query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
How is it possible for us to imagine something we've never seen? What allows us to create images in our mind? | [
"When you tell yourself to picture something, your brain has to actively pretend it knows what you're trying to imagine. It conflicts with what it's trying to picture and can only grab ideas or thoughts that we DO know. As for what allows us to visualize things in our mind, it's our brains lying to the rest of our ... | [
"how do you remember a song? Or a picture? How do you remember your dog's name? Memory itself is poorly understood, but there's nothing about any one sense that makes it impossible to remember."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Psychology:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence about Psychology:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
if i would launch a toy helicopter in a moving train will it crash into the back of the train or stay on the same place in the train? | [
"Before launch, the helicopter is not moving in any direction RELATIVE TO THE TRAIN. The entire thing here is motion relative to the train. Once the helicopter is launched, if the results on solid ground would be that the helicopter would raise a slight bit and stay there, then the helicopter in the train would rai... | [
"Because the air that surrounds the thrown abject is moving with the car. So there is no wind to push it in the opposite direction. Same counts for jumping on a train. Imagine jumping on a highspeed train. You are already the same speed as the train while standing in it. If you jump straight upward you will land in... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I've always heard that the only type of hookworm transmittable to humans is only acquired by walking barefoot in unsanitary environments, so why did my dog's vet, upon diagnosing her with hookworm, tell me that anyone who's cleaned up after her could have it? | [
"A safety measure. The chance is low but its still the responsibility of the vet to make you aware and informed of it. Be happy you have a vet who is covering all the bases."
] | [
"> If I licked what my dog licks I'd die. actually, no you would not. You could actually pick up a pile of dog poo and eat it, and be more or less OK (aside from a s#!t taste in your mouth) - you may get worms, but that would only happen if your dog had worms already. Nothing special going on with your dogs immune ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why do potholes hardly ever happen on highways or freeways when they get far more traffic and less maintenance than streets and side roads? | [
"Highways and freeways are often much thicker than side roads, and made from different materials. Typically, it's about 11 inches of concrete over 20 inches of compacted aggregate. Side roads and surface streets are typically 1.5-3\" thick of asphalt over about 6-10 inches of compacted aggregate. At the end of the ... | [
"In California, I always wondered why they were called Freeways until I experienced tollways on the East Coast. One is free the other is not. Expressways, at least where I am, are faster roads, but they still have stop lights, but not as many as a regular road. Freeways don't have stop signs."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
why the human race would not last more than a month without insects. | [
"I don't know exactly how true that is but they do directly and indirectly help us. Insects like bees help plants reproduce. Others are important somewhere in a food chain to feed something else that we eat. Others do things like aerate our soil."
] | [
"Because they have a better chance of not being eaten by birds, most of which sleep at night."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
What percent of my current body/organic material is still here since my birth? | [
"Here's an article which answers your question: \"About the only pieces of the body that last a lifetime, on present evidence, seem to be the neurons of the cerebral cortex, the inner lens cells of the eye and perhaps the muscle cells of the heart. The inner lens cells form in the embryo and then lapse into such in... | [
"Could you elaborate? Do you mean from a biological standpoint, the cells of your body?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do first ladies pick their platforms? | [
"it's not really a subject that has a definitive answer, the first lady generally comes out and says they are going to work on an issue, but the public doesn't know to what extent that decision is influenced by PR people etc... personally i would bet that it's very likely that the topics are heavily influenced/vett... | [
"Men wear pants to work, women wear aprons in the kitchen. 20th century logic for ya."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Economists of Reddit: Wouldn't Russia be better off with investing in their huge territories rather than fight over tiny areas in Ukraine/Georgia/Moldova? | [
"It's less a case of economics and more a case of geopolitics. Russia views Ukraine as part of its buffer zone with Eastern Europe, and it cannot be seen to be allowing the west to push into its sphere of influence. It's money could well be spent elsewhere but it views the kind of threat posed by its satellite sta... | [
"Mostly because they already have a lot of economic and military interests in the region (their Black Sea Fleet is based in Sevastopol, they have a large oil pipeline that goes directly through Ukrainian territory). There are also a ton of ethnic Russians there that are sympathetic to Russia and want to see Ukraine... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post about International relations:"
} |
How do Customs/Immigration decide which page of your passport to stamp? | [
"It differs by country (And by immigration officer in my experience) . Some countries always stamp the next blank slot, some stamp randomly. Most of the time an exit stamp, if required, is usually marked next to the entry stamp. One thing I know is that some countries have their immigration officers look for stam... | [
"I work for Canada Border Service Agency, and I can tell you they do not see things like your previous entries length of stays or criminal record. They can see your name and if you have had any previous problems while crossing the border, but everything else they must be sent inside to see an immigration officer to... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do restaurants place lemon slices in water? | [
"Do you want to know the REAL reason?? I've worked in plenty of hotels and restaurants. The ONLY reason why any restaurant would spend money on countless lemons added to water is to improve the taste. Filtration systems are expensive, and without a filter most city water has a strong chlorine taste. Edit: Also, li... | [
"It is to make you buy more drinks. They are salty, which makes you thirsty, which makes you more likely to order more drinks. That is why bars will have nuts, pretzels, and other salty things."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How did artwork like the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper or the Statue of David become so much more famous and well known than other lesser known impressive art? | [
"I'm not familiar with the Last Supper and Statue of David's history, but I do know that the Mona Lisa was stolen right out of the Louvre, and later recovered, which contributed significantly to it's presence in the public's eye."
