believe you're referring to a [theodolite](_URL_0_). Surveyors use them to measure direction, distance, and elevation from a known point in order to accurately determine where something is in three-dimensional space." ]
[ "Have you seen the camera's used for broadcast? They are HUGE and professional quality. They are also way more expensive and complex than the average user would want." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit query:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:" }
why does st Patrick's day (a Irish based holiday) have so many Scottish related things?
[ "The Irish have their own tartans, bagpipes and wore kilts. Northern Ireland was settled by the Scots (that’s mostly where the Catholic / Protestant split came in) The Scots and Irish are cousins and share many traditions" ]
[ ".The reasons it's a joke is that the sentiment of a new Christmas celebrating Africanness is a bit odd, those who would celebrate it probably already celebrate Christmas, and the traditions have no cultural or emotional root with people (Or historical for that matter.) Imagine if I made a new holiday up of whole c...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the post:", "pos": "Represent the post:", "neg": "Represent the post:" }
How did Jim Jones manage to obtain support from prominent Californian politicians?
[ "Jim Jones was a famous civil rights crusader. He worked really hard to fight Jim Crow laws and segregation in the 1960s. He later turned out to be a cult leader, but no one knew that at the time. The same thing applies to Fred Phelps, who was also a civil rights leader before he led the Westboro Baptist Church. It...
[ "Was there a similar attempt to recruit Japanese scientists?" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:" }
What does it mean to "break up" a big tech company like Google (or any big company) ? If Google suddenly became three constituent companies, what would change?
[ "There are many parts to this. Here's a couple of thoughts: * The separated parts wouldn't have access to data collected by the others. This improves privacy because no single company has such a complete dossier on you as a user. * Each part individually can't so much influence the market in anticompetitive/anticon...
[ "Theoretically to fight monopoly. Because we are now at the point where Google can easily root out any emerging competition, and has a very strong influence over most of small/medium companies. If they remove your company website from their search results you might have a very hard time. And since they are involved...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit text:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit text:" }
why do baby deer lose their spots as they grow older when the spots help with camoflage? Why give up that advantage?
[ "A baby deer's defense mechanism is to lay low to blend with the ground. When looking down on the baby deer, the spots look like sunlight spots on the ground. When a deer gets older and larger, it loses its spots to help blend in with the background of dirt, bark, and tall grass when viewed from the side. an adult ...
[ "The only reason reptiles like snakes are brightly colored is to alert predators that they are poisonous. Birds are brightly colored to attract mates. Fish are brightly colored to attract mates and alert predators they are poisonous. Amphibians like frogs are brightly colored to alert predators they are poisonous. ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the passage:", "neg": "Represent the passage:" }
number of protons in element's atom determines what element it is. why science don't work on just changing number of protons in atoms so elements are turned into other elements?
[ "We do. We can make gold out of lighter elements by bombarding it with atomic nuclei until some of it turns to gold! It just costs millions of dollars You need a particle accelerator to get them moving fast enough to stick. You can't just throw them in a blender. Gems and jewels aren't even that hard to make, most...
[ "nope, no other elements. the periodic table is sorted by the number of protons in that element. there are no gaps in the sequence, 1 through 1XX we have identified and labeled every possible element based on the quantity of protons in the atom. Now, we will likely continue to tack on new elements at the end, these...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post about Chemistry:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Chemistry:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
How come when one really needs to go pee, they're completely okay when in any other room, but as soon as they reach the bathroom to relieve themselves, they almost pee their pants?
[ "Classical Conditioning. If you ring a bell and then give a dog treat, and continously repeat this process until its engrained in the dog’s brain, then the next time you ring the bell, the dog will automatically salivate. Same with us and bathrooms. We see a bathroom, and then our brains automatically prepare for u...
[ "Every time I hold in a sneeze (like when I'm in a very quiet place and don't want to draw attention) I almost shit my pants. I literally can picture the sneeze working in reverse and trying to come out the other end." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query about Health:", "pos": "Represent the document about Health:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
How was Robot Chicken allowed to parody all of the things that they did without getting sued for some sort of copyright infringement?
[ "Because parody is considered [protected under the First Amendment.](_URL_0_) It is exempted from copyright infringement by its very nature." ]
[ "Because they didn't invent the word Nightcrawler, and the character used in the movies doesn't resemble the Marvel character enough for Marvel to feel they could win a court case for trademark infringement." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the text:", "neg": "Represent the text:" }
why does 20° in pools feel so much colder than 20° in a lake?
