query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
How does debt collecting work? How do debt collectors make money by buying more debt? | [
"You don't go 5k in debt by buying it. You are buying the right to*collect* that debt. E.g. Debtor owes seller $5,000. You buy the debt from the seller. Now the debtor owes *you* $5,000."
] | [
"Often times the original company you owe the money to, sells the debt for less than the original and writes it off as a business loss. For some businesses this is a better choice then spending money trying to collect the debt from you. The company that buys it will try and get you to pay them more than what they p... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How airplane windows tint and block out sunlight at the touch of a button and go back to being clear as if nothing happened. (Newer airplane models) | [
"Light can be bent and refracted or reflected. So there are layers to the window tint that allow the elements inside to change position to allow light(visible light)through, or to reflect it away."
] | [
"They are just heavily-tinted windows. What makes them one-way is that the room that's supposed to be visible is well-lit, and the room that's not supposed to be visible is dark (same way tinted windows on cars hide what's inside). The window is actually just as visible in both directions. It's placement that makes... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why can't light escape a dark hole? Where does it go? | [
"It is like trying to swim upstream in a fast flowing river. You can swim as fast as you can into the water, but the water will be moving you backward."
] | [
"Ok crazy thought but, couldn't you take two quantum entangled particles, shoot one into a black hole, and watch what happens to the other in order to figure out what exactly goes on inside the event horizon?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
When we tear paper, how does the tear begins and propagates? What kinds of bonds are we breaking and what forces are we overcoming? | [
"Paper is basically fine wood fibers which are tangled together and the sheet flattened out. Tearing paper can be breaking those wood fibers or simply forcing them apart, overcoming the friction which held them together. If the wood fibers are actually broken you would be separating cellulose, breaking hydrogen bon... | [
"I am sure there will be physics papers published on this during the next months just like with the glowing sticky tape. One theory is briefly explained in the original video. As the rubber is stretched the molecules have to align in certain ways. This constricts them which increases the internal pressure of the ru... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why was there a crime wave around the world through the 80s and 90s? | [
"It suggested in the Freakonomics book that abortion being legalized, and easier access to birth control decreased the crime rate. So the opposing, crime wave, would be suggested to be children born to mothers/families that couldn’t/wouldn’t take care of them. Obviously the world was changing at the time as well wi... | [
"Do you mean: \"Did the fear of communism enable the working class to obtain improved social conditions in 1950s until the 1980s in Western Europe?\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do most moisturizers/ lotions have alcohol in them? | [
"It's probably used as an emulsifier. To help the oils and water based ingredients stay mixed together since oil and water don't mix well."
] | [
"There's 3 basic types of moisturizers. The first is is called an occlusive. What occlusives do is create a barrier on your skin so it traps moisture. Water from your skin cannot evaporate, so it stays on your skin. Occlusives are VERY good at their jobs, but it's also damn sticky. Vaseline (petroleum jelly) is an ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How do planes have Wi-Fi while in flight? | [
"They either connect to cellular networks or via satellite if the flight is out over water. Other than that, it's just like wifi at home. You have a router and a wifi access point that everyone connects to."
] | [
"Fighter jets are air breathing. There is no air in space. For the same reason, there's no sonic boom in space either."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How do we decode/understand ancient languages without native speakers? | [
"It's a very complex process that takes a lot of intuition. When you look at something you don't understand, you will see something that sticks out as repeating a lot. With an understanding of linguistics, you can ask \"Is that an a or an I? Or is it another pronoun, like you or we? Perhaps a conjunction\" Then, yo... | [
"Dead language means there are no native speakers of that language. For instance, lots of people speak Latin, but there are no native Latin speakers."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
ELI5: When banks print/make new currency, say they decide to make £1million, how is that broken down into the various denominations? | [
"My understanding...(no expert) The denomination of printed / manufactured currency is decided based on what is needed to be in circulation for example when ATMs only issued denominations of £10 this led to a reduction in the number of £5 notes circulating. They were being banked but not recirculated. The banks wer... | [
"It's important to remember that currency is not minted/printed for the sake of making profit. Whether a penny or a hundred dollar bill, you 'lose' money making it because that money already existed somewhere. When you get a paycheck and deposit it, you are never dealing with any currency between your company, you,... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
so researchers have observed the radioactive decay of xenon-124 which is extremely rare due to its half-life of 18 sextillion years, so how is it they observed this if the universe isn't even 18 sextillion years old? | [
"A half life of an element doesn't mean an atom can't decay before that amount of time has elapsed, and it doesn't mean exactly half of all atoms of some group will decay after exactly the half-life has elapsed. The half-life is probabilistic for any individual atom. This means there's a 50% chance any single atom ... | [
"A simple answer if the neptunium uranium question is half-life Np237 has a half life of of 2.144×10^6 years compared to the uncommon U235 with 7.04×10^8 y and common U238 with 4.468×10^9 y The 2 millions years for neptunium is to short for any large fraction to still be here. 700 million and 4.4 billion years for ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about astronomy:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about astronomy:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Chemistry:"
} |
why is it that when you open the door of a closed room with windows, the curtains around the windows flutter? | [
"The air pressure in the room is changing. Although you can't feel it, the curtains certainly do."
] | [
"because they dont understand glass. on their way in they just follow their noses, which leads right through the opening. but on their way out they might not have that smell to guide them, they're just heading to the light, and they have no way to know that one bright section is open and another is covered in glass... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do cast of big movies like Avengers go for the movie promotions, they already know the movie will be successful and making a lot of profit, why waste time and money? | [
"A big part of the reason the movie becomes successful is the promotion. In fact, often just as much money is spent on marketing as on actually making the film. Also, related quote: \"Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.”"