] | [
"Believe it or not those basic paintings were the style of the day. It is not like Greek painters could not paint intricate works of art due to lack of skill. It just so happened that people wanted painting in that style of simplicity."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Art and History:"
} |
How is the Politically-Correct definition of gender any different from personality, and how is it not sexist? | [
"Actually to them and to many people gender is just what you identify as. So you could be the manliest bushwacker type of dude, have a dick longer than the wall of china and still identify as a girl. Many feminists actually like more feminine guys, and the guys who fit the description/stereotypes of a bro are often... | [
"I challenge the premise of your question. Logically, someone attracted sexually to young boys is by definition not heterosexual. What is the basis for \"otherwise heterosexual\" in this context?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
If an appointment, medical procedure or service has a very long waiting list, does that mean the waiting list will increase indefinitely as the demand will ways be greater than what is provided? | [
"The answer here is a bit tricky. In most cases, no. There is no reason to believe that demand is going to keep increasing over time, and even if it were to, there's no reason to believe that we couldn't manage that. Managing demand is very common in the world (called \"scalability\") and the most basic way to do s... | [
"They try and make a best guess on how long on average each patient visit will take. Some patients take longer than expected. They also want to error on the side of shorter expected visits because if the guess too high, they are wasting time waiting with empty rooms."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Do rainbows have a physical location? | [
"No, rainbows do not have a physical location. They are going to be an arc that is centered around a straight line between you and the sun. When you move, the rainbow that you can see is also going to move. It's probably not accurate to describe the rainbow as moving because it's not a physical object with a locati... | [
"If you were two dimensional, how would I explain the third dimension to you?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does your body feed itself when you don't eat food for a smaller period of time? | [
"Think of your body as a laptop. When it's plugged in you can use the electricity (food) to run the laptop and it gets everything it needs from being plugged in. However, simultaneously it also charges up and saves some energy in the battery (fat and muscle cells). This charging process can be reversed so that the ... | [
"You can live of body fat for a long while, ref the case of the obese man who went more than a year without food: _URL_0_ However, as you can read in the article you will need to consume vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients in order to survive. Keep in mind that fasting is not risk free, especially over long... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are sleepwalkers able to make their way around the house without bumping into walls? | [
"Their eyes are open. Sleep walking is not like you see in cartoons; unless you know someone is a sleep walker, you might interact with them at night without realizing they're actually asleep - I mean full conversations and the like. Sleep walking isn't eyes closed, snoring, walking around like a zombie. This is go... | [
"It's a common misconception about the nature of sleepwalking. I couldn't tell you where the myth started, but it's based on the idea that \"if they got where they are safely, you don't want to interrupt their sleep.\" The fact of the matter is, it is always safer to wake a sleepwalker. My mother used to sleep walk... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
The 'zero-tolerance policy' I keep reading of | [
"Essentially, School created rules where they do not inquire into WHY and HOW FAR you broke a rule and punish you accordingly, but instead automatically (and without exception) punish you if you break a rule. i.e. No Drugs Allowed rules: people who bring an inhaler to school and people who bring hard heroine to sch... | [
"A lot of what hes been saying is a departure from his most recent predecessor and others earlier ones. His opinion on physical wealth of the vatican has especially ruffled establishment feathers."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do game developers make different levels of difficulty in their games? | [
"Another simple way is to: increase the amount of damage an enemy does; decrease dropped loot/experience; larger maps; and another subtle one is actually to change the music being played during a scenario. That's one of my favorites to mess with: increased tempo can lead to higher heart rates, which can cause playe... | [
"Game Developers have tried to make games realistic, but it turns out that doing so makes the game significantly less fun to play. So game developers nudge a lot of things away from reality to make them more fun. About the only place games are realistic these days are the gun models."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does a warm environment make me sluggish? | [
"Its your bodies way of keeping you cool in combination with sweating. When it is hot you are more likely to be less active as your body is warm enough and doesn't need to move around, thus you feel sluggish. It's basically your bodies way of trying to keep you from over heating, the less you do the easier it is to... | [
"Basically when you eat a lot of food a lot of your blood gets drawn to your stomach. When your brain has less blood you feel tired/lose energy. At least I think that's what it is."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does water in the shower go from mild to scolding hot when barely turning the knob? | [
"The inside of most shower faucets looks like a nose. There's one \"nostril\" for hot water, and one \"nostril\" for cold water. The way that the faucet works is that there's a disc with a single hole in it in front of these two nostrils. When the faucet is off, the nostrils are blocked. As you turn the handle, th... | [
"Clearly because you are a dog. Really tho...\"Most people like to drink water that is very cold. In the bathroom, the water is often very cold because the person getting a drink first uses the water closet (toilet) and flushes. This starts the flow of cold water. Then they wash their hands, which continues to flow... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the answer about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What are DJs like deadmau5, tiesto, and Steve Angelo doing on stage during a show? Aren't all their songs already prerecorded? | [
"I'm not a DJ but I asked one once this exact same question. He said that DJs are different from other musicians because they don't go onstage to perform their music so much as they go onstage to deliver a certain experience. Their main job is to pay attention to the crowd's reactions and feelings and regulate the ... | [
"\"Raves\" have changed drastically in the last few years. With EDM being as big as it is, they have changed from the DJ just being there for music to where the DJ is now like the lead singer of a band. All the focus is on him/her. When I first got into the scene it was like you're describing it. Everybody just dan... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How are we still "discovering" numbers? | [
"It's not that they've discovered a number, it's that they've discovered something interesting *about* a number."
] | [
"If you find out, you'll win a Nobel Prize! There are several hypothesized reasons why we need sleep."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about Health and Wellness:"
} |
Why do almost all cups and mugs have inverted bottoms? | [
"If they are made imperfectly then they would not sit flat, or teeter on every crumb."
] | [
"They are non-conical shot glasses. Most bars use them because they don't get stuck together when you stack them. They have a hexagonal outside and a conic inside. That means there is space between each glass and the glass it sits inside."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why do we like unhealthy food? | [
"These foods are unhealthy in excess. In small quantities, however, they are very desirable because they have lots of calories. That is a good quality when you are an animal (or an early human) who never knows when its next meal is going to appear, and who might need to go without food for short periods of time. As... | [
"Fat food is cheap, healthy food is expensive."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we use the WASD keys for movement in games? | [
"It allows your hand to be near the tab, shift, ctrl, and the 1, 2, and 3 keys. These are used in games as well, and they are larger than other letter keys, making them easier to hit when you need to crouch or sprint or open a menu. Just give you more access to other keys which might be relevant."
] | [
"Because large hit targets are much more pleasant to use on a mobile device than zooming in and panning to find the right button. What do you think is not intuitive about the mobile site?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why can you grow a plant hydroponically but if you take the same plant in dirt you can over water it and kill it? | [
"Plants breathe through their roots. If the soil is wet and the water has no dissolved oxygen in it then the plant will suffocate. Hydroponic water has air pumped into it through a bubler system to keep its dissolved oxygen levels up so the plants can breathe."