[ "Probably because there's a greater contrast in temperature between the pool and the air than a lake and its surrounding air. You feel the contrast more so it seems colder." ]
[ "Your back usually is hotter than your hands or feet. Hands are usually around 32º C while the rest of the body is around 36-37. And 4 degrees Celsius is still a large difference (trust me, I've been in a lot of pools and I can easily tell the difference between a 26ºC and 28ºC)" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit query:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
How does dust form on a fan that is continuously moving?
[ "A spinning fan is essentially rubbing the air at high speeds. This, much like rubbing a balloon on your hair, generates a static charge on the edge of the fan. Dust is attracted to the charge and sticks to the fan. Another method is if there are any vaporized oil or residue from smoking. Since the fan is spinning,...
[ "The simplest way to explain it is it's two fans facing each other. Power is applied to one fan, that blows fluid by the other fan and it spins. In real life they are very close and tightly located next to each other so the fluid can only flow through the fan blades." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Why is it nearly impossibly to revive a person after their heart stops beating?
[ "It's not nearly impossible if revival procedures are initiated *very* shortly after the heart has stopped. But every second that goes by decreases the person's chances of being revived. While the heart isn't beating, oxygen isn't being delivered to your body's organs, including the brain and the heart itself. Brai...
[ "In a situation when a person actually needs CPR a beating heart takes precedence over anything else even a fractured sternum/ribs. if the ribs puncture your lung and give you a pneumothorax, they can still fix you up later, but if the heart stop beating only for 5 minutes your brain cells will start to become necr...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the sentence:", "neg": "Represent the sentence:" }
Why does ice in a cup of liquid tend to flow to the edge of the glass?
[ "It's to do with the shape of the 'meniscus' - the shape of water as it comes into contact with anything. It usually rises up a little, so the ice tends to float 'up' the edge. However, if the glass is overfull, such that the water bends down to contact the glass, the ice will tend to float 'up' into the centre." ]
[ "Since water is a liquid, the cup spins but doesn't really have any way to \"grab\" the water and spin it with itself. It will grab the water only very, very close to the edge of the cup. If you spin it long enough, more and more of the water grabs itself and eventually all the water will be spinning along with the...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:" }
how would you show bayesian thinking using the topic of cupcakes and oreos?
[ "Bayesian thinking basically means we continuously update our idea of what is happening. We have the prior information which is “updated” with new information to create the posterior information. So with cupcakes and Oreos, we can start with cupcakes. That’s our prior information. Everyone loves cupcakes. But then,...
[ "Yes it called the confidence of the statistic. Based on various aspects of the math going into the figure you can figure out how confident you can be in how accurate the statistic is." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the post:", "pos": "Represent the paragraph:", "neg": "Represent the paragraph:" }
How does rain change intensity when it falls e.g. heavy fast rainfall then turns to light rainfall in a matter of minutes
[ "Over short periods like minutes, it just depends on the amount of water in the passing cloud area. The more water in a cloud, the more a drop from high up collects as it falls down the higher its terminal velocity, the faster it comes down. The amount of water in each cloud is determined by atmospheric conditions...
[ "Water precipitates into the air and fathers on particles higher up in our atmosphere forming clouds. At some point they become so heavy they start to rain, if it's cold enough, bam! Snow!" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit query:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:" }
What *is* the Lorentz factor?
[ "The reason for time dilation in special relativity is one fairly non-intuitive assumption: that the speed of light is constant in *any* reference frame. This means that whether sitting at your computer, driving in a car, traveling in a space-ship, or being pulled into a black hole, the speed of light that you obse...
[ "Because in a vacuum a moving object has no resistance acting on it. Clarify the second part of the question please." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
How does the transmission on a car work and why does it never work the same again when it’s replaced?
[ "A replaced transmission should work better than the one you have replaced. The difference in feeling may be to do with the ECU learning being erased when the new transmission is installed. After a normal drive cycle it should \"re-learn\" how to shift depending on how you drive. For fast, aggressive driving it wil...
[ "Great if you drive a manual. Tells you if your revs are too high and you need to shift up, or too low and you need to shift down. No idea why you'd want one on an automatic." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit post:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Technology:" }
Why does milk go bad one day instead of progressively tasting worse?