] | [
"Because the domestic box office effects profits the most, so they release internationally to get good reviews and hype out before we see them. This will backfire if a movie sucks."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do translators deal with unavoidable puns? | [
"Like an Asian simultaneous interpreter once did: He \"translated\" it as \"The president made a joke. You should laugh now.\""
] | [
"Generally by not being concerned about inflicting bodily harm on the victim through not using lubricant."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How is 32 bit able to handle 4gb of ram, if 4,294,967,296 is the number of bits? | [
"32 bits is able to handle 4294967296 Bytes not Bits. The issue is being able to write down a unique address for each Byte in just 32 bit of ram. The CPU needs to address each byte in memory with a unique 'name' and it has only 32 digits to write down the name. It is a bit like writing down your street address and ... | [
"Videogames store information as 1 and 0's aka Binary. When you allocate 31 digits in binary. You have 2^31 = 2147483648 values. However, one of the values is zero therefore the max is 2147483647."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does our moon not rotate? | [
"It does rotate, and the dark side is a misnomer. the \"Dark side\" frequently faces the sun, which is what we call \"New moon\". About once a month, give or take. However the moon is tidally locked to the earth, meaning that it rotates at the same speed as it orbits the earth. For every single orbit it makes arou... | [
"That would be true if the earth didn't rotate. But it does rotate."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do big things like giants,gods,monsters etc. move slower in movies? would that be accurate in real life? | [
"They often actually don't, they just look like they're moving more slowly because they're so large. Let's say it takes you one second to make a step. If you're 100 times larger, that step is 100 times times longer so by moving at the same speed, that step takes 100 times longer. Even if you were moving at a signif... | [
"It was proven long ago that humans physically can not generate enough energy to lift themselves. They are just too heavy. Birds have incredibly thin bones, which makes them extremely light. Otherwise they couldn't fly as easily as they do, if at all. It also has to do with size. Basically, the larger you are the h... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is it movie theater popcorn tastes so amazing no matter where you are? | [
"Movie theater popcorn is typically made with an additive called flavicol, which amps up the buttery taste. It’s nontoxic, despite its ominous name, but is the source of that uniquely rich flavor that movie theater popcorn seems to possess."
] | [
"I eat the same lunch every day during work and don't ever think it tastes disgusting. How do you get tired of having a quality sandwich?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
What is the "half life" of a radioactive element and why is it so important? | [
"It's the time it takes for a radioactive atom to decay *on average*. So basically, if you know an atom has a half life of 1 minute, and you wait a minute, there's a 50:50 chance it'll still be there. Since most things are made up of an uncountably large number of atoms, this means that after one minute, exactly h... | [
"Super simple version of radioactive dating: Radioactive substances have a half-life, or, the time it takes for half an amount to decay. So, say you have one pound of the radio active material in question, the half-life is the time it takes for that material to decay to half a pound. So if you know the substance's ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Astronomy:"
} |
Why was the mark from my spank only red around the edge of the hand, instead of the center? What are the biological mechanisms which cause this? | [
"Just a guess at the answer to the first half... I’d say the redness is caused by stretching of the skin. Where your hand actually contacts the skin, it would compress the flesh but not overly deform the skin, as it’s all pressed in fairly uniformly. Around the edge of your hand there is skin that hasn’t been slapp... | [
"A scratch is likely ripping some of the outermost skin cells, causing them to refract light away from the blood vessels that give the rest of your skin color. There's also a thing where if you merely press down on skin (especially in a cold environment), it turns white momentarily before regaining it's original co... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
How does one ‘arm’ of a snowflake know what to look like to match the others? | [
"It doesn’t, but the way the crystals grow is affected by a bunch of little factors that are shared more or less across the flake so they grow the same way. This isn’t always the case, so many flakes grow asymmetrically or are deformed before they get to us."
] | [
"They can be turned into snowflakes if they are formed in the same way, but snowflakes only form the way they do because they are grow from tiny droplets freezing high up in the air. If they are on the ground or in a big falling rain-drop, they will freeze into far less organized and symmetrical ice sheets or pelle... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How come the people need to leave the room when xrays are done? | [
"Its like a life guard at the beach having an umbrella for the sun. You might not need one because you arent staying that long and your risk of sunburn is pretty low, but they are there all day all the time. So even though the sun may not be too bright on that day, its still more dangerous to them (due to amount of... | [
"A lot of times they just send all of them if an emergency call comes in."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Telecommunications:"
} |
Why do outlets get “loose” ? | [
"Inside of an outlet, each slot has at least two metal pieces that are pressed together. When a plug is inserted, the prongs of the plug pushes those pieces apart; This both makes an electrical connection and retains the plug with friction. Over several insertions, those pieces become worn out and the gap between t... | [
"It's \"cleaning\" itself so the ink doesn't get jammed."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do fully able adults struggle with Right and Left? | [
"Left/right discrimination involves a lot of processes; language processing (since these are verbal/written labels), spatial processing, memory, etc. It's arbitrary (unlike up/down, which is defined by gravity). It's relative - The post office is to your right? Turn around; now it's to your left. It's something our... | [
"Why do people in Western countries use forks?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are there so many places named Orange or Orange County compared to other fruits and/or colors? | [
"Orange is a fruit and also a place in France and places in the USA tend to be named after one or the other. Rather, [William of Orange](_URL_0_) who was a colonial-era monarch (also the William in William and Mary). If a place isn't really a place you'd expect citrus groves (like Orange, Virginia) it's probably ... | [