] | [
"There are so many variables that are very different for every plant. First is type of soil, how well it drains and ph. Second is the ph of the water and amount of water you give it, most plants do not like their roots soaked all the time. Third is what type of nutrients the plant needs and whether its getting need... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why Curiosity's "hovering platform that lowers the rover on a cable, then flies off" landing system was better than previous probe landing ideas. | [
"Curiosity is too heavy to utilize the airbag method used in previous rover landings. It's 900kg, as opposed to Pathfinder's 264kg, or Spirit's and Opportunity's 185kg."
] | [
"ELI5? It weighs a lot more than the previous rovers, about the size of a Mini Cooper, and carries a lot more equipment. It's capable of analysing rock from a distance to see if it's worth checking out in detail, and it basically carries a chemical lab to look for previous or existing microbial lifeforms. It has si... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
They say if your stranded at sea not to drink the salt water because it will kill you faster, however dehydrated patients are given saline drips. Why? | [
"On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5%. Sea water also has all sorts of other stuff in it. Normal saline is the commonly used phrase for a solution of 0.90%. Saline contains water and salt."
] | [
"You know how eating salt on it's own makes you thirsty? Well when you put salt on the slug it gets so thirsty it dies because it gets too dry on the inside to live. Getting dry on the inside is called dehydration and we drink water, juice and other drinks so the same thing doen't happen to us."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How is it that ants seem to see equally well underground in the pitch black, and above ground in direct sunlight? | [
"Ants don't rely on eyesight nearly as much as we do. Their use of trail pheromones and appendages like feelers give them other sensory inputs to know what's around them and where to go."
] | [
"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 post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does a simple atom like hydrogen have multiple absorption lines on spectroscopy | [
"The hydrogen atom has infinitely many bound energy levels, and you can have transitions between any two of them, as long as no conservation laws are violated."
] | [
"Theory - Big Bang released a lot of energy. Lots of energy means particles fly apart from each other. The most common element will then be hydrogen since it consists of the least number of particles. By the same logic, the second most abundant will be helium. Experiment - Astrophysicists observe emission spectra (... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How are charities able to feed multiple children with small individual donations of $7/day when here (USA) it would be enough for basically 1 maybe 2 children. | [
"$7 a day can feed multiple people quite easily here in the US, too. Go buy a giant bag of rice, and a few bags of dried beans. That can feed a single person for about $1 - $2 per day. Of course, you have money, and you're not starving, so you're not satisfied with just eating rice and beans."
] | [
"Beacause the definition of 'not fed' in the Western world and in Africa is VASTLY different. 'Not Fed' in the West generally means living off benefits, perhaps food stamps, food banks, etc. They will not be eating particularly healthily or very tasty food, but they will be eating something from somewhere. 'Not Fed... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
if we put huge magnifying glasses on solar panels would we get more energy? | [
"If the magnifying glass was larger than the solar panel and designed correctly, then yes you could. What a magnifying glass does it take the energy over a large area (the surface of the magnifying glass) and focuses it to a smaller area. If you have a 1 ft square solar panel, it would harvest more energery if you ... | [
"The simplest answer. Moving a wire inside a magnetic field causes electricity to flow in the wire. So, they burn coil/nuclear power to heat steam, rushing water, or blowing wind to spin a coil of wire between two powerful magnets (aka a generator) and create electricity. Solar is also used, but that is using silic... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Science:"
} |
How can a company like Netflix charge less than $10/month to stream you literally thousands of shows, yet cable companies charge $50 /month and we still have to watch commercials? | [
"Part of it is what other people are saying about how Netflix doesn't maintain the cabling etc and that is handled by the internet company. What doesn't seem to be mentioned yet though is that Netflix gets most of its content after it has already been milked for as much money as possible. Judging from my experience... | [
"Because if you only paid for ESPN, they wouldn't be making as much money. They'd rather package channels in bundles, so if you want a specific channel you have to buy the upgrade that includes the 40 channels you don't particularly care for."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Entertainment:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Entertainment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are so many Christians hung up on persecuting gays but not those that actually violate the 10 Commandments? | [
"The ones that don't like gay people think that by asking for equal protection under the law - you know, like being able to eat in a restaurant without getting refused service for their sexuality, not being denied a job for being gay, and being afforded the same tax exemptions and benefit coverage - they are \"cele... | [
"Christianity says you should give to the poor too. Hell many religious say to give to the poor. Are you asking why are there poor people? Or why do people not follow some the teachings of their own religions"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do modern vehicles prevent wireless keys from being locked inside? | [
"As a person that’s worked at a Car rental place. They really don’t, most cars will give you a message in the dash about keys inside but that’s about it. I’ve had to deal with locked cars that are keyless and having to unlock them with tools. Hell, you could even start your car up go back inside and leave the keys ... | [
"In certain cases, your body can act as a makeshift antenna, interfering (sometimes constructively, as seen here) with electromagnetic waves. In this case, your body is boosting the signal being produced by your key fob, allowing your car to interpret it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Stupidity. What makes someone (objectively) stupid and how does someone becomes stupid? | [
"Stupidity isn't really a \"thing,\" it's just what we call the absence of intelligence. So the maximum of stupidity is \"stupid as a stone,\" that is, zero intelligence of any kind. One becomes stupid by not being as intelligent as the average person. This can happen due to unfortunate genes; due to damage to the ... | [
"It means that stupidity is not simply a measure of intelligence. A simple-minded person (who would probably be called stupid) can be a fully functioning individual. The phrase says that we should judge people by their actions, not their abilities."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
How does the US government's emergency disaster response work? Why is it so dependent on the President? | [
"The FEMA Director is a direct political appointee of the President. In the case of Katrina, the person he appointed had no experience in disaster relief, and was not qualified for the job. But the President made several public comments about how wonderful the relief process was, when it was in fact NOT going well... | [
"FEMA isn't designed to stop natural disasters, it is there to help people who have been displaced by natural disasters. It has no particular expertise when it comes to putting out fires."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