[ "...It doesn't ? lol. Milk smells progressively worse. Like there's a point where you'll use it for a brew but wouldn't like to drink it. It happens fast, but that applies to most fresh food." ]
[ "Because it's been contaminated as soon as you open the lid. Refrigerating it will lengthen its shelf life. You could leave it out but it won't stay good as long. The fridge slows the growth of bacteria because of cool temperature. Mayo has eggs and oils in it that go bad." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query about Food Science:", "pos": "Represent the document about Food Science:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
Why doesn’t your body wake you up immediately during nightmares?
[ "Sadly, we do not know much for certain when it comes to sleep. What I can explain however is that when you are dreaming (or having a nightmare) you are in a phase of sleep called REM Sleep (Random Eye Movement) which is the deepest phase of sleep, there being 4 different phases. During REM Sleep you body reaches a...
[ "Your body produces melatonin while you sleep. Melatonin makes you feel euphoric and sleepy. It helps you sleep and stay asleep. Unfortunately, it doesn't help you get up in the morning. If you wake up before you're fully rested and at normal daytime melatonin levels (e.g. when your alarm goes off), then you just w...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title about Psychology:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Psychology:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Sleep and its effects on the body:" }
How is a company’s share price determined?
[ "In a regular stock trade, it's purely demand and supplies. Stockholders can put any kinds of prices on the stocks they're selling, and any buyers can put a \"want to buy\" however they want. When the sellers and the buyers put the same price for the same stock, it matches and the transaction is made. That matched ...
[ "Because the value of a currency is directly related to the strength of the economy of the country that controls that currency. Countries, like companies and individuals have a credit rating." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the post:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
How the hell does chapstick/lip balm work?
[ "Lip balm is essentially a wax that you put onto your lips, which seals cracks in the skin, holds in moisture to prevent drying, and creates an anti-stick barrier. That keeps your skin from drying out, and allows for the healing of dry, chapped lips." ]
[ "Lotion absorbs more quickly to moisturize, while Chapstick is formulated to seal in moisture (it's waxier). It'd be kind of gross to put pants on after applying Chapstick to your legs." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the text:", "neg": "Represent the text:" }
Why are forced weddings (especially the ones involving children) in countries such as India still a thing?
[ "Are you referring to *forced* marriages or *arranged* marriages? They have different connotations." ]
[ "That depends on the culture. In areas with lots of Jewish influence male genital mutilation is not considered as bad but in most of the world both are considered equally bad." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit query:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:" }
Why does our body go crazy if it's temperature rise "only" for ~2°C[from 37°C(98.6℉) to 39°C(102.2℉)]
[ "Basically, 37°C is a temperature that is perfect for the body because so many processes in your body depend on temperature. When the outside temperature is higher by +5°C, it does not matter because your body keeps its internal temperature at 37°C. If it is really cold and your body temperature drops, you shiver t...
[ "Kelvin is a temperature scale that start with absolute zero and has uses the same degrees as Celsius. Celsius has water freeze at 0° and boil at 100° absolute zero is at -273.16° C. So in Kelvin absolute Zero is a 0 K, water freezes at 273.16 K and boils at 373.16 K There is a corresponding temperature scale that ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit query:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit post:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit post:" }
How do headphones work?
[ "Headphones are simply 2 baby speakers that sit very near your ear.. Since they're tiny they require very very less power, are less loud and the dynamics of sound are more notable as they are very near your ear!" ]
[ "Are you asking how a wheel works ?" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query about Technology:", "pos": "Represent the sentence about Technology:", "neg": "Represent the sentence:" }
What causes current or recovering Alcoholics/Drug Addicts to speak with that drawl?
[ "Heavy alcohol use can lead to a type of brain damage called \"wet brain\" that causes many issues, including reduced motor skills and muscle coordination." ]
[ "It does far less to you and is far less damaging than the rest that you have listed. Marijuana arguably safer than Alcohol and Nicotine in terms of a drug. Heroin and Cocaine are far more addictive, do a lot of damage to you, especially long term. You need to keep taking more and more of the drug in order to get t...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the text:", "neg": "Represent the text:" }
What really happens to speakers when they get blown out, and why do they sometimes cut back on?
[ "It depends on what broke; even in big speakers there's some really fine wire and thin metal as part of the speaker coil. If that shorts due to too much current, it's busted. But, overpowering a speaker can cause the coil to deform or move past its intended range, causing it to not move normally, it could move back...