"Much of the time they are names taken from the Old World. Look at Sheffield, a city in England. There were many people who immigrated to the USA and Canada from Sheffield, and when they came to their new homes in Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Ontario, etc. Instead of creating a new name, they named their new home... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
how is it possible to put together those 3 extremely small lights in a pixel? | [
"It is done with photolithography. They use precision masks to project the tiny circuits onto silicon chips. They are even smaller in LCD projectors, but they are huge compared to the circuits used in microprocessors. Those are so small, they need to project the circuit patterns with ultraviolet light with a wavel... | [
"Because it get close to the center and at a certain angle a connection closes to start that action."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What happens to the healthcare sector of the economy if single payer healthcare goes into effect? | [
"Doctors and hospitals would still get paid. Probably more since the uninsured would actually pay their bills now. Insurance companies would go out of business, maybe the rank and file will go to healthcare admin jobs with the govt. the CEOs and managers I’m sure will find some other jobs draining money from people... | [
"Medicare = government-provided medical aid for seniors Medicaid = government-provided medical aid for the poor The former is for all people that are 65 or over, the latter is only for those that qualify. Some have considered expanding medicaid to the point where it eventually becomes universal health care, but it'... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Is there any kind of scientific reason why people tend to think things are funnier when they are tired? | [
"Laughter comes from an situation where the brain dosn't know the outcome of a joke/situation so when you are tiered your brain can guess the outcome less efficiently which makes things more funny"
] | [
"Are you sure this is a real phenomenon? It was my understanding that people are simply trying to remove a distraction so they can pay better attention."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Psychology:",
"pos": "Represent the answer about Psychology:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why are some batteries rechargable while others are not? | [
"You can actually recharge non-rechargeable batteries such as alkaline batteries. However, they perform very poorly and take a very long time to recharge (Up to one day). They will also only last a handful of cycles before completely dying. I highly advise against trying this as your normal battery charger will lik... | [
"Nope. Not always anyway. The memory effect was a phenomenon in NiCd and NiMH type rechargeable batteries. Most batteries these days use Li-Ion, which is actually harmed by doing full depletion cycles."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are airline attendants given seats with both a belt and shoulder harness where as the actual passengers are only given a seat belt? | [
"Jump seats (the seats attendants use) don’t have anything else in front of them stop stop them in case of turbulence or a crash. Most other seats have another seat in front of them that will help arrest movement. Just like a child’s school bus, no seat belts are used (for the most part) except for the driver. The ... | [
"So the air hostess doesn't have to put every seat upright for take off. Why do your seats have to be upright for take off you ask? It's easier to board a plane when the seats are upright."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
how YouTube gaming channels work. Do the hosts actually do everything themselves or is a studio involved? | [
"Most large channels will have one or more editors who work in the videos instead of the host doing it themselves. As for their surroundings and financial situation we can't really know, but a sufficiently large channel can attract enough advertising that a comfortable life is easy to obtain."
] | [
"There is someone streaming a video game, and ads are occasionally shown. Twitch takes a cut and the streamer gets some money. The tournaments are not set up by twitch. Watching is fun for some people. Streaming from a DS is a pain, but not impossible. I however don't know the specifics. To stream on twitch you don... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If cameras can take videos with fps equaling single shutter speeds, why do photographers take dedicated still shots instead of video recording everything and later just isolating single frames for “photographs?” | [
"In some cases you can, but when you take a single frame you have more control over the light. When you take a photo you can balance the depth of field, aperture size and iso- getting the right ratio of the three can give you much needed control in certain scenarios. When you record video- most of those settings b... | [
"They shoot it at 1000 frames per second (you can think of it like taking 1000 pictures in one second) and then play it back at a significantly slower frame rate (commonly 24 frames per second). That means that something that took 1 second when they filmed it would take 41 seconds to play those 1000 \"pictures\" ba... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are planes constantly overbooked and they’re asking for people to switch? Why don’t they just book the right amount of people from the start? | [
"Let's say hypothetically that a plan can hold 100 people. Of those 100 people theres a good chance that 25 won't show up leaving the plane with only 75 people. So airlines figure that they can book 25 extra flights for some extra cash. But sometimes it turns out that instead of only 75 people showing up, 90 show u... | [
"The price goes up as the day of the flight draws near because they try to get as close to fully booking the entire plane as possible, and as you get closer to the day of the flight, the number of available seats drops dramatically, and rules of supply-and-demand take over. But there's last minute, and then there's... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why and how do we ‘get hot under the collar’ when we are nervous or angry? | [
"Anger and nervousness are closely related to fear in the emotional spectrum. Fear usually triggers the fight-or-flight response which includes reactions such as increased heart rate, dilation of certain blood vessels, and increased blood flow. Since your neck is a (forgive the wordplay) bottleneck for blood flow, ... | [
"A lot of people use laughter as a defense mechanism when they're uncomfortable or in pain (physically or mentally)"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
People say that sharks don’t like the taste of humans, they attack humans because they are mistaken as a seal. If so, how do new generation of sharks have the concept of how humans taste and look? | [
"Why would you think that a shark have a concept of a human in any way? They attack often because it look like a seal and release it when it do not taste like a seal. They do not need to know what a human is just what a seal look like and the taste no knowledge of humans is needed."