what exactly happens when an officer gives me a warning instead of a ticket? | [
"> I was just curious as to what happens when he goes to his car and looks up my information? He is checking to see if the registration is still current on your car, checking your drivers license to ensure it is still valid, and checking to see if there are any warrants out for your arrest. > Does it get saved th... | [
"In the united states your car is treated in the same way that a home is. They are aloud to view everything from through the window (as long as they are not trespassing). They are aloud to ask to search your vehicle. At this point say that you do not consent to a search. They either need to have probable cause and ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Legal:"
} |
If viruses aren't alive how are they able to do what they do? | [
"They hijack living cells to do it for them. Viruses are pieces of DNA in a protein shell. A cell absorbs it (usually without knowing what it is), at which point the viral DNA (or RNA) is released, which tricks the cell into making more viruses. Eventually, the host cell makes too many, at which point it explodes, ... | [
"Yes, they can \"get sick.\" There are many viruses which specifically infect bacteria which are collectively called bacteriophages. Also, a cell, just like our big collection of cells, can just generally run into problems or get damaged. It's not just they're alive or they're dead. Bacteria can't really have aller... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Health and Medicine:"
} |
How does the DCCD actually work on the Subaru STi? | [
"Mech Eng and Subaru WRX STI (with DCCD) owner here. Feel free to ask me more detailed questions if you'd like. Multi-mode DCCD explained by [Subaru's Website:](_URL_1_) > The Driver’s Control Centre Differential (DCCD) allows the centre differential locking of the WRX STI to be dialed in and adjust its handling. ... | [
"Download RES. It allows you to. The link is at the bottom under tools."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do optometrists determine the correct prescription lens for glasses to give a child under the age of 6 when they may or may not have reference to what "in focus" means nor may the child have the vocabulary to communicate the results (for example, down's babies) | [
"They use an [autorefractor](_URL_0_), which projects an image onto the retina, and then uses a camera to look at the image to see if it's in focus. It can then tweak the focus of the projected image until it comes into focus on the retina. For adults, this usually acts as a starting point for more fine tuning, but... | [
"Vision can be evaluated using the Snellen chart. If you can see at 20 feet what you should be able to see at 20 feet, then you have 20/20 vision. If you can see at 20 feet what you should be able to see at 10 feet, you have 20/10 vision. If you have to be at 20 feet to see what you should be able to see at 40 feet... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How are tree representations used as a data structure? | [
"Tree structures are all over the dang place. You're looking at one right now! The elements on any web page are stored in your browser's memory in a tree structure called the Document Object Model (DOM). The filesystem on your disk has one obvious tree structure (the directory tree) and usually a few internal ones ... | [
"It's just two ways of looking at things a computer does. Objects are descriptions of data. They describe what the data is, name it and what can be done with it, which tries to give a clear meaning to the data. Functions are descriptions of processes. Here the focus is more on giving a clear meaning to the chainin... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does Doha, Qatar have such a massive skyline when it's population is only 2 million. Who is benefiting from all those buildings? | [
"In terms of area covered, Doha is relatively average for its population. You can go to google maps and compare the city to others of comparable size, and see it's not that huge compared to others. As for the actual sky scrapers, Doha is the economic hub of a country undergoing an economic boom. Most of Qatar's mon... | [
"Those are the areas right now with high rates of economic growth. Building super-tall skyscrapers is done to show off wealth in places where there is a lot of new construction. However, mature economies like the US aren't currently putting up entire new cities, and generally prefer to maintain existing constructio... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why do big TV stations allow their shows on Netflix when they own it's competitor in Hulu? | [
"The TV stations don't own the shows they broadcast, in most cases. They probably own the local news and programming like that. Big budget shows are owned by the company that produces them. The Network, or the local station, negotiate a contract giving them rights to broadcast the show, subject to some restrictions... | [
"The same way any channel makes money by producing shows. They produce something because they want you to subscribe to their channel. They license stuff out based on the show. They make a dvd and blu ray of the season. They sell it to syndication on cable channels. If it's not fantasy stuff like Game of Thrones th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does wind or moving air in general feel cooler than the surrounding air? | [
"Humans produce heat so any wind that passes us removes some of our own radiated heat. Like blowing on hot food. Even though the wind may be hotter it will still feel cooler when it blows by because instead of our heat adding to the heat from the air at least now our radiated heat is being pulled away."
] | [
"Just as wind feels colder than no wind, when you stand still in the water the water closest to your body heats up and acts as an isolator. When you move the water does not have time to heat up and stays the temperature of the rest of the water."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:"
} |
How much will it hurt my job application if I don't sign some consent forms? | [
"Some employers may consider your application incomplete and discard it. If they decide that those consent forms and background checks are necessary to be considered for the position you'll probably be dropped from the running. Whether or not that is legal depends on where this is all happening."
] | [
"I can't give you the best information, but usually this is something your academic adviser would help you with. Can you not solicit their help? They want your name and address because you will be asked to revise elements of the article."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why is some produce like avocados and limes sold by the count instead of by weight? | [
"They are very similar sized. This takes the guesswork out of the purchase as the customer knows their total commitment before they have it weighed. That encourages more purchases. Items that have more of a variance in weight would be scrounged though for the heavy ones. Its a good idea to discourage people scroung... | [
"Depends on the apples and the applesauce. But try this: go to the supermarket and look at the prices for loose whole foods vs. same foods packaged or prepared. Look at the weight of whole foods vs. packaged or prepared. Most items, the whole foods will be cheaper. There may of course be exceptions to the rule, but... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do so many people hate the word Moist? | [
"I think it's learned. Other people say it sounds gross, and in turn you start to think it's gross"
] | [
"Why do British people say mate or git?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
In what ways have the "Fiscal Cliff" outcomes affected the US over the last 6 months? | [
"They have taken the attention of the country's legislature away from important issues, preventing real action in the fields where it is really required. The 'Fiscal Cliff', like debt ceilings, are political constructs created soley for party-political purposes. The media likes to play along."