[ "Setting up the audio for a concert is a skill and takes practice and knowledge. You generally notice that when you play music through a speaker at a volume outside of the range for that speaker you will get bass overpowering everything since to create bass you need to put much more power into the speaker to displa...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the comment:", "neg": "Represent the comment:" }
How come when breathing through our mouths it dries up quickly but we can breathe fine through our nose all day
[ "Because of the way our bodies are! Air coming into the body isnt as humid or moist as the air inside our lungs. Our nasal passages and sinuses DO dry out but they continually provide moisture in the sinus cavities to humidify incoming air, they warm up and add moisture to it so it doesnt steal the moisture from ou...
[ "That is air going into your sinuses. Your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth are all connected to your sinuses. Have you ever plugged your nose, closed your mouth, and tried to push air out of your lungs ever so slightly? You’ll notice your ears pop and the feeling of air coming out of your eye sockets. It’s gross and i ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title about Health:", "pos": "Represent the document about Health:", "neg": "Represent the document about Health and Physiology:" }
Why does deleting system32 brick a computer?
[ "System32 contains most of the Libraries and System files that the operating system needs to function. Files like DLL's that contain functions called by various applications including the OS itself. Drivers to make hardware function, most of the built in Windows applications and utilities, control panel applets, th...
[ "It does not apply for all operating systems. Linux,as an example,only asks to reboot after a kernel update." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the argument:", "neg": "Represent the argument:" }
Why do city lights appear to blink when viewed from afar at night?
[ "the air is moving and warping the light-waves going through the air. This warping is also done by temperature differences in the air, like what you sometimes see this warping as heat rises from hot pavement." ]
[ "The Oort cloud isn't actually emitting any light, so there isn't anything for our telescopes to pick up on. Distant galaxies, on the other hand, are composed of countless stars as bright as or brighter than our own. Its the same reason you could see a lighthouse from miles away out at sea, but not your hand in fro...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document about astronomy:" }
How much money do Jewelers make knowing they have to stock their entire store with gold and diamonds?
[ "The rule in the jewelry business is \"triple key\", meaning if the wholesale price is $1000 the jeweler will usually start the price at $3000. This helps deal with the extra costs of running a jewelry store, which are quite high. This may sound like a large markup, but consider most retail markups are 5x or higher...
[ "By under paying you for your gold and sending it to a refinery, who then sends them back their choice of money, metal, or both." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:" }
What actually happens when you 'pull' a muscle?
[ "A \"pull\" is a minor tear of a small number of muscle fibers within a muscle. Usually self-repairing in a few days to a few weeks depending on the location, severity of the tear, and repeat use." ]
[ "It's so you don't need to take it out of your handbag every time you want to do something." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the post:", "pos": "Represent the argument:", "neg": "Represent the argument:" }
Why are minor keys sadder but major happier? What makes some notes evoke emotion in the same way for everyone?
[ "**TL; DR: Social interpretation.** Musician here. It's important to understand that isn't a hard and fast rule, especially outside western classical music. For example, [this here.](_URL_2_) It's in G major, and it's obviously a bright, happy tune. But what about [this?](_URL_3_) Is it happy reminiscing? Or is it ...
[ "I studied music theory since, I'm majoring in music education. My music theory teacher asked the class this question one day. No one could come up with an answer. His response was simple: conditioning. We've all been listening to western style music ever since we were born and so did our parents and their parents ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the post:", "pos": "Represent the answer:", "neg": "Represent the answer about music theory:" }
Why do liquid containers usually have an oval shape?
[ "Rounded shapes are closer to a sphere which is the shape that encloses the largest volume in comparison to surface area of the shape. This means if you are trying to conserve material for the container it makes sense to trend toward a sphere. Another issue is that spheres distribute internal pressure more evenly. ...
[ "I assume you're talking about plastic milk jugs? They small ones are shaped differently than the larger ones. The larger ones have much less volume in the upper half, due to the space cut out for the handle, while the smaller ones are a little more uniform, so the upper section contains nearly as much as the lower...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
What is blood pressure and how is measured? Every time my blood pressure is taken they say it’s good but I couldn’t tell from looking at the numbers
[ "It's the pressure (like water pressure) of the blood circulating through your body. The first number is at the beat (pump) and so higher, the second at the rest. 120/70 is good. Anything higher than that is going to make many doctors unhappy. Higher in terms of what is good/what requires treatment varies from time...