] | [
"Because animals have brains. Genes and memes make it so they know which animals are safe to be around and which are not. The same way you'd run from a tiger after you saw it's sharp teeth, even if you had never seen one before. And the same way you wouldn't run from a cat even if you saw its sharp teeth because yo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How do programs like Directx "upgrade" from Directx9 to Directx11? | [
"Little of column A, little of column B. Over time new techniques/features are discovered/developed/improved, and also new hardware becomes available that provides for new possibilities or better ways of doing old things. And occasionally you remove older stuff that is obsolete or that nobody really uses, which can... | [
"Most DirectX installs that come bundled with games and are only a specific distribution tailored for that game. They will install only the specific packs or DLLs that game needs. Since each game is made differently these bundles vary widely. In general i like to grab what's called a \"redistributable package\" fro... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Besides just "oil", why is modern U.S. allied with and catering to Saudi Arabia? | [
"The Saudi Arabian government allows the US to keep military bases in their country, which gives us a great local place to monitor the situation throughout the Middle East and respond quickly without the need for establishing new supply lines in the area. They also buy TENS OF BILLIONS of dollars worth of military ... | [
"Nobody is actually answering it ... Iran previously had a democractically elected government. The CIA led a campaign to replace it, that puppet government was then overthrown because they were extravagent and spending the peoples money like it was going out of style. The people replaced the puppet government with ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why do our eyes have color? Is there a role that the iris having a color plays? | [
"If the iris wasn’t coloured, the amount of light entering our pupil would actually be increased due to the thinness of the membrane. Everyone technically has blue eyes (afaik) and then additional melanin deposits on top, adding to the brown colour. The darker it is, the more light it absorbs and the less light ent... | [
"From my limited understanding of biology I believe there are multiple genes that affect say skin color, eye color, hair color. Any combination of variations can lead to a different skin, eye, or hair color. There isn't an infinite number of possible combinations so there is not an infinite number of possible eye c... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
if a set of identical twins has babies with another set of identical twins, are those babies going to be identical cousins? | [
"No, because what they get from each parents it's still somewhat random. So one can have his father's eyes and the other can have the mothers"
] | [
"Genetically? No. The mother might have 6 separate eggs, and they'll get fertilised by 6 separate sperm from the father. It's exactly as if they had 6 separate individual pregnancies. The genetic similarity between two pups from the same litter is the same as the similarity between two pups from a separate litter b... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If mathematical pi is the ratio between a circles circumference and diameter how is it possible to calculate it to a great number of decimal places? How do we either measurement with a high enough level of accuracy to begin with? | [
"There are other ways to calculate PI than by taking a circumference and then dividing by the diameter. These calculations involve mathematics a little above the ELI5 level, but nothing more than high school math. & #x200B; For example, there is the Leibniz formula for PI [_URL_1_](_URL_0_) This formula lets you d... | [
"Infinity is a concept, an idea. It is not a number and it follows its own rules which are not always consistent depending on the infinity type in question. You cannot remove a finite number of 1 and get infinity down to a finite number. By definition there are an never ending stream of '1' that make up your infini... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Mathematics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument about Mathematics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why is the brain stored in the head? | [
"I figure it's because it needs to be close to all of your sensory organs for maximum efficiency, that, and there isn't much room"
] | [
"There is a small capsule of water with a needle floating on top of it inside your phone. But seriously, it is a magnetic sensor."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post about Technology:"
} |
Why do foods turn into a solid as you heat them up such as eggs or cookies whereas traditional convention says that heating a liquid up would eventually turn it into a gas? | [
"As you might expect, it's not as simple as liquid + heat = gas in the context of food. Organic compounds (those with carbon in them) behave differently under heat, undergoing chemical changes that affect their physical properties. Or in some cases, it could be as easy as the water evaporating out, leaving the soli... | [
"2 reasons. The thing you are trying to clean off might be solid or semi solid at room temperature but turn in to a liquid if heated. And increasing the temperature also makes it easier for things to dissolve in to the water."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Food Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage about Food Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Chemistry:"
} |
Barotrophic and Baroclinic? | [
"Imagine you have 2 liquids, you put one under pressure and the density changes. You then add heat to it but the density does not change; that is barotropic. Your second liquid you put under pressure and the density changes, you then add heat to it and it's density changes again; that is baroclinic. Im no physicist... | [
"Sleep - Shake Unconscious - Splash Coma - Wait and Hope Vegetative State - Wait and Bury"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How does glue stay liquid(ish) inside the bottle and not dry out? Obviously there is some air in there that is used for pushing it out so why doesn’t it dry up? | [
"Because inside the bottle, evaporation does not occur. When the glue is exposed to the environment, the carrier chemical evaporates due to air currents."
] | [
"Nail polish is a pigment - the color - dissolved or suspended in a liquid - the solvent. It dries out when the solvent evaporates - boils off - leaving the pigment behind. When it's in the bottle there's not much of a surface for the solvent to evaporate from, because most of it is well under the surface. And if s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do protons determine the characteristics of atoms? Why is it that you can add many neutrons without it making much of a difference, but if you add a single proton the atom behaves very differently? | [
"Because the protons help the atom hold onto electrons. The configuration of these electrons controls how the element participates in chemical reactions. Most of the \"behavior\" you're referring to is chemistry."
] | [
"No, it is fundamentally different from hydrogen. The simplest, and most common, form of hydrogen has a nucleus consisting of 1 proton. All forms of hydrogen have only 1 proton, with varying numbers of neutrons. Helium, on the other hand, always has 2 protons in the nucleus. It is an element because, except for spl... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Chemistry:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Chemistry:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
how can I buy something from China for $1 and free shipping? How don't they lose money? | [
"This is one of those things that sounds like a crazy conspiracy theory, but turns out to be true. Basically, the world decided that international shipping was too confusing, so we agreed on flat rates based on a complicated formula. The US Post Office sort of looses out pretty badly in this negotiation... but we ... | [
"They need to pay for the return shipping, the carrier doesn't work for free. If the item doesn't cost them enough to make that worthwhile then they let you keep it for goodwill."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does your insurance go up, in case of an accident, even if it’s not your fault? | [
"Can’t find a reason better than because they can. But the trend has gone away from that. Most reputable insurance companies don’t do that anymore."
] | [
"That's not how insurance works. She pays her insurance to cover her, when she is at fault. When you are at fault they pay for her repairs, and then come after you for the money. Contact your insurance company. Dealing with this is exactly what you pay them for."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is handwriting so distinct to an individual person? | [
"I would say primarily because its a muscle memory action. You don't actively think about how to write each letter as you are writing them. You achieve muscle memory by repetition of the same action, so each person will tend to reinforce whatever particular traits they happen to have when writing. The traits themse... | [
"So what is it about human physiology that makes this work differently for us?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If I try to simultaneously charge my phone with a cable and a wireless charger, will it charge quicker than it would with only one of these? Why or why not? | [
"[Here's an article](_URL_0_) that tested that. The short of it is no, it doesn't make it charge any faster. Why? generally phones only have one charging circuit/controller, that is, once it hits its charging peak from a source, which is generally enough from a single source, its not charging any faster, its alread... | [
"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 question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does paying for mobile homes work? | [
"To live in a mobile home, it has to be parked in a place where living in mobile homes is allowed. Almost none of those places sell you land, rather they rent you access to a space. Alas, mobile homes are not routinely mobile, and the work to move them the second time is bad for their value. There are many trade-of... | [
"How much do they cost vs how much will they generate."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
I know that the amount of time it takes to hear thunder after seeing lightning determines how far away it is, but what does the loudness mean? | [
"How strong the discharge is. The higher the voltage and current of the discharge, the more energy is released. Louder thunder means more electricity."