] | [
"After you respond, be sure to ask, \"How do you see the company changing over that timespan?\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What makes a sailboat faster than another? | [
"What makes a sail boat faster? Well how aerodynamic the hull is to reduce drag, how much wind the sail can catch from their shape and size and the weight of the boat itself. What makes the Black Pearl the fastest ship in the Caribbean is that the writers say it is the fastest somehow and therefor it is. Probably m... | [
"A ship can carry a boat, but a boat can't carry a ship. Another explanation is: A boat is a vessel with one deck. A ship is a vessel with more than one deck."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What would actually happen if the internet went down for 24 hours? | [
"Nine months from the date, there would be a huge baby boom."
] | [
"Welcome to the internet. It's now open late, seven days a week worldwide. Does this person live and work in China? Kenya? Canada? Brazil? A lot more information would probably be a good idea. Just saying."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why does any number raised to the 0 power equal 1? | [
"Let's revise a few exponential rules. x^a * x^b = x^(a + b) Inversly: x^a / x^b = x^(a - b) So; that means that: x^a / x^a = x^(a - a) = x^0 = 1 (anything divided with itself (barring 0) is 1). . Eli5: any number to the power of any positive integer N represents the outcome if you multiply the number to 1 N times.... | [
"Division is defined as the inverse of multiplication: 10 / 2 = ? 2 * 5 = 10, so 10 / 2 = 5 So let's try that with 0: 10 / 0 = ? 0 * ? = 10 That's where your problem is. In order of 10 / 0 to have an answer, you have to find a number that when multiplied by 0, gives you back 10. But 0 times anything is 0..... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Mathematics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post about Mathematics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Mathematics:"
} |
How do microphones on my computer or phone ignore their own speakers while hearing my voice? | [
"Sound works like numbers. If I give you 3 apples and you give me 5 apples back, I can just subtract 3 from 5 to know that you added 2 apples to the pile. If I play a sound while you record a sound, I can just subtract what I played from what you recorded to find out what you said."
] | [
"To hear themselves better. Try it yourself. It mutes external sounds and your can hear your own voice better to ensure you're on key."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why does stress make your hair turn gray? | [
"That is currently purely speculation. There exists no proven cause and effect relationship between stress and gray hair, tell me if you find a source from anyone that says so. [Here's a source supporting the idea that most of these other answers are mere speculation.](_URL_2_) **EDIT: From a reply [here](_URL_0_),... | [
"Your brain is telling your body to make room."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why can I force myself to stay awake longer, but can't force myself to go to sleep sooner. | [
"[This link](_URL_0_) is quite helpful. One reason attributed is your brain just being extremely alert and filled with continuous thoughts. This can especially be imagined in a scenario where you have an important day ahead and you cannot force your brain to stop thinking about the day ahead."
] | [
"This happens to me every so often, it's the weirdest thing. I'm trying to sleep but these stressful thoughts keep passing through my mind over and over again (and often they don't make much sense), and I can't tell if I'm awake or asleep. I have to force myself to get up and turn the light on/go to the bathroom/et... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Sleep and boredom:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer about Sleep and boredom:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about Sleep and fatigue:"
} |
Why do those “Congratulations! You’ve won a $5,0000 gift card” redirect sites only appear on my mobile browser and not my desktop? What exactly are they? | [
"They are primarily malware, sometimes just a scam. Your desktop browser is probably just better at blocking that stuff or you have adblock."
] | [
"Clickbait. Maybe it leads to a program where you 'just stay at home and send e-mails/letters!' Only you need to send hundreds or thousands a day to make any real money Maybe it leads to a 'Super awesome guide to making youtube money through google!' Except that guide costs you $5.99 to purchase Wherever it leads y... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Who determines the rating of a hotel ? and based on what ? | [
"At least in Europe, star ratings are mostly based on what services/facilities/'minimum standards' they provide. It's not an indicator of quality, but what they have to offer \"on paper\". Airco, Telecommunications/Internet, bathtub (seperate from shower), Parking, 24h reception, minibar, roomservice etc... could ... | [
"In which region? Or are you looking for global statistics on literacy?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How can Japan have such a weak economy when its people work so hard? | [
"Working hard is different from producing value. You could be working very hard at digging up holes with a shovel, filling it back up, and repeat, 22h a day, and be very good at it, that would be really hard work. And you would have accomplished nothing. A society that works harder than another accomplishes nothing... | [
"There was no \"miracle\" and there is \"end\". Post WW2 Japan embraced modernization and industrialization (just like many Western countries did a century before that). Because it did not have to re-invent the wheel and could import technology, it could grow very quickly from a low base. Japan had (and still has) ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why is insider trading so bad? | [
"> Don't you want all the information possible to make a smart trade? Of course, but it's in the public interest for all investors to have the *same* information. People with special knowledge about the market can make money at the expense of those who don't. In an attempt to make it fair, insider trading is crimin... | [
"Insider trading specifically refers to trading based on non-public information As long as all the relevant information about your company is publicly known, there is no reason to brand trading in stock from your own company as inside trading."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How there are traces of stars in humans | [
"After the big bang, the only matter that existed was hydrogen, with a small amount of helium and lithium. There were no other atoms. No carbon, no oxygen, no gold or silver or copper, no potassium or sodium, etc. When the hydrogen condensed into stars, it began fusing into heavier elements. And when those stars we... | [
"What we see is billions of years in the past."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about astronomy:"
} |
What drives a hamster to run on a spinning wheel? | [
"Since running wheels aren't a naturally occurring phenomenon for rodents, they probably see the wheel as a stimulating form of play. Scientists recently discovered that un-caged wild rodents voluntarily ran on excerise wheels when given the chance! _URL_0_"
] | [
"Do you know how a fan works? If so just turn it around"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why heroin in the UK needs lemon juice to dissolve it but US heroin doesn't | [
"Like many organic compounds, heroin can come as a \"freebase\" form and a \"salt\". It refers to functional groups on the molecule that can be protonated (acts like a base). Many of these compounds have low solubility in water, but when the base is protonated it gains a charge, and becomes much more soluble in wat... | [
"Powder cocaine is a salt called cocaine hydrochloride. When you cook crack, you react cocaine hydrochloride with sodium bicarbonate, which removes the hydrochloride part, leaving you with the basic amine, which is called freebase cocaine. That's crack. Cocaine hydrochloride is water-soluble, so you can snort it, i... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why is it that once pubes are shaven, they begin to grow back immediately, but once they are at a certain length the pubes stop growing? | [
"All hair is similar in this respect. The hair grows at a fairly constant rate, but is programmed to stop growing and fall out, and allow the follicle to produce a new hair after a certain time. So the length of hair is dictated by how much it can grow before the follicle drops it."