[ "Your body raises your blood pressure when you’re exercising. It also raises it when you’re around healthcare workers (white coat syndrome). You might not be aware of it yourself. They’re trying to get your resting and relaxed rate so they need you to chill out for that." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:" }
Why is it that we can eat salt and drink water but can't drink saltwater
[ "It is about the amount of salt in relation to the amount of water. You can eat a few grains of salt, however this makes you thirsty as you need to drink water to compensate. Even wonder why bars have a lot of salty snacks and is often willing to hand them out for free? You can also drink salt water, unless it is t...
[ "Because we need to drink water to live. Not staying hydrated is bad for public health. We'd rather tell people to not shower for so long, don't waste water that doesn't need to be used." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Why do brand new towels not dry you as well as well used ones?
[ "New towels have dyes and sometimes even fabric softeners still in them from the manufacturing process, and these can be a bit water resistant. Best practice when you get new towels is to run them through a couple of wash cycles to get all of the stuff out. Don’t wash them with other clothes during these first cycl...
[ "Towels are designed to absorb the water on your body after a shower. Even though the water itself is clean, and your body is clean too, the towel will be wet and will need to dry up during that process the towel is moist, if you took a hot shower, your bathroom is probably relatively hot and humid too these are th...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the question:", "pos": "Represent the paragraph:", "neg": "Represent the paragraph:" }
If a medication has a half life of 6 hours, (we can use montelukast for this examples) but say it’s effective for 24 hours? How can that be true?
[ "Nurse here. Medication is like the porridge in Goldilocks, too much in the body (a lot of side effects, OD), too little in the body (no effect) or juuuust right amount (the desired effect). The just right is called the therapeutic window. Now, the therapeutic window is different for different medications. Let's sa...
[ "It's because a drugs half life strongly correlates to how long the withdrawal symptoms will last. Let's use an opiate example heroin has a half life of I believe ~6 hours, with withdrawals lasting around 7 days for the acute. Methsdone has a half life of like 24-48 hours and it's withdrawals will take months. Now ...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
What are corporations
[ "a corporation is a legal entity; there are many kinds of corporations but the traditional for-profit corporation generally being referred to exists to limit liability for shareholders. Essentially this means that if a corporation goes bankrupt, its shareholders lose only the value of their shares; the rest of thei...
[ "For that matter, what were the basic personality archetypes for children?" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
why do boys get 'blueballs'?
[ "When males are aroused their penis becomes engorged with blood, causing an erection. Their testicals also receive more blood, although this isn't as visible. After an orgasm this blood flow is released. Some males experience pain in the testicals when they go for long periods of being aroused without release. This...
[ "do they squirm when you squeeze them? if so yes." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query about Sexual health:", "pos": "Represent the sentence about Sexual health:", "neg": "Represent the sentence:" }
How much "extra" do you pay while using a credit card?
[ "If you pay off your statement balance by its due date, you pay no interest or fees—just what you spent on the goods and services you paid for with the card. Credit card companies charge the business a fee to process, so they still make money on the transaction even if you don’t run up interest. If you don’t use th...
[ "How much do they cost vs how much will they generate." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:" }
the ISS orbits around the earth many times a day. Does this mean that if you return to earth you are younger than the people that stayed on earth?
[ "Very fractionally younger, because you were moving at a very high speed relative to them. Astronauts on the ISS age slower by about 0.01 seconds per year." ]
[ "When you get closer to the speed of light time passes faster for you but for everybody not traveling that fast it would not. You could go on a journey 1 lightyear away at the speed of light and come back to find it nothing like you had left it." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the answer:", "neg": "Represent the answer:" }
Why do they kill horses when they break their legs?
[ "Horses and other large four-legged animals have issues with laying down for long periods of time. Sure, you will see them laying down here and there, but they can't sustain it for long periods. They end up with blood flow issues to large parts of their bodies. It also puts pressure on their internal organs. A brok...
[ "He's warming up for the eventual possibility that you are going to drop him in water. Why else are you holding him over the water anyways." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit document:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit document:" }
Knowing the discrepancy between the sound of our own voice IN OUR HEADS vs. how others hear our voice, how are we able to mimic someone else’s pitch, or any sound really, if we are matching it to our internal voice?
[ "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 ...
[ "It's not that you necessarily sound bad, you're just hearing something completely different. It's like when you see yourself in the mirror vs when you see a picture of yourself, you might think you look a little funny! When you sing, you're hearing both the effects of your singing as others do as well as the inter...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit text:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit text about Language and Communication:" }
How do speed cameras capture speed?