] | [
"It is just lightning that is too far away for you to hear the thunder. It takes the right atmospheric conditions for you to see it. It is often called \"heat lightning\" but there is nothing different about it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why most of round trip tickets are cheaper than one way? | [
"Domestically they're not. One way is usually a bit over half as much as a round trip flight. International is a different story. If an airline flies you into a country and then that country refuses to allow you to enter, then *regardless of why you were refused entry* the airline needs to pay to fly you back. Ther... | [
"I just looked up prices on a few intra-Europe flights and it does appear that there are some great deals to be had on European flights, but when requesting specific dates like most people do the prices are in the same ballpark as US prices. Also remember that the US is larger than all of western Europe put togethe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How is it that you can google the height of a celebrity? | [
"Most celebrities have their heights listed publicly on their IMDb pages, which are managed by their publicists/agents/managers. Fans, and other people unrelated to the celebrities, are also allowed to submit information and contribute to their IMDb pages (almost like how Wikipedia is open source). Then, Google us... | [
"The same way that you'd know who won if you got into a physical fight with another human."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why we can't freeze emissions | [
"It's totally impractical. We emitted over 30 *billion* tons of carbon dioxide in 2018. Where would we store it? And how would we freeze it all *and* keep it frozen? Freezing things takes energy, as does keeping them frozen. Where would we get that energy from? Burning even *more* fossil fuels?"
] | [
"Maybe they think that if they give up now, that would be the reason why we don't have any time traveler yet."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why some areas rarely have thunders, while others have several in the year. | [
"To form thunderstorms you need conditions where a big mass of warm, wet air at low altitude can very quickly rise up to high altitude. Usually this happens in areas where a low, warm, and wet air current meets a high, cold, and dry one. The two masses of air basically trade places and cause the massive updrafts th... | [
"Winter weather is more stable, summer weather can change from hot to cold very fast, which often causes thunder/lightning."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How does liquid separate to your liver and kidneys? | [
"It gets digested and then is absorbed through the intestinal walls (mostly small intestines) and then is added to the blood stream. The liver and kidneys process all the blood as it goes around. It doesn't separate so much as it just forms the blood volume that both organs filter."
] | [
"The pills are dissolved, and then enter your intestines, where they are absorbed into your bloodstream. The blood containing the medication then circulates throughout your entire body."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How can molten iron explode into a mushroom simply when it comes into contact with cold water? | [
"So molten iron is, of course, crazy hot. 2600 F is standard if I remember correctly. When that comes in contact with water the water instantly flashes to steam. Steam takes up a lot more space than liquid water so it exerts a large amount of pressure on anything that may be containing that pressure. That almost in... | [
"Aside from conducting the energy fast, it is very light. A kg of tin can hold more energy than half a kg, that's obvious, right? Now, how much energy do you think 0.01 gram of tin hold? Not a lot. It is hot when it comes out of the oven, just not for long after touching it. See it as the opposite of throwing a sma... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about Science:"
} |
What exactly does "half-life" mean? Particularly with drugs? | [
"A \"half-life\" is how long, on average, it takes for something to halve. For example, if a medication is absorbed at random by your body, it may have a halflife. If you take 100mg of something and it has a halflife of 1 hour, then an hour later you would expect to have 50mg left in your system. Then an hour after... | [
"You're going to need to be a lot more specific about what you are asking in order to get a decent answer here. What do you mean by \"suppression of a population\"? What do you mean by \"the societal bubble bursting\"? What do you mean by \"significant progress being made\"?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
What happens to the minerals in saltwater when it freezes? | [
"The water freezes, leaving a colder, more dense and concentrated brine to sink to ocean floor. Under certain conditions, the column of very cold brine (which has a lower freezing point than 0c) will create a tube of ice from the surrounding the falling brine. _URL_1_ What's really neat is that there are deep sea ... | [
"When water evaporates from the sea it leaves behind the salt, so when the clouds rain it onto the mountains it's fresh with no salt in it"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
race, ethnicity, nationality | [
"Nationality, where you are from. Your country, nation, of origin. Race/ethnicity is how much melanin you have and your hair, maybe a few other traits like eye shape. This is based on where your ancestors lived and adapted to the weather. Sun? Darker skin. Dreary weather? Paler skin."
] | [
"Super short version? 1st Wave focused on enfranchisement (the vote) 2nd wave on equality (workplace rules, legal independence, etc) 3rd wave on empowerment (sexual freedoms, personal autonomy) And the 4th wave on intersectionality (how are all of the above also impacted by things like race, religion, class, abilit... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Social Sciences:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Social Sciences:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How are new atoms created? Like when people, plants, or basically anything grows, how are those new atoms formed? | [
"New matter cannot be created. The reason we eat food and drink water is to replenish the matter we lose by being alive. The exact same concept goes for plants as well. Your body uses the excess to continue growing."