] | [
"While it can be thicker, just about any hair on your body feels really nasty when it's just poking out of the skin. Once you let it grow past a few millimeters it starts to feel softer."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Beauty and grooming:",
"pos": "Represent the post about Beauty and grooming:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
If there's no way to reach trapped miners, how do rescuers know they're there? | [
"ELI5: No mining company is going to send people into the Earth without knowing: A) Where they're going B) Where the explosions will be C) What personnel are going and who they are D) Detailed map of the mine and it's ventilation shafts If you know (relatively) where they are, drilling boreholes isn't the hard par... | [
"They don't want to drown in the water that fills the soil where they are. So...they move topside. It's not a foolproof strategy, needless to say."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How is it that my satilite TV can play/record multiple HD channels at once and with no wait, yet my DSL can barely stream one video? | [
"The bandwidth of your DSL is limiting you. HDTV channels that you can pick up on a \"bunny ears\" antenna run at 19.4 Megabits per second. You will be lucky to see **10%** of that speed with your DSL connection. Satellite receivers using the latest compression can stream [46+ Mbit/s](_URL_0_) per transmitter, and ... | [
"Side question: Why does my computer lie to me and tell me I have full connection yet I can't load any web sites?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
What would really happen if bees went extinct? | [
"I think they're major pollenators for almost 90% of our grown food. Without them things don't grow. We could find another way but it would be costly, not to mention all the other plants that would die besides human food resources. Anything like lumber and cotton would become exponentially more expensive too."
] | [
"Organic food is one of the biggest scams in history. Don't be taken in. If we all ate organic, like the proponents say we should. MIllions and millions of people would starve."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why do older guys' eyebrows go crazy | [
"Forget the eyebrows. I can deal with eyebrows. What I want to know about is all that growth inside the ears!"
] | [
"people with curly thick hair have hair follicles that grow but cant penetrate the skin because they're curled. That's why black people get really bad razor bumps. ( Not trying to be racist )."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is it that dogs can't eat chicken bones, but coyotes can? | [
"Dogs can eat raw chicken bones. When chicken is cooked, the bones become brittle and prone to splintering. This is what creates the potential hazard for our dogs. They can cause a perforation in the esophagus or stomach. Dogs on raw diets eat chicken, bones and all, on a regular basis. Coyotes don't tend to dine o... | [
"Because raccoons are different animals than dogs...every animal has a different diet and digestive system. Raccoons can safely digest grapes, but grapes are poisonous to dogs."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How do websites like G2A, sell games at cheaper prices and still make money? | [
"Fraud. Stolen credit cards are used to buy the keys, the keys get sold to third party websites who sell them to consumers."
] | [
"Humble does NOT get their key from cheaper regions. They most likely get them from the developpers themselves, as part of their bundles, or on the humble store. Steam takes a pretty hefty tax on games, so if Humble or other websites can just take a lower tax, it's good for the devs, since they get more people to s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
/r/ShitRedditSays. I don't get that subreddit. Can someone please explain to me what the fuck is going on there? | [
"1. Find a boderline outrageous comment on reddit 2. Remove any explanatory context 3. Create a sensationalized title, post to SRS 4. Send a horde of self righteous dumbasses into the original sub, making reasonable discussion impossible 5. Smugly comment on what a terrible place reddit has become For example, in a... | [
"This is one of the most creative and interesting ELI5 questions I've seen in a while. I'm not sure if it has an answer, let alone an ELI5 one, but I want someone to try. Thanks for not asking what bit coins are for the thousandth time."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does Reddit hate Israel so much? | [
"It could probably be ascribed to the demographic of redditors. Young. Liberal. Not foxnews or funamentalist christian"
] | [
"What's a Tory, and why do so many people seem to hate them?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does the "morning sickness" associated with pregnancy occur frequently in the morning? | [
"'Morning' is just a catchy term. It's all throughout the day for some. Some women (Princess Kate) have a rare severe form where she had to be hospitalized. It blows. I was sick well into 2d trimester. Many women..no side effects at all. And each baby (pregnancy) is different. It's annoying. 2 boys and each pregnan... | [
"Their sense of smell is enhanced to the point of certain scents making them sick. The triggers (as in the specific scents that bring on nausea) can be different for each women, too. Edit: just had a bit of a poke around as to exactly why, it's linked to the increase in estrogen levels."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Construction of Life | [
"> So that means that all the carbon and other elements that currently make up the 7.5 billion people on the planet at other times in the history of the universe possibly made up other discrete objects, right? Correct. > When a person dies, and their body decomposes, do those elements dissipate and eventually refo... | [
"Arbitrary, likely measured from FPOC with the surface."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post about Science:"
} |
Where do studios store copies of movies that are completed, but not set to release for another year, such as Hunger Games MJ Part 2? | [
"The editing house has it, the producers probably have a few copies that they've screened, depending on how far along it is."