[ "In my understanding it's not the cameras that catch speed, they only take a photo of the speeding vehicle. You have either a ground sensor that measures the speed with which the wheels of the vehicle get from point A to point B, or a laser sensor that measures the speed of the object by comparing how long it takes...
[ "1 - The radars keep track of all measurements, they just have to show the measurement from when they pulled you over 2 - Dashcams can also include the speedometer that shows that in order to keep up to you, they had to speed 3 - Yes, it comes down to a cop who has no legit reason to lie about you speeding's word a...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
Why Nuclear power is considered Safer and more efficient than Renewable energy source such as solar power?
[ "In short, nuclear power isn't terribly expensive to build out to a large production capacity, produces a lot of energy per unit fuel input and doesn't significantly pollute air/water, although it does generate a small amount of nasty solid waste. Solar energy is tremendously expensive to build out to a large scale...
[ "1. Solar panels are expensive 2. Solar panels are very inefficient 3. It is not sunny 100% of the time" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the argument:", "neg": "Represent the argument:" }
water damage to electronics.
[ "The water allows the electricity to jump from one circuit to another it wasn't meant for and it can destroy the components on things like the motherboard." ]
[ "By the cheapest gas, any brand will do." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the query:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
How do Wi-Fi signals travel through walls, floors, doors etc and not get blocked/reflect?
[ "They do get blocked and reflected. They also travel through walls which reduces the signal strength. Luckily, most wifi devices can send and receive extremly small signals." ]
[ "Some microwaves and bluetooth devices use the same wavelength of radiation to cook food/transfer sound data. Usually, microwaves are built as faraday cages to prevent the radiation from leaking out. If there is a hole in the cage somewhere, some radiation could be leaking and interfering with the connection betwee...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit question about Technology:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit text about Technology:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit text:" }
Will all the tar leave my lungs after i stop smoking?
[ "The cilia will start working again and start bringing all that junk up. This happens fairly quickly. That’s why smokers cough like they do in the morning. The paralyzed cilia wake up as you’re sleeping and start pulling that hunk out. That being said, some of these cilia are more heavily damaged and can take month...
[ "Did you smoke the weed with tobacco? If so, maybe these are the withdrawal symptoms of the nicotine. Please visit a doctor if you have serious concerns." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the title:", "pos": "Represent the document:", "neg": "Represent the document:" }
Does a high pitch sound really shatter glass? What is the explanation for this (if true)?
[ "It isn't so much that it is high frequency that is doing it. The real reason is something called the Resonant Frequency. This is the frequency at which a particular material naturally resonates (or vibrates). By matching the resonant frequency, you are adding force at the specific points at which the material is a...
[ "Sound is just vibrational energy, when an object exceeds the speed of sound it compresses the sound waves emitted causing a Sonic Boom. The larger the object, the more air is displaced meaning more energy and a bigger boom, though I'm sure a smaller object such as a missile can still shatter windows with its Sonic...
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit post:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit post:" }
How does medicine expire or become less potent over time?
[ "A 2012 study showed that ~86% of expired medications can stay effective for even up to 50 years after their expiration date. _URL_0_" ]
[ "Sell by date- this is when the store should remove the product. This is often erring on the side of caution. Best by date- when a product's freshness begins to drop. Your food should still be good for a period of time afterwards. Expiration date- your product is inedible once this date has been reached." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:" }
How do game developers generate fog?
[ "Particles. I wish I could tell you more about it than that, but I can tell you that much. It’s the same way they generate fire (and sometimes water). As I understand it, it basically involves rendering colored points rather than shaded/textured polygons and then writing rules about how they behave collectively (ho...
[ "The publisher outputs the game and promotes it through sales. Developers create the product." ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit title:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:" }
Why do adults’ breath stink after a day of not brushing and infants have (relatively) odorless breath?
[ "Diet. Infants are eating only breast milk or formula so there is no food residue in the mouth for bacteria to feed on, have no teeth so fewer surfaces for bacteria to be present on. Breastmilk is antibacterial. Far lower bacterial activity in the mouth to generate odors" ]
[ "Bacteria that has feasted on your skin, sweat,etc has byproducts that smell bad. The bacteria has had 8ish hours to feast on your body uninterrupted. If you brush your teeth and shower before bed and use clean linen, the smell will be less" ]
eli5_question_answer
{ "query": "Represent the Reddit post:", "pos": "Represent the Reddit text:", "neg": "Represent the Reddit text about Health and Wellness:" }