] | [
"The atoms that make up things are never simply gone, they are either still there, a different atom, or turned into energy. When a person is cremated, their cells are destroyed and turned into ash, but the atoms that made up the person are mostly still there, the rest turned into heat and light from the combustion... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about science:"
} |
What happens internally in your head during a migraine/headache? | [
"For migraines specifically it’s important to note that a lot of what happens is still poorly understood or totally unknown. We do know that there is an increase in blood flow to the head (a lot of migraine termination medications work by reducing this blood flow eg triptans). The causes of pain and aura experience... | [
"It's not exactly known. Plus pain isn't necessary in a migraine. It's usual but there are those who suffer migraines who don't get a headache with it. This is because the headache is just one of quite a few symptoms that may be present during a migraine."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Health:",
"pos": "Represent the answer about Health:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about Health:"
} |
Why does scratching feel so good? | [
"Particle on skin may cause danger, scratching removes particle (hopefully), relief of the damaging particle releases feel good chemicals into blood. At the same time scratching slightly damages skin, skin damage releases feel good chemical into blood to counteract pain. So kind of a mix of both."
] | [
"Nothing is touching the back of your throat or tongue so there is nothing to trigger it. Why do you think sound would trigger it?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why Is Ice Cream Always Hard After Reopening It After Being In The Freezer? | [
"Your freezer is colder than the freezer at the store. The ice cream is able to get harder because of this. Don't adjust your freezer though."
] | [
"Being Black Does Actually Have (Relatively Minor) Health Consequences, It's Just That They're Obviated By Modern Life. There's An Energy Cost To Have Extra Melanin, Even A Small One, So If You Don't Need It It Won't Be Selected For. Melanin Reduces Vitamin-D Uptake From The Sun If Sunlight Is Lower Than You're Ada... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
What's the difference between concrete, cement, and asphalt? | [
"Cement is an ingredient of concrete. Concrete is a mix of cement and aggregates (sand and rock). Asphalt is a mix of asphalt and aggregates."
] | [
"Cement is an ingredient in concrete. Cement is a blend of various minerals, such as calcium and silica. When you take cement, add water, and combine it with rocks and sand, you get concrete."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why do major chords evoke positive emotions while minor chords evoke negative ones? | [
"The notes in major chords have a wider interval which makes them sound brighter. Minor chords have a narrower interval making them seem darker"
] | [
"Musical notes arent what makes music sound pleasing, happy, or foreboding, it the distance between the notes that can give a piece a happy or sad sound. This distance is called an interval. This is a pretty in depth topic so its difficult to explain it simply, but ill try. Intervals are considered either consona... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment about Science:"
} |
why wages aren't adjusted according to inflation? | [
"Because there is no law that requires that and business owners have no incentive* to pay more than they have to by law. Barring intense competition; in those industries you will see increases."
] | [
"inflation makes your money worth less over time"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do humans have eyebrows | [
"The reason why we have eyebrows was originally to keep rain and sweat out of our eyes. As a species we humans rely on our sight more than any other sense, and and with no eyebrows water can get in and seriously blur vision."
] | [
"The *real* question is, why do we think puppies and kittens are *way* cuter than babies?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
who/what is "mitochondrial eve?" does she have a counterpart? | [
"“Mitochondrial Eve” is the nearest matrilineal ancestor of all living humans. Her counterpart is “Y-chromosomal Adam,” who's the ancestor of all living human males. Edited for clarity."
] | [
"but if someone says they're \"jewish\" in reference to their ethnicity, then what do they usually mean? Does it mean that they are of isreali ethnic origin?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do people have different preferences when it comes to flavor, even when they’ve grown up in an environment that encourages a similar palate? | [
"I don't think it is fully understood. Some of it is genetic. Most people seem to like or at least tolerate cilantro; to others, who have a specific gene, it tastes like soap or lotion. If you don't have that gene, you cannot taste the offensive chemical. Some people don't like things because of the texture. I don'... | [
"When looking at sugar, we can taste its sweetness by how refined it is. The more refined the sugar, the sweeter it tends to get. Different countries and producers tend to have different standards on the refinery process, and these standards also reflect the typical palate of the people in the region. This is why ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Food and beverage:"
} |
How can Netflix and other streaming companies release many ‘Blockbuster’ movies / tv shows a month while users pay a much smaller fee then if they saw them all in theaters? | [
"Well, Netflix is massively in debt right now, but they’re doing it for a good reason. They are battling for market dominance over all the other streaming companies, and to win that, they need as much original and rewatch able content as possible. Sure, they might make less than a blockbuster like Avengers Endgame ... | [
"Streaming services are the last to acquire rights to the video because they represent the customer segment with the lowest profit margins. Why should a customer pay more to see the movie in a cinema/airplane when they can watch it at home anytime they want? The airlines are willing to pay a higher price per custom... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do people remove the vocals from a song and leave the instrumental part completely intact? How does a computer know which sounds are someone’s voice and how to isolate them from the music? | [
"Usually the instrumental is released as a separate track by the studio. A computer can't remove vocals perfectly, so while it is possible, you'll still hear traces of the voice, and the instrumental will be distorted."
] | [
"From my understanding this is what happens: 1. A producer creates a backing track 2. A ghost writer will write lyrics according to the backing track 3. The producer and ghost writer sell the song to a singer like Ariana Grande or Beyonce. 4. The singer will sing the lyrics to the song at the studio until they achi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
energy stored in the body and where it goes when you die | [
"The energy is stored in chemical bonds as potential energy. When we die, we decompose like all other organic material and those bonds are broken and used to form new molecules or released as heat (why compost gets hot)"
] | [
"because this increases the amount of water, which is clear, you are expelling relative to the amount of waste you produce."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why many small children have difficulties blowing air? | [
"I’m guess you mean like at birthday parties where they have to blow out candles. They don’t have a problem blowing out air, their problem is with forming their mouths in the correct way to directing the air to the intended target. It isn’t to often that we get to practice blowing on a specific target."
] | [
"the muscle that blocks your airway when you eat open and close rapidly. I have no idea why."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why can't we just scoop up the trash floating on the top of the ocean? | [
"We can. It's just costly, and not enough big organizations are putting enough money into it. There are a lot of small organizations, but they can't do it all. But, for example, the money donated to the notre dame cathedral would be way more than enough to do it."