] | [
"Critics get to see review showings of movies before they're released to general audiences in the theaters."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How can websites like hotwire and priceline get you cheaper arline tickets and hotel rooms? | [
"It is beneficial for airlines to fill empty seats and hotels to fill empty rooms, rather than to leave them empty. They form agreements with these companies to offer lower priced rooms, but often do so in secret so that the consumer doesn't know precisely which hotel or flight they are getting such a deal on. This... | [
"They organize flight times, book hotels, and possibly contact entertainment venues like sky-diving companies, or scuba diving instructors, etc and make appointments for you. They might buy your Disneyworld tickets for you in advance. So basically, they don't do much that can't be done for yourself online nowadays.... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What is all the controversy surrounding 'Rush Limbaugh'? (UK) | [
"A private citizen, Sandra Fluke wanted to testify before a congressional hearing to explain why contraceptives should be provided under insurance. The panel did not want to let her speak. Rush Limbaugh said a bunch of exceptionally rude things about her on the radio and was very, very impolite. The people who pay ... | [
"/u/CptBuck on Belly Dancing, \"The Streets of Cairo\" and late 19th century world fairs will probably interest you: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How does Saturn maintain such uniform patterns on its disks? | [
"Saturn's rings are inside the Roche limit. That's the minimum distance a moon can orbit a body without being torn apart by tidal forces. Once a.moon gets closer than that it will break up and form a ring system. Initially it will be chunky and have lots of rocks of different sizes, but over time the larler rocks w... | [
"The outer part of the planet is cold, but inside it's quite hot. Thousands of degrees near the core. Giant atmosphere, cold on top, hot inside, no landforms to slow it down... makes for an active atmosphere."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is anything to the power of 0, 1? | [
"If you rewrite the exponent of some number N to the 0 power (N^0 ) as a fraction, the numerator and denominator are equal, and therefore it is equal to 1. take (N^x )/(N^y ), this is equal to N^(x-y). To get N^(x-y) to equal N^0 , x must be equal to y. (N^x )/(N^x )=1 = N^(x-x)=N^0 (for any x)."
] | [
"Start with the division problem, and define y as the answer: 0/0 = y Turn that into a multiplication problem, as in algebra: 0 = y times 0 So, it boils down to the question, \"What number, when multiplied by 0, gives a product of 0?\" The answer, of course, is ANY number! The possibilities are infinite, and there'... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Mathematics:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Mathematics:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Mathematics:"
} |
If breeding endangered animals in captivity is so difficult, why don’t we use methods such as IVF? | [
"To a large extent it seems to be inertia. There is a lack of experience and understanding of how to perform IVF in other species. We know a lot about how best to do it in humans, not so much in other animals, because we've never had much incentive to try. Eventually conservationists will embrace IVF for critically... | [
"When elephants reach an age where they can no longer reproduce, often they will fight with young males who are still fertile and prevent them from impregnating female elephants. Hunting these old infertile elephants can be a net gain for the overall elephant population. Also, hunters have to pay money to get hunti... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do old women (40-50+) usually have this shorter hair, whereas younger have long hair? | [
"As people age, their hair may thin out as well. Shorter hairstyles are suitable for thinning hair."
] | [
"When you are used to this, you probably notice the differences that someone who isn't used to it would (because all they see is \"burka!\", it being usual and drew their attention.) Here are some details I imagine would help: - height should be very indicative because it doesn't chance at all - posture - feet siz... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
What happens when I type in a website and click enter? How does it work? | [
"You're browsing in a library. You want a specific book, let's say \"The Internet for Dummies,\" but you don't know where it is. You ask the librarian to find the book. The librarian doesn't know where the book is either, but he knows what kind of book it is, and can use that to find it in the catalog. In this case... | [
"I don't know why. My computer at work also does. But if you can see the link when you open the imgur link, then copy it and paste it into a new tab. That works on mine."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do Formula 1 cars produce such an iconic sound? | [
"A very basic answer: a relatively small engine, producing huge amounts of power, with no sound restriction, and then running at well over 10,000 rpm. Where most engines would be exploding, formula 1 are just getting started, and redline near 20,000 rpm."
] | [
"Bike wheels rotate much more slowly than F1 cars. There are thin to cut down on friction, weight and air resistance. F1 cars need traction. The bigger wheels give them far more grip on the road and allow them to drive very fast with far less wheel spin. This is my understanding, could be wrong."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
H.R.2768 - To cancel public debt held by the Federal Reserve System and to lower the public debt limit by $1.6 Trillion. From Ron Paul | [
"\"How do we owe ourselves money and what would happen if we just chose not to pay ourselves?\" Technically we do not owe ourselves. The Federal Reserve does have the name Federal in its title, but is not associated directly with the US Government. The Federal Reserve is a privately run with a board of Governors. W... | [
"The president's salary is set by Congress, and under Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution, may not be increased or reduced during his or her current term of office. The current presidential salary of $400,000/year was set by the 106th Congress in 2000 under the Treasury and General Government Ap... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
When a person is attempting suicide (eg about to jump from a bridge) and gets saved by emergency services, what happens to them next? What's their follow up care? Could they just walk away? | [
"Just gonna leave this here: **National Suicide Prevention Lifeline** _URL_0_"
] | [
"It isn't about the consequences a dead person would face, but rather giving the police an option to restrain a person who is suicidal. If a person is threatening to jump off a building and suicide were legal, the police wouldn't be able to do anything to stop them. Making suicide illegal gives the police the abili... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
If radio waves dissipate and aren't able to be separated from background noise after a small distance traveled (a couple light years), what's the point of SETI? | [
"Kind of complicated to explain. Basically what you say is true of earths basic radio communications. Since we aren't looking to blast our signals in any particular direction, they get really quiet, really fast. On the other hand, a focused signal can travel very far depending on how much power is used to send a ra... | [
"The signal will get blue-shifted to a higher frequency, and will end up half its original wavelength relative to you. This means, depending on the original wavelength, it might be pushed outside the range in which your radio can pick it up. Your bigger problem is going to be whether you can receive it all - at 50... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about aviation:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence about aviation:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
during the economic crisis, a lot of countries went into several billions or even trillions of debt. But where did all that money go in the first place? | [
"They either issued government bonds to pay their debt (in which case they are \"in debt\" to those that purchased the bonds) or they were loaded money from another country or institution, in which case they are in debt to those that loaded them money."
] | [
"Their GDP dropped to the point that investors did not believe the government would be able to pay its debts on time. Thus the rating on their government bonds plummetted. To prevent a government default, they received bailout money from other countries."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why can't YouTube show me the next video in a series? | [
"Because YouTube does not put movies into a Playlist by default. So the suggested titles are random. YouTube has a Playlist option but the uploader has to use it and you would have to go to the channels page to find it"
] | [
"Whenever I watch a clip from an episode, as long as the episode number is in the title or description, YouTube has the next episode in the recommended section 80% of the time. The easiest way is do it beforehand, if it's like a tv show search \"S#X Episode), if should show all the episodes for that season, then ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is the breaking news about Facebook’s selling of user data such a big deal? | [
"I think a large part of it is that most people have never stopped to think about what Facebook etc. actually do with their data and are therefore shocked when they hear something like this. I'm with you, it seemed totally unsurprising to me and my aluminium foil deflector beanie."