] | [
"putting stuff into orbit and beyond is too expensive. Much cheaper to just put it in a hole in the ground."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
If a pregnant woman eats peanut butter and her fetus is severely allergic to peanuts, how does the fetus survive? | [
"the fetus does not have an independent immune system. if the mother is okay to eat it there is no problem. its the same reason why you shouldn't smoke or drink while pregnant. the Fetus is basically parasitic to the mothers systems and will more or less run the same as the mothers until it becomes an independent o... | [
"Because parents have made peanut allergies more prevalent by not giving peanuts to their kids because they're scared they have a peanut allergy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Health:"
} |
Are humans conditioned to kiss each other by culture or is it a biological urge? | [
"Kissing may have been evolved to actually get a sense of smell of your partner. Apparently we may be able to smell and unconsciously recognize the major histone compatibility complex (MHC complex) of the person we're kissing. The MHC is a set of genes that code for proteins that are on the surface of I believe all... | [
"Some animals are actually taught a lot, and while humans are on the far end of that spectrum in terms of how much we’re taught we do have some innate behaviors as well, such as Fixed Action Patterns or FAPs. An example of one of these innate FAPs is when you instinctively head nod at someone as a greeting or a rep... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Social Sciences:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Social Sciences:",
"neg": "Represent the document about biology:"
} |
What does Epsom salt do to the body? | [
"There are several medical uses for magnesium sulphate, the compound that is usually called Epsom salt. It can be used as a laxative for instance. Because it can't be absorbed through the wall of your intestines, water in your body will migrate towards the magnesium sulphate in a process called osmosis. Your stool ... | [
"What source says that alcohol is bad for your teeth?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
When talking about planets, what exactly is a “gas giant” and how is it different than a “normal” planet? Do they have a solid surface? | [
"Let's not use the term \"normal\" here. Instead, we call them terrestrial planets. These planets are made primarily of silicate rocks and metals. In our solar system, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are terrestrial planets. A gas giant is a planet that's largely made of gas (mostly hydrogen and helium). They're ca... | [
"They have to meet three criteria. They have to be massive enough to pull themselves into a spherical shape. They must orbit a star. And they need to dominate there orbit by mass. So most of the mass should be with the planet and not other debris that share its orbit. The last rule is why they decided pluto is no l... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about science:",
"pos": "Represent the passage about science:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why do electric charges tend to accumulate on the sharp points of a conductor? | [
"They don't accumulate there. They do have a greater chance of forming an arc or a corona there. That is due to the increased electric field (potential gradient) around a small point vs a plane. It is sort of like how a needle or knife can cut you, but a plate won't."
] | [
"When you rub a balloon on the carpet it picks up electrons out of the carpet. Those extra electrons make it negatively charged, and a negative (or positive) charge creates an electric field. If you move the balloon close to your hair, it will repel the electrons ~~out of your hair and down your body, making your h... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
The concept of Dimensions. How do we know there are 12? How do we know which one is which specifically? | [
"> How do we know there are 12? We don't know whether there are 12, or any more than 4. Current conventional physics only uses 4 dimension (3 space + 1 time). The 12 dimensions you hear from are a prediction (or rather: a requirement) of certain speculative theories in physics like string theory. String theory has ... | [
"Yes, there is a 4th dimension. The first 3 dimensions are length, width and height. The 4th dimension is time."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How are we not colliding on our scale of networks | [
"It actually happens all the time. Your network implements some form of Carrier Sense Multiple Access Collision Detection or Collision Avoidance. CSMA/CD or CSMA/CA In the simplest way when a collision is detected on the network, both the nodes that were transmitting stop and wait a random period then try to trans... | [
"It is simply a matter of expectation, they both wind up at the same temperature."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Language and culture:"
} |
How does a VHS tape work? | [
"The black tape inside the cassette is magnetic. By running it past a recording head, you can rearrange the magnetic stuff. Then when you run the tape past a reading head, it reads that signal and sends it to a processor that converts it into audio & video output."
] | [
"Are you asking how a wheel works ?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does dynamic/situational music in video games work? How is it able to seamlessly switch from fast paced for combat to slow for exploration at a moment's notice without sounding as if it was stitched up? | [
"Basically each part of the track is represented by a set of data called MIDI. It’s easy to bring in different instruments and alter tempo and feel when all of the music is nothing more than data. Most of the time it’s a question of speeding up Tempo and moving from a happy major key to a “omg we are f’d” minor key... | [
"A club DJ has one job: keep people dancing. Sure, he can simply create a playlist and let them play through with a simple pause between each track, but that is not interesting to the ear and, more importantly, it would interrupt the dancing. It would be even worse if the tracks played one after the other with no b... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are glass bottles so cheap (especially large ones like Vodka bottles)? | [
"Glass is basically just melted sand. Sand is relatively abundantly available and humans have been making glass for so long that we have become fairly good at it. However if you think the cost of the glass bottle is the price of the redemption amount you are mistaken."
] | [
"The rest of the world calls that 1/3 of a litre. Or almost. Probably a bit off so it's exactly 12fl oz. In any case: normal soda cans have 330ml (or 0.33 litres) in them. There are also a lot of 0.5l beer cans. Everything above that is usually in plastic bottles."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
How do homeless people, who have lost all forms of identity and family ties, prove their identity in court? | [
"Cop here: Most homeless people carry IDs. That's the simplest answer I can give. They either carry old IDs, or get them through charities and churches which help them attain them. For those that don't; they'll be positively identified through other means, such as fingerprints at the jail. They also very rarely sho... | [
"They do not tend to have the proper ID to prove who they are, do not have addresses for checks to be sent to, and do not have bank accounts for direct deposits to be put into. It is extremely difficult for them to get anything."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why do humans swing our arms when we walk? | [
"It offsets the momentum of the legs being swung back and forth, stopping the torso from rotating and making the walk more efficient. Try walking with your arms straight down, or with them swinging in the same direction as your legs, and feel how awkward it is."
] | [
"For me, I curl my fingers into loose fists when I run, because otherwise my fingers kind of flop around. Curling them up makes it easier to pump my arms when I run. Source: I'm a runner"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is there an "accept" box on websites explaining they're using cookies, when they're going to use cookies anyways whether or not you hit the accept button? | [
"Because under current European Union laws websites have to warn you they're storing data about you before they do it. If they didn't tell you and tracked you, you could then sue them for monitoring you without your permission."
] | [
"The EU made it mandatory for websites in that region to inform users that they're putting a small file on the users computer, that can be used to track that users browsing habit on that and other sites. Privacy laws are a big thing in Europe, so it was a long thing common. It basically means that you now consent t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How does grass reproduce? | [
"Wild grasses are flowering plants (their flowers aren't around all the time, but they vaguely look like wheat flowers, if you're unfamiliar) so they reproduce the same way other flowering plants do - that is, sexually. But some grasses can reproduce through vegetative propagation, which basically means that new gr... | [
"Are you asking how a wheel works ?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
if you're diagnosed with sleep apnea is it possible to also stop breathing for a few seconds during the day? | [
"I believe at that point it's just an apnea. That said, in some cases they can drift off to sleep without being aware of it if they have a variety of other factors in which case it is, again, a sleep apnea."
] | [
"Generally due to being heavier, and/or less muscle tone. Basically your airway is becoming obstructed. The heavier you are the more pressure you have pushing on your airway. And to compound matters muscle tone decreases with age, and now you have less muscles power trying to hold back more weight and voila, snorin... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How can Uber who warned they might never make a profit be worth $90bn? | [
"They are banking on fully automated cars being the future. Meaning they would be able to cut their biggest cost (the driver) and make profit."
] | [
"Because all of the decisions investors had made was on the assumption (within a margin of error) that the company would be making 2.8 Billion in profit. By only making 2.4 Billion in profit, that is 400 Million less profit that is not being paid out to shareholders."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why do legs stop working after 30 min on the toilet? | [
"It's not loss of blood supply rather it's mild compression of the sciatic nerve down the back of the leg. Stops some the nerve impulses being transmitted Edit: Thank you for the gold kind stranger"
] | [
"Why do the glands in my neck burn like high hell when I'm holding back tears?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why do drugs like MDMA not work while on SSRIs? | [
"Careful, the interaction of these can also cause serotonin syndrome, which is where there’s too much serotonin accumulating in places there shouldn’t be too much of it and it is really dangerous, at BEST you will feel like absolute shit for a few days and wanna die, at worst you could die. Unless you’re super sens... | [
"If you are constantly using different drugs from a different class that don't have the same method of action then yes, kinda. You will not have a chemical dependency and will not build up a resistance, as quickly. But you will still have a psychological addiction to drug use. For instance, you can't switch between... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why does the road look reflective from far away on a hot day? | [
"This happens because the hot air refracts light differently than cool air. This depends on the temperature and the angle in which light hits the medium. If it is warm enough, the light is refracted so much, that it is basically reflected. And then the angle in which the light is reflected is the same as the angle ... | [
"When there is a lot of light on the ground, some of it goes up and makes the sky look brighter by lighting up dust in the air. And just like seeing a flash light in a dark room is easier then in a bright room, stars are easier to see in a dark sky then a bright sky."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What benefits do fossil fuels have in the environment or are they only useful to humans? | [
"Fossil fuels have no benefit to the environment. They are somewhat useful to humans because they are used as energy. But their use has negative effects on the environment, like creating greenhouse gases and accelerating climate change."
] | [
"The energy isn't stored. This is the biggest hurdle for renewable energy sources to overcome in order for use to move entirely away from traditional power plants."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are the clips on all car seat belts different to clips on all airlines? | [
"While the red button is easier to push, there is less room for mechanical error with the lift the flap method, which means less maintenance."
] | [
"It will become standard eventually; just like seat belts, central locking and rim spinners."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Will someone please explain the origins of British tea culture and it modern significance ( if any). | [
"The British creation story states that the seas were all once tea that turned to water when Gary Lineker dunked the first biscuit."
] | [
"Follow-up question: If it is purely a modern idea, where did this idea come from, and how much validity is there to it?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do humans and animals make weird faces and movements when they’re about to sneeze ? | [
"A sneeze is an involuntary response to foreign material in the nose. In order to clear the passage it takes a large amount of pressure and on getting the stimulus your/their body takes over and forces and extreme contraction to try and clear the nasal passage. Hence looking goofy. Function over form."
] | [
"Mirror neurons? The same reason happy movies make us happy, and the same reason we are more likely to yawn when we see others yawn, or feel sad when we see others cry. We empathize with the characters in horror movies."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What was the breakthrough for cracking the German Enigma? | [
"In a nutshell with the amount of variables in time taken to go through all variables it was a impossible task HOWEVER as they always said heil hitler at end of message they had a baseline or something to go off so if they know those words will appear they can figure out the algorithm used for that which takes out... | [
"Just a follow-up question to the original question - what about the reverse. What was Napoleon's view of the United States?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Investing in unprofitable companies with growth potential | [
"The most important question when investing is : does this company have the potential to be profitable in the future. Uber might be unprofitable now, but they have an insane volume of rides, far more than a taxi company. If they earned as much from each ride as a taxi company normally does, the profits would be ast... | [
"Investors are investing in the company they believe has their best interest for profits in the future."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why is there a "No turn on red on 7am-7pm" sign on certain stoplights? | [
"Because there are more cars in the area during that time and it isn't safe to turn until the light is green. At night when fewer people are driving you can turn safely"
] | [
"Technically the sign only comes into effect at the point of the sign. But it's unlikely an officer would pull you over going 75 when the 75 mph sign is like 100 feet in front of you."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
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