] | [
"It got main stream news people talking about income inequality other then that nothing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Social issues:"
} |
Why do some people cash their paychecks? | [
"A surprising large percentage of Americans are unbanked. They may choose for a number of reasons not to open an account, but some reasons might include: * Distrust of banks * Undocumented immigration status * Bad debts against which their may be a lien * Unpaid child support or other family debt * Someone else, li... | [
"If you don't have car insurance you have to have car insurance to drive a car or you could face serious trouble. If you want to eat cheaply/healthily then learning to cook is useful, or you could get involved with someone else who can do that. Your taxes will be taken out of your income automatically, or sent to y... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Uber vs Taxis. Outrage justified? | [
"Taxi drivers have legitimate reason to be upset. As you say there are rules and regulations to be a taxi driver - this adds hassle and cost. Then a \"ride share\" company comes in, doesn't have those fees, and therefore is either cheaper or more profitable than you - not because you have a bad business model but a... | [
"Where do you mean? Europe? The US? Middle East? Africa? Eastern Asia?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it theft if I accidentally walk out of a store with an unpaid for item, but if a store accidentally charges me twice for the item its considered an accident? | [
"It isn't theft if you accidentally walk out of a store without paying. Theft requires the specific intent to deprive the rightful owner of possession. Meaning, you have to know and intend to take the item. If you walk out accidentally, that isn't theft. If you later realize you forgot to pay and keep the item, now... | [
"I'm a little confused. Let's just say you work at Kohl's so I can use a store name. So the customers go to a Kohl's across town, buy the clothes, then return them to your Kohl's? Or do they steal them from that Kohl's, then return them to yours? Do you think the receipts are faked? Or am I missing something else? ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How did fire arrows not extinguish themselves when they were fired? | [
"because the film team makes sure the wrap is dowsed in gasoline or some other accelerant before they're fired. fire arrows weren't actually used in history. it was made up for tv/movies."
] | [
"They had multiple ballonets and a single bullet hole wouldn't cause them to go down *instantly*. It actually took incendiary bullets to bring them down. And unlike airplanes, they could typically afford a significant defensive armament. Also, most stray bullets don't travel high up in the air."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do our nails keep growing? Why dont they stop? | [
"Nails = Claws. If we were still swinging from the trees, they'd be getting broken and worn down from use, thus they need to keep growing. In our case, we've evolved past the need for claws, so they're thin and pretty much useless as anything but a decoration (and possibly some small ancillary uses like finding a ... | [
"Your toenails grow faster than your fingernails? That does not align with my experience."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Biology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Biology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
The myths about microwaves | [
"She's absolutely right. Microwaves are extremely harmful and can kill you or cause serious health problems in seconds. They are cooking appliances, and being inside one will result in being cooked. This is why you should never put a cat, dog, baby, hamster in a microwave. This is why you should never stand inside ... | [
"The big part of the controversy is that the main source of stem cells is human embryos."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What is the meaning of "in but not of the world"? | [
"\"In the world\" means that Christians are supposed to be good stewards of everything that was created, as well as to care about the people in the world, the poor, the widows, orphans, neighbors, enemies, etc. Basically, don't become a hermit and isolate yourself from those around you or be careless with the gift ... | [
"If I'm not mistaken it's called \"In with the good, out with the bad\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How does us gov make money on war on drugs or do they? | [
"It's not that the government makes money. They *spend* money. A *lot* of money. But the thing is, the private prisons and the companies that make the pesticides and tazers and guns and helicopters and so forth, they all contribute money to politicians who are in favor of the the government continuing to buy all th... | [
"why do celebrities make/advertise go fund me accounts? why do businesses that make millions or billions of dollars still demand tax cuts or publicly funded sports stadiums? Why do women still expect men to pay for dates? Never pay ypurself if you can get other people to pay. Thats how you become rich in the first... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Social Issues:"
} |
If a dentist makes money off people with bad teeth, why would I use toothpaste that 4 out of 5 dentists recommend? | [
"When I was a kid, my dentist had dentures. He had become a dentist because he wanted to help other people take care of their teeth, since no one had taught him as a kid to take care of his. I've never met a dentist who was happy to see someone with a mouth full of cavities."
] | [
"I didn't realize this was a thing. Ive been buying ACT mouthwash (which has fluoride in it) for years and never really looked at any competitors. Also if I had to guess mouthwash wasn't originally designed to fight tooth decay but instead improve bad breath which doesn't require fluoride."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why does it hurt more when you are cut with a dull knife than it does when you get cut by a very sharp knife? | [
"A sharp knife makes a \"clean\" cut; none of the skin tears or rips, it simply separates the tissue neatly in a thin line. With a dull knife, however, the cut is much less clean. Skin catches and tears, so the net damage is much more severe and spread out. Think of a pencil. If it's very sharp, it draws a very t... | [
"> How do the miniscule hairs on my face do this to a metal blade? They don't. Think about what happens when you shave. You lather up, pull out the razor, shave, rinse off your razor and then put it back on the shelf until the next time you use it. What's happening is that in between the time you use it, it's corro... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How can you be below sea level and not underwater? | [
"Go somewhere that is 100m above sea level. Dig 200m straight down. Congratulations, you are now 100m below sea level! That's how places that are below sea level work, except that most of them are valleys that formed naturally."
] | [
"How can you look out your window and still see the interior of your house?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How can you tell if a diamond (or any gem) is genuine? | [
"Most commercial diamonds now are laser-inscribed with a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) serial number, which can be tied to records that authenticate the diamond. I assume this is also done for other precious stones. You can see this serial number under 10x magnification if you know what to look for."
] | [
"Assuming we're talking about white diamonds (as opposed to the various colored varieties that exist), I'm pretty sure you can't tell if a diamond is conflict free unless 1) the diamond comes with a certificate saying where it came from or 2) the diamond came out of a piece of jewelry predating the wars that produc... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
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